Photography as a job vs hobby

Photography as a job would be cool. Think about it, you get paid to take photographs, but like any job there are downsides. Mostly it is a job, a business. Running a business requires a lot of time doing non-photography things. Things like accounting, marketing, contracts, addressing complaints, fielding phone calls, emails, website maintenance, etc. Photography as a hobby, while it may not pay, is cool. I still get to take photographs but I can take the photographs I want rather than what pays the bills.

Doing photography as a hobby can still earn me some cash. I can sell photos on any number of websites. I can display them at art shows and the possibility of recognition. All without the stress of running a business.

So many new and beginning photographers dream of running their own photography business because they have fallen in love with photography. They dream about leaving their current job because the boss is a jerk or the hours suck. How cool is it to be able to set your own hours? Little do they realize so many times photographers are working weekends, especially if you’re doing weddings. To continue doing photography as a hobby lets you escape your dumb boss.

I’ve seen all the advertisements from people talking about 6 and 7-figure incomes in photography and just buy this book or program and I’ll teach you how. The reality is most of us will never make that kind of money. It sounds great and I don’t have trouble working hard but the reality of the thing is there are lots and lots of working photographers who aren’t making hundreds of thousands or a million dollars per year.

Keep your dreams, but also keep yourself. Enjoy life, enjoy family, enjoy creating art. If you want to try to make photography your job go for it but go for it with knowledge and a plan. My goal is to keep photography as a hobby and if I earn a bit all the better.