Is it hard to make a living out of photography?

[Yutaka Go]

its true that hobby/interest dun mix well...

cos when more expectations are placed on you... you start to dread it. ;p

i used to like IT stuff much but after working in the IT field for years... i begin to dread it and dun enjoy it as much as before.

:sweat:

I have the same feeling as you do.
I am also in IT industry. Programming use to be like a hobby to me because I enjoy it.
After many years of been taken for granted, I am also losing my passion/interest in programming.
Now my new hobby is photography and I intend to keep it as a hobby.

To TS,
If you want to start to make a living out of photography, you must have a plan and have enough saving to cover the expenses for the first three years. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

 

[sinned79]

I have the same feeling as you do.
I am also in IT industry. Programming use to be like a hobby to me because I enjoy it.
After many years of been taken for granted, I am also losing my passion/interest in programming.
Now my new hobby is photography and I intend to keep it as a hobby.

To TS,
If you want to start to make a living out of photography, you must have a plan and have enough saving to cover the expenses for the first three years. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

i intend to take up freelance photography job from time to time (treat is like extra pocket money) whenever there is opportunities for me but definitely not full time yet cos i got bills to pay! :bsmilie:

 

[DarkPa1adin]

Life is like a shounen manga, go out, get trashed, learn the trade, do it right the next time.
TS, do you know business? do you know how to market yourself instead of slashing your price. I guess the most business related photography in SINGAPORE is wedding. i seldom hear landscape/fine arts photography got lobang...

But of course starting out must be one step at a time, or else your morale will be easily overwhelmed by marketing.

 

[Xiao_shin]

i intend to take up freelance photography job from time to time (treat is like extra pocket money) whenever there is opportunities for me but definitely not full time yet cos i got bills to pay! :bsmilie:

I have not seen your pics. But from what I have seen, quite a few really good pro stated out as freelance.

 

[Yutaka Go]

i intend to take up freelance photography job from time to time (treat is like extra pocket money) whenever there is opportunities for me but definitely not full time yet cos i got bills to pay! :bsmilie:

That would be a good idea :thumbsup:
My co-worker also works as part-time wedding photographer to cover expenses for his 4 kids.

 

[simonseng]

Hahaha.. ckuang says it all...

Ok.. here is something for you to consider...

I always encourage people to join the professional photography when they are ready.

Loving a hobby is a great start for photography business but not the ultimate key that determine your success...

To be successful, you need to be able to find a motivation that is big enough to carry you through the ups and down of running a successfull business.

While business activity most part are quite enjoyable (In my opinion ONLY), there are times that you wish that you don't want to do it... without finding a true motivation, it is harder to sustain for a long terms.

I am always worried about people say "I love photography and I think I can make some money out of it", there isn't much of a concrete motivation that I can see to carry you through.

If you want to try, perhaps, start with freelancing and you will then be able to judge for yourself, the level of income derive from freelancing is enough to make a living out of it and if it is, how hard it will be? its your call...

Just to share, I took a plunge 6 years ago and it is not always easy, but I could say, it is enjoyable enough though.

Consider your personal circumstances, consider your commitment and if you have your support to your family then... why not?

Regards,

Hart

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[sinned79]

Life is like a shounen manga, go out, get trashed, learn the trade, do it right the next time.
TS, do you know business? do you know how to market yourself instead of slashing your price. I guess the most business related photography in SINGAPORE is wedding. i seldom hear landscape/fine arts photography got lobang...

But of course starting out must be one step at a time, or else your morale will be easily overwhelmed by marketing.

events too.

 

[sinned79]

I have not seen your pics. But from what I have seen, quite a few really good pro stated out as freelance.

my skills is not even a quarter of a pro yet (my equipments look pro only) ... for now i am happy to be 2nd or even 3rd photographer :bsmilie:

 

[simmeow]

Get a very good tele lens. Trail on some cheating spouses. Snap them and blackmail them. Good money for a nice living.

