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Photography...hobby or profession?

hobby professional

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49 replies to this topic

#1
scoobymax

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I only really got into digital photography about a year ago, and am passionate about it, unfortunately at the moment I only get out a few times a month to take pictures. My goal would be to do this as a profession and earn money from my time and effort. However speaking to friends and users of other photo sites it seems to be bit of a minefield, they say it's not particularly hard to get a job as a photographer but it can be extremely difficult and time consuming to become anywhere near professional . So my question is 1. How and where would you look to go to obtain a job as a photographer and 2. How hard is it to make it as a " Pro ". Thanks .

#2
Davem45

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Only bit of advice at the moment would be get some experience dont think because you have a DSLR you can do it for a living or we would all be doing it!! Look at the market you want to go into and make sure you have an up to date portfolio for that kind of work I have sold Photo's in the past and even done a couple of commisions but that does not make me a pro photographer I would class myself as an amateur who has earned some money from my hobby



#3
scoobymax

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Thanks Davem45, any advice is good advice in my eyes! I love wildlife photography so that would be my target group for the future. At the moment I am just looking into the world of photography as a hobby as being a househusband of 4 kids I don't have a great deal of time on my hands! As for the camera itself I'm on a tight budget and am at the lower end of the DSLR scale with my d3100 but hope to upgrade in the future,and who know what might happen. Thank you for your advice. Happy snapping!,

#4
B Grace

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I pursue photography only as a hobby so keep that in mind.  I think the important part is to separate the professional side from the hobby because either can definitely kill one's desire for the other.  A professional making a living from photography needs to have a cold-hearted view of the gear with a controlled, limited desire for experimenting with cameras and lenses.  Find what works and stick with it, in other words.  A hobbyist looking to sell a few photos now and then just needs to know there are a lot of folks out there doing that very thing today so images which sell must stand out from the crowd.  I know mine don't so as to sell easily.  Still, if a person is just looking to cover some of the expenses of the hobby I'd say go for it.  One of my friends who sells images on the side via the stock image services says his most successful stock images to date have been of cattle in green grassy fields, if that helps at all.  Whenever a group of us is walking about in the countryside and we see cows we know we'll be taking a break for shooting.  Who knew?

 

That same fellow is making a living as a photographer these days shooting trendy portrait sessions of hip-crowd clients.  Super-saturated, Photoshopped industrial setting portraits.  He found his niche.



#5
Afterimage

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Only bit of advice at the moment would be get some experience dont think because you have a DSLR you can do it for a living or we would all be doing it!! 

 

Truer words have never been spoken. I have seen so many people upgrade from a cell phone to a entry level DSLR and think they need a website, watermarks on every single snapshot and start seeking out gigs. Now some of them have made it... they made it because they really developed a passion and took the craft seriously. The sweated the details, sacrificed weekends for $20 baby picture shoots, worked as a second in weddings for experience instead of pay... they succeeded because they made it happen.

 

Gear doesn't make you a professional - drive, talent and experience does... in that order.



#6
scoobymax

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I completely agree with you guys, I have no intention of becoming a professional photographer I enjoy taking pictures of many different subjects as a HOBBY. One day I might take pictures of my kids the next a duck at my local lake! I would find it very hard to focus ( excuse the pun ) on one particular subject matter. For me it's a hobby and as far as I can see always will be. I didn't mean to suggest that because I bought a good camera, I was a good photographer! Knowledge is a powerful thing, I don't think anybody can say they know everything as times and gear is always changing.

#7
Davem45

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I completely agree with you guys, I have no intention of becoming a professional photographer I enjoy taking pictures of many different subjects as a HOBBY. One day I might take pictures of my kids the next a duck at my local lake! I would find it very hard to focus ( excuse the pun ) on one particular subject matter. For me it's a hobby and as far as I can see always will be. I didn't mean to suggest that because I bought a good camera, I was a good photographer! Knowledge is a powerful thing, I don't think anybody can say they know everything as times and gear is always changing.

