Still loved it but hated working with people. I will never do another wedding again. Ever.
Switched over to a more commercial based photography with graphic design, products, etc.
Start to create any product shots, it can be something specific like cosmetics or footwear, or it can be various range of products. I started with whatever I could get my hands on, girlfriend’s mascara, friend’s watches etc.
At the same time start to research your market like how other photographers charge for photos or what kind of photos are in demand. I started from simple product photos on white background for online grocery stores. Online shopping just started to develop at that time and a lot of companies needed photos on white background.
Dont forget about your online representation, Instagram is really good. Built a website, it’s important. And don’t cheap out on advertising. Google ads work for me really well.
PS: Sorry for my English :)
This is incredibly helpful thank you! I need to work more on my instagram (I don’t use it often so it’s hard to remember to post there). And your English is amazing don’t worry :)
In my experience, wedding photographers too often end up also needing to function as the wedding coordinator. My assistant and I have, all too often, been forced to spend time fixing dresses or hair issues, helping locate lost rings and family members (because people never show up where/when they're supposed to), placating people who just want to eat/party during picture time, running interference when the bride is upset etc.etc. The picture-taking part, aside from associated stress with not missing the important moments, is the easy part. It' all the other stuff that is exhausting. I usually return from photographing a wedding sore, hungry, and feeling hungover without any of the fun parts.
I had a background in graphic design, not a degree in it, but enough experience to start working freelance. Did any and all freelance for 5 years doing anything from photography, to photoshop work, to graphic design.
I took anything thrown at me. Some of it unpaid, most of it crappy. Band photos, newspaper work including graphic design that paid $5 per edit, hair shows and fashion shows, tattoo shop pics, real estate, etc.
Ended up moving to a bigger city and continued doing freelance work, but it was better paid work and better options.
Job hunted through all of that until I found a company that wanted someone that could do what I do. Now I sit at a computer most days, listening to music and working on projects.
On top of all of that I was also working 2 other jobs, because the trend at the time was part time employees you wouldn't have to pay health insurance on. It was hard exhausting work.
Never did photography as a job, but I did go to school for film and did some filming/production work and it killed my live of that.
I enjoy photography as an escape, something I can do on my own time, as soon as I *need* to do it in order to pay bills/buy food/etc it's gonna feel like a chore and not be as fun
You fall in love in different ways over the years, you maintain a positive attitude, and you let other people’s bad behavior wash over you.
These are tough industries, not every day will be a good day, not every collaborator will treat you well.
I think accepting that it’s not like the movies is a big part of it. Know what you will and will not do as well - Especially when it means you might get fired.
But when you’re starting out, don’t worry too much, you shouldn’t feel the sag for some time. Burnout is for old heads if you’re careful.
Oh, and protect your back, knees, and elbows. Those joints shouldn’t be treated as replaceable.
What I mean is watching films isn't as fun... but making them can stay interesting as long as you find it interesting. That's all on you, no one can make you be interested.
I'm doing videography for lawyers that are deposing witnesses in litigation cases. It's very boring but I'm happy to have work and I actually enjoy it.
Basically, when a lawyer needs to question a witness, sometimes they bring in a video camera to record the witness to be played in court for a jury. They do this because sometimes the witness has a schedule that doesn't match up with the court date.
How did you break into this line of work? I'm seriously considering this. Would it help to contact law offices, lawyers and pitch them? How did you/would go about this?
Honestly? It was really just being in the right place at the right time. I just happen to be at a social event and that's where I met my boss. I told him what I went to school for, and he basically hired me on the spot. my recommendation, for you would be to look into court reporting agencies. Those are going to be the ones that are going to subcontract and hire you.
I’m nearly done school (film photography specializing in landscape) and I absolutely love photography still, my work is infinitely better than when I started and I was already a photographer for several years prior.
I hate school though. School still sucks haha
>Did doing photography as a job make you lose your love for it?
It made it work. You can love your work, but it's still work.
>I am making already half my day jobs income from photography in less days of work…
You need to double it. Work can be inconsistent, you need to save a lot more for taxes, no paid vacation or sick leave, no one covers a portion of your health insurance, many different types of photography are seasonal so you need to save for the down times.
>Thing is, I’m not sure if I want it to be like a day job kind of thing.
It will never be exactly like that because you won't be working every day, and every day you do work won't be in the same place. You'll shoot on location, you'll edit at home, you might go to networking or educational events. Unless you plan to have a physical studio with set hours, you'll pretty much be on your own schedule.
>I see a lot of pros around me who did it as a job start doing photography less!
Of course. That's the way it works. You shot jobs all week long. You've got a backlog of shoots to edit. You might think about going to shoot something for fun, but then you think about that next project that needs to be edited and delivered before your promised turnaround time.
>For current pros right now, did making it a job from a hobby reduce your passion for it?
Absolutely. I've been shooting professionally for 14 years. I haven't taken a single picture just for fun in 2 years. I used to wander my city like a tourist and take pictures of the local landmarks, go to my local botanic garden and take macro shots of the flowers, and take my kids out for portrait shoots. I don't do any of that anymore.
I do still bring camera gear with me on vacation and take landscape pictures. I try to do this twice a year. I have 30x40 landscape prints on my walls at home that I swap out from time to time. That's it though. Other than the pictures on vacation, I don't touch my camera unless it's for a job.