Make sure you pass your IPPT, the tele lens only give you a head start. If you can't run, make sure you can take a beating~
Else, you can try to get a 600mm, but that will give you away at an instant. I will know who you are when I see someone with a 600mm being chase down the road.... Hahaha....

 

[kkgoxplore]

I am not a pro but this is what I can tell you. Like any business, photography is not going to be an easy one. Your success will highly dependent on your business acumen besides your passion to succeed, and your perseverance among others. Your technical skill alone is not the key to success. While turning a hobby into a career is a great thing, reality bites when the hobby cannot put bread and butter on the table. As a few has mentioned, after the initial years of awakening, you will hopefully be in a better (wiser) position to manage and grow you biz. The fun comes when bread and butter is no longer an issue and that's when hobby and business mix like hot fudge on ice cream.

Bottom line: if this is your passion and you can afford to take the risk, go ahead. Nothing is easy but you just need to build a better mouse trap.

 

[NMSS_2]

yes, hobby and job won't mix well.

when as hobby, you can happy happy you shoot, not happy can don't shoot.
but when is a job, nobody really cares how you feel, no matter what, you still have a job to do.. you have photos to deliver.

many people try to make a living, or make some extra pocket money with photography, but most of them won't stay long enough, either their passion run dry or their money run dry, this is very real and am not try to frighten you.

think about it.

very true!

 

[hori]

I love photography as a hobby and since I love this hobby so much why not I make photography as my profession and make a living out of it? Would like to heard from professional people about their stories and the path they took that lead to their success. Anyone? Is it advisable to take the plunge?

Do your business plan. Passion is necessary, but is insufficient on its own.

 

[LifeInMacro]

I think there's a lot of good advice already dished out here, so I won't repeat.

What I want to add is that there is NEVER an easy living in any trade. Money comes only with blood, tears and sweat. Whether you are doing business, or earning a regular salary, it is actually the same - every employee wishes to be in business, and every boss wishes at times that he/she is just an employee! After a while, all businesses and all jobs get kinda routine, unless you keep on reinventing and innovating yourself.

If you are young like in the 20s/30s, you still have a long way to go. So try, experiment and have lots of fun. Time is in your favour - so if you really trust your intuition, just take the plunge and go. All the best!

 

[hiphopper]

If you have to come in here to post a thread asking strangers for opinions, I rather you dont get started at all. Just treat it as a hobby.

 

[wootsk]

Used to did some freelance work during my student time, during that time I took the job only to get more experience and earning some cash to cover my BBB virus infection. But while doing freelance, I find that I prefer photography as a hobby rather than a profession. I also have alternative in the IT lines. Till now I am still happily shooting photos. If you think you are skillful enough, try freelance first and see if you want to turn pro or not?

 

[Chris Lim]

http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/2008/09/wedding-photography-its-not-that-easy/

 

[noobie]

Thanks for all the insightful inputs, I now get a rough idea of how tough it could be.

 

[wootsk]

its true that hobby/interest dun mix well...

cos when more expectations are placed on you... you start to dread it. ;p

i used to like IT stuff much but after working in the IT field for years... i begin to dread it and dun enjoy it as much as before.

:sweat:

I still enjoying doing IT related stuff as long as it is not related to work. I am a bit dread of it when I am doing IT WORK.
The difference between work and hobby is being professional. As a hobby, you can choose what you want to do, how you want it to be done and when you want it to be done. There is loads of freedom. When it is work, you have lesser freedom and your result is not your own personal satification, but rather your boss/ client etc etc.... satification. Not to mention all this will arise to stress which is not enjoyable as a hobby.

 

[ckuang]

Also to add, in absence of seeing a gallery of your work, it's very hard to say if it's easy because at the end of the day if you're good at what you do, you'll find it much easier to make a living.

 

[lancey]

no one will tell u it's easy (who wants another competitor?)...but in truth it's easy(many people with a camera are jumping right in as we speak)