How to make money with old photographs!

Who couldn't use some extra money? I know I could.  Photography as a hobby can eat up a lots of cash.  So why not do a little something that helps pay for the addiction?

Here's a great idea.  Are you decent at touching up your photos?  Are you decent at using photoshop?

Well, then why not start doing Digital Restoration!  Do you have old photos around that are cracked or torn? Most people do!  Here is the thing, people pay up to 40 dollars an hour and more to have their photos retouched and fixed!  Most photographers can take a class at a junior college or at an adult learning center and learn enough to touch up photos.  You can even find on-line courses to help you learn.

Seriously, if you did 2 photos a day at 30 dollars, you would have 60 dollars a day. In a week you would make 300 dollars(a 5 day work week). Thats 1200 dollars a month extra.  Thats enough to buy a nice digital camera!   What are you waiting for. Go for it!

Here is an example. This photo is of my Great Grandfather and Grandmother. (Click on the photos to see a bigger version)

BEFORE

AFTER

By the way, If you need some restoration done on a photo, let me know.  I am very reasonable priced!

Always Carry A Camera!

Sometimes the best photographs come when you least expect them.  You might me out on a walk or driving a short distance in your car.  Maybe you are on vacation and left your camera in the hotel room while you are swimming in the pool.  The point of all of this is that there are great opportunities to get amazing shots and if you don't have your camera with you the moment will be missed.  I have learned this the hard way.  I used to leave my camera at home while on business trips and short outings. Now I take it with me.  

When you have your camera with you, make sure it is ready. If you are driving through a big valley and an awesome sunset shows up and  you have your 300mm lens on you probably won't get the shot.  You probably want your 28mm.  What I am saying is be ready for the situation you will be in. Think about where you are going before you get there and figure out which lenses you will need if there is a shot.  

You can also choose your camera settings in advance.  Say you are driving down a dirt road and you see a huge elk on the side of the road. you have your 300mm lens( a good choice in this case) in your camera but you have it set to f/22.  You might miss the shot. If you had it set to f/8 you have a better chance to make magic happen. So, set your f/stop or ISO to the proper setting that you might need.

The whole point of this is to be like boy scouts-Be Prepared!

I took this while out on a short drive last week!

Taken at the swimming pool while on a short vacation.

The gear you want to take while traveling.......

So, you have decided to take a vacation and are wondering what gear you will need to pack.  This is not an easy  task.   It really depends on where you are going and what you plan on photographing.  I have put together a list of items that you can start with.  Of course you will need to decide on your own what you will really need, but this should give you the general idea.

1. Camera
2. spare batteries
3. Charger
4. wide angle lens
5. medium range telephoto lens
6. long lens
7.  Lens cleaner and cloth
8.  filter set
9.  flash and sync cable
10. tripod
11.  and last, a durable camera bag to protect your equipment.

When packing your gear for traveling you also need to consider the weight of what you are taking.  If you are doing a lot of walking or hiking, you might want to slim down to cut some weight from what you will be carrying.  You might be going to a place where you can't use flash, so forget the flash. If you won't need a tripod don't take it.  The downside is that you might end up needing something you decided not to take, so pack carefully.

Another thing you should always consider if possible is a second camera body.  If you are traveling to a foreign country this could be a problem though.  Sometimes customs will stop you and question you about a second camera body.  The reason being that some people try to sell their equipment while overseas without paying duty.  If this happens to you, be cooperative and patient.  Answer their questions. Remember, being mad is not going to help you at all.  A good idea is to get your equipment registered with customs. The best way to prevent this always check allowances beforehand.


Most important of all is to have fun and get some great photos. Just think, if you get some nice shots, you could sell them and maybe pay for your next vacation!

Let me know if you can think of something I have missed or should add to this list. Thanks for reading!!!