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keagan.karstens
August, 2021

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How the fuck do you afford all your camera stuff

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SamColby
Posts: 644 - Karma: 2,006
Just wondering how people do it... Multiple jobs? Saving shitloads...? Just wondering because I have a job, but realized I'm semi fucked financially for camera stuff in the foreseeable future. My laptop is on the fritz and I'm saving up for the tokina 11-16
Jan 30 2013 8:10PM 6 0
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1337
Posts: 31018 - Karma: 28,428
pretty much worked two summers and spent all my money on camera stuff.
Jan 30 2013 8:41PM 0 0
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plorr
Posts: 3129 - Karma: 517
Tax returns. Being very cheap in most other areas of my life.
Jan 30 2013 8:43PM 0 0
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TaySwift
Posts: 3436 - Karma: 1,620
mowed lawns one spring and summer, sold a bit of crack on the side
Jan 30 2013 9:09PM 0 0
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b_r_tregs
Posts: 298 - Karma: 204
I barely did...i was short $100 and since i made honor role my mom gave me a lone....i still owe my mom about $50
Jan 30 2013 9:14PM 0 0
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,590
I work my ass off in the summer, and watch what i spend my money on.


Jan 30 2013 9:16PM 0 0
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SamColby
Posts: 644 - Karma: 2,006
yeah i've been working a ton over summers, mostly mowing lawns but this summer i'm gonna have another job as well...
Jan 30 2013 10:20PM 0 0
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Eggbert
Posts: 329 - Karma: 46
I take it spelling wasn't part of your grading system?
Jan 30 2013 10:23PM 0 0
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Downtofilm
Posts: 6896 - Karma: 20,392
I parents helped me buy my first camera, I then did jobs with that camera to afford new ones, also sold lots of stuff, hustled. Before I get called out on the "hustled" I legit did hustle quite a bit, hoodies to COC/momentum kids, other peoples items in return for a percentage, etc.
Jan 30 2013 10:32PM 0 0
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,920
haha was gonna say the same thing
Jan 30 2013 10:33PM 0 0
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NPF
Posts: 5145 - Karma: 11,989
got a job.
Jan 30 2013 10:35PM 0 0
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zbphoto
Posts: 7789 - Karma: 12,034
Used my bar mitzvah money to get me started with my rebel xsi, the rest has been me working my ass off, and being smart with what i purchase and sell.
Jan 30 2013 10:55PM 0 0
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Jacuse
Posts: 1792 - Karma: 1,549
I worked 60 hours a week for the past 6 months on an internship and now i'm working 20 hours a week while in classes. My parents are helping me pay for room/board so I have some money to spend on gear. Plus it pays for itself after a few freelance jobs
Jan 30 2013 11:09PM 0 0
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goodiepocket
Posts: 950 - Karma: 640
for me...it's been years of accumulation. Step by step I slowly acquired all of my gear. Moving from one camera to the next...picking up accessories as I could afford them. Don't expect to get everything at once. I paid for everything with time, gaining experience, savings and patience.
Jan 30 2013 11:20PM 0 0
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,920
this, my setup has been 4 years in the making
Jan 30 2013 11:23PM 0 0
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boomie
Posts: 1637 - Karma: 3,114
just getting into it, but through selling stickers on the forums here and other random jobs
Jan 31 2013 12:04AM 0 0
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JAHrig
Posts: 738 - Karma: 2,649
I mostly slang fat crack rocks with Tayswift
Jan 31 2013 12:10AM 0 0
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*ninja*
Posts: 2084 - Karma: 993
sell old gear im saving up for a t2i
Jan 31 2013 12:25AM 0 0
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flatspinner
Posts: 2701 - Karma: 531
My grandma left me some money and she was a discerning art collector, she told me to continue pursuing art. Otherwise, slow accumulation from jobs I've had. Shot a bunch of weddings and sold a bunch of prints. Keep grinding
Jan 31 2013 1:11AM 0 0
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3475 - Karma: 3,585
Your mom made you take out a "loan" from her for $100. What the hell is her problem. $100, really?
Jan 31 2013 9:39AM 0 0
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RawrRawrRob
Posts: 1841 - Karma: 676
Working at Grocery store, saving that money and just trying my hardest not to spend it on things I don't really need.
Jan 31 2013 10:00AM 0 0
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Wow, no reason to be an asshole about it. 100$ is a lot fo money.