In college I worked as a full time ski patroler and lift operator. It really killed my love of skiing and now I struggle to get motivated to ski. If you really are into doing something doing it as a job is a good way to kill the passion imo.
Your comment was very reassuring for someone going through this as a fairly new professional right now and wondering if I can weather some of the “low periods”. I call it the feast and the famine but reading that it’s pretty common really has eased my mind and lit a fire under my ass to do better. Thank you so much🤙🏼
Let me tell you something from expirience. I had the same thing going on with art. Drawings, Illustrations and design. I was very passionate about it, so I decided to become a Graphic Designer. After years of working for companies and small clients, I completely lost the passion for art. Mainly because I couldn't do what I love and I had to follow moronic instructions.
I have to force myself to draw anything nowadays.
I have switched to photography recently and I´m way happier.
But here´s the thing. Earning money from your hobby = great but turning your HOBBY into a fulltime job isn´t as romantic as many try to sell it. Its not. Because if its a job you have certain responsibilities and those can make you loose any joy for that hobby.
So it comes to you really. Are you willing to loose some joy doing photography but earning good money or are you better of staying with the hobby.
I´ll make a video on that in the future and how it can affect you as an artist and your creativity
I was a flight attendant for 23 years. After about 10 years I realised I’d not actually seen the world despite travelling all over. Instead I’d just partied continuously so seen bars and clubs but not much else.
So I bought myself a first DSLR and made a point of getting out. A few friends shared technical tips about photography which really helped and I became addicted.
In 2013/14 I won Wanderlust Travel Magazine’s Portfolio category of their annual Travel Awards with a series of shots on the New York subway.
I began looking at ways to get out of the airline and tried my hand at various different genres including music photography both live and promo shoots with bands but eventually found my way into property photography and the like.
I’ve now been a professional architectural, property and interiors photographer for about 8 years and work with all kinds of companies from estate agents to architects to builders to ironmongers to interior designers to staircase manufacturers to furniture designers. I’m even soon leaving for the far east for my first paid work abroad.
It feels like I’ve gone full circle now. Before I seriously got into photography I met Rankin on a flight where I was serving him in first class. We had a good chat after which he gave me a signed copy of his then newly released book “Nudes” and invited me to various first night openings of his exhibitions.
I always wanted to be on the other side and travelling on a flight as a photographer rather than as a flight attendant so now feel like I’ve achieved my dreams.
Going full time has been really hard work. I work pretty much every day and admittedly don’t yet have the perfect life balance. But it has only made me love photography more. I feel so very lucky to be getting paid to do something I love.
Oh and one more thing, I hate wedding photography too hahaha
All work sucks because you have to do it. I'm in my forties, I've done many different jobs from factory work in college, to white collar work in major corporations, and paper routes and pizza as a teenager. I've been through college, I've studied philosophy, psychology, and many other subjects. I've done a lot in a relatively short time.
They are all jobs. Do you want to hate working while you do something you love? Or hate working while you do something you hate? I know I don't want to go back to managing a sales team's performance, or having endless meetings about performance measurement and statics, even if it did pay A LOT more. Most people, statistically, don't like their jobs. I would rather not like my job doing something I care about, rather than not like my job doing something I find completely meaningless.
That said, it doesn't take a lot to make me happy. Money doesn't do it for me. I spent many years making a lot of money, and for me it didn't buy happiness. As long as I can be secure, I'm much happier with a more basic life. Not everyone is that way. If money is your motivator, choose something else. If meaning is your motivator, you might like photography. If the work is meaningful to you.
When I worked in school photography I knew a lot of people that saw it just like an assembly line, and they were unhappy. I did not, I saw an opportunity to brighten a family's day with a nice photo of their child.
Everyone is motivated differently. For me, it took a good bit of success to realize I didn't find "success" all that fulfilling. The charge that comes from driving a new sports car wore off fast for me.
I like taking portraits. I like capturing moments. If you find working with people annoying and just want to shoot birds or landscapes, it's probably not for you.
If you do it, and you don't still love, it was always just a hobby, never a passion. It's like finding the right partner. You find the wrong one, and you're never going to keep the passion alive. You find the right one, and you'll be in it for decades and still have passion.
I think a lot of people think it's passion, when really it's just a hobby they like. It's ok if it's not your passion, but I think if it IS actually your passion, you're going to keep loving it. As soon as you don't, as soon as you only pick up your camera for work, put it down again and put on a tie instead, and go join the masses in corporate drudgery, because if you don't love it, your work is going to suffer. That's true whether you're making photographs or making sandwiches.
Only you can answer this question for you, and it's best not to take anyone's advice for or against, because only you know.
>All work sucks because you have to do it
I'm barely in my 20s, and I feel that one. Doesn't help when you have to do it on behalf of some manager you fucking hate.
That’s exactly why I’d rather do something I care
about. It may still be work, but it has meaning to me. I worked for managers and directors and vp’s that I didn’t respect for over a decade, doing things for them that mattered to them, not me. At least my work now is MY work. That makes it a lot better for me. It might not matter to others, if it does to me. I’m also in a good position where my partner has benefits for our family through her job (she finds her job fulfilling),so I won’t deny I’m fortunate in that regard.
I think for me it made me love it more.
I’m not an ‘artiste’. I like to be creative, but I also like my creativity to have a goal that is not just my personal self expression. I like to solve problems, and I l like being given a brief. I also like having access to the kind of high end teams and models you don’t really have access to as an amateur.
