Very detailed and interesting article on how to (or whether you should) turn your hobby into professional employment. By "pro", the author means relying on photography as your sole or main income stream. It's the first part in a series, but has lots of useful information, so do check it out.
http://www.photographyblog.com/articles/...o_-_part_1
Ta Jules.
Yep, commonsensical enough I reckon. He doesn't say you have to be any good either, which is par for the course in terms of the proportionality of ego and talent of most. Mind you, "going pro" does involve ensuring that one finds what a buyer wants then shoots to that brief, and I'd guess that is where the marketing, discipline and hard work are needed. Looks like being a readable series.
It's an interesting article, and hopefully there will be more with other people's experiences as well.
Zig Wrote:He doesn't say you have to be any good eitherâ¦
I think that's understandable. The skills needed to make a living as a freelance/contractor/self-employed takes someone with a particular drive and talents, and is largely about motivation and marketing skill. (Or so I've heard.) A gifted photographer who doesn't also have that completely different skill set won't survive as a "pro" very well, while the world is full of wedding albums and senior's portraits taken by strikingly mediocre photographers who have the ability to hustle.
Well said Matthew; your final sentence is wise and bang on.