patricks Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Opinins fly left and right on this forum, and IMing with a another member just now this question popped into my head? Who among the forum member is actually a professional photographer? (i.e. making the majority of their income from photography). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_woodard Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I make 25% of my income from photography, weddings, portraiture, events, and sell rights to my images to various greeting card publishers, I would be hard pressed to support my family on photography, it might take all the fun out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 <i>Opinins fly left and right on this forum</i><p> Are you relating being a professional with having a worthy opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david j.lee Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 not me. i am just a flyboy that works to keep the amateur photog alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_woodard Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 It has been my experience that the best photographers I know, who are the most creative, and seem the have the most passion for their work, make their living doing something else, just my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_levitt Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 100% Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I've made the majority of my income from photography over the past forty something years, and also some writing that went along with the photography. But how would you figure investment income and rental property income if you originaly bought the securities and rental property with photography income? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WM Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Nope, not me ! I am a scientist for income (well,.....not much income, but heck, it pays the bills !). Wee-Ming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ky2 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 A person that does not have the time to lurk on photo.net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_b13 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I just sold my first portrait. Does that count? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie chishty Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 100% amateur photographer! I have not yet made a single cent from my hobby. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donald_macklin Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I like my day job too much ,and I make a comfortable living.If I did decide to make a living full time with photography,I know I'd end up disgusted.For me ,I enjoy photography on my own terms.If I make money on my photographs, fine.I just don't like the feeling as if I'm on a hamster wheel selling photographic services.Don. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ist_petit Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 An amateur,and spend about 10% of my imcome on photography and am happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmarkpainter Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 What's the difference? I'm sure we all know professional Photogs that SUCK :) jmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_amiet2 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 << What's the difference? I'm sure we all know professional Photogs that SUCK :) >> Yes, ... and amateurs as well. :-)) About 40 years ago, someone said to me, "how come everytime you have a smile on your face, you have a camera in your hand?" By lunchtime that day, I had resigned my job as an engineer and tasken a position as a teacher! Long holidays and short working hours, I thought, allowing time to 'work up' a photography business! 4 years later, having fallen in love with teaching, I resigned because I hated the system and went solo as a photographer, with no business sense whatsoever!! Despite myself, I succeeded and learnt to survive on photography, which I have now, for most of my working life. Currently, I am trying to 'give up' Pro to become Amateur as I enjoy it more. What i must admit is that being Pro has taught me fantastic discipline that would have been difficult to achieve as an amateur. Discipline, IMHO, is just as important as creativitiy in photography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis1 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I am a professional amatuer, professionally speaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Yeah, the pro's generally suck. All of them were trying to get the seminal image of Sharapova (Wimbledon) and virtually ignoring the other woman...OK, I don't remember which woman she played either, sue me. Or, the guys happily snapping at the 9/11 hearings. Or, chasing some Princess (Diana or Paris or the Olsen twins...). Or, trying to capture Jennifer Aniston with a face fart. 8*) Why would I want to be a pro schleping gear around at a wedding when half of the unions fail? When it becomes work it is no longer fun, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karim Ghantous Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Donald wrote: "If I make money on my photographs, fine.I just don't like the feeling as if I'm on a hamster wheel selling photographic services." There are a few photographers who can support themselves very well on photography - and at the same time they can take whatever they want whenever they want however they want. There are only a few of them but some artists who use photography as their medium do exceptionally well. These are the professional photographers that I envy although I wouldn't mind being paid a few hundred dollars an hour just to shoot soap powder. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewlamb Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I'm professional. I have an M3 but it is only ever used for personal work. I try to keep pro work and personal stuff separate. The pro stuff is featured below. The personal stuff is in my album collection where it will stay :) www.andrewlambphoto.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.m. Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I've made the leap. Shooting weddings mostly. Who knew work could be so much fun?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bas1 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 planning om making that leap in the next year to 18 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brambor Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 not me. I'm a proffessional enthusiast! heh. There are a lot of things I am enthusiastic about. Actually I do some photo assignments to photograph families or hockey events but I do not charge for those. I can make more money supporting databases; it's a job that gives me maximum free time to enjoy my family and hobbies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john15 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Graduated from RIT with a BFA in illustrative photography. Decided that my love for photography did not translate into making a living as a photographer, especially in the NYC marketplace where I would have practiced my craft. Spent 30 years doing 'something else' for a living while maintaining my passion at the non-professional level.For me, amateur is a good word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzeanah Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Discovered thatshooting weddings killed the thrill of photography for me. Do I'm pursuing another love for a living, and am having a blast with photography again -- first time in 4 years it's felt like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_white2 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Virtually all of my business income comes in via my web site. While my site does have some product images I didn't create, many of them are my own. And all of the text is my own. I have no idea how much of my business is the result of my stunning photographic skills, and how much is the result of my scintillating prose. But whatever, it's enough to pay the rent. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now