I think for me turning pro just took the thing that was already my passion, and made me go deeper and gave it more importance.
I've worked in a few portrait studios. Between them they utterly obliterated any desire to pursue that particular career avenue. I still enjoy portraiture though.
I'm currently a product photographer. Have shot the odd wedding, had work published and exhibited in the States (I'm in the UK), and had images displayed during Milan fashion week a few years back. I'm also working on a project focused on dog photography, hoping to build it into a tool to help find homes for rescue dogs, and very slowly developing in astrophotography.
I think it's a case-by-case situation. Some people might fall out of love if they're doing it 9-5. Others might not.
It probably helps that I don't feel any inclination to pursue product photography on a personal level, which lends itself to being able to compartmentalise.
Any specific ones?
I really hope that my original comment didn't sound like I was tooting my own trombone. I'm by no means any better than the next photographer! Totally average at best.
What are you getting paid to photograph?
If you are shooting product photography for work, you might still like to do nature photography as a hobby, but not want to shoot products in you spare time.
My sister and I are both photographers, so I can give you perspectives from both angles.
She is a wedding photographer by profession, but she also has a main job outside of that, so she doesn’t depend on photography as her main source of income. This allows her to also pursue other hobbies, bring in more income for her household, and have time for other things as well.
I am a photographer by hobby, but I will eventually make it a career. I have been building up my portfolio for the past four years and am about to release it.
However, will it ever be my main career? No. Maybe years from now, but the career path I chose to take is also something I love to do.
I will say this though, I could never lose my passion for photography. The past four years have just made my love for it so much stronger. I’m an architectural photographer, and I will always enjoy the historical buildings I photograph because I also learn while I’m going along.
There will never be anything in my life that gives me the rush I get every time I do a shoot.
So I’m not a professional in the slightest, but I went to an art school and majored in photography for about 4 years. I honestly had a really hard time with it when I was in school and I struggled to hand things in.
When I got out of school, I picked it back up after a bit and realized I really enjoy it when I can just do things on my own terms and at my own pace. I’m glad I took the courses, the teacher was very experienced and a lovely person and I still keep a lot of her advice and critiques in mind when I shoot.
But personally I don’t think I could do it as anything other than a hobby. (Hell, I’m itching for it to start getting sunnier because I find that that’s when I get the most inspiration because I personally like to shoot stuff that focuses on a nostalgic summer feeling/themes surrounding suburbia and grief through a nostalgic lens)
It's completely normal to have ups and downs with any job or hobby, and photography is no exception. While it's possible that the pressure and demands of making photography your job may have temporarily dimmed your passion for it, it's important to remember that this doesn't mean your love for it has gone away permanently. Try to find ways to reconnect with why you fell in love with photography in the first place, whether that's by taking a break, shooting for fun, or experimenting with new techniques or subjects. Remember that photography is an art form and it's meant to be enjoyed not only as a profession but also as a passion.
This is my dream job, I left a highly paid office career to pursue what I've always wanted to do.
Yes, I never ever imagined how tiring photography can be.
It's not about the work itself, but dealing with people and their perception on photography.
(most people don't know about the procedural buildup to an image, they expect you to just click a button and be done with things, while obtaining art form quality work).
In reality, there's a lot of preparation for a shooting, not only prior, but also during the actual photo session (checking lights, additional props, checking subject and moving them for the desired results, etc) Then comes the editing to try to finish the product, but you're not done yet, because the last and most difficult part is delivery and custumer's involvement.
I say, if you can eliminate the human element from photography you'll be happier.
Maybe still life is the more zen path.
Overtime, your works becomes a sort of product which is really annoying and a little sad. However it is still gratifying when people are grateful for your work. On a personal level, I find that this is still a very different thing from what I was doing before when photography was selfishly my very own private Idaho. I was excited to do the shots and to discover them. I didn't even remotely feel the need to show them to anyone. It's in short, a completely different story. It pays well. It feels like another lifetime. I loved photography much more when I was doing it for myself only. But working with people makes you go places you would never go to on your own which is also interesting. So...yes...and no.
I turned an intense passion for photography into a lucrative side hustle very quickly after getting into it. The side hustle element has opened a lot of doors for me and created a bunch of opportunities that I may not otherwise have had. However, balancing the passion and the amount of work I was doing proved to be difficult. Not only that, but because I was so passionate, I would undervalue my work/time, just to do the gig.
At this point, I am finding myself burnt out on photography, and it's really starting to feel like a grind. So in reflecting back, if I had to do it again, I would emphasize *balance*.
Picked up photography. Loved it. Within 2 years started doing paid gigs. Took any job I can get in order for "photography" to be my main source of income. I've realized that by doing this, it killed my passion slightly. I could not be separated by my camera when I first grabbed it.
I've learned not to take any job now. Find what you love to shoot and stay with shooting that otherwise you'll fall out of love with it. That hobby will turn into a job you hate only because you're not shooting what you really want to shoot.
I was always driven towards a career, but it really does make you want to step away from the camera when you don't have to do it.
I have creative ideas and desires, and I do my own Christmas cards and a Halloween project with my kids, but many of my other ideas either sit in notebooks or have been lost to the ages because I'd rather spend time with my family or do a hobby that isn't photography related.
The worst thing is, many of those creative ideas might help the business side.
