Do you really want to go "pro"?

AC016

Senior Member
Found this blurb on KRs site. I know some people don't like KR, but that is their issue. The stats from the labor department are from 2010, but I can't see it being much different today. I think I will stick with my day job where I make waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more.
[SIZE=+1]How to Go Pro[/SIZE]
I just updated How to Become a Professional Photographer, and uncovered some new statistics:
In 2010, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics documents that the median pay for photographers is $29,130 per year, or $14 per hour. "Median" pay means that half of photographers make less than this. You'd make the same as a bus driver, day laborer, security guard or a local delivery route driver — and each of those jobs has ten times as many jobs available as there are for photographers. To make more money, you're far better off as a personal trainer, bug sprayer, massage therapist or secretary, and there are forty times as many secretary jobs as there are for photographers! Get a real job like a cop or fireman and make twice as much - and there are also ten times as many of those jobs. Try being a farmer, who also makes twice as much as a photographer, and there are ten times as many farmer jobs as photographer jobs. Most other real jobs, like electricians, do much better than photographers. Honestly, its difficult to find a lower paying job than being a photographer, and since there are so few photographer jobs, good luck! Why try to become a photographer for low pay when there are so few jobs, when there are twenty times as many jobs as a top level executive — and they pay over $101, 000 per year! Honestly, you're twenty times as likely to become a CEO, CFO or Senior Vice President as you are to find a photographer job, so get real and enjoy photography as a hobby.
www.kenrockwell.com

 

STM

Senior Member
The greatest obstacle people who are pro's or aspiring pro's face is the near universal mindset that people want professional quality photographs but want to pay Walmart prices for them. They do not have any understanding of the technical expertise or money outlay that is involved to reach a professional level.
 

AC016

Senior Member
The greatest obstacle people who are pro's or aspiring pro's face is the near universal mindset that people want professional quality photographs but want to pay Walmart prices for them. They do not have any understanding of the technical expertise or money outlay that is involved to reach a professional level.

Very true
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Working in an Art department at a college as I have for the past 15 years I can tell you true artists don't "go pro" for the money; they pursue their chosen art professionally out of passion.

Most supplement their professional income by A) Marrying well, B) Teaching or C) Both.
 

KWJams

Senior Member
Taking pictures to me is something that brings me personal pleasure -- therefore I will never sell a single snapshot, print, collection etc--etc.

If I did, it would just be another f'ing job and I already have a job.
 

AC016

Senior Member
Working in an Art department at a college as I have for the past 15 years I can tell you true artists don't "go pro" for the money; they pursue their chosen art professionally out of passion.

Most supplement their professional income by A) Marrying well, B) Teaching or C) Both.
I like the "marrying well" bit ;)
 

RockyNH_RIP

Senior Member
Working in an Art department at a college as I have for the past 15 years I can tell you true artists don't "go pro" for the money; they pursue their chosen art professionally out of passion.

Most supplement their professional income by A) Marrying well, B) Teaching or C) Both.

I will pursue my "art" out of passion... that is what I have been doing... If I make a buck here an there so be it!! :)
My current goal is to make me happy with what I produce!

Pat in NH
 

RockyNH_RIP

Senior Member
I'm a numbers guy, so as long as my hobby pays for itself - then I'll be happy.

I am a numbers guy too... and smart enough to know that the hobby will never "pay for itself" other then in pleasure and satisfaction with my learning and (hopefully) improvement!

Pat in NH
 
I get "paid" in personal satisfaction. I even get a bonus once in a while if even one other person likes that same vision that I saw when I clicked. A big pay day came when a Face Book friend of mine from school sent me a msg. Over 40 years ago we knew each other but were never close friends at all. Anyway, he tells me one of the main reasons he stays on FB is to see the shots I post. Pay day.
 

AC016

Senior Member
I get "paid" in personal satisfaction. I even get a bonus once in a while if even one other person likes that same vision that I saw when I clicked. A big pay day came when a Face Book friend of mine from school sent me a msg. Over 40 years ago we knew each other but were never close friends at all. Anyway, he tells me one of the main reasons he stays on FB is to see the shots I post. Pay day.
very nice. I put some of my shots on my wife's FB and they always get liked and commented on. It makes you feel good that someone enjoys something you "made". My only problem is, I will never truly believe someone if they tell me, "your pictures are really good", lol:)
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I forgot to mention there is option "D"... Option D artists already have money and don't need a job in the way most of us "need" a job and by that I mean in the "put food on the table, roof over the head, kids need new shoes" sort of way. Examples of Option D artists are, for instance, trust fund kids, kids that have rich parents "bankrolling" them through life or adults who have amassed personal wealth in some other fashion. These people pursue art out of boredom and, often, because no one has told them their is mediocre at best. Possessing no true artistic passion, they're really just narcissists with money.

All of this I say as a non-artist, by the way; I couldn't draw you a decent stick-figure to save my life and I struggle with photography as a hobby. No, these are just my observations over many years of being surrounded by artists both Fine and Performing.
 
very nice. I put some of my shots on my wife's FB and they always get liked and commented on. It makes you feel good that someone enjoys something you "made". My only problem is, I will never truly believe someone if they tell me, "your pictures are really good", lol:)

There is a difference between really good, great and then fantastic. I am my own worst critic. Once in a while I will be really proud of a shot but then tell myself that it must have been an accident.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I get "paid" in personal satisfaction. I even get a bonus once in a while if even one other person likes that same vision that I saw when I clicked. A big pay day came when a Face Book friend of mine from school sent me a msg. Over 40 years ago we knew each other but were never close friends at all. Anyway, he tells me one of the main reasons he stays on FB is to see the shots I post. Pay day.
Wow... NICE!!
 

Dave_W

The Dude
I'm pretty sure people who choose a career in art do it for the money (outside of music industry, of course, which is quickly losing its status as an "art"). Fortunately there is still a small segment of the population that gauge their happiness by factors other than the size of their paychecks. If being a paid photographer is something you're interested in, be sure you're not doing it because you expect to get rich. Do it because you love it and things will work out just fine.
 

ohkphoto

Snow White
I forgot to mention there is option "D"... Option D artists already have money and don't need a job in the way most of us "need" a job and by that I mean in the "put food on the table, roof over the head, kids need new shoes" sort of way. Examples of Option D artists are, for instance, trust fund kids, kids that have rich parents "bankrolling" them through life or adults who have amassed personal wealth in some other fashion. These people pursue art out of boredom and, often, because no one has told them their is mediocre at best. Possessing no true artistic passion, they're really just narcissists with money.

Your option D reminds me of a story I heard about a renowned photographer who was holding workshops for aspiring photographers. Apparently there was one guy who was just not "getting it" and was obnoxiously pestering the instructor, who finally reached a breaking point and told him that he could teach everything about technique, but he couldn't put artistic talent into somebody . . . except his wording was much more colorful.

For all of you, not to keep plugging Vivacini, I wrote an article about where I see professional photography going in the future, "For Whom the Bell Tolls".
 

Alan

Senior Member
My daughter has the best of both worlds. She works for an educational company as an eLearing Developer. She gets paid to do graphic design and photography for the learning programs they develop. Then for fun she will shot weddings, family and baby portraits, mostly for friends and friends of friends. With that she doesn't usually need to put up with the stuff you get from a client you don't know. Will she ever be rich and famous, most likely no but she enjoys what she does and likes to go to work everyday. And she uses a Nikon to do all of that. "I done learnt her good!"
​You can see some of her work here....KristinSavko
 
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