For me:

- I had a very a good job (making about 20€ on average, sometimes making as much as 40€ an hour)
- I flipped a lot of camera gear. Whenever I see a bargain I just buy it and sell it for more. Made a shit ton with this.
- Buy second-hand. Be patient. Don't buy the latest gear. I've never owned a camera that's less than 5 years old.
- Be smart with money. Don't spend it on junk.
Jan 31 2013 10:19AM 0 0
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3475 - Karma: 3,585
Whatever happened to parents helping their kids out? Especially for small stuff like that. Help your kid by a camera to go have fun with and learn shit, instead of having him smoke weed after school with all the other kids.
Jan 31 2013 10:21AM 0 0
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KellyK
Posts: 1776 - Karma: 587
Ha! Some parents don't have money to throw around buddy. My parents haven't given me a dime since I turned 18 and three years later I'm still alive, have a good job, a great place to live, and a decent camera setup to boot and I give credit to my folks for teaching me how to work hard for my shit.
Jan 31 2013 11:30AM 0 0
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J_Wang
Posts: 690 - Karma: 326
hustle all my old shit i dont use, and work alot
Jan 31 2013 12:10PM 0 0
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michael_bc
Posts: 1258 - Karma: 80
- get a job
- never buy gear that just came out
- always buy camera bodies that are one generation behind (they are a third of the price)
- try to buy lenses second hand
- only buy quality lenses (resale value)
- be incredibly patient
Jan 31 2013 12:39PM 0 0
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CanonSkis
Posts: 83 - Karma: 42
How do you guys pick up freelance jobs doing it?
Jan 31 2013 12:41PM 0 0
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Troy.
Posts: 5070 - Karma: 12,521
By spending it all on gear.
Jan 31 2013 12:41PM 0 0
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JuliusJ
Posts: 3778 - Karma: 2,048
I think thats good parenting, they are teaching their kids the value of money.
Jan 31 2013 2:24PM 0 0
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3475 - Karma: 3,585
I get that and am all for making sure your kids dont end up greedy little shits. But I was assuming that kid was still pretty young and in school..like middle or high school. You're a kid, you don't have money, your parents should help ya out...
Jan 31 2013 2:36PM 0 0
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grown-ninja
Posts: 3031 - Karma: 175
my parents helped me out a bunch when I was younger, but I've worked since the day i turned 14 and got my working papers. 

Worked through highschool  7-8am every weeekend all day and after sports say 6-10 once and a while during the week. 

Worked 20-30 hours through college while double majoring and taking 22 credits at one pts.  My parents always helped me but I hatted asking for money.  Nothing feels better than using money you earned to buy what you need.

I'm all for parents helping out their kids but it really seems like not many young people work (higschool age) very much any more.
Jan 31 2013 2:52PM 0 0
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JuliusJ
Posts: 3778 - Karma: 2,048
i mean by middle school, you're around 13, you can mow lawns or something... its really not a big deal, plus the kid will value it more.
Jan 31 2013 2:52PM 0 0
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MEDSKI.XXX
Posts: 312 - Karma: 403
I just got my first good camera, i had been saving up since march and mowed a shit ton of lawns over the summer, by the time winter rolled around I had enough to buy the camera, now, hopefully this summer I can get a job and continue to expand my set up
Jan 31 2013 4:37PM 0 0
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MikeRonzitti
Posts: 191 - Karma: 326
My parents and i split the initial cost of my kit. Then for everything else excluding my bag i saved up almost a full summers worth of mowing lawns for it.
Jan 31 2013 6:05PM 0 0
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SNP_CREW
Posts: 249 - Karma: 495
something that I did when buying my kid was go thru my bookshelves and find my old textbooks. over the years i havent sold them, but they resell for alot these days so I probably made 400-500 on textbooks alone
Jan 31 2013 6:20PM 0 0
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SamColby
Posts: 644 - Karma: 2,006
yeah at the moment im saving for a tokina 11-16. I'd really like to start looking for jobs (weddings maybe? in the near future) or even start selling prints. I'm not sure how to begin this process, but it's a work in progress. What were some of your first photo jobs?
Jan 31 2013 6:32PM 0 0
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SamColby
Posts: 644 - Karma: 2,006
sorry for double post..but this is something i have been wondering as well
Jan 31 2013 7:26PM 0 0
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,271
My mother buys every piece of camera equipment for me.
Jan 31 2013 8:50PM 0 0
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MLeone
Posts: 725 - Karma: 72
do good work, have a portfolio, find someone who needs your services, get noticed, more people want your services, and it keeps expanding.
Jan 31 2013 9:08PM 0 0
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flatspinner
Posts: 2701 - Karma: 531
You have a few options here.

