Off the wall

Galleries are another option. Arrange a meeting with the manager, and take along some of your work. Don’t worry about full-blown prints; a computer with ten or so of your most suitable images will be enough. The type of images that are suitable will vary according to the type of gallery, but if you live in a tourist hotspot then local views are likely to do well. Galleries will have different requirements and commission rates for selling your work and you may have to pay a monthly fee in addition to a percentage of every photo that sells. The quality of your framing is important, and it pays to get this done professionally. Some galleries can arrange this for you.

Self-publishing a photobook is another way to get your best work seen by a new audience and potentially bring enough money in to enable you to upgrade your kit. You can print on demand rather than having to commit to a large print run, and the fulfilment of any orders is handled by the printing house. Blurb (www.blurb.com) has one of the most impressive set-ups, enabling you to distribute your book through Amazon as well as its own website. To create your book, you can drop your pictures into one of the book templates offered on its website, or create your own. Direct book printing from Blurb is also offered as part of Lightroom’s Book feature.

If you’d rather use your time to take pictures, event photography can prove to be a lucrative sideline. Whether it’s a party, fundraiser or sporting event, there’s money to be made taking candid and posed shots for local organisations. You may have to stick with outdoor events if you come up short in the lighting department, though. Even offering to shoot headshots for the company you work for, while not glamorous, can help you on your way to some new kit. Just think of the lenses or lighting equipment you could buy…