Help Me with Career Choices!!!

Based on your work..It is ok... You should stay in school and make money
With that money buy your equipment and ENJOY photography as a hobby. Shockey is right
the field is flooded and it is only going to get worse.
At one time couples had to schedule a photographer one or two years in advance, now
they just need a week *LOL*
It's just not a good career choice. Have you noticed what all of the experienced photographers with good communication skills are doing? They are teaching-writing books-seminars-developing new products !!!
With you potential for education, do yourself a favor and stay in school and enjoy photography as a hobby.

I have a tendency to be blunt, so...

I have an IQ tested in the 99th percentile. I am very good with science and I have an INFINITE number of interests in fields related to these subjects.

You're describing what will be the fastest growing, best paying field for the next 10-20 years. If you haven't noticed there is this big push for high school students to take math and science very seriously. This is for GOOD reason, it will be growing - especially the medical fields and scientific fields.

I also am a pretty good photographer when compared to others my age (and even with some people with many years of "experience").

Congratulations on your retirement!!! Woo hoo, what you gonna do with all your spare time? Sorry, but to me the day I say this statement is the day I'm done. My clients and others can judge my photography, but to me there is too much room for improvement, too much learning to be done, too much progress to be made.

I had not even brought photography as a career into consideration until recently when constant urging of my peers has caused me to begin to question what I previously hadn't even considered.

Your peers know nothing about photography, they know nothing about the business, they are not the ones you want to hear from. You smile, nod, say thanks, and throw it out. Even the worst photographer has friends and family who sit there and tell them how great they are! I know SEVERAL of these people, consider some friends, and they went out and started a "business" because their cousin said how great that one photo was on facebook, so like OMG I should go pro is what they thought.


not because it hadn't dawned on me that photography is a viable career but because I know how much more competitive the field will become as all these "photographers" (and I use that term loosely) begin to emerge and I know that I have mind for something math or science based (how was that for a run-on sentence :P)

English, get in the 99th for English

Seriously the photography field is tough, as has been stated a thousand times over it is one of the lowest paying, most stressful, and highest failure rates there is. Everyone jumps in thinking it's easy when it is far from it. Depending what you want to get into (weddings, sports, portraits, event, news, etc.) each differs and each is demanding, but none are easy.

I feel like pursuing a career as a photographer would be the lazy thing to do. I am decent at calculus and I'm sure that I could be much better if I were to apply myself in my class and I had been considering a career in computer or software engineering but I'm not sure if I could see myself being happy in any of those careers.

So, you're a basic high school kid. Do you know what the average of kids going to college without a master plan, or changing plans is? Seriously, I don't, but gonna guess it's pretty high. Think we are in the same boat. I went into college looking for a certain program of what I thought I'd be doing and was good at, not really what I thought would make me happy in the long run. First couple years were fine, the middle years sucked, the ending was one that kind of got me wanting to work in that field again. Though the 3 degrees in the process collect dust and are used for coasters they are there, a lot of what was learned goes into the photography business, and if it fails there's a net behind me.

Have to remember, photography you can always learn on the side and you can take electives to help you along the way as well. Quiet simply as a high school student what you like now you may hate in 5 years, and vice versa.

Basically, my question is, with the increasingly easy (and more affordable) access to camera gear previously unavailable to the consumer public, is there a way to make a decent living as a photographer?

Yes, but it's a lot more difficult nowadays. You have to adapt more than ever and that's why you see many, and I do mean MANY, older photographers failing - they are not adapting. Compared to four years ago my concentration has totally flipped, and income has doubled (net profits have increased, but not doubled, that's a number won't even consider to the end of the year). It can be done, but it's just like any career like it - most will fail, many will barely survive, many will do decent but not great, a few will do great, and a small percentage will be amazing.

IQ in the 99th percentile? The SAT/ACT? Standardized tests, if that is by what you're going, don't judge intelligence. I know of quite a few people who've studied a lot and gotten into the 99th percentile on the LSAT.

Go into science or engineering. I had same thoughts as you about 4 years ago. Now a Junior in Nuclear Engineering. I had 35 ACT, blah blah blah, but loved photography. Decided to go into a field I was extremely interested in and liked. I kept photography a hobby. I am taking one photo class right now and it is making me hate photography. I just want to go out and shoot what I want, not what some old guy wants me to shoot. I like learning his techniques, but not having them forced upon me. He thinks he knows everything because he shot pro for a while, but in reality isn't that great. I will be happy once I get out of the class. I am extremely happy I kept photography a hobby, not a career path.

You're smart. Keep it as a hobby and make money sitting in some office typing code.

I'm 19, not all that great at math, and love photography. If I were good at math/science I'd definitely consider making a ton of money, retiring early, then occasionally freelancing or something after retirement.

I don't expect to make a ton of money at this. At best hopefully enough to feed myself, pay whatever bills I have and live in some ****-hole somewhere. But if I can make money doing what I love I'm going for it with full force because I'd rather not sit in a cubicle somewhere and hate my life, if I'm working I'd prefer to be doing what I've got a passion for. I've got a few other careers in mind if it doesn't work out, but how many people actually have careers in their major's field anyway? But I think it is pretty foolish just to jump right in without a degree.

More: General Info

I agree with those that suggest Business and a minor in photography.

I'm currently in Finance and treat Photography as a hobby + the occasional weekend job.

I am also a senior in highschool and would LOVE to do photography full time (and go to college for a business degree).
However, I see photography as being a VERY difficult field to go into in order to make a decent living. I prefer to keep photography as a backup or a side job. I currently have 3 top major\minor choices, along with a list of career opportunities that would become available with each one. Photography [Business] is #3, only because I see it to be a VERY hard way of making a living.

