pro photographers

thebaz

out of curiosity who here makes a crust out of photography , and who would aim to become professional.
i'm a novice amateur, if i got better i would love to make a living out of photography .
What area would you like to work in ?

helios

I'd love to leave IT and do photojournalism, I think it'd be fun and bit more interactive job. Sucks though that my income would depend solely on my pics... I wish I could make a salary and then make something on top for the pics.... that, or win the lottery and do it for free!

mishima

I'd love to do gig photography. No-one's really going to make any money out of that (well, not from what I have in mind anyway) but it would be cool to be given photo and press passes for lots of gigs and international festivals.

Dara Robinson

I'd also love to earn a living through Photography but I doubt I can manage it at the moment (or at all)

Sebzy

Been paid for weddings, portraiture and other photography related activitys and would absolutely love to do it for a living but I've got a long way to go before I could ever call myself a professional photographer.

Plus I hate the way people keep getting in my shots.

Seb.

PaulieC

I would like to be good enough to be a professional, but I wouldn't like to be one. Once it's your job it just becomes drudgery like any other job..

magicbastarder

i'd only be interested if i could make a living doing non-commissioned work.

so, in a word, no.

Roen

Despite the fact that I studied photography in college I'm now in IT. I'd like to make money from the kind of stuff that interests me but I'm afraid I just don't have the dedication to do so.
As for doing weddings and the like, it's a thought that I've been playing with for a few months now. But....could I be arsed dealing with the public?? That's a question I can't answer I'm afraid.

Rojo

If I got a chance to take photography as my career, I'd take it in a heartbeat. I'm 18 now and I want to study photography in college, so who knows...!

Redundo

I'm with Cambo on this one. I've met quite a few retired professional photographers and they all admit to enjoying photography a lot more now that they don't have to do it!

thebaz

pity there isn't the same number of jobs and opportunities in photgraphy as there is an IT ! I'm in IT awhile myself and the number of dissatisfied IT workers is staggering -- maybe if we worked in photography the same drudgery would apply !

paudie

I consider myslef a professional photographer as that is my main focus, unfortunately I'm doing it freelance and it takes a while to get your name out there so I supplement it with giving grinds.
That said I still live at home (only 21) as I'm doing a one year post grad as well. But I reckon I could be making enough cash if I pushed myself a lot harder. I got a few commisions back in Decemebr and it had a pretty bad affect, wouldn't pick up the camera for a few days at a time sometimes, but I kinda forced myself to go out and take more shots. I by no means consider myself a great photographer, I have a certain confidence in my work but I know I have vast room to improve.

Borderfox

I do as much work as I can at the weekends, some good days and some bad days. At the mo I have the day job backing things up and paying for new equipment to bring me up to standard. I am trying to get more contacts and send pictures off to prospective clients. So no at the moment not proffessional but would love to. Nearly 19 years in my current job but it could close this year

Fenster

I'm hoping to set up a store after I move to the US as selling prints seems to be a great way to get your name out there.

Alas that I rarely save a photo to a large size than I do for saving to the web, so I would be forced to go back and reprocess all of my photos.

Valentia

Been there, done that. Doing weddings nearly did my head in after a few years. I did everything, newspapers, portraits, schoold, graduations etc etc. Doing it professionally is so different. You really need to be a business person first and a photographer second. I was so fed up with it that I didn't take a photo for years afterwards. Then I met the 10D and I fell in love again.

I have never enjoyed photography as much as I do now, now that I'm free to do what I want whenever I want.

paudie

I worry about that.
I reckon I'll still make a go of it and just try and remember to relax. Get the business shiot out of the way at the start then have fun with the shots, surf photography is fairly different ballgame to standard portraits or photojournalism though, so hopefully it won't be too hard (yeah right)

sineadw

I don't honestly think I could do it for a living, even if I was good enough. Its the old 'if work was in bed I'd sleep on the floor' thing - I'd imagine *having* to do it would do my head in. Plus I like doing my own thing. I think I'll always keep it at hobby status. I'd love to do a professional course though.

Ruu_Old

I don't think it would be that easy, in my opinion, to separate work from taking pictures because you enjoy it so I'd rather not worry about that.:)

DotOrg

I'm teetering on the edge of doing in as my full time job. Currently shooting weddings, live music, band portraits, doing commissioned cd artwork and I teach photography when I'm not doing the day job or behind the lens myself

JMcL

I'd love to be able to earn a bit from my photography as well, but on my own terms. Stock photography is less and less an option as micro-stock agencies are flourishing. Even photojournalism is suffering badly as media outlets are rushing to embrace citizen journalists, as they typically don't pay them, which puts pressure on what pro photojournalists can charge.

So unfortunately I think it's going to be a case of don't give up the day job

bigred

Just a matter of curiosity - are any of you actually registered with the Revenue, or does all your takings go in the back pocket? There's a few of you that seem to do quite a bit.

