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I made the switch a few years ago from a technical job in hi-tech to following my passion and becoming a full-time photographer. I'm working as hard or harder than I ever did for maybe 25% to 30% of the money I made in tech, although this is on the rise. I do disagree vehemently about the 90/10 rule proposed above. I spend very little time on the business end of things. I do little if no marketing, and my business is booming almost exclusively from word of mouth. Instead I spend my time delivering the very best photography I can at affordable rates. I'm always improving my work both in quality and efficiency. I'm continually learning and adding new kinds of shots to my repertoire -- things that clients have never seen before. This has allowed me to elbow my way into a crowded field and become one of the top dogs in town almost overnight. This success is extremely gratifying, much more so than any kudos I ever got in tech. This is my own business doing creative work that people love. It's an incredible feeling when I stop to think about it. It's a lot of work though.
My advice is to concentrate on the photography. Learn everything you can about the various disciplines of the genres you want to shoot. Become an artist, known for your work. Then worry about the business aspects later. (Hire a business person or farm it out to a spouse.) I could never be the mediocre kind of photographer who markets the hell out of himself to get clients. Those are the guys I've elbowed out of my way.
Not I.
I work as a pension plan administrator so I know the true value of a pension and retirement security. I hear the pension benefits for photographers suck.....hard. I plan to enjoy my retirement (and the present here and now) not worrying about finances or where my next dollar comes from.
Through the power of collective bargaining I get 5 weeks vacation a year (love my union!) which is ample time to pursue my passions of travel and photography. As a hobbyist photographer I shoot what interests me, not what interests other people/clients. I enjoy sex but doing it to please others for a living wouldn't please, me so I won't prostitute my pixel skills either...
You're a hobbyist? You know, that's perfect because your are so gifted you could name your gigs as a pro yet you do it for pleasure. That's great. I'm learning by observing your work. And speaking of work, My j-o-b beckons. Out of here!
The most successful working photographers I've met are actually better business people than photographers. Those that are really good at photography don't have the business mind to establish a business and sell themselves. They do it on the side.
The most successful photo-business-models are those one stop shop places in the mall, schools, and places like JCpenny. Conglomerates that corner the market like LifeTouch Inc. The actually people behind the cameras are not trained as photographers but as people that can follow directions and follow a predefined template. Technically they are making a living in photography and so are the ones running the show. It is the people running the show that make the big bucks.
The other half are journalists and media types that can also do well delivering images. This group has taken a hit lately as major news agencies lay off and outsource their photographers.
I say study business and frame your experience around it.
The most successful working photographers I've met are actually better business people than photographers. Those that are really good at photography don't have the business mind to establish a business and sell themselves. They do it on the side.
The most successful photo-business-models are those one stop shop places in the mall, schools, and places like JCpenny. Conglomerates that corner the market like LifeTouch Inc. The actually people behind the cameras are not trained as photographers but as people that can follow directions and follow a predefined template. Technically they are making a living in photography and so are the ones running the show. It is the people running the show that make the big bucks.
The other half are journalists and media types that can also do well delivering images. This group has taken a hit lately as major news agencies lay off and outsource their photographers.
I say study business and frame your experience around it.
This is like telling someone who wants to be a chef that the big money is in fast food.
I was a full-time photojournalist till I retired a couple of years ago. Got so bored that I am now freelancing for the paper I used to work for full time.
As for whether you can make a living as a photographer, it kind of depends on what type of photography you want to do.
At this time, I would NEVER recommend anyone going into photojournalism. There are too few jobs out there and the photoj schools are churning out photo grads by the hundreds. Almost any newspaper you can name has or is having massive layoffs of it's journalists, both writers and photographers.
However, I've heard from some people that sports team photography is very lucrative, though not as good as it used to be. The only problem there is getting an "in" to do the team photos. Many schools and leagues contract out their photo needs to established national sports photography companies.
