A National Geographic photographer is the latest in a trend of artists to make thousands of dollars off of Instagram.
Seattle-based photographer Aaron Huey pulled down $10,000 Monday after announcing that he would sell prints of his Instagram photos for $100 a piece.
Huey made the sales pitch while guest editing on The New Yorker’s official Instagram feed.
“I’m giving them art that is ready to go, in a form that is familiar to them, and instilling a collecting mentality,” Huey told Forbes. “I’d rather have these images on walls and in people’s hands than in these zombie boxes we stare at all day. Prints make the world a better place. Period.”
Aside from his work for National Geographic, Huey has taken stunning photographs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Unitest States. His series “Walk Across America” captures the essence of Americana through photos of everyday citizens.
In March, fellow photographer Daniel Arnold became the first to successfully monetize his Instagram following.
The night before his 34th birthday, Arnold posted a message to his 22,000 followers offering to sell “4×6 prints of whatever you want from my Instagram archive for $150 each.”
“I swear I will never sell anything this cheap again,” Arnold added.
Nearly 24 hours after making his pitch, Arnold collected $15,000 worth of photo requests.
Photos by Aaron Huey
