“I remember the first time I learned the real value of what I am doing,” Tom told me.
“I was in Tanzania and a British couple on their honeymoon told me they paid $10,000 to be there for two weeks. I was stunned. I’d just come back from a diving trip on Mafia Island, a spice tour on Zanzibar, and two safaris in the Selous Game Reserve… and I didn’t pay anything. Not a cent.
“Of course, at the time I was making a mere $500 for my short travel video—compared to the $4,000 and sometimes more I earn now. But when I added the price of all those early trips to my income, I started to see the full picture.
“Today, I recommend people set their prices based on their experience, the kind of equipment they have, how much travel is involved, and also what the client is willing to pay—a larger company can pay more than a mom and pop.
“It’s also important to note that the gear you need is likely the gear you already have. The camera inside your phone or iPad is way better than anything I started with a decade ago. And it’s a tripod that’s the real key. This $30 – $100 investment will pay for itself many times over.”
Really, it’s the intangible benefits of video—and the income potential—I like so much…
It’s the ability to make 10-15 times the income of a still stock photo… shooting the exact same subject…
And it’s the possibility to earn more than the cost of your entire trip with a single video…
Tom says: “I probably earn more per-year working just nine months on and three months off than most people do working full-time year-round. And my ‘office’ hops between some of the coolest places on earth. Right now, it’s back and forth between all the greatest national parks in the U.S.”
You get out what you put into it, I always say.
If you want a full-time income replacement that’s fun and on your own schedule, video is it.
But don’t wait long, because we never know how long these opportunities are going to last.