During my travels across Central America I met a humble gentleman named David Carmona. Looking into his eyes, there was a certain sparkle nested deep inside, as if he could see wonders that most could not. It did not take long to realize he was an up and coming photographer, traveling the world while sharing his particular view of the world’s beauties.

He was the first man to prove to me that it’s very possible to travel as a full-time photographer. After interviewing him, as well as a few others currently traveling as photographers, I came up with a comprehensive list of ways that will help you learn how to travel as a photographer. It is my hope that this will help aspiring photographers like yourself go out and grow your photography career through travel.

All the pictures in the following article are David Carmona’s, which you can follow on his facebook community.

If I missed any alternative ways to travel as a photographer, please let me know by contacting me or commenting below.

There are many ways to find travel photography jobs abroad. More and more traveling photographers are offering freelance services, making money through alternative methods such as the ones you will find below. Hopefully these get you thinking about how you can make money abroad as a traveling photographer!

David Carmona made his first break in an ingenious way. He was in Brisbane Australia when he came up with the idea of offering professional photography services to couples and friend groups on the beach. He would sell his pictures for $2 a piece, and send them via email. The generosity of Australians allowed him to make a very decent wage from it working only on the weekends.

Goes to show that thinking outside the box can go a long way!

Selling images to companies like Hallmark can be a great way to make extra revenue. Every year these companies need thousands of pictures, and once you are in the system selling more images becomes easier.

As a beginner, the best way to sell your pictures is to go to touristic stores and offer them your postcards. Shop to shop sales remains the most effective way to sell your pictures. At first you may feel uncomfortable approaching random stores to have them sell your pictures, but that’s part of the thrill! Just think, what’s the worst that can happen? The benefit of having someone sell your postcard largely outweighs the few no’s you will get along the way.

Although this is more in line with saving costs than making money, I think it’s a viable option, especially if you are just starting out. Not only will it allow you to travel for longer at a cheaper price, it will also allow you to grow your international portfolio, helping you grow your career through travel.

For starters, you can use established networks like Helpx, Workaway.info, and WWOOF. These are websites where you sign up to offer your help, in exchange for accommodation and food. Available in over 190 countries, you are bound to find opportunities.

You could also contact hotels, resorts and even start-ups, offering to take professional pictures in exchange for a small stipend or accommodation and food. This is how my girlfriend and I ended up staying for free in a 4 star Yoga Resort in Northern Sri Lanka! Interested in doing so? Sign up to my newsletter to get tried and tested email templates.

Sell your pictures on high traffic websites

You can offer to sell your pictures online, using established platforms such as Gumroad and Shutterstock.

GumRoad

If you sell on Gumroad you will be able to set up affiliate programs to have bloggers and friends promote your products as well. This is a great way to get your work in front of more people, sharing the profit of any sale.

Shutterstock & Other Equivalents

There are many platforms on which you can sell your pictures. Shutterstock is one of the more famous ones, however there are a few others you can sell on by doing a simple google search. These are continuously changing, so rather than listing them I suggest you do a simple google search like "websites I can sell pictures on."

Here are a few platforms you can use to showcase your skills:

-Freerangestock

-Pixabay

These won't make you money, but they can be used to showcase your talent. It's a great starting point!

This is probably my favourite way to travel as a photographer.

In 2017, building a professional-looking website is much easier than you would think. The best way to do this is to sell through Shopify, which sets up pretty much everything for you. For a small monthly fee, they take care of everything from your payment platform to your email marketing. They offer a 14-day free trial, which is definitely worth a try to see if this is a good avenue for you.

Building a blog is another great way for aspiring photographers to create long term revenue as there are many ways to monetize once you have a constant flow of visitors. I won’t lie, this is not the easiest way to make quick money, but in the long run it’s one of the best ways to create an established audience and a constant flow of income.

It’s also a great way to build a portfolio that you can showcase later to potential clients and employers.

If you already have a portfolio and you know it is in line with what certain brands, magazines or newspapers promote, contact them to offer your photography services. If you reach out to enough people, there’s a strong chance you will get a few contracts. This could allow you to have organizations sponsor your travels, or pay per picture.

Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part, but once you know how it works and have a few established clients, getting new ones becomes a piece of cake. Here is a great article explaining how to get your photos published.

This is another one of my favourites. In Siem Reap Cambodia I saw something that blew my mind! It was ingenious, entrepreneurial, and wildly successful.

A photographer partnered up with local tourism authorities to create an album of pictures showcasing the best of what the country has to offer. They then arranged for these albums to be sold at checkout counters in every supermarket, convenience store, and even in hotels! By partnering up with an established authority, he was able to get his book in front of thousands of people every day, creating a successful business in a short amount of time.

Follow Your Passion Patiently & Persistently

In the end, if you are a truly passionate photographer, finding opportunities on the road will come to you. Every business, every website, every blogger, and every individual needs great pictures. It’s up to you to make a name for yourself, and doing so through travel is more possible than ever. It will not be easy, but as with everything else “grandescunt aucta labore – with work all things grow.”

If you are still asking yourself how to travel as a photographer, don’t hesitate to contact me or comment below, and I will personally find ways to travel that work with your situation!

All the photos in this post were taken by David Carmona and can be found here.

Until Next Time,

The Alternative Ways