What's your story?

[M_ark]

I don't get excited about my day job. and i wouldn't join a forum about Graphic Design (my job) but i love photography, and that's why i'm here - what about you?

What percentage of the photography market frequent POTN - are you;
Professional
Amaturist (Earn a little money on the side, but not your day job)
Hobbyist
Other

[yogestee]

I've made a good living out of photography since 1978,,my only income..I moved permanately to Laos in November last year..I'm now working as an English language teacher but still shoot the odd assignment but for very little monetary return..

[airfrogusmc]

pro since late 1970s full time pro since 86, own business since 01.

[M_ark]

i guess my point is that, while i don't hate my job, i wouldn't choose to do it in my own time - i only do it because i must, supporting a family etc.
Although it seems that for photographers, they are there own bosses usually and as such, find their job interesting because of there intrinsic intrest/aptitude for it.
Perhaps a better poll would have been:

Photographers - are you your own boss?

Yes
No
nonprofessional (hobby)

[Crossfire]

Hobbyist - won't quit my day job

[weka2000]

Want to move into photography (landscape) but a few yrs away. The little mouths still need feeding :lol:

[Jim G]

Steadily reducing hours at day job (and night job.. damn shiftwork) to do more photography. It's a slow process but I like it that way - still plenty of time for me to shoot for myself at the moment. I may even find that I don't like full-time photography; one reason why I don't mind it being a slow transition. My current qualification allows me to work as little or as much as I like so I can mix and match however I please, within the confines of how much photographic work I can get.

[sjones]

I am an amateur, and I intend on remaining a perennial hobbyist. I enjoy my current job; but more importantly, I enjoy being able to photograph what I want, when I want. The second photography becomes a job, then I must factor in the needs of others, namely the client, and the attendant pressures that go along with any occupation.

Frankly, I have no desire to even participate in a relatively benign camera club 'assignment' or 'challenge.' I am not into photography simply for the sake of taking pictures, just as I was never into drumming just for the sake of drumming; it had to involve a certain type of music that I liked. This is a completely self-indulgent venture, and if some eccentric fool ever feels the urge to purchase any of my stuff, fine, but that is not what motivates me.

AND a huge disclaimer; I am by no means implying that professionals are only in it for the money; and I suppose most of my favorite photographers earned a living off their camera. However, it is just not in my future.

[dave kadolph]

I voted hobby.

I have a day job with good pay and benefits--and a decent retirement about 10 years away.

Had things gone differently long ago it may have been different.

[KevinAldrich]

Hobbyist. Maybe one day I'll be able to say "amaturist" though.

[artyboy]

hobbyist. the day it becomes work is the day it's no longer a relaxing hobby (for me). hobbyists please themselves, not clients. but i know alot of working pros have a deep passion and don't see it as work. from where i am, it doesnt pay much to be a photographer, unless your work are featured in high profile mags or you work in an international advert firm.

[sjones]

...but i know alot of working pros have a deep passion and don't see it as work...

Yep, and there are people who love the challenge of contests and assignments; it depends on the individual, as they say.

[Stocky]

I had to pick other because "bad" wasn't one of the choices. It is in my job description at work, so that might make me a professional ;) then again I have a pretty long job description at the moment, so team photographer is kind of low on the list at the moment.
Long term I plan to keep this as a hobby and maybe make gifts out of my work, but not too much more.

[SuzyView]

I shoot for fun and learning, but sometimes people pay my expenses. I never charge because I don't consider myself a paid pro. And I shoot for charities or non-profits and for schools. Lots of fun and people usually appreciate you.

[LotsToLearn]

Complete hobbyist here. Wish I could be better at it and/or make a living from it because it is fun.

[johneo]

Hobbyist here though I do a few weddings and a few Art Festivals and that helps pay for more camera "stuff".

Always enjoyed photography in one respect or another but not until my kids were grown and moved out and digital came along (about the same time :) ) did photography become more of a passion.

If I were 35 years younger, I probably would be moving toward a job in photography in one respect or another. Instead, being a few years away from early retirement (32+ years with the same company) I look at my photography as a future part time job after I quit working :)

[airfrogusmc]

i guess my point is that, while i don't hate my job, i wouldn't choose to do it in my own time - i only do it because i must, supporting a family etc.
Although it seems that for photographers, they are there own bosses usually and as such, find their job interesting because of there intrinsic intrest/aptitude for it.
Perhaps a better poll would have been:

Photographers - are you your own boss?

Yes
No
nonprofessional (hobby)

I am my own boss now. When I started I did weddings for a large company (weekend warrior) and continued to shoot wedding all through college. Got a full time job when I graduated for a high end wedding, portrait studio. After a couple years I went to work for a VERY high end studio. We also did commercial work which I shot most of and did all of the custom color and B&W printing. Did that for several years and got a job as the staff photographer at a hospital and started shooting weddings med high end for myself. Did that for 10 years then started my own business 7 years ago working mostly in healthcare doing advertising, annual reports, formal and environmental portraits, events, etc but I no longer shoot weddings. So I have been my own boss for 7 years.

Photogrphy is my life. I love it. After all these years I still love it. I shoot professional and still do my own personal work to. Sometimes the two paths are the same. Allot of my clients now give me a good deal of creative freedom.

[chauncey]

As a hobbyist and have no need/desire to sell any work. But...

If we were to exclude wedding/studio photographers,
how many are out there that are wealthy (net more than $200K/year) solely from their photography?

[airfrogusmc]

When I shot wedding on the weekends maybe 30 a year and worked for the hospital full time I was at that level. I'm now a little lower but MUCH HAPPIER!!! Mortgage got paid last month, taxes were in on time, its all good.

[Tandem]

I wouldn't have time to post if I didn't have a day job (197 days and counting).

[M_ark]

As a hobbyist and have no need/desire to sell any work. But...

If we were to exclude wedding/studio photographers,
how many are out there that are wealthy (net more than $200K/year) solely from their photography?
This would be a question for a whole other thread! - Certainly Poll worthy.

[chauncey]

Don't know how to start a pole.

[M_ark]

Don't know how to start a pole.
choose 'start new topic'

detail what you want the thread to be about,

scroll down the options below and tick:

Post a Poll
Yes, post a poll with this thread
Number of poll options: (Maximum: 500)

it will take you to a new page where you add your poll options.

[rodal126]

Purely hobbyist/gear freak. I think I'm more into the gear than photography. Being an accountant is cool, but sometimes I need a creative release and thats where photography comes in.

[chauncey]

I've heard that sometimes accounting can get pretty creative. :lol:

[airfrogusmc]

I know a couple of commercial guys that are knock'n down some really big $$$ but they are very well established one is a furniture photographer, shoots big ads for major furniture makers and distributors and has a private plane a couple of vintage vettes....

[Nortelbert]

Hobbyist, but saved enough over ten years to get some very nice gear. I love photography, but I'd rather keep my day job. I'd have to sell a lot of photos at $10 each to match my salary ;-)

[neilwood32]

Voted Amateur - i am a hobbyist but i would like to earn something to get back some of the money that ive spent on lenses and other equipment!