Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Finn.
Jason, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I discovered photography while studying graphic design at MiraCosta College in Oceanside. My major interests were product design, package design, 3-d modeling, and photography. So far I have seen the most success in photography, but I plan to pursue other entrepreneurship ideas and side hustles in the future.
In 2017, I had four side hustles that I was trying to combine into a living wage. I flipped thrift-store books on Amazon, practiced real estate photography for various clients, I started selling my photos for royalties online through stock photography agencies, and I drove for Uber to cover the gaps in my income. I was still failing! I hardly made enough money to cover my living expenses.
At the beginning of 2018, I finally decided to move to Utah because of a new opportunity. I had already been doing some independent contract work for a company called Obeo. They hired me as a real estate photographer back in 2017 (thanks @obeo_unlimited). They connect photographers to real estate agents throughout the United States. I was only connected to a few photoshoots per month in North County, San Diego. Obeo’s home base is in Utah and they told me that I would get a lot more work in Utah Valley if I moved. The promise of making my schedule and being my boss appealed to me. So, I leaped!
2018 was a big year with 200+ houses photographed in Utah, and I developed some of my clients as well. I have also received photography work from a Utah-based startup called Homie (@tryhomie). I invested most of my time into developing my stock photography portfolio because the passive income was catching my interest.
In 2019, I reached 500+ houses photographed. I began creating video work for one of my clients (thanks Brandy Tilo @yourkeytosaratogasprings). I also hired out parts of my stock photography work (thanks Ailene). Hiring an awesome virtual assistant helped me with creating search-engine data for my photos. This freed up my time. I was now able to produce an average of about 1,500 new stock images per month in 2019.
Now in 2020, my goal is to produce more content than I ever have before! This is the year that my passive income from royalties will grow to cover all of my living expenses. Photography royalties are my absolute focus now and I see it as a stepping stone to bigger projects. I don’t plan to quit real estate photography, but I am not actively looking for new clients. If my current path continues, then by 2021, I will be location independent! I plan to travel within the United States for my photography!
My other goals include sharing more of my process with the world. Like many artists, I tend to hide my process until I unveil the final product. I used to only post my very best photos online. This is holding me back. I plan to change this by posting a new photo every day in 2020. I want to share more behind-the-scenes content as well. Expanding my comfort zone and becoming more open about my work process is the new theme. We live in a world of abundance! I am choosing to embrace that with my work!
Has it been a smooth road?
I never really knew if I would discover a path to earning a steady living without a job. I am still not 100% convinced I’ll be successful and remain self-employed long term, but that is where my heart is! If I fail, I can always return to other side hustles to cover the rest of my bills. I have had a lot of luck along the way too. Thank god I put some money into Bitcoin in 2013! That let me dedicate even more time to stock photos!
Something that always motivates me is a focus on life-long learning and personal development. On average, I may spend 5+ hours a day editing photos. This is a ton of time I can devote to learning while I work. Podcasts are my favorite! Some shows I think are worth checking out are Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu, The Tim Ferriss Show, and The Chase Jarvis Show. Also, my friend Chase Maher has a great podcast called Life Worth Chasing.
Please tell us about your work.
Establishing a passive income in photography royalties is incredibly challenging! I do not work directly with clients. My photos are downloaded by people from various websites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and iStock. I am paid a royalty for the use of each image. The amount I’m paid varies case by case and from platform to platform. It depends on the use case.
My portfolio began with about 1,000 images I had sitting on a hard drive in 2017. I started selling a bunch of images for pennies, which can add up slowly. But a few months in, I sold an image I took in Yosemite of a tent with Half Dome in the background for $50, and I was hooked! I’ll supply that Yosemite photo so everyone can see. Once I upload a photo, it is completely passive after that. Only if it sells of course! I still must admit, it is a frustratingly slow process to earn some real money on these platforms.
Last year, I decided that I needed to 10x everything I do. I needed to start taking stock photography dead seriously if I plan on earning anything worthwhile! I’ll talk about that creative shift and my process for producing a portfolio of close to 25,000 images. I cultivated the mentality that I photograph everything. I photograph everything that is even slightly worthy! I focus on quality through quantity. I’ll document mundane things to get the ball moving. Through movement, I find more and more inspiring subjects. My work is exploration. I see myself as a wandering photojournalist.
My greatest hurdle is trying to figure out what to photograph next, so I go outside and explore. The easiest way to get awesome photos is to put awesome subjects in front of you! The trouble is finding those subjects. That’s why traveling sounds so great!
I’ll speak directly to anyone wishing to explore your local area more, especially photographers. You will quickly encounter a painful realization. Many spots are impossible to access! There are gates, fences, security, no trespassing signs and all kinds of other barriers. Often there is nowhere to park legally. I cannot tell you to ignore the dangers and rules. Your risk tolerance is your business. But there is a greater reason for this problem. You limit your ideas because you only see a fraction of your surroundings. Maybe you see places near your work or on a daily run. If you’re like me, 95% of your exploration is just commuting to places you are already planning to visit. When else do you explore? How are you expecting to find cool stuff? You must increase how many adventures you go on! This includes boring spots and hikes. Searching online will help you find tourist locations. That’s a great start, but I discover my favorite spots with other tools.
The best tool is Google Earth! First I check out satellite views of places to explore. I spend a few hours a week scouting on Google Earth. I find it intoxicating to discover how little I know about my surroundings. My rate of discovery is far greater than my rate of exploration. I save too many “pins” to ever visit them all. When I plan an adventure, I start with the spot I want to hit. I also make sure I know where to park! There are so many places I’ve discarded because of accessibility problems.
Next, I set up a few backup destinations because there is a high chance of finding boring places. But I don’t leave a place immediately, some great photos come from boring spots! I repeat this process of discovery and exploration over and over.
Most of my earnings come from very low sale prices at higher volumes. Getting a single sale above $10 is uncommon, but it does happen. The highest selling subjects are often unexpected! Never be afraid to try something new! I was lucky enough to sell a photo of tumbleweed for $65. My brother Aaron Finn (@photocyclops) was urging me to take that shot. I also sold a photo of a burrito in my friend’s hand for $55 (thanks Casey @enthusiasticbynature). These are both images I thought were a waste of time! I learned my lesson!
Anyone can learn more about photography royalties from, Steve Heap. His blog, BackyardSilver, was extremely helpful to me. I owe him a lot for his info and answering my questions on more than one occasion! He does a full breakdown of his earnings every month. He gives a generous amount of info away! Thanks, @steve.heaphttp://@steve.heap!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
San Diego is wonderful! Beautiful communities and beaches make photography a rewarding experience. I’m an introvert at heart and struggle to break out of my shell. So many people have helped me connect in SD! Chances are, you will see me living in SD again sooner or later! I love to share my work and other passions. Come say hi to me on Instagram @dropthepress!
Contact Info:
- Email: dropthepress@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dropthepress/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dropthepress
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