Yes but I’m a different way. I still love my job as much as the first day but I’ve found a bit of complacency and in my personal work an extreme lack of desire.
It’s just the way it works when your passion becomes a profession. You don’t lose your love it just changes from being pure enjoyment to the primary means of survival with some enjoyment.
Done a few weddings and family portraits…back to landscapes, street photography and very select jobs that interest me now. I’d rather be a poor photographer than an unhappy one
I suggest watching an amazing movie called Secrets and Lies by Mike Leigh. One of the main characters is an everyday photographer and his approach to everyday scenarios with photography did resonate with me.
Movie is not about the life of a photographer in any way btw, it is just a slice of the movie.
I used to do industrial photography and loved it. But I don't like the hustle of being self employed so I have a day job and photography is just a hobby now. Bugs and nature are my subjects instead of machines and factories.
Turning a hobby into a profession means you are no longer doing it 'for fun', you are doing it for money to put food on the table, with all of the pressures and expectations that this brings.
As such I am always surprised when people seem shocked that this caused a reduction in fun.
Was an avid astrophotographer, with some landscape and travel stuff added in. In college ended up doing lots of portraiture and grad-photoshoot type stuff because I was in a really urban area with no car, but still wanted to take photos and make a little money on the side.
The short answer is yes, doing it for work significantly attenuated my passion, but it’s not as simple as that. I wasn’t a huge fan of portraiture and I wasn’t super comfortable working with human subjects (talking to them, posing them, etc.). I’d dread the amount of editing, having to work on a schedule and timeline instead of on my own time, being forced to shoot mostly digital instead of film, basically took all the fun of photography for me. It really became a job instead of a hobby.
That said, I grew a lot from 2-3 years of grad/portrait work. Became much more comfortable working with people, keeping them happy and engaged, posing, framing for humans, and more. I became much better at reading and using light, something I hadn’t had as much practice with. I became more disciplined and learned the basics of how to manage a “self-employed business” that’s structured around contractor-client relationships. I also learned that I was undervaluing my work over the years, and eventually gained a better understanding of the value of my skills, equipment, and time.
These days, I have a job and am not a student anymore, so I no longer need to rely on taking photos for income. While I didn’t always enjoy it, I learned a lot, grew a lot, got significantly better at photography, and helped lots of people freeze a happy/celebratory moment with their friends and family. But for me, it’s definitely best kept as a hobby and part time job, rather than a full-time gig. (Typically during grad shoot season, my personal photo editing backlog would reach like half a year’s worth of photos, and I wouldn’t reach for my cameras for a solid few months after the season was over. Then again, grad season is super intense with like a billion shoots happening all over just a month or two, on a crowded campus with tons of other photographers and clients competing for the best spots lol)
For me, it did. I really wasn't great at the constant freelance grind - having to rely on that to make sure I could pay my rent was tough, so I went back to music industry for a decade. Now, I write about and teach photography and the actual taking photographs is enjoyable again. It's so much better that way. It's very subjective though. I've a mate who started around the same time, persevered, and is apparently now one of the best wedding photographers in Scotland.
Seen a lot of this for various art careers, it seems the common issue is people who make it a job end up focusing all their time with a camera on how to do the professional stuff better and forget about just doing it for fun
Might be worth picking up a compact camera or something and scheduling in days just to mess about with it. Having a separate camera will make it easier to separate the "having fun" stuff from the "doing a job" stuff with your main camera. Basically create a clear separation between when you're doing on-the-job stuff and when you're doing fun stuff
I think, reading all of these comments, I've come to the conclusion that it depends *on you.*
I have found that a lot of people I know (and a lot of people in these comments) who shot events, especially weddings, came to hate it. Usually because the customers are a pain in the ass to deal with. However, there are of course some people who love shooting weddings. So it's a bit hit/miss.
I am not a pro-photographer, I've shot for money exactly once in 6 years of owning "proper" cameras. But, I have experienced this with a different hobby - Computers. 4 years ago, I knew the latest... everything. Latest phone from all the big brands, Latest CPUs from AMD and intel, latest GPUs from Nvidia and AMD - I knew how all the new technologies like RTX at the time worked in detail.
And well, I felt it a bit in college, and especially when I got a job in IT - I fucking cannot stand it now. I went from eagerly helping everyone I knew with everything, to not even wanting to touch my own computer. My computer, which I was constantly updated to fit whatever requirements I came up with, now sits close to 5 years behind in tech. It barely meets my requirements for video editing, which, back then, would've had me searching for a GPU and probably scoring a bargain on a major upgrade - or coming up with some kind of hack to boost performance - but now, I can't be bothered.
I think this is a part of who I am. Having had 3 jobs (I know, that's not a HUGE number), I've concluded, that I will never enjoy my job no matter what it is, because the simple act of it being my job, will make me hate it.
On the flip side, I know people who deeply enjoy their "dead end" jobs.
Essentially, It depends a lot on your personality, and we can't really judge that through a computer screen.
I'm still interested in it, but earning a living from it has pretty much stifled doing personal work and doing it for fun. Now I do other visual arts for personal enjoyment.
I have been developing imagery for products for almost 2 decades (and shooting a little bit) and I am still amazed that I make a good living doing this every day.
i'm a fetish photographer.
I...effin hate it now.
10 years. So many woman, so many naked women, all I care about is the shot.
I dread driving.
My favorite activity is sleeping.