As of now, I plan on majoring in Philosophy [possibly with an emphasis in comparative theology] and minoring in Poli Sci, then possibly going on to law school and becoming a constitutional, corporate, or an administrative lawyer.

I suggest you do what I did: Make a list of interesting career choices. Narrow that list down. Prioritize that list.
Look into universities and what programs\degrees they offer, and create another list with possible majors and minors that will get you to your "ideal" career choices.
Making this second list, will then lead to a third list of top universities you want to attend.

Go to school
Get a non-photography job
Practice photography on the side,
Until it is making you more money than your day job.

quit day job.


but honestly, if you are smart as a whip, especially in the science/tech fields, i would take a long and hard think about even getting into photography as a career.

mikekelley wrote in post #11263547
Go to school
Get a non-photography job
Practice photography on the side,
Until it is making you more money than your day job.

quit day job.


but honestly, if you are smart as a whip, especially in the science/tech fields, i would take a long and hard think about even getting into photography as a career.

Strongly agree ^^

Tumeg wrote in post #11263428
I am also a senior in highschool and would LOVE to do photography full time (and go to college for a business degree).
However, I see photography as being a VERY difficult field to go into in order to make a decent living. I prefer to keep photography as a backup or a side job. I currently have 3 top major\minor choices, along with a list of career opportunities that would become available with each one. Photography [Business] is #3, only because I see it to be a VERY hard way of making a living.

As of now, I plan on majoring in Philosophy [possibly with an emphasis in comparative theology] and minoring in Poli Sci, then possibly going on to law school and becoming a constitutional, corporate, or an administrative lawyer.

I suggest you do what I did: Make a list of interesting career choices. Narrow that list down. Prioritize that list.
Look into universities and what programs\degrees they offer, and create another list with possible majors and minors that will get you to your "ideal" career choices.
Making this second list, will then lead to a third list of top universities you want to attend.

OT, but pertaining to law: Very few lawyers practice Constitutional law. These are the law schools to attend, however, if you do: Yale and Harvard. Law is very hard right now to enter if you want one of the prestigious fields of law. You're very young, and have a lot of time to think about it. Remember: High GPA! Law schools don't really care about major and UG university (unless, perhaps, you went to HYSP or majored in physics or engineering at MIT).

FWIW, I graduated a little more than a year ago and am studying for the LSAT right now en route to a JD/MBA. So, I'm a 0L but have heard that from many people about law and law school. I'd definitely talk to people about your decisions, but you have a few years to decided (elite law schools have most of their students entering after being out of UG for a couple of years anyhow). But it sounds like you have an idea. Good luck and don't forget to enjoy college. I've heard LS isn't always the most fun thing in the world - very stressful.

You ever hear that song...
"if you wanna be happy the rest of your life. Find an ugly woman to be your wife. "
There is some logic there. Lol
There is nothing wrong with having a love for photography, being great at it and not doing it for a living.
When I started shooting professionally, I had romanticized the thought of the starving artist. Didn't care that it would be a struggle. Now, that I am married, have kids and a mortgage, I look back and wonder.
I love what I do. I enjoy the somewhat freedom I have. But sometimes desire full benefits, the ability to "clock out," and the security to not have to wonder what my income will be next month.

When I grow up, I wanna be an engineer.

JackStrutz wrote in post #11257052
...What I meant by "lazy" was that I feel like pursuing photography would mean that I am neglecting the other gifts that I had. I meant it as lazy intellectually more than lazy as a workload because I realize what it takes to make it as a photographer in these days....

Jack, the first thing you need to do is get your inflated ego under control. Having put 4 kids through college, I know how the school systems today stroke the "gifted" small percentage and send them off into the real world unprepared to get smacked around by reality.

My youngest daughter is doing a dual degree of business and fashion. If she struggles or fails at her artistic aspiration, she will always be employable. If you choose to do the photography thing, do it this way. Then follow up with a masters.

What have your school's advisers and counselors recommended?

Jack... An afterthought...

When I was in college, I took off one summer and a fall semester to work as a photographer's assistant for a company that published merchandise catalogs. I worked setting up shoots, adjusting lights, building sets, etc. The head photographer, in addition to earning a steady salary shooting housewares, also was a contributing photographer for several major car enthusiast magazines. I learned so much about the industry in those few months and was offered a formal internship deal which would lead to a permanent job.

A working internship may be something for you to pursue, should you decide to go into photography.

Jack, I remember vividly when I sat at the same crossroad about 35 years ago. I was studying and considering drafting/engineering and the fine arts as a career path. I was passionate about art and being creative but I was also skeptical that I could survive being a fine artist (The starving artist reaper lurked). I was also not as passionate about technical art so I worried that engineering would not be a path I'd follow for long. Stay with me, this really is going somewhere and really is about you.

I decided to take my creativity into advertising. It was still allowing me to be creative, applying my skills through illustration, design and conceptual thinking in the business world. It didn't afford me the freedoms of a fine art career but it did provide a means of income that has sustained me very well for over 3 decades. It also opened my eyes to the world of photography and allowed me to work with some incredibly talented people. Astrophotography and wildlife photography are now my passion, both made more enjoyable by a career that was a bit of a compromise. Some might call that selling out, I call it a choice I can live very well with.

If you are torn between science and photography, why not combine the two in a field like microscopy for example? You'd be working in a field with financial promise/security and still learning about photography. What may seem like subject matter that isn't all that glamorous may surprise you and at the very least broaden your horizons and open doors you haven't even thought of yet. Best of all you'll be earning a living that will fund the gear you need to shoot what you want and go where you want.

My 2 pennies for what they're worth. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do. 2 to 4 years of college is bank, always there when you need it as you go forward.