Photography as a Great Route to a Side Income?
Saturday, June 7, 2008 @ 04:45
Some people get into photography because they think it will be a route to making some quick cash. They think that after a few weeks with that fancy camera gear they just bought, they will be able to take first-rate photos that people will clamor to buy, making them rich overnight.
Well, it's not quite like that, so perhaps it's time to slow down and engage in a bit of a reality check.
First of all, yes, one can make money with photography and it is possible to make a lot of money. However, it is rare for anyone, no matter how naturally gifted, to get rich with this hobby, right out of the gate. Photography is one of those skills that combine art with science and the only way to learn it well is to invest the time and money to do it properly.
Becoming a good photographer involves developing your innate creativity. This is the art side of the hobby and there is no way to "fast track" this process. It involves a lot of work, experimentation, learning and development. Simply put, the more you shoot, the more your creative side will come out and the more you will see what works and what doesn't. All of this takes time and it is rare that anyone takes the perfect shot, which catapults him into the ranks of the truly gifted, overnight. It is also extremely rare for anyone to become an overnight millionaire as the result of that one perfect shot. You have to be willing to work, plod and to learn something from each and every shot you take, no matter how bad some of them will turn out to be. Hopefully, if you are truly drawn to this hobby, you will find all the work fun too and it will actually become a part of your personality, your playful side.
So, yes, you can certainly make money with photography and that's a good thing, since so much of the gear we acquire over the years costs a bundle. But before we can make money with our hobby, we have to become adept at it, be willing to take the time to let this process happen and above all, enjoy the fun we will have while we do.