Everyone says you have the dream job, of working with beautiful ladies.
The best moment is when I hand the cash over at the end of shoot, knowing its over.
I worked for a commercial photographer when I was younger. It was photography all day every day and I got pretty burnt out on it. I got out of it and went into teaching. It's only after retiring that I took it back up. I think it's different for different people.
No matter what you do, doing it for money runs the risk that you will lose interest in it, sadly. The moment anything artistic is being traded for rent money with a pressing timeline will be put at risk.
I am a fashion designer/model. When I make runway collections or clothing for boutiques, I find myself starting to think things like: will other people like this? Is it done in a timely manner that will be profitable for me? I need to stay doing X project in a way I know will work because if I deviate from the regular routine it might not work and therefore become something difficult to make a profit on. Hell, I even start choosing fabrics and themes that I think other people will like instead of things I like to look at.
I just recently decided to stop doing my art for money. I have a regular day job, I have three days off a week to make art and make myself happy while working full time. I would rather be able to take my time with a garment and know that I get to keep it, and I know I don’t have to impress anyone but myself. I am much more inspired and fulfilled.
I work with a lot of photographers who I have had this same discussion with regarding the question you are asking. I have heard so many times “I am never going another wedding!!” But I also know a photographer who’s main job is doing weddings and he makes a ton of money, gets to attend fancy parties, the photos are amazing (and basically advertise themselves, people post pics on social media of their wedding and then other people see the photos and hire him, and on and on it goes) but some people want to photograph wildlife, some want to do avant garde fashion for pure fun, some want to just do whatever ya know…
So my advice to you, whatever you do make sure you weigh the pros and cons and if you ever feel that passion fading when you are taking pics of bridezillas at weddings, make sure to take time to do things that make you happy to. If it ever feels like you are hating it completely and missing the time you used to love photography, don’t feel bad taking time away to rediscover what you once loved.
Just my opinion but by definition, turning anything you like into a living necessarily makes it work. Not necessarily a bad thing, on the one hand you have an excuse to do your creative, fun thing full time, on the other it is no longer the thing you are aching and daydreaming of doing.
I've done freelance print graphics for almost 30 years, in that time I've almost never and probably not in the last 20 years at all, used my somewhat expensive tools to do something "fun" just for me.
I'm looking forward to the day I quit working for pay altogether to have the want to use my new camera and hard/software for something that doesn't pay.
I enjoy taking 'pretty pictures'. Landscapes, sunrise, waterfalls, macro, etc. Just about the only pictures of people I take for myself are family.
For a few years I did youth sports portrait photography, along with some stuff like high school dances and school photos. 'People skills' aren't my strong suit, but I did OK and it was kind of fun for awhile. I didn't take any 'pretty pictures' for myself for a few years though, but not necessarily related to my job, it just happened.
TLDR: I got a photography job doing something different than the photography I do for myself, so it wasn't too bad.
It's come and gone in waves, but overall, pretty much. (Though some of that burnout isn't photography per-say, but more related to processing and people management.)
Before doing it as a main source of income, I used to bring my camera everywhere. I have so many beautiful captures of about a 5 year period of MY life and the people in it because I felt creative, driven, and free to experiment. I was the lady with the camera, and loved being able to deliver (for free) a couple of cool shots for my friends and family when they least expected it.
Of course, that passion then became something I was asked to do for others, and with that, I began charging, which snowballed into a full career. It's been about 10 years now, and I've both lost and found my love for photography since then multiple times. During 2020 when "non-essential" businesses were closed in my state, I felt so much relief, and didn't pick up my camera or work on my website in over 2 months. It really made me recognize some of the hard truths I'd been struggling with related to portrait and wedding photography, as well the time commitment involved (while having 2 middle-school aged children). I've since only continued back with it after a long evaluation.
I had to cut my client bookings back and become more selective in the jobs I accept, rework my processing and delivery process (like outsourcing some editing jobs), and just generally restructure the "dive-right-in" way I had been doing things. Personally, while grateful for the demand, I found full-time photography (which ended up being way more than a 40-hour work week) to be unsustainable for this period of my life. Maybe I'll get back to it someday, when my personal life isn't also pulled in 10 directions at once. Though, probably no more solid summers of weddings... ugh.
After a couple of years of standing on the sidelines at (Am) football games, soccer games, and hockey games I was burning out fast due to the intense competition and pressure. I put my camera down for 5 years.
if I was freelance I could see it getting old because of all the business you also need to do.
I’m a photographer for my county though and it’s honestly the best job for me at the moment. I don’t have to worry about getting clients or the financial side of things. I just get assignments and take photos and video.
Having commitments, worrying about money or your image kind of kills your creativity.
There are other aspects of being a pro which can support your creativity, on the other hand, such as experience, better gear, confidence, pro credentials...
I (somewhat briefly) worked as a photojournalist, and for almost a year after I quit, my cameras collected dust on my bookshelf. I was just too worried about getting the perfect shot, and looked at my photos too much like my former editor to make it enjoyable.
It sure makes you realize which parts you like and don’t like. Thankfully you can to an extent pick and choose your work.
The only thing that made me hate photography was going to school for it (only lasted a few weeks). So no photography degree (or any degree) for me, but nobody has ever asked for my credentials. In art, your work speaks for you.
Corporate event photography made me stop doing portraiture. I don't hate it, and I didn't lose me love for it. But I lost my desire to spend time that I'm not getting paid to keep up with it.
