Earlier this month, I told you my new goal for 2012 is to make over 4,000 sales in stock.
Since I don’t have a lot of time outside my job, travel, and hobbies, I’ve decided I’m going to do what most successful stock photographers tell us to do, anyway:
Shoot your hobbies. So today I set aside five minutes to think up a list of things I like to do in my spare time that I can ALSO shoot for stock. Here’s what I came up with:
Skiing – I could definitely take my camera with me on the sunny ski days this year and get some mountain shots.
Hiking – I made a resolution this year to get out into the woods more. You better believe I plan to take my camera with me.
Travel – This one is kind of a given. I spend about a quarter to a third of my time traveling, so this year I’m making it my goal to research EVERY place I go ahead of time… even if it’s a city here in the U.S. I’ll take my camera on each trip and see if I can get some stock photos out of it.
Chocolate – Yes, chocolate is a hobby of mine! But I don’t mean just eating it. I also like to make chocolate truffles as gifts for people (some do accidentally fall into my mouth). This year, I’d like to set up my truffle-making so that I can photograph the end product. And maybe I’ll even stage a truffle-making so that I can photograph the process, too.
Running – I’m training for a big relay race in August, so I have all of the running gear… and even some colorful clothes without logos. Now that I know how to take a self-portrait, thanks to this month’s Snap & Sell Photo Club Premium Roadmap from stock photographer Danny Warren, I’m determined to take a photo of MYSELF running. Plus, I’m training with friends, so maybe I can get them in on it, too.
Gift Wrapping – This may sound silly, but I truly love wrapping gifts. I’d like to try photographing some on a white background and see if they’ll sell.
Eating – I love food, and I’m learning how to cook more complex dishes. This year, I’m going to try my hand at food photography for stock (referring back to the Snap & Sell Photo Club Premium Roadmap on food for tips and advice from the pros.)
Photography – Taking photos for stock is fun, but I also like other kinds of photography. Some months, I experiment with new projects. For example, during the month of September, I did one self-portrait each day. An unexpected perk is that I’ve been able to use some of the shots for stock.
What do you like to do in your free time? Take a few minutes today to make a list and think about how you could photograph each of the things on your list for stock. Let’s combine the things we love and turn them into an income.
