People have always saved photos that they liked. And now more than ever people are purchasing products with pictures on them. This adds an extra level of personalisation that you cannot find anywhere else. Many British photographers are providing this as an additional service.

So if you are interested in photography as more than just a hobby this can present you with many lucrative opportunities. Not only can you express your creative desires through the lens you can also earn a living by selling your photographs. In fact, personalised photo products are one of the UK’s best selling gifts year after year. In this article we will show you some of the things you can sell with your photos on them.

The first is a photo book. With modern commercial printing techniques people are no longer limited to having just a photo album. Photo books allow unique one-off publishing of your work. So if you have taken multiple shots of a client, you can arrange them all into a unique book.

And if you have taken at least 12 images you can arrange them into a photo calendar. These calendars are great way for people to enjoy your photography month after month. Calendars are a very common gift that people give during the holidays. So if your work has an annual theme it would be a great fit. Another commonly given photography gift is personalised clothing and textiles. It does not have to be limited to just an athletic shirt though.

Your photographs can be placed on pretty much every product you can imagine: mouse pads, clocks, Christmas ornaments and every kind of clothing imaginable. We’ve found that this is a good consistent seller year round because of all the different events that take place. For example during wedding season, custom wedding photos are in high demand.

And there are also events that can happen anytime. Some people like to give custom photo christening gifts and birthday presents. So really any kind of event that you can think of, as a photographer you can find people who will want to buy your images. And of course is on top of any salary or sitting fee that you are earning in the first place. For many photographers – even those that just shoot part time – the extra income is great. Some photographers might choose to use this extra money on better camera gear or new lenses.

Now more than ever in this digital photography age are the skills of a professional photographer becoming more specialised. With the right kind of products you can continue to earn a living and have a good time exhibiting your photographs on all kinds of mediums. Good luck with your photographer and we hope that you get the exposure that you deserve.

The first thing you will need is a high-end consumer digital SLR (also known as DSLR). The most prominent manufacturers are Nikon and Canon. The difference between the two is lens and flash capability as well as mounting, but both offer great options at most price points. For those just getting into photography, older models such as the Nikon D80 or Canon Rebel XTi offer a great introduction to professional photography. These camera bodies can be found for under $300 at many retailers and even cheaper when found used on sites such as eBay. Both offer a 10 megapixel count which produces beautiful photos even when printed on large formats.

Lenses are the other half of your photography setup – a good lens can make or break a photo. Generally it is a good idea to go with lenses made by the same manufacturer of your camera as third party lenses can often be of lesser quality. Canon and Nikon both offer beginning “kit” lenses that usually come bundled with their camera bodies if purchased from a retailer. These lenses offer the most flexibility in terms of aperture and focal length. If you are looking for more specialized lenses such as a telephoto lens for long distance photos (such as surfing when shooting from the shore), it would be wise to invest in a lens specific for that purpose. Both Canon and Nikon as well as many third party manufacturers offer lenses for all types of photography from macro (close up) shots to telephoto (far away) shots.

In terms of accessories for your camera set up, you will want to add a flash and possibly even a diffuser. A flash can help add lighting to a situation where there is little light to take advantage of such as at a show or nighttime shot. A diffuser is an accessory for you flash which diffuses the harsh flash lighting and makes it appear more natural and soft, allowing you to photograph your subject and not blow out any lighter colors.

With a beginning camera body, lens and flash accessory, you can find yourself taking professional quality photos for well under $500 if you know where to look.

Digital cameras changed everything, and the advent of cell phones with photo capability has made virtually everyone into an amateur photographer. Snapping a few shots with a cell phone seems to have an addictive effect. It’s not a big step from taking a picture of a friend waving goodby to adopting photography as a hobby. Today, with inexpensive digital cameras, no fussing with film, and sophisticated editing software, it’s easy to get into photography—and not difficult to end up with a professional-looking final print, or at least an interesting shot that can be shared on the internet.

Some people get into photography as a hobby to develop a record of important events or things they’ve seen: baby’s first step; the Taj Mahal; Mom’s face at her surprise 60th birthday party. Nobody goes on vacation these days without a camera, and even in casual circumstances, if anything that might be considered memorable comes up (or even if it’s not memorable at all), someone is bound to pull out a camera or cell phone and start clicking.

Different hobbies cost different amounts of money to get into, and the ongoing expenses vary greatly. A fisherman can start with a rod and reel that costs a few dollars, but anyone who gets serious about fishing as a hobby will buy a boat and lots of tackle, and the cost will soon escalate into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. And though sophisticated lenses and cameras are expensive, anyone can be a reasonably serious photographer for an investment of a few hundred dollars.

With digital memory at a minuscule price compared to film or fishing tackle, the photography hobbyist can have fun and make memorable pictures with a modest digital camera, a computer and inexpensive photo editing software. A hobby that’s cheap and easy – how can you beat it?