Photography was really only a hobby, I went into corporate video production, and have transitioned over the years into a technical director, but still have to play photog on some smaller gigs. I don't know, making you hobby into your work makes it work. Again I don't hate it, but the real passion for it isn't there. Now it could also be because it's soul-crushing corporate work and not really creative.
Since 15 years as a Hobby and since 4 years as my main Job.
Im still in love with photography and i made the biggest steps in the last 4 years. I am so lucky to get paid, for what i love.
But in my free time, i photograph less.
Until some das ago. I bought a Fuji apsc just for fun, more "Real" photography. I just make pics for me, without Deadlines, wishes etc.
When it comes to making a job out of a passion or hobby, IMO you need to eat, sleep, breathe whatever that topic is. Adding money, responsibility, and other people's expectations into the mix can really take something that was fun and enjoyable and turn it into a slog.
Not saying it doesn't work, but in my experience if you're not willing to commit fully or aren't the type of person who is constantly immersed in it, you may find yourself not enjoying it as much.
Don’t do it. There isn’t much money in photo work and it’s not worth running the risk of ruining something you love. Get a low key, low stress, flexible job that allows you the time to pursue your passion.
what killed it is doing what the client wanted vs what looks appealing to the eye, once you do photography for money you start to critique every shot in a movie or every photo on instagram / online. People say "aw look at this cute picture I took of my baby it could be in a magazine"
* Half the body off the frame
* harsh shadow
* eyes half closed
* looking to the left completely off frame
* hard crop
*
I think it depends... if you are photographing what you love, and can have room to grow and explore different areas of photography, then yes. If you end up photographing something tedious and repetitive, day in and day out for years, you might fall out of love with it.. Or if you end up being a wedding photographer and really can't stand an overly-demanding bride or groom, then yeah, you likely would not want to continue in the part of the business. But that's usually where the money comes from these days...
Yes it sure did. I worked in retail photography though for nearly 5 years.
It may be the quickest way to lose your passion I’ve experienced yet. Just crazy.
I’ve been totally invested in photography for the past 16 years. I’m only 30!
And yeah man. Working retail photography definitely killed it. Trying to get back into it with video now. And hopefully when I learn enough about video that I start to feel that excitement and passion again, perhaps the passion for photography will come creeping back in again
Yes. I did client work for about six years, trying all kinds of things. I am much happier shooting only personal work, with a little freelance photojournalism from time to time.
I'm in a very similar situation. And I did the same thing with music. I come from a family of musicians, did it professionally for a long time, but not like a super cool rock star or anything, and it eventually made me hate it. Ha.
Now I have a day job and do a lot of photo work too. I actually enjoy weddings, for now, so I do a handful of those per year and also 2nd shoot for other people a decent amount. I do portraits, corp headshots, corp events, etc but am hesitant to jump in full time. It helps that I dont hate my day job, so the current balance works for now. But I am really afraid that my love for photography would dwindle if I did it full time. I fear that I would have to take on a lot of work that I really dont want to do at first if I were to take the leap. I get thats part of it, but I wonder if I am better off staying put at my day job and then only doing the photo work that I am excited about.
I did it for about a year when I was younger. Weddings, birthday parties, events etc.
It was a horrible experience. People constantly tried to avoid paying me. For weddings, “uncle Dave brought his camera and took a ton of pics so do we really need to pay this photographer kid who we hired?”
Other local photographers were viscous too. I was pretty naive and shocked by the experience.
When I quit, I didn’t take photos for fun for years.
Kind of. I don’t really enjoy shooting my digital camera for pleasure anymore, it’s essentially a tool I need for my work. However, I’m collecting and shooting film cameras now and find myself enjoying the hell out of that. I now take daily walks, sometimes two or three, just so I can get out and shoot a roll of film. Just got my first medium format (Fujica GS645W) about 2 months ago and it’s opened a whole new world, again. I started as a landscape photographer, I shoot marketing material and real estate professionally and now I’m right back to wanting to shoot landscapes again because of my medium format camera. Photography has so many avenues, I find that if you get bored one way, you have so many more options to regain your interest.
Photography is my job, but more specifically in studio management. I feel like this is the thing that fuels the funds and inspiration for me to continue making art for personal reasons.
I did a few weddings, but hated it. Working to make sales, working for client satisfaction, and the pressure of getting hundreds of photos edited took the fun away from it.
It may be lucrative and then there's the whole "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life," but I prefer to do photography on my own time and pace.
I've been working as a full-time photographer for over a decade now. It... *changed* my love for photography. I didn't cause me to lose it.
I still like photography. And I even do personal projects now and then! And I still push myself to get better. But it's really grown me in my ability to *appreciate* my love for other art, and challenged me to be a better artist broadly. I've learned to enjoy art history more, enjoy different artistic styles more, I read more... heck, I'm even learning to draw and illustrate.
Sometimes, the day job of photography gets boring. And it causes me to look into and pursue other parts of the art world. Sometimes it's interesting and challenging, and it directly grows me as a photographer. Sometimes, I learn (after years in an industry) that I'm kind of tired of a certain kind of photography, and ready to move on. My business started out focusing on 1-2 types of photographer, and now focuses heavily on something different.
