Passive Income for Photographers | Understanding What It Really Takes to Go Full-Time pt. 5
- Blink Photography Co.
- Oct 22
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Let’s be real, solely relying on photoshoots for your paycheck can be exhausting! Between scheduling, editing, and marketing, you’re constantly working for your next paycheck. That’s not freedom, that’s just another 9–5 with a camera.
If you want to go full-time and stay full-time, you’ve got to find ways to make money even when you’re not shooting. That’s where passive income comes in. It’s money earned from work you’ve already done such as products, content, or systems that keep paying you over time.
In this post, I’ll break down realistic passive income ideas for photographers, how to set them up, and what actually works (and what doesn’t). These are strategies I recommend to photographers who want consistent income without burning out. Affiliate links may be used throughout, which does not affect you negatively in any way. It does not increase the price of the item(s) we recommend. Should you decide to purchase an item(s) via our links we will receive a small commission as a 'thank you' from the represented company. Thank you for your support! :)
Key Takeaways
Passive income creates stability between busy and slow seasons.
You don’t need a huge following, you need consistency and quality of your content and offers.
Start with one or two income streams first, master them, then expand.
Your photos, skills, and knowledge are valuable assets, use them wisely.
Why Passive Income Matters for Photographers
Passive income gives you breathing room. It’s not just about “making money while you sleep” it’s about building a sustainable business that doesn’t collapse when client flow slows down.
Think of it as insurance for your creative career.
When bookings slow down or you just need time off, your digital products, affiliate links, or online resources can keep income flowing.
Plus, once you’ve built a few streams of income, they stack turning your part-time hustle into a full-time, financially stable business.
Sell Digital Products That Actually Help People
This is one of the easiest and most reliable ways photographers earn passive income. You already have skills, knowledge, and visuals that turn them into digital resources.
For example…
Presets & LUTs
Photography guides or checklists. Teach what you know: posing tips, lighting setups, or business workflows.
Printables for other creators. Planning sheets, content calendars, or shot list templates.
Stock photos. Granted, this route is not recommended for just anyone.
There are several, several places that you can sell your products: your website (if able), Etsy, Gumroad, etc. Be sure to do extensive research before committing to one or the other. These platforms have to also make money for their business and will take a percentage of your income to run their business. So just do your math research first!
**shameless plug-in**
Instead of spending hours creating your own products to sell, consider purchasing the bundle I've already created for you! It contains a lot of resell goodies including presets, email marketing templates, contract templates, model release templates, and soooo much more.
Ngl, I think you'll find it useful.
If you still aren't sure about it then here's a coupon for another 50% off... you're welcome.
Use code "MRR50" at checkout!
Ok, back to what I was saying...
Affiliate Marketing (Earn from What You Already Use)
Affiliate marketing is one of the most underrated, albeit complex, income sources for photographers. You recommend gear, software, or tools you already use and get paid a small commission when someone buys through your link. Most platforms (and blogging sites) require that you let your audience know when you are recommending an affiliate link so be sure to read their policies to make sure you’re not breaking any rules.
One of the easiest affiliate programs to apply for is Amazon. However, there are certain requirements you have to meet in order to actually make money from affiliate links and be able to keep your account activated. It can be tricky. Trust me, I don’t recommend it if you are just starting out and don’t have much of an audience yet. Wait until that point before you apply. Read the fine print and understand how to meet those requirements. Most products you will recommend will average about 2%-4% back, however, it all depends on what category that product falls into. This option is best for photographers who want to recommend outfit choices to clients who don’t know what to wear to their photoshoots. You can automate emails with products and links embedded to automatically send to clients who book with you.
A better alternative is to apply for Moment’s affiliate program. Last time I checked, it's relatively easy to apply to, and you don’t have to worry about actually keeping your account activated if you don’t make many recommendations. The amount you get back from products you recommend vary averaging 4%-8% back. Best for photographers recommending to photographers.
Another alternative is Adobe Creative Cloud Affiliate Program. This program is also pretty easy to apply to and get accepted by. Again, there are no requirements you have to fulfill in order to keep your account activated. The only downside is that most photographers already use Adobe products so the chances of actually getting new users to sign up via your link is next to none. Best for photographers recommending to photographers.
Create Educational Content
You don’t have to be an influencer to teach photography. If you’re good at explaining things, you can monetize your knowledge. Consider starting a blog and teaching clients what to expect from photography sessions, or teach other photographers how to edit like you do. You can monetize with ads, affiliate links, and/or through paid subscriptions. If you are wanting to lean in more to the “course selling realm” then consider making courses or hosting workshops to teach others. Be sure you are offering the best of the best content so that your clients will recommend you to others and leave good reviews. Another way to monetize your business is to consider launching a paid email newsletter. Offer exclusive insights, gear reviews, business tips, or whatever your heart desires.
Offer Print Sales or Wall Art
If you love landscape, nature, or travel photography, don’t sleep on the idea of selling prints! People still want to decorate their homes with wall art, especially when it comes from a real photographer rather than generic stock. If your website does not offer print sales capabilities, consider selling through Etsy via third party apps such as Printful or Printify. They will handle all printing, shipping, and fulfillment. Set your sell prices high enough to cover any printing/fulfillment costs and to make an actual profit off of. Don’t set prices too high at first! What you can do is this: Let’s say that you are listing a print for $99. What you can do is run a sale, such as 50% off sale, to gain some clients and income. Set your sale price so that you still make profit. Running occasional sales will trigger clients to purchase.
Build A System That Keeps Working for You
Passive income isn’t truly “set it and forget it”... it’s more like “set it up once, then maintain it.”
You’ll still need to update products, promote content, and optimize listings, but the workload drops drastically compared to solely booking clients. This is where you can automate your passive workflow…
For example,
You can automate email sequences for product promotions and releases.
You can repurpose your content on all your platforms by stagger scheduling content.
Affiliate links are already automatically tracked and monitored, so you just sit back and relax while your visitors do the rest.
FAQ
1. How much passive income can photographers realistically make?
It varies. Most will see only a few dollars within the first few months. Some see a few hundred dollars per month early on, which can grow to thousands as your audience expands.
2. What’s the easiest passive income idea to start with?
Selling presets or digital guides. They’re quick to create and easy to market. Plus, we’ve already created a bundle of resell items for you so you can get right to it! [link]
3. Do I need a large audience for affiliate marketing?
Not necessarily. You just need targeted content that reaches buyers actively searching for the products you’re recommending.
4. Can I sell my client photos as stock or prints?
Only with written permission. Stick to personal or travel work for licensing and print sales.
5. How long does it take to see results from passive income?
Usually 3–6 months, depending on your strategies.
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