curious..who here supports themsleves solely on photography?

Qarik

do you all have day jobs or what?

sweet caroline

Qarik wrote:

do you all have day jobs or what?

I teach preschool Monday-Thursday. I could see maybe in a decade going full time photography.

Caroline

Hackbone

I'm a retired band director who has also worked for the past 25 yrs running a studio. Now full time.

Cygnus Studios

100% of my income comes from photography. I do product photography. I am beginning to expand to some portrait and events (a lot more fun).

tipsinartok

I have yet to make money off my photography, but once I start that will be 100% of my income. Right now I'm a stay-at-home mom though. Lucky that my husband makes enough to support that and that I can take photos without the pressure of having to make a living off of it.

Scott_Quier

I have a 9-5 as a software engineer that carries all the bills but does not help me meet my needs for a creative outlet. I photograph what I want. I LOVE photographing weddings and everything associated with that - it's just sooooo much fun .... and it helps to pay for the equipment:D

I've been thinking about it and I don't think I would want photography to be my sole source of income - that would turn it into a job. Software engineering used to be fun - now it's a job and not so much fun. I don't want photography to go down that same path.

Swartzy

Mr. Eclectic here . Piano technician but at same time photographer....not enough hours in a day ...needless to say, if not tuning/servicing then I'm behind the camera or computer...which is every single day. When you're self-employed you make hay while the sun shines..always irons in the fire.

sweet caroline

Scott_Quier wrote:

I have a 9-5 as a software engineer that carries all the bills but does not help me meet my needs for a creative outlet. I photograph what I want. I LOVE photographing weddings and everything associated with that - it's just sooooo much fun .... and it helps to pay for the equipment:D

I've been thinking about it and I don't think I would want photography to be my sole source of income - that would turn it into a job. Software engineering used to be fun - now it's a job and not so much fun. I don't want photography to go down that same path.

I guess when I say I'll go "full time" eventually, I should also note that we live off my husband's income. So, in theory at least, I could shoot what I want and turn down jobs I don't want. I also have a strong interest in anthropology and could potentially use my photography skills in that field. Or maybe I'll become a photography teacher;)

Hackbone

Swartzy wrote:

Mr. Eclectic here . Piano technician but at same time photographer....not enough hours in a day ...needless to say, if not tuning/servicing then I'm behind the camera or computer...which is every single day. When you're self-employed you make hay while the sun shines..always irons in the fire.

Swartzy, being a tuner you have the patience of Job. That should really be a big help in photography!!

Qarik

Scott, I knew you were an engineer by training..I just knew it! I work as test engineer on silicon chips and I feel the same about the creative outlet. I often lie in bed thinking about someth photgraphy related..you can bet I never stay up thinking about some problem at work lol.

coldclimb

I'm a firefighter with a paid-on-call volunteer department, and I put enough hours into it to call it full time. I only pretend to make money shooting pictures, but occasionally I get a little bit.

Flutist

I am a public school music teacher grades 4-6. I would love to make photography my career, but I'd have to get moderately good at it first!!

Art Scott

I am WIP (work in progress)......meaning I plan on photography being my main source of income.......once I allowed it to become a beast, a job, if you will and I can get a job any where.......however the things I am really reallly good at I hate, with photography being the exception.......so knowing what Ido now and knowing why photography turned into the job beast it did......I will never let that happen again..........
So with new pc almost totally having little bugs worked out now .... I am dang near ready to start on the long road......now don't get me wrong....if studio owner George aks me to shoot a wedding and is will to pay me what I want, then I will contract all day long......I am actually going Monday to see the Sports Photography studio I used to contact team shots thru to see if they need any help......but I have no desire to every walk back into a machine shop and run, program or clean another mill or lathe, weather it is 3, 4 or 6 axis.......one of the things I am dang good at but I hate......

Art Scott

Hackbone wrote:

Swartzy, being a tuner you have the patience of Job. That should really be a big help in photography!!

Unless he does it totally by ear.....then he is in and out with that lap top tunerwink (soory Swartzy to let the note out of the bag).............knowing the turner for Wichita State University showed me how 1 man can keep a small plethora of pianos and organs all running at peak performance every day of the year:D

Nikolai

Like Scott and many others, I'm a software developer by day. Luckily, I still have nights and weekends to play...

Swartzy

Art Scott wrote:

Unless he does it totally by ear.....then he is in and out with that lap top tunerwink (soory Swartzy to let the note out of the bag).............knowing the turner for Wichita State University showed me how 1 man can keep a small plethora of pianos and organs all running at peak performance every day of the year:D

Hehe....well, I don't use a laptop but instead a device called the Accutuner....but, one must still use their ear. I also do high level action rebuilding, correcting geometry problems...but in essence, yes, one must pay close attention to detail...and prolly why photography is another match.

heatherfeather

coldclimb wrote:

I'm a firefighter with a paid-on-call volunteer department, and I put enough hours into it to call it full time. I only pretend to make money shooting pictures, but occasionally I get a little bit.

Hey thanks! I am sure that since your fire house is practically on my street your crew would be the ones to rescue us in an emergency... BTW & just so you know....the kids sleep both upstairs and downstairs.......:D

My job? Eh, just call me "the augmenter photographer". ! My photography is really starting to become a nice comfort cushion for our family. And growing this business is really coming close to a full time job. But it totally wouldn't fill the money void yet. Bless my Hubbie for providing the major part of that and letting me play and "augment" to my hearts delight.

WingsOfLovePhoto

I work 3 jobs just about equally. I am a part time Labor and Delivery RN, (to keep an insurance policy) a photographer (to keep the creative going) I usually 3-5 sessions a week and a few weddings.... and a real estate agent just for the fun of it (especially in this market!) I would love to just do photography but there just isn't enough guarantee in my neck of the woods....

I am liking this thread learning a little more about the dgrin family! Good idea

DeuceFour

I've been in the navy now almost 9 years, been thinking really hard about getting out and going to the Art Institute for a degree in Photography. Would love to make Photography a career, but just gonna take my time, and see where life goes! Just do it for fun right now, never made a penny off of a picture. Maybe someday....

crockett

Full time job as a Controls Technician.

Photography as part-time business.

jeffreaux2

I "full-time" in operations for the largest petroleum refining & chemical manufacturer on the planet. My newest gig is to sit at a set of six touch screen computers monitoring a few thousand process variables while controlling the operations of a couple different process units. When things arent going so well it is probably akin to an air traffic controller at a busy airport. The butt is glued to the chair, but the brain is zipping along at mach 3.

Photography is a release for me. Yes I make money from it, but so far.....the majority of that has gone back into new gear or upgrades. I have really tried to push wedding work away in the past, but recently decided to make an attempt to take more on rather than turn them down. My niche is in outdoor portraiture. My goal is to fine tune myself...and business skills so that when I reach retirement age I can walk myself right into full-time photography.

divamum

Another professional musician here (good grief there are so many of us here - who knew?!!) - professional freelance opera singer, and I also teach voice both privately and at a community college.

I'm still just building up photography skills, but I'm at the point where people are starting to ask me if I would consider doing it professionally. Given that I already have one extremely high-maintenance, high-intensity, high-commitment, low-security career, I'm not sure I want to undertake another one! Also, I think the pressure of "having" to take pictures would take a lot of the fun out of the experience, which at the moment I'm enjoying to the point of it being a passion.

So, for the time being (I reserve my right to change my mind , my goal is for the hobby to subsidize itself, ie make enough money to cover the costs in gear. We'll see if I get that far!!