Side Project Ideas for Photographers

Explore new ways to boost your photography career.

Start building for free

Trusted by incredible people at

As a photographer, you might often find yourself looking for new opportunities to expand your skills and income. In 2025, the photography landscape is evolving rapidly, with technology and creativity blending in innovative ways. It's crucial to explore side projects that can not only generate additional revenue but also allow you to express yourself in fresh dimensions.

Pursue Stock Photography

Stock photography is a lucrative field where you can sell your images to be used for various media, marketing, and web purposes. Platforms like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are great starting points. In 2025, the demand for diverse, authentic, and high-quality images is surging, reflecting cultural vibrancy and uniqueness.

Create a Photography E-course

Online learning is a growing industry. As a photographer, you can share your knowledge and expertise by creating an e-course. Platforms like Skillshare or Udemy offer excellent opportunities to reach a global audience. Teaching various photography techniques not only adds a revenue stream but enhances your teaching and presentation skills.

Build an AI Photography Assistance App

Technology offers endless opportunities to support photography through AI innovations. Consider building an AI app that aids photographers in editing, organization, or learning. Such an app could simplify complex tasks, saving both time and money for users. Exploring AI product development can deepen your tech skills as well.

Towards the end of your creative journey, consider utilizing Appaca, an AI platform, to help you build and enhance your AI photography app. Appaca simplifies the process, allowing you to focus on creativity while it handles the tech.

Start your side project with Appaca - no coding required

Build for free
Features

Build and ship your AI idea

Easily create AI products by yourself without needing developers.
Your vision, your product, powered by Appaca.

Library of UI component

Build your AI app's interface without code

Easily use our library of UI components to design and build end-user's interface for your AI apps. Fully customisable.

Custom workflows and logic

Create custom workflows and logic

Power your applications with automated workflows. Build logics for your AI apps. Integrate with third-party tools via APIs and Webhooks.

Native AI infrastructure

AI-native infrastructure

Easily create any AI model based on LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, or image models like Flux and Stable Diffusion.

You can charge your users for AI usage with Appaca's AI credits billing system.

Authentication and User Management

Every app built on Appaca comes with an authentication system. Once your app is live, your users can sign up and log into the account.

Easily manage your own users.

Authentication and user management system
Built-in database for AI App

Database

Appaca comes with built-in database that allows your AI apps to easily store data without having to connect to any third-party databases.

Create as many tables as you see fit for your app.

Monetize your AI app

All AI apps built on Appaca is powered by Stripe payment system. One click to setup your payment account and enable monetization.

Create subscription plans for your AI apps and configure how much AI credits you want to charge your users.

Monetise your AI App

Steps to Develop Your Photography Side Project

Starting your photography side project involves crucial steps to ensure growth and success in the competitive market of 2025.

  1. Identify Your Unique Value Proposition: Consider what makes your photography unique. This could be your style, subject matter, or innovative techniques.
  2. Imagine AI Applications: Think about how AI can enhance your selected side project. This could be AI-driven editing tools or picture organization software.
  3. Create an Account on Appaca: Use this tool to easily build AI products that complement your project ideas and automate repetitive tasks.
  4. Prepare Background Knowledge: Accumulate essential resources—photography techniques, trends, and styles—into structured formats.
  5. Build The Interface: Use accessible design tools to create user-friendly interfaces. Software like Adobe XD can help design visually appealing layouts.
  6. Customize The AI Model: Tailor it to meet the specific needs of photographers, enhancing user experience and functionality.
  7. Add Extra Features: Think of live filters, connectivity to social media, or portfolio management tools to offer unique facets.
  8. Market Your Product: Use social media, blogs, and photography communities to present your side project. Be strategic about your target audience.

"I've built with various AI tools and have found Appaca to be the most efficient and user-friendly solution. In a world where only 51% of women currently integrate AI into their professional lives, Appaca has empowered me to create innovative tools in record time that are transforming the workplace experience for women across Australia."

Cheyanne Carter
Founder, Edubuddy

"At ai.boop.solutions, I was searching for a tool that would help me build an AI-based support platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, but I didn’t have the resources to develop the entire architecture myself. Appaca.ai was designed precisely for this purpose. It offers a user-friendly interface packed with features and versatile components that you can combine in countless ways. The team is incredibly supportive, and I confidently recommend it to anyone with a great idea but without a full IT department to back them up."

Katalin Dörnyei
Founder, Boop Solutions

FAQs

How can photographers make money from side projects?

Photographers can monetize side projects like stock photography, teaching e-courses, or developing AI tools. By strategically marketing these endeavors, they can build diverse income streams.

What are some tech-based projects for photographers?

Tech-based projects can include AI-driven editing apps, drone photography tutorials, or augmented reality experiences. These cater to the growing intersection of photography and technology.

Why is stock photography a good side project?

Stock photography provides income through royalties. As more businesses shift online in 2025, there's an increased demand for high-quality and authentic visuals.

What skills are important for photography side projects?

Key skills include adaptability to technology, marketing savvy, and a keen eye for trends. Technical proficiency and creativity are also crucial for sustained success.

What is Appaca?

Appaca is a no-code platform for building AI apps. You can use Appaca to build complete AI products for your startups, businesses, or customers without requiring developer help. The platform supports various AI models including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Flux Image model.

What is an AI Credit?

AI credits are the system to bill AI usage. Appaca uses that AI credit system to streamline the usage of different AI models in one go. You can use any AI model across your application. For the cost of AI credit for different AI models, please see our pricing page.

Can I make money with the app I built on Appaca?

Yes, you can monetise your AI app easily. All you need to do is to enable monetisation in your app with one click. You will be prompted to set up Stripe account easily. Once you have enabled your monetisation, you can create subscription plans for your app.

For the usage of AI, our AI credit system allows you to bill your customers. You can simply set how much credit you want to charge for your customers. It all comes out of the box.

Can I get more credits?

Absolutely. You can top up AI credits as much as you want if your credits are low.

Can I connect my custom domain to my app?

Yes, you can use your own custom domain name as long as you are on any paid plan.

Are there integrations?

Yes. You can integrate with other third-party tools via API or Webhook in your action workflows builder. We are frequently shipping native integration as well.

Start building today

Create AI products and solutions today for your business. Build, Ship, and Earn.

Try for free