how many quit their jobs to pursue photography full time?

[mcphotography]

i saw this thread on another forum and figured i'd post here for feedback also...decisions decisions ... just fishing for feedback

[Nocturnus]

I quit a job once so I could go fishing more.

[Shane]

Are you kidding - I have to work HARDER at my real job to pay for all of the photography equipment!

[msthomas]

I tried to retire once, but this hobby that I would like to make money at is to expenesive, so I had to go back and work.
Does that count?

[suzyjazz]

I wish. I REALLY want to quit my job right now.

[jeffkohn]

It's never even occurred to me. No way could I afford all these cool toys without my day job, and I'm not so delusional as to think I'm good enough to make equivalent money as a photographer. Plus, if I had to worry about things like self-employent tax, book-keeping, marketing, customer service, and all the other headaches that go with running your own business it'd take all the fun out of photography.

[kenny]

I quit my job, I take photos full-time now. I don't get paid for it. Somehow don't think thats what you meant. lol

[suzyjazz]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

It's never even occurred to me. No way could I afford all these cool toys without my day job, and I'm not so delusional as to think I'm good enough to make equivalent money as a photographer. Plus, if I had to worry about things like self-employent tax, book-keeping, marketing, customer service, and all the other headaches that go with running your own business it'd take all the fun out of photography.

I agree. The way I want to do things is definitely not profitable. It's just kinda fun to daydream sometimes....

[huxley]

ahhh i WOULD quit my job in an instant not to take photos full time but to go to a bigtime Art School and major in Photography, THEN get a job in photography. I have a degree in fine arts but i would like to specialize. if i was only 20 again.... (im only 26 LOL)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CaptainTom]

Quite the opposite.

I quit full time photography to get a day job... needed to pay the bills..

[PeteQ]

I did.... No regrets. Not as much money right now, but my life is 100% better! Sometimes you get a second chance in life to grab opportunity by the throat, even if you missed it the first time! Who knows where it will lead, but I'll never have to wonder. That alone makes it worthwhile....

[Vernon Theis]

No way. No way. No way.

I'm a lucky guy because I love my job.
Undoubtedly that'll draw snickers and guffaws because I'm an Ob/Gyn doc.
Surgery, deliveries, pap smears, hormones.....all so very gratifying because women's lives are so disrupted by their physical dysfunctions and so grateful when I can help them.
I'm chair of our hospital's ethics committee and that is immensely stimulating and challenging intellectually. The best part of my job...I don't have never ever even once at all never have to deal with males! (like me)

I've, in the last 3 months, turned down about 8 offers to take money for shots I've taken and worse...offered money to go out and shoot photos.

I do this to relax.

Take money and it would become work.

I have huge, vast, enormous respect for wedding photographers. THAT, my friends, is hard work.
My challenge for the future....portraiture......like poetry, chess or painting......never conquered.


If it sits still...i'll shoot it. If it moves I'll shoot it. Everything else I'll ignore.

Live is good. For the moment...photography is the icing.

Vernon Theis MD

[brad]

I'm with Pete.. at the moment, I am working hard at leaving the IT world way behind me and taking up photography full time now. No looking back. It has to work.

[LoungeLizard]

I don't "hate" my job - but it's what I do to make money. I do photography because I enjoy it. If I were to do it full time, it would be just another job and some of the joy would disappear.

I do it because I like it. I love to capture the emotional moments at weddings and the beauty of a bride's bridal portraits. That's why I do it.

[PictureCow]

Well... I already worked for myself with another business before opening my studio. My husband and I had a graphic design business and we worked out of our home for about seven years. The first nine months I was open I actively worked two jobs (building websites and doing design and then shooting all day)... so that really allowed me to dedicate a considerable amount of money to advertising. It got to the point where I couldn't do two jobs anymore though...and then we lost one of our biggest clients in a freak accident. He feel down a hill and died. Anyway long story longer... it has not been easy...but it's getting better all the time. :)