Amateurs - If you could make a living with photography...

Personally, my answer would be a resounding "no". I do receive compensation for some of my photographic work, but to do it full time? I just don't think so. Even if I were good enough, etc. I remember playing the club circuit in a rock band in the 80's. Then I started a Christian Rock band and cut a CD. Basically made my living in rock and roll for about 15 years. Loved to play guitar, loved composing music... hated *having to* play. It killed much of the joy for me. I learned I loved to jam, but hated to "punch a time clock" with something I loved so much. Well, after I finished my not so illustrious music career, I didn't touch my guitars, sax's, keys, nothing for over five years. I had just lost all interest from major burnout.

Photography is much the same way to me now as music was at the beginning. I love doing it. I can't wait to go out and get that next shot of whatever it might happen to be, or even dream up stuff to create a shot out of whatever is handy. I know deep down, that it is the freedom that I love. The freedom to capture and create. The freedom of expression. I don't think I'd feel as free if I became a slave to the pictures for money.

That's just me. How about you guys? would you turn pro if you could?

I guess no, because I like better having a regular job in a dry room, not having to go out by all weather, that's filling my bank account every month and do photography when I like to do it.
I can shoot 300 Pictures in an afternoon as well take none for three weeks. I have to be in the mood for it.
If I do something for pleasure (such as photography), I want to do it when I want, not when I must

What Ikinaa said, verbatim.

I had a hobby turn into a part-time job and I hated it. I really really hated *having* to do something that someone else wanted, especially when I would *never* do what they wanted. I haven't touched that hobby in 20 years thanks to that. It ruined it for me.

I enjoy the simple things in life too much, such as food and shelter.
Like others have said, it is a great hobby that I enjoy and to turn it into work would take away a lot of the fun factor.
Anyway, who in their right mind would want 1000's of duck/donkey shots?

Yes, but strictly under my terms (unless unexpected unemployment happens).
I enjoy my job, because I do it well enough, but I don't love computers and the IT business. I am very happy to leave it at work - at home I become a real user, no programming or IT stuff for me. Photography and cars however, are, as others mention, a passion, and I don't want to have do them to make the mortgage.
If I could do the semi-retirement thing and bring in enough to keep me going, I would be interested. Sort of like winning a small Lotto - enough so I can pay off the house, put the kids through school, and build the nest-egg but I'd still have to bring in a few bucks to pay for the 'L' glass and the Mac-n-Cheese.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

I'm an amateur and proud of it! I do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and I only have to please myself.

Like working half-time for double salary

Well I am a HELL YES voter. I am currently working to get to that point. Besides the racing, which I am increasing the number of races I cover this year, I am also starting to do weddings. I have about 3 of them under my belt, all with good results and one on the works for being a paid one. I will pick and choose which weddings I do at this point. I don't want a large wedding and nothing that is of a Royal Wedding Formal type.
I understand the "I do this as a hobby" comments but, I want to do it and make money at it. Yes I want to shoot what I want and the best part about freelancing is you can pick and choose your work, which is what I do.

That would certainly work for me

Have Fun (while you still can)
Rick 8)

I voted yes. I have recently decided that photography is the only thing I could do for a living and actually enjoy. Currently I sit in an office for nine hours every day wishing I could actually go somewhere. I'm leaning toward a part time job and a little freelance work in the future. First I need to hone my skills about 100 times over, though. :P

I said "hell yes" if i could make what i consider a living, and if it was sports photography.

Yes i could become a pro and make money, but i highly doubt i'm unique enough to make a living...as in not only pay the bills but take my children to colorado to see the rockies...or whatever.

Would it get boring at times? you bet, but i doubt i would mind the phone call "Sorry babe, they want me to go to the superbowl this week, i'll be back from miami soon"

Nope. Not interested in becoming a professional photographer. Photography for me is an adjunct to my real hobby of watching motor racing. Whilst I enjoy getting a good shot and looking at it afterwards, I will never let in come in the way of me concentrating on watching the race.

Cadwell, you are so right about concentrating on the race and not "seeing" the race. What I specialize in is the art of the "crash and burn" shot. The pressure is really on to not miss the impact shot. That is usually what is transmitted.
Basically when in the turn you are watching cars to a certain point on the track, for the most part this point is still in front of you. Your looking for tell-tale signs of a hint of trouble, i.e. a loose condition, higher than normal line, a too low line, puff of smoke from an engine letting go, a spray coming off the back of the car which means the wheels are going to get wet and cause a loss of traction, two cars in close proiximity in the apex or entering the turn. All of these can be the moment that dicates a crash is about to happen. At over 200MPH you generally have about a second from the moment the back end comes around until impact. Now in this second you must A. Find the car in the viewfinder, B. get focused and begin shooting or if your smart you will already have a field of focus set on the wall and anything in that area will be in focus enough. Still you have a second or less to see what is happening and react.
Last year Dan Wheldon got airborne when he spun, the car flipped and landed upside down. I watched it, couldn't shoot a frame of it tho. He lost it right as he passed me. I heard the change in engine pitch and the skid beginning and by the time I looked around, nothing but smoke and then I see this car flying up in the air. There were too many heads and too much smoke in my way to even get a shot so, I did what I was trained to do, turned and watched cars following to see if anyone else was going to be collected. All of this happened in a span of about 3-4 seconds.

A few years back this guy shows up in the 1st turn, talking about how he was such a hotshot shooting for some racing mag. He was their Number One guy. Yeah right, well we had 2 crashes in the turn that race and guess what? Yep he missed both impacts, about all he got was the car coming off the wall and a few parts bouncing along the track on the first one and the second he didn't even have his camera up. I didn't see the mag but they ran both crashes and both were AP shots. So much for the hotshot.

If you like to watch the race, stay in the stands and leave your camera at home. Shooting a race is about the worst thing to do if you want to see and follow the race.

Well.....

"YES" if it was like an artist, where I invent and create my own art and I decide what I want to do.
"NO" if I'd have to go and make photos for clients that want photos of their products, events, whatever.

I can see the lure of the impact photography. That's quite like stalking image prey. The hunt for the shot. The competition to get *the* shot.

I also agree with Jespers as far as if I could get paid for my creative shots that I want to shoot, the way I want to shoot, yeah, that'd be the way to go. But as Ian said, I'm really addicted to those simple things in life too. Most artists starve. Only a select few achieve financial success through artistic avenues.

Wedding photography is a high paying gig, but god, who in their right mind would want all that stress and pressure? You wedding photogs out there must be a bit warped (or at least a touch on the masochistic side)

I'll stick with my little penny paying studio gigs and perhaps break even on the camera gear by the year 2067. It's much less stressful and a ton more fun that way.