Digital nomads, you come across them in more and more places. A laptop and an Internet connection is all they need to work location independent. But how do traveling photographers actually do it? In this article you will read how to become a digital nomad as a photographer.
Some jobs you can do remotely easier than others. For example, web designers and developers don’t care where they work, but healthcare providers and cab drivers do. In addition, you also have another category of occupations that you can do as a digital nomad with the necessary adjustments.
For example, a teacher may choose to teach online from abroad, but a photographer may equally choose to work elsewhere on the globe. The trick is in adapting your job so that you can do it anywhere. Or, if you are still starting out: create your own remote job as a photographer!
Curious about how to make money with photos? Read here how to become a photographer!
Opportunities for didital nomad photographers
Being able to take good pictures is one thing, being able to make money from them is another. And doing that location independent is a challenge next level. Yet this is not impossible, as there are many people who work as photographers while traveling! How about the following options?
1. Doing photography assignments abroad
Photographers, who are self-employed, can do photo shoots in other countries. In principle, if you are a photographer in Belgium or the Netherlands doing an assignment for someone, you can do it just as well somewhere else. Think wedding photography or jobs for other digital nomads. Truly, there are photographers who travel the world to capture newlyweds on camera!
Perhaps not unimportant to know: you can do this if you are effectively self-employed. In fact, this is how you can prepare invoices. Taking assignments within the European Union is somewhat easier than outside it. If you choose to do this, study local regulations carefully.
While traveling and working is great to do, it does increase your carbon footprint. Wondering how to live sustainably as a nomad? Then find out all about the sustainable digital nomad here!
2. Traveling as a photojournalist for media
Some photographers are very good at making journalistic reports or documentaries. They can work for regular clients. For example, a lot of domestic and foreign media collaborate with photographers for articles that appear online or in print.
Advantage of this option: you have regular clients. Downside: you have a little less freedom.
3. Selling photos through print on demand
Being a digital nomad takes you to the most amazing places. And if you have photographic talent, you might just shoot the most beautiful images there! Some of those pictures, people would just want them on the wall. And to help those people get good posters or framed photos, you can sell your online work.
To make things easier for people, there are a lot of companies these days that take over the entire production and shipping process for you. As a photographer, all you have to do is upload the finished photos to a server. If you use such a service, you are working with print on demand. One example is the Dutch company Werkaandemuur, known in the rest of the EU as Art Heroes.
Want to outsource selling photos, too? Then find out here how to sell photos online via print on demand!
4. Selling photos yourself
Such a print on demand service is very nice, but you only keep a commission per photo. If you want more profit per photo, consider the following: make sure you return to the same place often and build a client base there that is interested in your images. Also, arrange a good contact with a local photo lab that can print your images high quality.
This really involves doing a lot yourself: contacting the printer, handling the shipping process yourself, billing, doing your own promotion and maintaining ties with your customer base. This is very time and labor intensive and not for everyone.
5. Combining your job as a photographer with something else
Many can make money from photography, but making a living from it is something else. If you want to live your own dream life as a digital nomad photographer, you can also choose to supplement it with something similar. Maybe you not only create great images, but also have a rock-solid pen! A win-win situation, as it allows you to offer your services as a photographer and copywriter! Or you might rather choose the journalistic direction: you’ll take care of both photography and text for the media!
Whichever path you choose, having your own website is a must. Don’t have your own photography website yet? Then read how to build your own photography website here.
Conclusion
If you aspire to a digital nomad lifestyle, then photographer is not the easiest profession to combine travel and work. Still, a lot of options exist. To keep it interesting for yourself, you can be creative about this. For example, it may pay to offer your services as a photographer in conjunction with another discipline.
Article updated December 31, 2024.