solomanflyer wrote:I am wondering how do photographers make money, after spending their valuable time and effort along with the equipment they get nothing but posting the photos in the internet.
of course some do it as a hobby and expect nothing in return.. But those who work as a freelancer how do they get paid?
Unless you get some magazine covers or annual report photo requests, there isn't the dollars in it. And as someone said before, the moment you mention money for a photo, you hear all the sob-stories in the world, or complete silence. They know someone will give them the image for free, probably even hand over all rights as well.
I think at least a few people here must surely do normal photography (eg corporate events, weddings, journalism type stuff) to make the dollars. But even the latter is turning into a piranha pool as well with big newspapers dismissing their in house photography departments and outsourcing them, or at least rehiring some of the photographers as freelancers. I know where I am, I'm the last one in the place with the photography knowledge still full time, and that's because it wasn't my only role, I have other duties and responsibilities which nowadays are 90% of my time.
And the other thing is with the smart-phone, everybody is a photographer. The newsworthy aviation photograph (such as an incident) is immediately shared via twitter, facebook or the like by someone with a smart phone. That serves the news websites well enough, because it is right away.
I haven't forgotten how to take photos, it's just that I only do it as needed for my work. Otherwise there are things I enjoy more than spending all day sitting around outside an airport taking photos of planes. I found what I really enjoy doing, I just wish I'd found it when I was so much younger.
Enjoy photography, make a dollar when you can, but always have a backup plan - have other things on the go all the time.