If you’ve ever spent your Monday morning daydream about the beginning of your career, this feature is for you.
We talk to someone from a different profession every week in the money blog to discover what it really is. This week we talk to Zak Hussein about the realities to be an independent royal photographer …
The main advantage of the work is … The journey. Royal Tours included the Caribbean, Australia and Canada, as well as more remote places such as Bhutan, Fiji and Tonga. I was lucky enough to cover some very important events with a seat, including two royal weddings, the Queen’s funeral and the King’s Coronation. I also covered the birth of three royal babies. If you discuss these events, you know that the images will be published and seen in the coming years, which is a very rewarding part of the work.
I always try not to be invasive … I am there to document what the royal family is doing, and as such I like to keep my distance so that they can concentrate on what they do and who they are talking to. There are sometimes situations if you are very close to members of the royal family, so it is a case to grab your lap and take a step back.
Photo: Zak Hussein
Any unflattering photos tend to go into the bowl … I always try to take pictures that show it in a positive light. But creative I am very free to shoot in whatever style I want; There are no specific rules in this aspect. The most important thing is that you are not allowed to change an image in terms of what is in the photo. Clone and remove people and objects from an image is a big no-no. You can’t do anything to wrong what is ahead of you.
Behind the scenes they are pretty normal … And not as perfect as it sometimes looks!
One person who does stand out is … Queen Camilla. She always smiles and says hello.
A smiling queen Camilla in 2024. Photo: Reuters
One funny moment happened on a beach in Cornwall … A few years ago with the Prince and Princess of Wales. We stood on the beach with the sea behind us. When we shoot, the tide comes in. By the end of the event we were deep in seawater. It did not notice to William and Kate, who found the whole thing very amusing.
Interestingly, A-listeners are … Often the least diva -sh.
There is one personality in the UK that thinks that photographers wait hours and hours … This is to the point where we bet on what time she is going to be; Even if she is in the building, she will wait for us for no clear reason.
You must be patient … Sometimes you are up at 5:30, going early at work to find a good place, and then wait to get started. You may only take pics for 30 seconds, and then it’s time to start editing. Most royal commitments take place during the day; Entertainment opportunities such as premiere of red carpet films take place at night, so you must be prepared to work all hours and weekends. There are times when you feel that you have wasted all day for not much reward, but also days when the long hours are going really well.
The royal family draws almost endless attention from the cameras. Photo: Reuters
My salary is completely dependent on picture sales … So exchange month to month, year to year. The more iconic photos will always sell, even years after it is taken, and make the most money. It is not the case that you do a lot in a single sale. Often selling photos for a small amount of money, depending on the size it is printed, but sales add up over time.
If you are a staff photographer at a photo agency, you will start with a low salary … Maybe £ 18-20k, but it will rise over time to reflect your experience. Top staff photographers can earn more than £ 50-60k. There is much more security than a staff photographer and benefits such as guaranteed income, camera equipment and other expenses you pay.
As a freelance, I have to cover all my own costs, but have the freedom to be my own boss … Which means I can decide what events they want to shoot. Unlike staff photographers, freelancers keep the copyright in their photos.
Photo: Zak Hussein
There is not really a retirement age in this job and … There is a royal photographer in his 1980s who is still engaged in royal tours.
Read more from this series:
£ 1.000 a day, drunken celebrities and warring pirates: how it really is like being a bodyguard
“I work 34 hours a week, ends regularly at 1:30 pm – and that’s how to attract the most difficult maneuver”
“I’m a teacher – read it if you think it’s all vacations and 15:00 finish”
The advent of digital photography … has changed the entire industry on a large scale. This meant that you could take as many photos as you wanted, while you were limited to 36 photos per film. This meant that you really had to choose your moment. It also made the industry more competitive as more people do the work. Things got more about speed and sent the photos to photo desks as quickly as possible. The earlier a photo comes to a newspaper or magazine, the more chance it is used. Photographers must now also be editors. Taking photos is only part of the work these days. After finishing shooting, download it on a laptop, be sent out and sent out as quickly as possible.
The coronation was a career highlight for Zak – as these papers displayed, the competition was fierce and photos became part of history. Photo: Reuters
The King’s Coronation was a striking job of my career … There was a lot of pressure for photographers going into it, knowing how much of a historical event it was. As with most posts I cover, photos are taken outside – that’s why the weather plays a big role. We all hoped for good weather, but unfortunately heaven opened during the arrival, and it descended with rain. My cameras became completely soaked and I had the choice to stop shooting to protect my expensive equipment, or to keep shooting and hoping for the best. I felt that I had no choice but to continue. The cameras managed to get it through, but were completely destroyed and needed very expensive repairs.
