The photographer and educator gives Niall Hampton some insights into making a living from photography – the title of her talks at The Photography Show

© Lensi Photography

Denise Maxwell returns to the NEC in Birmingham on 16 and 17 March to give a talk on how to make money from photography. Aregular visitor to the show, first as a punter and then as a speaker, Maxwell has enjoyed a successful and rewarding photographic journey. Focusing on more than one genre, Maxwell just loves taking photos –and inspiring and teaching others to do the same. And she will appear at The Photography Show with a new title –she was recently awarded a Doctor of Arts by the University of Wolverhampton.

We sat down with Maxwell to discover more about her career to date, and to get a taste of her upcoming speaking engagements in March…

Sherrell SB Dillion modelling for the She-yepe photoshoot, 2023.

Your talks are titled ‘How do you make money from photography?’ What you will be covering?

Everyone can expect a frank and honest workshop where I will explicitly talk about money –one thing that so many photographic workshops shy away from –what can I actually earn from doing job X, Y or Z?

The audience can also expect some jokes because we are also going to be there to have fun, and a relatable workshop that will help them understand how doable making money from photography is. There will be no talk about f-stops, the best lenses or buying the latest cameras… just a snippet of how I make my money and how the audience can, too. 

I have attended so many workshops over many years and have always felt like they have stopped short of sharing real gems –often peripheral general details –which has left me feeling cheated. It’s as though everything is secretive. In all of my courses, I share real pounds and pennies, state how I go into this type of work and give people the formula for how they can, too. In the eight-week course I deliver, participants have already started to implement what they have learned before the course ends.

I run courses that teach photographers how to earn £5-10k per month from photography, as I do. My talks will be a snippet of some of the information I teach in my courses. I got tired of hearing some photographers and even lecturers speak about how there was no money in the industry anymore when I have found the opposite; it is a great industry to be in and people have never needed as many images as they do now. Clients need images for their social media feeds, websites, newsletters and events, to bring their businesses online –and so much more.

Above: will.i.am at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, 2023.

© Lensi Photography