photography as a hobby

[jd40]

DSLR and everything related to DSLR cost some serious money. I see many people in here having all kind of fancy equipment, especially them sexy white lenses. My question is, how many of you in here either professional (making a living), semi pro (doing it as a side job to fund your equipment) or just plain hobby (spending your after tax money on accessories)?

When you talk about accessories costing more than $500/each, which is generally the case for lenses/lights, they add up real quick real fast and I see how they got snatch up real quick in the sale forum. First you have to convince yourself that it's justified, then you have to convince your other (wife/gf/bf/husband) to support you. How do you do it if you weren't making money off it?

the extra money that Bush giving back is no where close to a cost of a white lens.
such expensive hobby :rolleyes:

[bildeb0rg]

Prolly starts out as a hobby for most people, then spirals a little as aspirations and potential earnings rears it's ugly head.
Nobody turns money down. Whether it's for a friends kids portrait, a publication insertion, or a full blown wedding we all turn to "the dark side" and think KERR-CHINGGGG.
I think I would find it hard to deal with losing my hobby, in order to go pro.

[chs4]

Just a hobby for me. It's a choice on what I choose to do with my (limited) discretionary income. I happen to choose photography as one of the areas where I'm willing to spend some of this money since it's something I enjoy.

Everyone has their "things" that make them happy and they are willing to spend on/for them. Be it new cars every few years (I keep mine 5-7 yrs) or new clothes (let's not even get into my wardrobe) you/we/I choose what we enjoy and follow that pursuit.

Just so happens that photography runs the gamut from fairly cheap to "WTF OMG" expensive. You just need to find your own comfort zone.

[jasonleehl]

I took some shots during my travel in Australia with my Kodak V610. Got back home and discovered shots not to my liking - not too sharp and pretty noisy at high ISO. From young, I always seem to like photography and is fascinated by insects/landscape shots but nv considered a DSLR.

400D came out at a reasonable price, and I got it with the kit lens. Soon I was poisoned by POTN and my local photography forum. Kit Lens were doing a decent job but I wanted the 2.8 botek for potraits. Sold the kit lens, got the 17-55 2.8. IQ was really nice but discovered the range not long enough. 70-200 f4 came into the picture. And the rest keep rolling in.

However, this is just a hobby and interest to me. While I had spent like $10k within one year (in the midst of getting a 2nd hand 5D with 3 months warranty left @ SGD$2.8k), it is simply marvelous when I see the pictures I got. Given a choice again, I still do the same.

Not sure whether I do what bildeb0rg mentioned about earning a few bucks, but did some shoots for my company for free and got decent results. So I might do so if there are people wanting my services.

[Wilt]

If you spend $100 per month on premium satellite TV service and watch sports all day Saturday and Sunday, after 17 months you purchased yourself a 5D, after 12 months you purchased yourself a 24-70L, after 8 months you purchased yourself a lighting kit. Three years of satellite TV vs. all that gear...Of the two alternatives, which one is an enduring invesment which lasts longer?!

It matters not if someone is pro, semi-pro, or amateur. It is merely spending discretionary money one way or another.

[timnosenzo]

such expensive hobby :rolleyes:


Meh, this is NOTHING. I have friends that have boats that cost 3 - 5 times the amount of money I've spent on my camera gear. And I live in the northeast US, so they can only use them 4 - 6 months out of the year, never mind what they spend in docking, gas, registration, etc. Some people collect guns, some people golf, some people have cars, etc, etc. There's always something else you could be spending your money on. :)

[FlyingPhotog]

If you let it, POTN can definately cause a "Keeping Up With The Joneses" mentality,

Just remember this universal truth:

Who is more a fool? The fool? Or a fool who follows a fool?

Get what you can easily afford and enjoy shooting with it. In the end, they're all boxes that catch light.

[chauncey]

I don't know what it is here, but...

They did a poll over at http://www.photoshopuser.com/ a while back and it broke down to professionals 40%, semi pros 30% and pure hobby people at 30%.

[Samanax]

It's just a hobby for me. I have other interests and responsibilities so can't give photography all of my free time or limited funding.

:) Samanax

[nicksan]

It's a hobby for me as well.

The day it becomes work (as in making money off my photos) is when I go find another hobby.:D

I've already got a good paying job that takes care of all the bills.

[fishyone]

This is just a hobby for me. It's taken me two years to get the camera and lenses I want. Sure, I'd like a Mark III and a 500 f4, but can't justify the expense. I am happy with my 20D for now. One more lens, an UWA and then eventually a camera upgrade. I've learned to put my money in lenses first.

[bobbyz]

You can buy 500mm f4 IS for $5000, use it for 1 whole yr and sell it next yr for say $4900, no problems. Which other hobby let you do that for so little?