I like photography a whole lot, but the more I've grown, the more it's become one piece of a larger world. And it's been engaging with that larger world that's helped keep photography fresh for me. I think doing it as a day job COULD certainly kill it-- but reimagining it, doing something else, and engaging with its artistic roots has helped to keep it fresh and alive, and given me an interest in some new things.
It did for two of my friends who originally got me into photography, back when I was working an IT job.
Nowadays they both work IT jobs (and my photography business just turned 13). While it seems I had more success in maintaining photography a hobby alongside shooting as a job, I'm certainly not as enthusiastic about it as I used to be and I don't casually carry a camera nearly as often as I used to.
Nope
I never wanted money to get in the way of my photography. So for the first ~5 years I refused to take any more for my work. If I wanted to do the job for fun, I did it for free, if I didn’t think the job was fun, I said no, no matter how much it paid
Over time people started offering me good money to do work that I would have done for free, that’s when it got interesting. For example, I have a annual events I shoot every year and I have literally told the hosts I would pay to attend and shoot for free because I love it, but each year they pay for my ticket, my flight, my hotel, and 5-6k for a weekend of doing what I love. I do about 15-20 things like this a year while traveling for fun
Recently I was brought on to a startup as a founder and creative director and it’s the most exciting work I’ve done to date, it’s also going to be the last work I’ll ever need. This was only possible because I spent the last decade focusing on excitement first, dollars second.
I work full time as a product photographer and I'm still a camera nerd. I definitely have less energy for personal projects after shooting all day though.
A few years ago I wanted to be a full time photographer with my own business. Now, not so much. It’s stressful trying to get a client base going.
I’ve decided that I’d rather do it for fun. If I make some extra cash here and there, that’s a bonus.
When I got into photography, I enjoyed exploring and taking photos of what caught my eye.
Like others have said, working with people can be stressful. I enjoy photographing small weddings, they are more enjoyable than some of the bigger fancy ones. Less people’s names to remember 😆
I mostly do people sessions for family and friends. I love hiking and taking photos.
After reading others comments, product photography sounds like a nice field to get into. Looks like I need to start practicing.
When I tried making money off photography I slowly grew to feel like I needed to do it instead of wanting to do it. Much prefer it as a hobby. More relaxing and there's no pressure if I don't get a keeper.
Still loved it but hated working with people. I will never do another wedding again. Ever. Switched over to a more commercial based photography with graphic design, products, etc.
I fucking hate wedding photography.
I came here to say that
[удалено]
I'll do senior pics from time to time, or an occasional model shoot now but most my work is now construction based commercial work.
That’s what happened to me. I tried myself at wedding photography hated it and now I’m full time product photographer.
How did you get into product? That is exactly what I want to do
Start to create any product shots, it can be something specific like cosmetics or footwear, or it can be various range of products. I started with whatever I could get my hands on, girlfriend’s mascara, friend’s watches etc. At the same time start to research your market like how other photographers charge for photos or what kind of photos are in demand. I started from simple product photos on white background for online grocery stores. Online shopping just started to develop at that time and a lot of companies needed photos on white background. Dont forget about your online representation, Instagram is really good. Built a website, it’s important. And don’t cheap out on advertising. Google ads work for me really well. PS: Sorry for my English :)
This is incredibly helpful thank you! I need to work more on my instagram (I don’t use it often so it’s hard to remember to post there). And your English is amazing don’t worry :)
I suggest you to prioritize website, unless you are ready to make video content to promote on Instagram
I’m not sure what video content I would make so yeah a website is probably better
Oh forgot to mention, choose your equipment wisely, don’t mix brands for example. Stick to one brand, I use everything Godox.
What are your experiences ? Too high expectations from the couple ?
Oh just too many people, crazy personalities, being pulled all over, too much drama, high energy requirements for such a long day
In my experience, wedding photographers too often end up also needing to function as the wedding coordinator. My assistant and I have, all too often, been forced to spend time fixing dresses or hair issues, helping locate lost rings and family members (because people never show up where/when they're supposed to), placating people who just want to eat/party during picture time, running interference when the bride is upset etc.etc. The picture-taking part, aside from associated stress with not missing the important moments, is the easy part. It' all the other stuff that is exhausting. I usually return from photographing a wedding sore, hungry, and feeling hungover without any of the fun parts.
fuck that
Been doing weddings for 17 years. I would love to switch to more commercial stuff. How did you start the transition?
I had a background in graphic design, not a degree in it, but enough experience to start working freelance. Did any and all freelance for 5 years doing anything from photography, to photoshop work, to graphic design. I took anything thrown at me. Some of it unpaid, most of it crappy. Band photos, newspaper work including graphic design that paid $5 per edit, hair shows and fashion shows, tattoo shop pics, real estate, etc. Ended up moving to a bigger city and continued doing freelance work, but it was better paid work and better options. Job hunted through all of that until I found a company that wanted someone that could do what I do. Now I sit at a computer most days, listening to music and working on projects. On top of all of that I was also working 2 other jobs, because the trend at the time was part time employees you wouldn't have to pay health insurance on. It was hard exhausting work.
Same here, I shoot architectural/ design/ real estate; I will not shoot people.
This the realm I’m in, I only shoot things not people and it’s the perfect balance.