I've my own photo company (still have a real fulltime job) and my plan is to go full time in photography in about 3 yrs. I dont believe I'm the best photographer in the country, but most of it's about having a good business head. You need a solid product and brand. You'll end up spending 90% of your time running your business, and the rest taking photos. Remember, when you're pro, you've got a whole lot more to worry about; advertising, sales skills, accountants, revenue, Vat, bills (phone, equipment, legal software....), bad debtors, bridezillas, uber-picky clients. I'm about 20grand in and havent drawn a single cent out for myself yet - rome wasnt built in a day. I look forward to the time when I can actually pay myself.
On a plus, it's so empowering being the master of your own destiny - I'm my own boss, and what I do determine what I earn - it's a nice feeling.

BTW, I havent had time in 2 yrs to go out and just take nice, random photos - you do two weddings two days in a row, and all you want to do is put your 4 grand 1DMkII in it's bag and leave it there till the next time...

solus

I make a full time living out of photography.. Worked for ....lets say a difficult male photographer for 3 yrs and Just gone out freelance 2 wks ago.. all by myself.. horrrayyyy:D

bigred

solus wrote:

I make a full time living out of photography.. Worked for ....lets say a difficult male photographer for 3 yrs and Just gone out freelance 2 wks ago.. all by myself.. horrrayyyy:D

Nicely done. Congrats. Notice how quiet this thread has gone since the 'R' word was mentioned.....;)

solus

bigred wrote:

Nicely done. Congrats. Notice how quiet this thread has gone since the 'R' word was mentioned.....;)

Thanks
oh yes i did indeed...;)

paudie

bigred wrote:

Just a matter of curiosity - are any of you actually registered with the Revenue, or does all your takings go in the back pocket? There's a few of you that seem to do quite a bit.

I'm in the process of setting up a business name and getting registered for tax.

shepthedog

some interesting posts... anyone here done any travel photography??
Congrats solus on doing your own thing, site looks v good..

magicbastarder

shepthedog wrote:

anyone here done any travel photography??

a mate of mine is a travel photographer, and he's probably going to leave the country due to opportunities drying up.

mervifwdc

JMcL wrote:

I'd love to be able to earn a bit from my photography as well, but on my own terms. Stock photography is less and less an option as micro-stock agencies are flourishing. Even photojournalism is suffering badly as media outlets are rushing to embrace citizen journalists, as they typically don't pay them, which puts pressure on what pro photojournalists can charge.

I think a combination of what JMcL says above, and the fact that if it's your job, you may not love it after a while like you would if it's not your living, keeps a lot of people from turning pro.

It's also why I dont give away stuff for free - I'm starving a commercial photog by doing that. :-)

Merv.

Borderfox

solus wrote:

I make a full time living out of photography.. Worked for ....lets say a difficult male photographer for 3 yrs and Just gone out freelance 2 wks ago.. all by myself.. horrrayyyy:D

Congrats Solus, good luck with your new venture.

I have taken it seriously at weekends for the last six months, any money I am making should be going back into buying equipment but this is were myself and my girlfriend differ, she thinks I should put it in the bank and thats that. I on the other hand try to reason that now while I have a full time job is the time to purchase equipment. Any ideas on bridging the gap? With regards to the revenue, I wouldnt consider the work I do at the weekend huge money. If and when my full time closes then I will start a company and register for tax and such.

PCPhoto

in answer to trying to find a "happy medium" between banking the money and buying equipment ...... I'd say buy buy buy .... I'm a stickler for new toys, love getting the newest and best stuff (if I can afford it, if I cant I'll save till I can) ..... My girlfriend (now my Ex) completely understood me when it came to my work, its my number 1..... girlfriend, family etc take second place until I feel that I'm in a safe place financially - which might take a while.

I'm looking forward to the new Canon 1D mark3 - started to save already for it, its due out here in April/May .... so I gotta stop spending on other stuff and going out to make sure I can buy it.

I guess I'm a bit of a boyscout - gotta have the equipment incase you need it - I have a flashmeter for nearly 3yrs that I havent used and several other lenses that I rarely use.... I have a film body (Eos-3) which probably wont ever be used.

magicbastarder

if you want to spend four grand on camera gear, surely the best option is buying a few good lenses for your existing body?

Fajitas!

I've been making bits and bobs from it for a while, nothing major, college comes first and all that.

When I get my degree, I'll see where I go, but it'll be in the photography field.

Just rather not another press puppy.

Sebzy

LoL been planning on a new body for the past 16 months and now have to wait another 7 for it to be on the market Well I hope it will be....


Oh it's not a Canon Monster nor Nikon it's the fabled Olympus E3.

What I would give for good ISO800.

Seb.

Fajitas!

*cough*

6400

*cough*

Sebzy

Fajitas! wrote:

*cough*

6400

*cough*

Hiss hiss snarl grunt byte byte. Fecker
Keep your eyes open for my new body at PMA on the 5th and then lets see who's coughing... MISTER

Seb.