A Chef Borrowed a Camera and Learned From YouTube — His Food Photography Brought In $133,900 Last Year
3 min read · RealCase summary
Sean Audet, a 30-year-old in Winnipeg, Canada, tried biochemistry, fine-dining kitchens, teaching at Red River College and running a pop-up restaurant before finding his business. In 2018 he borrowed a friend's camera, learned food photography from YouTube tutorials, and found his first clients on Fiverr, according to CNBC Make It.
That first year he earned $8,403 (figures in U.S. dollars). The next year was slower, not enough to leave his other jobs, but in 2020 revenue reached $53,276. He reinvested about $15,000 in lenses, lights and backgrounds that year, and over the following two years revenue nearly tripled to $133,900 in 2022.
He now charges anywhere from $1,000 to $17,500 per shoot, has photographed for brands including McDonald's and Campbell's, and spent about $19,000 last year on location rentals, models, stylists and on-set help. He sometimes works up to 60 hours a week, but says 'the agency it gives me over my time [and] lifestyle ... is, in my opinion, invaluable.'
Key takeaways
- ›2018 revenue: $8,403 (USD) — mostly from Fiverr clients
- ›2020: $53,276; 2022: $133,900
- ›Charges $1,000 to $17,500 per shoot; clients include McDonald's and Campbell's
- ›Invested about $15,000 in gear in 2020 and $19,000 in production costs last year
Original source
Read the original (CNBC Make It via NBC New York)
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