Trading Portraits For Money
Featuring: An Alternatively Colour-graded Portrait of Voice-Over Artiste, Bayo Oduwole
About a month after I graduated from university, I got paid my first six-figure sum (in Naira) to take portraits. For the next three months, I got paid nothing less. I bought a new lens and a tripod. I took Bolts around Lagos and ate Chicken Republic almost daily.
I have written briefly about what I would do if money were no problem. For a young man who has never made a lot or enough of it, I have always had lots to say about money. Today will be no different. Dear budding photographer, this one is for you.
Before I continue, I must state that Bayo was not the client who paid me the sum. The value of our collaboration has brought in more than that, but that is not why this photograph was chosen. You see, the style of our shoot was inspired by Ayobami Ogungbe—an artist and photographer whose Instagram bio is my mantra.
“Once in a while, I make striking photographs of people in exchange for money.”
I love photography, especially the works of others—architecture, portraiture, fine art, street, you name it. Should I remain this blessed, I will photograph for the rest of my life. But should I not, well, I hope those who are also fortunate will not hoard their work nor the wisdom that came with creating them.
There is much to learn about the art form that has little to do with what we are known for. Here is one: If you want to get into photography for the money, study how to run a business and be prepared to hire & manage talent. Your goal is customer satisfaction, not being the best thing since Picasso.
I have a theory. There are two ways to be a professional photographer—as an artist or as a businessman. In my debut essay for my new bi-monthly segment, B.S., launching in 10 days (Wednesday, the 13th of September), I will elaborate and write about things I wish I had done differently. For now, I will let you in on two secrets:
I have retouched zero commissioned projects since November 2022. I outsource.
I could afford Bolts and Chicken Republic because I factored them into the business expenses & price of my shoots: transport and feeding.
Last Time: It Takes A Step Or None At All
A Four Year old Photograph of a Coursemate From Uni
15th October, 2019. It has been 1,411 days since I took this photo on my first camera, a Nokia 3.1. It is one of my earliest photographs—one of the few from my teen years.
I did not want to be a photographer when I took it. I did not want to be anything. I was not philosophical or hopeless either; I just did not care.
This is the 10th edition of Photo of the day by Tam. It’s come a long way from the first, and I can’t lie; I am still figuring out what I want to do with it. On the plus side, I think I’m gaining clarity about the kind of writer I can be.
I am excited to launch B.S. (Banter & Soliloquy) and share my longer-form writing. I hope y’all love it. See you more often and on time.
Be kinder to yourself.
Tam Olobio
Tam, the wealthy photographer 🙌🏿