Wilt also gave a nice example.

[DStanic]

I'd like to justify a reason to buy a 30D as a second camera (ok.. main camera- XTi would be backup) Then I could put my main lens and telephoto on seperate cams. But the wife would freak out if I had 2 bodies.

Being it a hobby I have to get the best equipment at the most reasonably affordable price. I just got my Sigma 24-60 f/2.8 for just under $300 shipped/duty which is suppose to have IQ possibly as good as the canon 17-55 IS that costs $1000. Not as wide a lens and no IS/USM, but it's still a good lens. Also I've been using my Tamron 75-300 quite a bit, which cost me $80 shipped. I bought it knowing that it's a low-end telephoto, but I really didn't want to spend $300,$500, or more on something I wasn't sure about. Turns out I'm getting pretty nice shots with it! Definatly not a good indoor lens, but on a nice sunny day it does the job. Now that I know what a 75-300mm F/4-5.6 is like, I can make a decision on a better telephoto (maybe a 70-200 f/4L.. I don't seem to be needing the IS all that much). If I decide to use it indoors like for a wedding or something, well then I will need to spend more on a f/2.8 lens. But then I gotta think, it's a hobby not a job (yet?) so need to keep the costs as low as i can.

[4x4rock]

My last hobby was pretty expensive too... kinda into 4-wheeling a bit so bought a truck for it, $30k and change. Then poured money into lift, tires, shocks, etc...the wife hated it.

So far photography turned out to be cheaper, until you start calling out the white primes' names in your sleep... :D

The wife still doesn't like, but at least I can show her some good results hahaha :D

[nicksan]

LOL.
My other hobby is music.
My wife ordered me to stop buying music and camera gear....


She's the boss...:lol:

[cgross]

Just a hobby but a expesive one

[gabrioladude]

it may seem like it costs alot

but so many other hobbies are more expensive:

-a Harley Davidson
-fishing boat
-collecting art (or alot of other things...)

point made

it is a hobby for me, and I enjoy it, and I enjoy the toys...

[dave kadolph]

Just a hobby.

And my wife is a shooter too--No problem getting the latest purchase approved--just getting it back from her is the problem--LOL.

[JeffreyG]

DSLR and everything related to DSLR cost some serious money. I see many people in here having all kind of fancy equipment, especially them sexy white lenses. My question is, how many of you in here either professional (making a living), semi pro (doing it as a side job to fund your equipment) or just plain hobby (spending your after tax money on accessories)?

When you talk about accessories costing more than $500/each, which is generally the case for lenses/lights, they add up real quick real fast and I see how they got snatch up real quick in the sale forum. First you have to convince yourself that it's justified, then you have to convince your other (wife/gf/bf/husband) to support you. How do you do it if you weren't making money off it?

the extra money that Bush giving back is no where close to a cost of a white lens.
such expensive hobby :rolleyes:

As some others have pointed out, I know a lot of people who have spent more or similar amounts on their hobbies. My whole gear list can be bought for about $11,000.

There are $23,000 Harleys
Muscle cars can absorb tens of thousands to restore.
I've seen $5000 model train sets.
Model airplanes, boats etc.
A coworker ownes four $3000 bikes.
Another coworker rents track time and races cars.

If you have the money, all of the above hobbies can be justified by their enthusiasts. I can afford the camera gear I have and so what then?

[Mediation]

Its just a hobby for me. But it is strange when you meet people for the first time they instantly ask if you make money off it. Or they see my work and start trying to make me get a website and try and make money.

But I dont want to make it like that. I want it to be an art. I dont want to be seen as this guy that takes photos for money. I want to be seen as the guy that takes photos because he is weird...

:)

[JeffreyG]

Maybe I'll start asking people with Harleys or model trains if they make money off it.

[toneyw]

It's just a hobby for me. I've made a few bucks here and there but I don't do it for the money. I've given up my muscle car hobby which costs me lots of money and even more time. I've recouped the money I spent on the car restoring it and making some $ but the time was for the sake of the hobby. My other hobby, tropical fish, isn't as expensive but some of the exotic fish that I've bought or traded for was sometimes in the hundreds of dollars. . .

One has to enjoy life some how right? What good is money if stays in the bank? Life is short. Carpe diem.

[Mediation]

Maybe I'll start asking people with Harleys or model trains if they make money off it.

:p lol

[lauderdalems]

Just a hobby that gets me out of the house and gives me something to do (I'm retired). But now my hobby has been bring in income that pushes me to get more white stuff.

Like the others have said, this hobby is cheap compared to others.

[JeffreyG]

Like the others have said, this hobby is cheap compared to others.

And like so many hobbies, it can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. I could certainly have a lot of fun and take many great shots with much, much cheaper lenses and body.

