Can I really do this for a living?

[BeerNutta]

Heya Guys,

Ive been thinking of quitting my job and taking photos full time for a living.

Just not sure if I am good enough seeing that I have only been shooting for 10 months.

What do you guys think?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42992715@N06/

Some pics are NSFW.

[rilynil]

VERY nice work, BeerNutta! Those are some great pictures!

Photography is a difficult field to get into right now while maintaining any sort of reasonable income stream. Ultimately, it's less about what you can shoot than how you can market yourself.

I liked some of your shots, disliked some others, but the main issue when you'll be making a portfolio (instead of a general flickr account) will be showing off your unique style within the field that your clients are interested in. That's one reason a lot of photographers I know have multiple portfolios. For example, you'd want a different one for your product/food photography than for portraiture.

If you take it seriously and you get lucky, most likely, you'll be able to make a living at it. I suggest reading over this extensively :

http://www.asmp.org/strictlybusiness/

[galactus]

I've heard the best way of making a living out of this is to get bitten by a radioactive spider, dress up in a costume to fight crime and to take photos of YOURSELF in the process. These photos are usually worth enough to afford a nice apartment in New York City and date supermodels!!

[BeerNutta]

Thanks Drew,

My day job is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. I have been catching spiders and irradiating them. Then trying to get them to mate. So I can create a super spider!

Supermodels here I come.

[Rocket]

I say give it a shot Paul!! If you feel a passion for it you'll make it work. Hopefully Teng is talking about the US photography industry and there is space for you in the Western Australian market!!

Remember on Facebook when I thought this was your job already!! LOL

Originally Posted by Rocket

I say give it a shot Paul!! If you feel a passion for it you'll make it work. Hopefully Teng is talking about the US photography industry and there is space for you in the Western Australian market!!

Remember on Facebook when I thought this was your job already!! LOL

Yep, Canadian/American photography industry (I've done some work locally, my wife is a pro in New York). It's entirely possible Western Australia is untapped, it's just general advice. The market has been shrinking due to more usage of stock photography, more amateurs entering the field due to lower cost of equipment and the ability to correct work easier via Photoshop.

But that's all covered by the ASMP, which has a wealth of information.

Here's another good site :

http://www.aphotoeditor.com/

Those are some beautiful photos!

What kind is your camera setup?

[Primal]

Some really great pics there.

If you have a fulltime photography job all setup to go then I'd probably say try it otherwise I wouldnt quit my job with the state of the economy/employment today.