Never a truer word spoken by everyone in this thread ok yes I have sold a few and a couple for a lot of money but I take pictures because I enjoy taking photo's and as I care for my partner who has complex problems yes the hobby has paid for the gear I use and yes it paid for a holiday last year but no way would I ever class myself as a pro I dont have the time to pursue a career in photography



#8
onewiththecamera

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The thing that most people forget is that if you want to be a professional photographer you are running a business. A majority of the time will be spent on business type things. A lot of photographers don't fail at the business from lack of photography talent, but from lack of business acumen.



#9
nbanjogal

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For quite awhile now I've been vacillating back and forth between starting a business and just keeping it as a hobby. On the one hand, I would love to earn some income to support this expensive hobby, but on the other hand, I don't like the pressure I feel even thinking about making it into a business. What onewiththecamera said above is all too true. The idea of marketing...ugh. There is also the question of being ready and skilled enough...

 

My father was a private pilot, having originally learned his craft in the US Navy, and I asked him once why he didn't get a job as a pilot. He told me that he loved flying too much. He said that he flew because he loved it, and that once it became a job and he had to do it to please other people, he didn't know if he'd love it so much. I can relate to that idea...

 

But then again, there's that idea of doing what you love. How great would it be to have a job where you could say, "This is so much fun I can't believe I get paid for this!" (which is what my father said about his day job of teaching and coaching in a high school).

 

So, hobby. For now.



#10
rocknrumble

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Great question. As most I have the Photography bug and it just keeps growing. I really enjoy taking photos and have been thinking about going Professional in the future. At the moment I just do personal photo trips and build my skills, knowledge and experience. I do the odd photo shoot for friends (weddings, christening's, birthdays, etc) for free (well more the experience and the enjoyment).

 

I turned one hobby into a successful profession so the business side isn't an issue as I've been running small business for over 11years so I understand the workload that goes with a business. The key is to always enjoy what you're doing, even though it's a job, don't take the joy out of it.

 

The more relevant question for me is how hard is it to be a successful professional photographer.

 

I also understand that I've got to chose a market and focus on it (From a business perspective).

 

Thanks



#11
Steve Simkins

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I think there are loads of us on this forum who absolutely love photography and would love the opportunity to make money from their photos, me included. I got my camera nearly 2 years ago, and have improved quite a bit in that time, but at best i consider myself as an average amateur. I would love to have more spare time to devote to it and improve enough to make a career from it....wish i could have afforded a DSLR 20 years ago......but never say never  :)



#12
PrettyCranium

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I have to agree that when a hobby crosses the line into work, it sometimes loses the fun.

#13
Bonobo

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Gear doesn't make you a professional - drive, talent and experience does... in that order.


This right here. It's work. However, if you want, websites like smugmug allow you to post photos for sale where they fulfill the orders. It's an investment though and has an annual cost. Might not take over your day job but it may, if you have good stuff and some marketing, get you some extra cash every once in a while. If you're willing to invest in it it could be a good gauge of whether you're ready to take that step into professional-land

#14
XxczzyxX

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Defo hobby for me :) Ive loved photography since my school days, just love the buzz from taking photos without the pressure of making it a gooden every time :)  



#15
Thumper

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Strictly a passionate hobbyist here.

#16
rocknrumble

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Another question, who here is a Professional Photographer? I wouldn't mind getting some insight from someone who does it for a profession.



#17
iNYONi

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I'm an Enthusiastic Hobbyist with Professional aspirations, however it's a very saturated market. I would love to make my living from something I love doing however very few opportunities to do so. I have sold some of my work and have taken commissions but I wouldn't say this classes me as a Professional.



#18
Afterimage

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I have to agree that when a hobby crosses the line into work, it sometimes loses the fun.

For me, the opposite is sort of true. Photography is 95% hobby but the occasional paying gig energizes me. I've turned down opportunities to do shoots and to work more steadily as a photographer because I know that would ruin the fun. Maybe after I retire from my 9-5 job... maybe ;)



#19
rocknrumble

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Any other Professionals care to chime in on the subject?



#20
PrettyCranium

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For me, the opposite is sort of true. Photography is 95% hobby but the occasional paying gig energizes me. I've turned down opportunities to do shoots and to work more steadily as a photographer because I know that would ruin the fun. Maybe after I retire from my 9-5 job... maybe ;)

 

Interesting how everyone is different!  Maybe my opinion would change if I actually tried a paying gig, though - to be fair, I have never done so.







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: hobby, professional