A budget minded hobbiest can do a lot with a Rebel and a handful of mid-grade lenses.

I own a lot of what I own because I like it and I can afford it.

[lauderdalems]

As my wife told me last year, it's also not what I can afford, but what I can justify in spending. Sure I can afford a MarkIII, 500mm lens, etc. What do I really need to spend that much for this hobby. I started with the XT and now have the 40D

[JCH77Yanks]

If you let it, POTN can definately cause a "Keeping Up With The Joneses" mentality,

Just remember this universal truth:

Who is more a fool? The fool? Or a fool who follows a fool?

Get what you can easily afford and enjoy shooting with it. In the end, they're all boxes that catch light.

Wisdom in every word.

[mom22]

If you spend $100 per month on premium satellite TV service and watch sports all day Saturday and Sunday, after 17 months you purchased yourself a 5D, after 12 months you purchased yourself a 24-70L, after 8 months you purchased yourself a lighting kit. Three years of satellite TV vs. all that gear...Of the two alternatives, which one is an enduring invesment which lasts longer?!

It matters not if someone is pro, semi-pro, or amateur. It is merely spending discretionary money one way or another.


I like the way you think;)
I much prefer to have by-product of this hobby over several other ones. Pictures to last a lifetime (and not taken with those crappy P&S cameras!)

[JWright]

Doesn't every guy have an expensive hobby? Some guys fish, others have fancy powerboats, some expensive cars. I could go on and on...

I used to dive and was also a member of a motorcycle club riding big touring bikes. All the members of the club decorated their bikes with painted murals, lots of lights and plenty of chrome accessories. I don't dive any more but I was recently looking at diving equipment at a local sporting goods store and the stuff is fancier and more expensive than I remember. I have always been involved in photography and actually used it to make money. I never made any money from motorcycling or diving. Well, I was a Navy diver so I guess you could say I made money doing it...

[photoguy6405]

I've been a pure hobbyist thus far, but truth be told I would like to start making a little money from it. Ideally, enough to support the hobby itself, and all the gadgets and accessories I want, would be great. That being said, I won't go into areas, i.e. weddings, etc., to do it.

As far as lenses, etc., I've seen some remarkable photos on here from people with kit lenses, so sometimes I wonder just how necessary it is to always be striving for the 'best' equipment. I wonder if going out there and doing it and developing your eye and skill isn't more important.

[Win]

Just a hobby here, I like to hike and explore Utah so I bought a DSLR and some lenses. Then another body. I'm done!

I don't believe a hobby should be a burden. In the last 20 years I have never charged or used a loan for any of my hobbies. And photography is the least expensive. I see and hear all the time of people running up their CCs to have the latest and greatest, IMHO it's a big mistake.

Win

[yonni]

DSLR and everything related to DSLR cost some serious money. I see many people in here having all kind of fancy equipment, especially them sexy white lenses. My question is, how many of you in here either professional (making a living), semi pro (doing it as a side job to fund your equipment) or just plain hobby (spending your after tax money on accessories)?

When you talk about accessories costing more than $500/each, which is generally the case for lenses/lights, they add up real quick real fast and I see how they got snatch up real quick in the sale forum. First you have to convince yourself that it's justified, then you have to convince your other (wife/gf/bf/husband) to support you. How do you do it if you weren't making money off it?

the extra money that Bush giving back is no where close to a cost of a white lens.
such expensive hobby :rolleyes:

Hahaha, I beg to differ: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-70-200mm-Telephoto-Zoom-Cameras/dp/B000053HH5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1207963077&sr=1-1

Free shipping too!!

[bigjim]

For me, it's just a hobby. I was always a P&S user; I would probably not even own a DSLR but for the day my boss called me into the office and said, "I need you to go to Tokyo, Hyderabad, and Dublin next month." These types of company-financed trips-of-a-liftime come about maybe, what, once or twice, so I bought the only consumer-level DSLR available at the time, which was the original Digital Rebel (300D).

I have since upgraded to a couple of L lenses, for basically two reasons. First, I hope they will at least assist this complete amateur in taking good photos. Second, the L's seem to hold their value, which not many products do these days. Speaking of which, that $1000 300D I bought is now worth what, $100 on a good day, a mere three years later? So for me better invest in lenses and pick up a body on the cheap.

So yes it's just a hobby but I'm fortunate to have a job that pays well enough to occasionally allow some indulgences. If I can ever get a decent shot of one of those hummingbirds that hang out at our feeders year 'round, I think it's worth it.

Or looking at it another way, I was a pack a day smoker until I quit in 1995. Now, at smokes running $5 a pack, even dropping $1000 on a lens I'm ahead of the game, and I may live long enough to actually enjoy the hobby ;)

[minimalfear]

Hobby understates the labor of LOVE - sure, I recieve zero dollars but be assured I AM richly compensated.

