Car Photography Income Streams Ranked | Which Path Pays Most?

Michael Lee outlines the 3 main ways car photographers can make money in 2025 and beyond: retail, social media, and advertising. He clarifies the distinctions between these avenues, ranking them from easiest to most advanced for aspiring car photographers.
The easiest entry point is REATIL, which involves shooting for car DEALERSHIPS. Michael explains that dealerships are independently owned franchises, and shooting for them is not the same as shooting for the car brands' headquarters. He likens it to shooting Apple products for Best Buy – your client is the dealership, not Apple. This is often for the dealership's social media and local marketing efforts.
The second method is SOCIAL MEDIA content creation for the car brands themselves. This can be achieved in two ways:
1. Becoming a social media influencer: Brands may approach photographers with a significant follower count for sponsorship deals. While content quality is important, follower count often serves as an initial filter for brands.
2. Being a skilled photographer without requirung a large social media presence: Brands hire top photographers based solely on their portfolio and the quality of their work for social media campaigns. Social media campaigns prioritize good content delivered quickly and in quantity.
The third and most advanced method is ADVERTISING photography. This involves less quantity and more time spent on individual shots, with extremely high expectations for quality. Advertising shoots often involve extensive planning, a large crew, and significant collaboration, which Lee finds enhances the final quality. He contrasts this with social media shoots, which are often a "one-person show" and require quicker execution.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to the 3 Ways to Make Money as a Car Photographer
00:25 - The Broad List and Career Focus
00:41 - Method 1: Retail (Car Dealerships)
01:17 - Distinction: Dealership vs. Brand Headquarters
02:38 - Best Buy Analogy for Clarity
03:46 - Method 2: Social Media for Brands
06:40 - Social Media vs. Advertising Campaign Priorities
07:24 - Method 3: Advertising Photography
08:53 - why I love Advertising Shoots

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