1. Get to know successful portrait/wedding photographers in your area and ask to be a second shooter. This may not work because they might already have a couple dozen, but ask anyway. Don't be discouraged because often times photographers can be dicks. Which is why...

2. Get to know art directors! Every magazine has a photo editor or an art director. Just about every marketing company, advertising...you name it and they probably have an art director. Be this guy's friend (like everyone else) because he could seriously help you out in getting your stuff noticed. But then again, these guys can be dicks too. So you should probably...

3. Rent out gallery space. Have a cohesive body of work that emphasizes your talent and rent out gallery space. Have a graphic designer (not you) make up flyers and while you're at it, make some business cards too. While you're there, get to know the art director. See if they have any educational programs they run so you can teach those and maybe earn some $$.

4. Stock photography. This one is hard, and its becoming harder. But I'd still go for it. Get really good at shooting photos that you think people/companies want, and maybe they'll find your photos and buy a royalty-free license from Getty which pays 35% on RF licenses so you'll be left with about $21.57. The trick with stock photography though is that you have about 4,000 licensable quality photos (that have model/property releases) and you could earn quite a bit of money from it. Very hard, takes a lot of patience and most of it is outside your control.

That is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it's a start. Whatever do decide to do, don't half-ass it or just be in it for a quick buck. Photography is very hard (just like running a business because it IS running a business) but there are definitely opportunities out there. Best of luck man. Don't be afraid to ask photographers either. Dan Carr (who I do not know) was nice enough to review my portfolio before I submitted it to a company. He was very helpful in his critique.

One more tip. If you know any professional athletes, shoot them using their sponsors gear. Have them approach their rep or team manager and maybe you can get in like that. Writing a photography blog about something interesting can gather a large audience but again, that is going to take patience.
Feb 1 2013 2:08AM 0 0
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SamColby
Posts: 644 - Karma: 2,006
Damn. Some solid advice. Thanks +k
Feb 1 2013 7:02AM 0 0
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akarlsen
Posts: 523 - Karma: 144
got a 500d for christmas+birthday a few years ago, started out loaning my uncles lenses(i still do)
i then got a job at a big supermarket store in the electronics department + i work freelance for the local newspaper, shooting mostly hockey(ill start writing for them when i feel like it.)

But yea i borrow most of the lenses i use, for now.

i have a feeling that there is alot of grammar mistakes here, spellchecker is in norwegian. red words, red words everywhere.
Feb 1 2013 12:25PM 0 0
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Tanner-D
Posts: 2061 - Karma: 4,093
I work the corner on Friday nights
Feb 1 2013 5:14PM 0 0
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_RNS_
Posts: 172 - Karma: 736
Teaching little 4 year olds how to ski at my local mountain, various media projects for small businesses.
Feb 6 2013 12:08AM 0 0
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EvanHemps
Posts: 34 - Karma: 62
i have made a few videos for people businesses. if you do a good job you can make a lot of money.
Feb 6 2013 12:20AM 0 0
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Jewschoolers
Posts: 1785 - Karma: 1,138
i work hard. i buy ski shit. i buy camera shit. i buy gas to get to the mountain. i sometimes buy food
Feb 6 2013 12:50AM 0 0
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eheath
Posts: 57442 - Karma: 79,528
Save money, buy shit, re-invest, get jobs using gear, make more money, buy more shit.
Feb 6 2013 3:53AM 0 0
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DingoSean
Posts: 23255 - Karma: 17,848
I usually buy used, affordable stuff from adorama, and don't buy into the ridiculousness that is the Red Ring fever. For me, I can achieve results that I'm happy with by getting mid-grade lenses and/or using legacy glass.

I also scope out Goodwill and thrift shops for most of my 35mm SLR's. I've achieved quite the collection. for very cheap - Especially minolta gear (just bought a Minolta XG-1 with a Rokkor 35mm F2 lens today. For 15$. The lens alone is probably 50 - which is expensive for minolta gear)

I also inherited a few cameras from my Uncle, so that's nice.
Feb 6 2013 4:12AM 0 0
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Jwenz
Posts: 8893 - Karma: 7,614
this completely. I started investing at about age 16 then have just reinvested sold things and bought when had extra money. All started with le ole gl2
Feb 6 2013 10:28AM 0 0
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