Ô¿Ô
T

Williamstown, SOUTH Jersey

[ajbalazic]

The expense of one's hobby(s) are usually directly correlated to how hard you work in your full-time job. More income means the possibility of enjoying more expensive hobbies.

As for the expense of photography as a hobby - it's one of the few hobbies that can be relatively inexpensive or cost you tens of thousands.

Inexpensive (less expensive):
A used Digital Rebel with kit lens will run you about $350 and you can begin to explore and create magical images (don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise). Or how about an old film camera - in the hands of someone who understands exposure can be very reasonable.

Consider the older prosumer dslr's out there - they won't break the bank.

[jd40]

ahhh
If you look at photography as a serious hobby, then it's relatively cheap
but if you look at DSLR is an upgrade to your P&S, then there's no way you can justify the expense.

I need to change my view :lol:

[conbu19]

I'm 64 yrs old. I'm semi-retired with not too much money. I've been involved at the amateur level of photography since the age of thirteen.I'm not a great technician,have a decent "eye" for color and composition. I'll get up at AM to get to a spot before the sun gets too high,and the shot becomes less dramatic.I've never won a photo contest,never entered one"for money,that is". This is what I call an enthusiast,someone who keeps at it,stays interested in the advancement in gear and technology but in the end,loves to try and capture that special image,a momenta and be able to know that they alone did it. Steve B.

[photoguy6405]

I'm 64 yrs old. I'm semi-retired with not too much money. I've been involved at the amateur level of photography since the age of thirteen.I'm not a great technician,have a decent "eye" for color and composition. I'll get up at AM to get to a spot before the sun gets too high,and the shot becomes less dramatic.I've never won a photo contest,never entered one"for money,that is". This is what I call an enthusiast,someone who keeps at it,stays interested in the advancement in gear and technology but in the end,loves to try and capture that special image,a momenta and be able to know that they alone did it. Steve B.

And ya know... I kind of envy you for that. You post conveys a certain peace with yourself and the world. Not just in photography, but in general.

[TeeTee]

To some photography is an expensive hobby, to others it's a cheap hobby.

Try forming a car or watch collection, travelling the world, motorsports, flying... a photography hobby to some is no dirt off their shoulder. Alternatively being able to shelter oneself and eat 3 meals a day is considered a great luxury by a scarily large amount of the global population. It's all subjective.

Personally I'm a young single male with a reasonable amount of disposable income. At least this income was disposable, BEFORE photography. I truly truly enjoy photography and generally don't let anything (or anyone) interfere with it. Girlfriends complain but get over it or get lost, and friends' generally enjoy the fact or are also into photography. One has even been inspired by me to get a 40D, completely on his own.

I've made a decent amount of money from photography considering it's primarily a hobby I've only been doing for a few years. Compared to my other hobbies it's actually very reasonable considering I could make a lot more money from it if I tried.

It's a bit scary however. I get tempted to actually "do what you love and it will never be work" as a potential career. Who knows, I'm still young...

[chauncey]

It's a hobby, a source of enjoyment, just like any other hobby.

Most hobbies cost money, be it photography or boating or golf or woodworking, Anyone check out the cost of a Delta cabinet tablesaw recently?

I asked someone that had a sailboat if it was an expensive hobby.
He responded by saying "it's kinda like flushing $100 bills down the commode"

It all boils down to priorities.

[gymell]

Just a hobby for me. Plenty of people spend more on their jewelry/boat/motorcycle/stereo system, etc. I have expensive gear not because I'm trying to compete with others or make comparisons, but because I mostly photograph birds and want the best quality possible. That costs money.

[chauncey]

Liz, carefull, how dare you suggest that it takes money to take quality images. :D It is refreshing to hear that.

[artyboy]

i've had others - hifi, PC gaming, cycling. i actually lost interest in photography for a few years when the digital age caught up. i was shooting slides for several years before digital arrived. but once i got a DSLR, the interest returned. it was never really gone in the first place, just lying dormant.

as for how expensive it is, it sure is. but then again, i've friends who are into serious hifi (audiophile realm), and i saw a glass rack that costs $2,500. yes, its a RACK - it doesnt play music!!

[gymell]

Liz, carefull, how dare you suggest that it takes money to take quality images. :D It is refreshing to hear that.

Heh, maybe I should rephrase, it takes money for ME to take quality images. ;) Unless someone is giving away free 500 f/4s that I don't know about!

[dave kadolph]

;) Unless someone is giving away free 500 f/4s that I don't know about!


As a sportsshooter that would be of limited use--however--If you hear of someone giving away a 400 f2.8:D