How A Photographer Can Find Money For A Project

What do you do if you have a great idea, but no money to support it?

That’s the idea behind Kickstarter. Their tagline is “We’re the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world.” And it may be just the idea that can, well, Kickstart your own ideas.

Kickstarter works by combining creative people in the music, film, art, technology, design, food and publishing fields, with people that are looking for ways to fund small business startup ideas.

Once your idea is in place, you submit it to the Kickstarter community. It’s then listed in the appropriate area – look at some of the current Photography projects. Your project must reach 100 percent funding level in the time allotted, or your project is cancelled – no money changes hands. So it benefits you to have a solid idea, and present it in such a way that people will be excited about what you have to offer.

When you set up your project, you choose different pledge levels, and offer different items at the different prices. $5 may get a name in the book. $25 may get an acknowledgment, plus a signed copy of the book. $300 may get signed copies of the book, plus limited edition enlargements. $1000 may get everything plus a keynote presentation. You decide what to offer at each level, and how many you’re willing to offer at each level – look at a few examples to get a better idea of how it works.

While you may think you have a great idea already in place, spend some time on the site first. Check out what else is being offered, and some of the success stories. Not only will it help you refine your own idea, but it may help generate additional ideas too.

Let me give you a couple of examples.



A Portrait of America Through The Eyes of a Photo Booth

Funded 108% for $32,645
They designed a traveling photo booth, and are using it to journey across the United States, taking photographs along the way for their book “A Portrait of America Through the Eyes of a Photo Booth”.

C-Loop Camera Strap Mount Solution
Funded 421% for $63, 163
C-Loop solves the problem of having a traditional top mounted camera strap get in the way, and relocates the mounting position to the bottom of the camera.

Glif  iPhone 4 Tripod Mount and Stand
Funded 1378% for $137,417
This simple iPhone 4 accessory mounts your iPhone to a standard tripod, and acts as a kickstand to prop your iPhone up at an angle.

Thinking of giving Kickstarter a try yourself? Let me know. I’d love to follow you along the way.

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clientexperience@todaysgrowthconsultant.com' About Virtual Photography

We're the co-founders of VirtualPhotographyStudio.com and have been writing on this blog since 2004. We started Virtual as a way to help photographers stretch beyond a part time income, and develop strategies to become a Five Figure Photographer or a Six Figure Photographer. Ultimately its all about lifestyle, and if your goal is to live as a photographer 24/7, we think you should have the knowledge and the tools to do so. Welcome!