i have decided on leaving photography

[evilryu530]

after several months of dabbing in portrait photography, i have decided to exit. the competition is way too stiff in my area. my reasons for leaving:
1. amature equipment, i need to spend at least 5 grand more to have good enough equipment for wedding gigs.
2. the profit margins arent great enough for the time it takes to shoot, process and print a gig.
3. i am not good enough to charge a greater amount.
4. its more stressful than my current side business, web development.

so in one month, after i shoot my last wedding for a family member, i will sell all my equipment. heres my site i started:

www.209creative.com

thanks....

what keeps you guys in the tog business?

[Rey.dos]

its a hobby that's feeding me...

[JWright]

Why sell your gear? If you enjoy photography, why not continue it as a hobby?

[DStanic]

It's definatly stressful.. why not see if you can be in business with another photog and be a second shooter? Less stress and work and you could get some % of the $$ and have fun doing it? You could do some PP work and stick with the web developement side of things.

Like you said you need $5k more in gear if you want to do it as a professional business. Doesn't mean you should drop it altogether and not stick to it as a hobby.

[BenJammin]

dont be so hard on yourself. Your not going to have the greatest stuff and the best work when you first start shooting. Give it time and rethink your decision.

[w7cma]

Dude, judging from your portfolio I think you have some talent, I would give it some time and maybe do less stressful gigs. Good luck, hope you reconsider.

[jeppoy]

Can I have your website when you decide to drop it :D.....But hopefully if you drop the business you still continue to shoot...you're pretty good...ever tried landscape or urban photography for liesure?

[spkerer]

If you got into photography to have a profitable side business, you may be making the right choice. But if you enjoy photography and thought you could make some money with a hobby you enjoy, why not go back to making it just a hobby? You could enjoy the hobby and explore how you can make the absolute most of the equipment you have.

I've resisted trying to make money with my photography because I still have a ways to go on my skill and I don't want to turn this hobby I enjoy into something stressful.

[BradM]

The more that quit or leave the business, the more I can and will charge. Thanks!

[turbo212003]

after several months of dabbing in portrait photography, i have decided to exit. the competition is way too stiff in my area. my reasons for leaving:
1. amature equipment, i need to spend at least 5 grand more to have good enough equipment for wedding gigs.
2. the profit margins arent great enough for the time it takes to shoot, process and print a gig.
3. i am not good enough to charge a greater amount.
4. its more stressful than my current side business, web development.

so in one month, after i shoot my last wedding for a family member, i will sell all my equipment. heres my site i started:

www.209creative.com (http://www.209creative.com)

thanks....

what keeps you guys in the tog business?

my passion to become better. I can't just quit on that.

[big_apple_ken]

Unless you have no other viable skill for work I don't see why if you can't make money in photography that you need to give it up all together. As the others said, why can't you just keep it as a hobby? The vast majority of people here on POTN I gather treat it like a hobby instead of a business.

Personally I Just moved back to Hong Kong which is a tiny market when compared to NYC. I'm thinking about dabbling in some freelance portrait/wedding work myself but I know it will be a uphill battle here...but who cares? If all else fails I'm still perfectly ok with taking photos that make my family, my friends and myself happy.

[Jon Foster]

Most business ventures are difficult and stressful these days. I would rather shoot full time compared to developing websites. I do both. A good site takes me about a week to complete. Most of the sites I do are between 40 and 100 pages. Clients change the layout of sites on me all the time. They also change the content of the sites several times before ever going live. In photography I stay away from weddings. I'll do one or two as a favor but my personal rule is to stay away from weddings! Let the other guys deal with that crazy stress.

Jon.

[JVS]

Hey Tien bro... nguoi Viet ha? Anyway... I don't suggest you quit. Your photos are pretty good for what you have as equipments wise... I believe if you actually have better equipments, you could definitely charge higher as you have a great potential. Keep it up...

[400dabuser]

after several months of dabbing in portrait photography, i have decided to exit. the competition is way too stiff in my area. my reasons for leaving:
1. amature equipment, i need to spend at least 5 grand more to have good enough equipment for wedding gigs.
2. the profit margins arent great enough for the time it takes to shoot, process and print a gig.
3. i am not good enough to charge a greater amount.
4. its more stressful than my current side business, web development.

so in one month, after i shoot my last wedding for a family member, i will sell all my equipment. heres my site i started:

www.209creative.com (http://www.209creative.com)

thanks....

what keeps you guys in the tog business?


Admittedly, the competition is tough, even though some have got in through nepotism and favouritism, which sucks

But I am not giving in one moment, perhaps you should try another sort of photography, like wildlife or music photography???

[SOK]

my reasons for leaving:
1. amature equipment, i need to spend at least 5 grand more to have good enough equipment for wedding gigs.
2. the profit margins arent great enough for the time it takes to shoot, process and print a gig.
3. i am not good enough to charge a greater amount.
4. its more stressful than my current side business, web development.

Compelling argument - you should definitely quit.

You'll let us know what your gear is going for, yeah?

[pwm2]

It was my guess that most people hoping to make money on photography selected the job because they liked photography. In that case, if they can't make money, they would slow down their aquisition of new hardware but would still enjoy photography as a hobbyist.

[reprazent]

If you didn't like photography in the first place, and see it as job only, then you should sell everything and move on. But I can hardly imagine that, just keep your body and a lens or two - I bet you will enjoy taking pictures for hobby (like the majority of us)

[AxxisPhoto]

what keeps you guys in the tog business?


You have some nice shots in your portfolio. And to answer your question: A full-time job! Photography is a passion of mine, and I need a way to feed the beast! http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Happy/happy-049.gif

[gkarris]

If you didn't like photography in the first place, and see it as job only, then you should sell everything and move on. But I can hardly imagine that, just keep your body and a lens or two - I bet you will enjoy taking pictures for hobby (like the majority of us)

Yes, OP - I see your site - nice work.

Sometimes, when we make a hobby a job, sometimes it's great and fun, sometimes it turns into "work" we don't like it anymore.

I say maybe you just need to make it a "hobby".

[chopperdave]

Gosh, I am glad I am not making a living doing this. I love being able to go out, take pictures, enjoy them and just not worry about making enough money to put food on the table. That would stress me the hell out.

[illrooster132]

i look at it the same . is my hobby. i will never make it my job.
that way i can shoot what i want and when i want.:D

[xoldboy]

Every time I fall down I quit too.

[S.Horton]

Your site reflects solid work.

Your prices are too low.

Raise your prices, as in double/triple, see how you do.

I don't remember who to attribute the quote to, but to paraphrase "If you think you're good enough, or not, either way, you're right."

That said, if you think that you will really regret the decision to quit when you're 75, stick to it. If not, let it pass.

[yogestee]

OK,,you obviously have talent but the way you market yourself can be improved.. Looking at your website and portfolio to me it appears you are hitting the Asian market.. I'm not any way being racist here,,check out where I live and some of my dearest friends are Asian..

In my opinion you need to diversify and shoot a broader range of subjects, meaning culturally.. Wedding and portrait photography is a tough market and many jobs are passed on via word of mouth..If this is the case with you, the word of mouth is being passed around within your own culture.. Also, as a pro you have a limited portfolio,,it needs to be expanded and added to..

How long have you been a pro?? It takes many years to build a good reputation..

I made a good living out of photography for 28 years,, four years self employed, 17 years in newspapers..

Unless you are in dire finacial difficulties, keep plugging away..