It’s always been a dream of mine to do this, but the money and benefits I receive at my full time gig makes it difficult to take less. Instead, it’s a side hustle that nets me some extra cash.

Damn straight. I agreed to go to business school because my dad paid, but semi-secretly took every photo class they had as an elective.

I tried the business world for a few years, hated it, and quit, selling everything I owned to go to commercial photo school. I darn near starved to death.

Now I own my own company and everything is fine, and I wake up and do exactly what I love. But it was a struggle.

You’re not alone. I bought my first professional camera on Black Friday 2012. About six months later I decided to pursue photography as a profession, mainly because I started realizing just how expensive gear was. From there I immersed myself into learning as much as I could.

At the time I worked at a marketing agency and lost my job in April 2014. My initial goal was to quit in 2016 after saving up about $10,000, so being thrown into the fire prematurely was definitely rough. Lotta sleepless nights, PBJ sammiches, and overdraft fees.

If I could do things differently, I definitely would’ve left on my own terms. But part of me also knows I never would’ve pulled the trigger, so my old bosses did me a favor. As much as I struggled in the mid-2010s, it gave me a story to tell.

Its funny…that first time that someone asks you what you do, and you can say with full honesty that you’re a ‘photographer’ is a great moment. I love telling people I’m THE photographer.

Buy used Nikon or Canon…then take all your money from gigs and put it into equipment. Not any sexay new Sony or something else. You can get cheap and old and amazing lenses used off eBay that actually work beautifully from Nikon or Canon. Don’t buy on credit…pay cash. Best thing I ever did. I really don’t neeeed another lens and its all owned.

Do events. Go to every gathering of artists. Take too many pictures of all different guitarists. painters, and artists creating…those are some of my favorite shots. Share share share with everyone in that circle. Don’t be a prick that wants money before you’re good… Be creative and be comfortable around that circle and share a lot. When they call you and you’re too busy getting paid elsewhere then you can maybe raise your prices. Good Luck

I am currently. But I also know that I’m going to do this for the rest of my life anyway.

Don’t be scared. Just follow your dreams. Don’t expect to make a bundle of cash, though. You don’t even need an expensive camera. Your imagination and vision are what’s needed. Use a phone camera if you must. You can also pick up a dirt-cheap SLR or micro 4/3 camera on Ebay if you want. I started my journey with a single prime lens and took some amazing shots. Less is more.

I’m a self taught photographer. I do concert photography for my own website. Since I’m not a student I don’t have as much time to update the site like I used to… I don’t have enough talent to give up everything for photography.

I got into art school. I wanted to teach. Didn’t care about being an artist, just wanted to teach others the power of the medium. Got burnt out, and quit after finishing my first year. Barely picked up a camera since. Have a lot of film in my fridge that needs processing. This last summer I thought I’d start processing some rolls I shot in Italy two years back, and Lightroom kept crashing. Took it as a sign. Still have my gear thiugh because I love it. But following my dream led to me quitting my hobby.