Weddings, of course, can still be a good earner, but remember you need to carry massive liability insurance. One screw up can cost you thousands of dollars. And believe me, there is no one more angry that a bride or mother who now has no photos of their child's wedding.
As for commercial or portrait photography, it's a dying field. There are still jobs out there, but it takes a lot of work, and I mean spending 40-60 hours a week making cold calls, sending out brochures, calling people, etc. to get enough work to make a living. Most of my friends who did this kind of work have left it.
I know this sounds very discouraging, and I hope it is. Unless you are the best of the best, getting a job making enough money to live on in photography is very hard. And remember, the work (as mentioned above) that you do will most likely not be the thing you really, really want to photograph.
If you want to experience the sheer job of photography, the best way to do that is to make lots of money doing other things and taking great photo vacations doing what you want and not having to justify it by making it pay.
I am working on this...the hard part is working in a position that allows enough time off to travel to those places.
But have they made a successful living as a professional photographer for a real length of time?
I have never worked full time as a professional photographer making good money.
I have had a brief career working in a darkroom of a printing company, that included some photography. I have done a few part time jobs involving photography.
Photography has been an enjoyable hobby of mine for 50+ years. But I had to work hard to be able to afford my hobbies...
Not I.
I work as a pension plan administrator so I know the true value of a pension and retirement security. I hear the pension benefits for photographers suck.....hard. I plan to enjoy my retirement (and the present here and now) not worrying about finances or where my next dollar comes from.
Through the power of collective bargaining I get 5 weeks vacation a year (love my union!) which is ample time to pursue my passions of travel and photography. As a hobbyist photographer I shoot what interests me, not what interests other people/clients. I enjoy sex but doing it to please others for a living wouldn't please, me so I won't prostitute my pixel skills either...
I made the switch a few years ago from a technical job in hi-tech to following my passion and becoming a full-time photographer. I'm working as hard or harder than I ever did for maybe 25% to 30% of the money I made in tech, although this is on the rise. I do disagree vehemently about the 90/10 rule proposed above. I spend very little time on the business end of things. I do little if no marketing, and my business is booming almost exclusively from word of mouth. Instead I spend my time delivering the very best photography I can at affordable rates. I'm always improving my work both in quality and efficiency. I'm continually learning and adding new kinds of shots to my repertoire -- things that clients have never seen before. This has allowed me to elbow my way into a crowded field and become one of the top dogs in town almost overnight. This success is extremely gratifying, much more so than any kudos I ever got in tech. This is my own business doing creative work that people love. It's an incredible feeling when I stop to think about it. It's a lot of work though.
My advice is to concentrate on the photography. Learn everything you can about the various disciplines of the genres you want to shoot. Become an artist, known for your work. Then worry about the business aspects later. (Hire a business person or farm it out to a spouse.) I could never be the mediocre kind of photographer who markets the hell out of himself to get clients. Those are the guys I've elbowed out of my way.
Congratulations; I do think this is admirable and I appreciate your story.
It's the kind of story I dream about.
I wish you continued long term success and fulfillment in your new endeavor.
The most successful working photographers I've met are actually better business people than photographers. Those that are really good at photography don't have the business mind to establish a business and sell themselves. They do it on the side.
The most successful photo-business-models are those one stop shop places in the mall, schools, and places like JCpenny. Conglomerates that corner the market like LifeTouch Inc. The actually people behind the cameras are not trained as photographers but as people that can follow directions and follow a predefined template. Technically they are making a living in photography and so are the ones running the show. It is the people running the show that make the big bucks.
The other half are journalists and media types that can also do well delivering images. This group has taken a hit lately as major news agencies lay off and outsource their photographers.
I say study business and frame your experience around it.
On a side note, my degree is in Econ. But I've never really worked in that arena (I do clinical trial research for a Pharma company). But all of those career-focused tests I've done through my early adult life up until now say I should be a photographer lol. And list scientific careers at the bottom in terms of satisfaction for my personality type. I guess I just always feared going that route would mean potentially not eating, which I generally enjoy doing.
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