Who earns their livelihood photographing?

[I @ M]

Prompted by a recent thread ( guess which one ) I thought I would see what percentage of respondents to a poll have photography as their sole source of income.

Yep, the poll is public, anyone and everyone will be able to see which way you voted.

[Bubbleyboy]

As a beginner I am spending money not making any , perhaps in the future I may sell some images but as for being paid to take photos for me this puts too uch pressure on and some of the fun factor may not be there . At this stage its only a hobie .
In the future I may learn how to make a dollar if it fits in with what I like to do or I happen to get that photo of "ELVIS".


Bubbleyboy

[41jas]

I'm not interested in making money but it has come my way. Not looking but if it's there, I'll take it.

[ving]

its a hobby... but i chose popcorn

[Harves]

Never was a fan of popcorn. Photography is a hobby to me, although I have made a few bucks out of it over the years I'm not interested in making a living out of it this late in life.

[atky]

I voted for the term I find offensive

[arthurking83]

I voted for the term I find offensive

I find it offensive too!

Andrew!.... in having proposed every single incorrect scenario for my current situation, I found myself in the awkward, slightly misleading and subsequently unfortunate position of having to choose a small(but insignificant) untruth, over abstinence(because y'know me, and voting is like a religion to me .... except for the political versions of course!)

.... so I'm probably going to end up being labeled a popcorn eating type now by the general population, whereas the truth is I can't stand the stuff.
Can you at least edit the poll and add gravy to the list... not as an added individual selection, but as an add-on to the popcorn option.

.... to make Popcorn ... -> Popcorn with Gravy.
At least with the gravy on it, I can mull over the gravy covered popcorn, and once the gravy has all been digested, I can then (thoughtfully)discard the popcorn piece.
putting popcorn in my mouth only to discard it immediately seems like a waste of energy!


ooops! it seems I've overstepped the Kiwi imposed 40 word limit.... again!

[I @ M]

I voted for the term I find offensive

Steve, I'm sorry if you find the term offensive. I have never thought of it in a derogatory way in any occupation or field. I included the "quotation marks" around the term to indicate that it was being used light heartedly as it seems to have become a used and abused term elsewhere recently.

in having proposed every single incorrect scenario for my current situation,

Arthur, this is market research, you know, like the online surveys that suddenly rejects you after 3 questions because you don't fit the 40-50 yo male, live in the 3000 postcode and have an income between $200,000 and $500,000 pa.

[Longshots]

Steve and I agree. While many dont see the term offensive, perhaps its worth changing Andrew to ensure that you have a response that doesnt get sidetracked ?

[bigdazzler]

I dont find the term offensive. Its just a word (or two) I dont feel that it implies that one is useless and cannot make a good exposure to save their life or anything derogatory like that. I dunno, doesnt bother me.

I started taking photos because I enjoyed it. At some point I started getting a few offers for me to photograph for other people. (NB: Never ever my intention when I bought my entry level DSLR in late 2008. At that point I couldnt tell you what an "Aperture" was !! ) Over the next little while, and given the amount of money I was starting to spend on my equipment and related software etc., I started to think it wasnt a bad idea to try and make a little bit back to offset the outlay. So I accepted a Christening job for a friend of a friend. That led to a referral, and then that to another .. etc.

I also make a little bit of money from assisting on DSLR and Studio Lighting courses with a friend in Sydney who runs a well established Photography business. I have also second shot with him, and assisted on various jobs.

I dont advertise (other than my own private gallery type website) and I dont spend a single dollar on trying to make more money. I simply do what I choose to do, when and how I choose to do it. Its all a bonus for me, and thats the way I like it.

I have a good income, so I dont need to rely on making money from my hobby. If I do, Im grateful and do the best that I can do every time. So far, no complaints

[Kym]

Voted popcorn; but have earned the occasional $ ; but I don't chase it either

[Wayne]

I spend far more than I am ever likely to make from it, so popcorn for me...

[Scotty72]

Change the so-called 'offensive' term? That would be offensive.

What is happening to our sense of humour and Aussie slang?

I really do think that some people are very, VERY precious about protecting the image of photographers.

Scotty - A blackboard jockey / chalk monkey - Oh! I offended myself..

[Xenedis]

Change the so-called 'offensive' term? That would be offensive.

More offensive than the supposed offensive term itself is the implication that the offensive term is a lesser form of photography than any other -- one deserving of derision.

Being a 'weekend warrior' is perfectly valid in my book. I've seen images from weekend warriors that are far better than the images produced by some people who refer to themselves as professional photographers.

For me, photography is a hobby, and one about which I'm passionate.

My theory is that turning it into work would kill it. I shoot on my own terms and for my own enjoyment, and having to shoot subject matter or styles that don't appeal to me is, well, unappealing.

I have sold images, and I have done commercial work, but I'm not looking at turning a passionate hobby into a day job. A little bit of money here and there is always nice, but it would take a hell of a lot to come even remotely within cooee of getting back the money I've invested in gear over the years.

At the end of the day, whether you're a weekend warrior, an in-demand professional, or anywhere in between, photography should be whatever it means to you, and on your terms.

That's how it works for me.

[Redgum]

But Xenedis, if you marry your passionate hobby with your passionate employment you reach utopia which is only achieved by two or three percent of working human beings. It's a lovely place to be waking up each morning and doing exactly what you want and getting paid good money. It beats working at a job that you don't really like at a place you don't want to be which is most of the workforce. I've been there.

[Xenedis]

But Xenedis, if you marry your passionate hobby with your passionate employment you reach utopia which is only achieved by two or three percent of working human beings. It's a lovely place to be waking up each morning and doing exactly what you want and getting paid good money.

I bet, but given the stats, most of us won't experience that. I'm an eternal realist. :-)

[Dan Cripps]

100% of my income is from photography.

[gunna64]

I voted popcorn - coz it's the only thing that gives me something tangible in return at the moment

[flashpixx]

Started out as a hobby, sold a few images to riders. It's taken off now and I write and photograph for a national bike mag. Still provide services to the club where I started for free however. Am a weekend warrior, but it takes up more and more of my time.... and i LOVE it

[Steve Axford]

I do earn some money from photography so I voted for that one, but I hardly fit the "weekend warrior" tag. My earnings usually comes when someone finds one of my photos on the internet and wants to use it. They then send me some money in exchange for a high res version. I have never tried very hard at the earnings thing and people usually tell me how much they will pay. Do I compete with the pros? I suppose so, but not many of them take the same sort of photos that I do. Why not? - because there's not a huge market, or maybe there is but there's lots of people like me who don't care too much about the money. Still, there's the occasional guy, like Steve Parish, who does manage to earn a decent living from it.