Can a living really be made from landscape photography?

[MichaelChang]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"When people talk about how impossible a dream is, they are rarely being kind..they usually intend to crush that dream, perhaps one they themselves have walked away from. IMO some individuals are better off taking the big risk, running away from home, whatever, dedicating themselves to the dream (and maybe revising the dream when they find they like another version better)."</em></p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I don't think anyone said it was impossible, John, rather the low probability of equalling the OP's stated skill as a software developer and the income it can potentially generate from his continued pursuit.</p>

<p>The world may be filled with photographers making money, but the numbers are a dismal percentage of aspiring photographers hoping just to make a subsistence living from it. </p>

[jtk]

<p>Michael, "dismal percentages" are exactly the pursuit of people who have big goals. People who risk dismal images are exactly the people we most admire, unless of course we admire people in cubicles (nothing wrong with that).</p>

[john_gleeson2]

<p>@john - the challenge is a huge part of it for sure, I am not great at landscape photography (will update portfolio this weekend) but its early days, when I get home after taking shots & see the results.....it burns me to see the crappy results, but I chalk it up to learning & try to figure out where I went wrong....try again....but that is what makes it fun! :-)</p>

<p>I desperately want a 5D and L lens - full frame, high ISO for star trail shots, higher resolution so I can print my work in a larger format etc, have set a goal that if I can somehow make $1k from what I can achieve with my semi-working xti then I can afford to cover the rest of that expense.....might be a romantic pipe-dream, but its another consuming challenge.</p>

<p>Probably will never be able to earn a full time living from this but who knows....I often think about the end of my life and how I'll look back on times like this (not wishing to sound melodramatic), stuck in an office with no windows, paying back loans, bills etc....those mundane things will be forgotten about but the excitement of possibilities, the pursuit of a passion, actually trying something that up to now I'd always see as "only for other lucky people", even if it does not work out, gives me a lot of motivation.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the advice so far, much appreciated! :)</p>

[sfcole]

<p>John,<br>

One thing I'll add--besides still wanting to see your work--is that marketing is a HUGE part of landscape photography. There's a talented guy in my area who takes lots of great photos, but the key is that you can't go anywhere in town without seeing them: doctors and dental offices, restaurants--he somehow gets them in everywhere. His name is out there.<br>

Scott</p>

[coreythompson]

<p>John - <br>

I know this thread is a little old but I couldn't not respond. There is a lot of solid advice in this thread from people much more qualified then me. If I may throw my .02 cents in....<br>

I too work in software development (not much older then you), as a systems analyst (in southern california as opposed to norcal/bay area). I too have visited Peter Lik's galleries in Las Vegas and was inspired to want to earn a living doing photography. In all reality, I love what I do as a career. If I could also earn money through photography, that would be amazing.<br>

If there's something I've learned over the years is that the majority of people I have encountered in my life prefer to play it safe then take a risk. I think we as humans tend to play it safe, stick to what we know works, and not change or venture off into something with unexpected results. Unfortunately, if you too stick to this path, then you will probably find yourself with a lot of dreams left unfulfilled. All of the successful people in the world probably didn't become successful by playing it safe (Peter Lik, Bill Gates, etc).<br>

Anyone can do anything they set their mind to. It's all a matter of what you set your mind and your heart to, how hard you're willing to work to make it happen, how willing you are to learn new skills, and how willing you are to embrace change. Is it difficult to earn a living by being a Landscape photographer? Absolutely, but it isn't impossible. There are people that have done so.<br>

The advice given here is worth listening, "don't quit your day job".....yet! You have a solid job, keep it that way. Don't quit your job to dive head first into a world that you know little about. Subscribe to the various blogs that publish tutorials on improving photographic skills. Do everything you can to improve your photographic skills. Take baby steps. If you want a career as a landscape photographer, it'll have to be a gradual shift over time. You won't be able to simply quit your day job and become a successful landscape photographer over night. When the time is right to quit your job to continue photography full time, you'll know it.<br>

At some point in your life, you'll want a full frame DSLR and L glass. You're not ready for that yet. You're already starting to notice the limitations of your equipment. The kit lens isn't that great. It's decent but as you've noticed, it has limitations and you've outgrown it. Crop sensor cameras can produce beautiful images. Invest in some good prime lenses. You don't need L primes, just standard EF prime lenses. You could even opt for the EF-S 10-22mm wide angle lens, it takes amazing photos. My 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm prime lenses produce tack sharp images on my crop sensor Canon 40D. A lot of my photography is at night and in low light and my equipment still suits me fine. As much as I'd love a full frame DSLR and L glass, I still haven't outgrown what I'm currently using.<br>

A word about Peter Lik, he doesn't simply shoot landscapes and make a fortune off of selling them. How many galleries have you seen like his? Everything he does is an art form that he developed himself, probably through a lot of hard work and trial and error. His photos are printed on special metallic photo paper that have been treated in ways that are so unique that you can't simply go to a store and buy the same paper. His photos are displayed in galleries with lighting that has been designed/engineered to make his photos pop the way they do. If you took one of his raw photos and printed it out on regular photo paper and framed it, I guarantee you it would not look the same. When he creates a photograph, there is a whole development process that has perfected, it's an art form. You won't be successful like Peter Lik simply by shooting landscapes and printing them on photo paper at your local costco. Differentiate yourself and learn how to market that.</p>

[don_v]

Four years, nearly five years later... what has happened to (and with) this photographer?

 

I came late to this thread, and am curious. Has he succeeded? What has he learned along the way. Whether successful or not, photography like life, is a journey, and as the Buddha so famously and ever so wisely said, the journey is as important as the destination. To my thinking, both are equally important, tho the latter is variable, and can be amended or changed along the way, as we progress.

 

So John, if you are still with photo.net, please can we have an update?