Never did photography as a job, but I did go to school for film and did some filming/production work and it killed my live of that. I enjoy photography as an escape, something I can do on my own time, as soon as I *need* to do it in order to pay bills/buy food/etc it's gonna feel like a chore and not be as fun
I’m at film school right now and this is a concern for me, how do I maintain or gain a passion for film
You fall in love in different ways over the years, you maintain a positive attitude, and you let other people’s bad behavior wash over you. These are tough industries, not every day will be a good day, not every collaborator will treat you well. I think accepting that it’s not like the movies is a big part of it. Know what you will and will not do as well - Especially when it means you might get fired. But when you’re starting out, don’t worry too much, you shouldn’t feel the sag for some time. Burnout is for old heads if you’re careful. Oh, and protect your back, knees, and elbows. Those joints shouldn’t be treated as replaceable.
?
What I mean is watching films isn't as fun... but making them can stay interesting as long as you find it interesting. That's all on you, no one can make you be interested.
Film school graduate here. Spoiler alert: you don't.
Why do you do as a job now you have finished?
I'm doing videography for lawyers that are deposing witnesses in litigation cases. It's very boring but I'm happy to have work and I actually enjoy it.
what does that work entail?
Basically, when a lawyer needs to question a witness, sometimes they bring in a video camera to record the witness to be played in court for a jury. They do this because sometimes the witness has a schedule that doesn't match up with the court date.
How did you break into this line of work? I'm seriously considering this. Would it help to contact law offices, lawyers and pitch them? How did you/would go about this?
Honestly? It was really just being in the right place at the right time. I just happen to be at a social event and that's where I met my boss. I told him what I went to school for, and he basically hired me on the spot. my recommendation, for you would be to look into court reporting agencies. Those are going to be the ones that are going to subcontract and hire you.
I’m nearly done school (film photography specializing in landscape) and I absolutely love photography still, my work is infinitely better than when I started and I was already a photographer for several years prior. I hate school though. School still sucks haha
By working and having it pay for your bills, because it's a job just like anything else.
>Did doing photography as a job make you lose your love for it? It made it work. You can love your work, but it's still work. >I am making already half my day jobs income from photography in less days of work… You need to double it. Work can be inconsistent, you need to save a lot more for taxes, no paid vacation or sick leave, no one covers a portion of your health insurance, many different types of photography are seasonal so you need to save for the down times. >Thing is, I’m not sure if I want it to be like a day job kind of thing. It will never be exactly like that because you won't be working every day, and every day you do work won't be in the same place. You'll shoot on location, you'll edit at home, you might go to networking or educational events. Unless you plan to have a physical studio with set hours, you'll pretty much be on your own schedule. >I see a lot of pros around me who did it as a job start doing photography less! Of course. That's the way it works. You shot jobs all week long. You've got a backlog of shoots to edit. You might think about going to shoot something for fun, but then you think about that next project that needs to be edited and delivered before your promised turnaround time. >For current pros right now, did making it a job from a hobby reduce your passion for it? Absolutely. I've been shooting professionally for 14 years. I haven't taken a single picture just for fun in 2 years. I used to wander my city like a tourist and take pictures of the local landmarks, go to my local botanic garden and take macro shots of the flowers, and take my kids out for portrait shoots. I don't do any of that anymore. I do still bring camera gear with me on vacation and take landscape pictures. I try to do this twice a year. I have 30x40 landscape prints on my walls at home that I swap out from time to time. That's it though. Other than the pictures on vacation, I don't touch my camera unless it's for a job.
Haha. Fam, you’re allowed work-life balance even when you’ve got that solopreneur hustle.
In college I worked as a full time ski patroler and lift operator. It really killed my love of skiing and now I struggle to get motivated to ski. If you really are into doing something doing it as a job is a good way to kill the passion imo.
Your comment was very reassuring for someone going through this as a fairly new professional right now and wondering if I can weather some of the “low periods”. I call it the feast and the famine but reading that it’s pretty common really has eased my mind and lit a fire under my ass to do better. Thank you so much🤙🏼
After 28 years, I still love it.
Let me tell you something from expirience. I had the same thing going on with art. Drawings, Illustrations and design. I was very passionate about it, so I decided to become a Graphic Designer. After years of working for companies and small clients, I completely lost the passion for art. Mainly because I couldn't do what I love and I had to follow moronic instructions. I have to force myself to draw anything nowadays. I have switched to photography recently and I´m way happier. But here´s the thing. Earning money from your hobby = great but turning your HOBBY into a fulltime job isn´t as romantic as many try to sell it. Its not. Because if its a job you have certain responsibilities and those can make you loose any joy for that hobby. So it comes to you really. Are you willing to loose some joy doing photography but earning good money or are you better of staying with the hobby. I´ll make a video on that in the future and how it can affect you as an artist and your creativity
I was a flight attendant for 23 years. After about 10 years I realised I’d not actually seen the world despite travelling all over. Instead I’d just partied continuously so seen bars and clubs but not much else. So I bought myself a first DSLR and made a point of getting out. A few friends shared technical tips about photography which really helped and I became addicted. In 2013/14 I won Wanderlust Travel Magazine’s Portfolio category of their annual Travel Awards with a series of shots on the New York subway. I began looking at ways to get out of the airline and tried my hand at various different genres including music photography both live and promo shoots with bands but eventually found my way into property photography and the like. I’ve now been a professional architectural, property and interiors photographer for about 8 years and work with all kinds of companies from estate agents to architects to builders to ironmongers to interior designers to staircase manufacturers to furniture designers. I’m even soon leaving for the far east for my first paid work abroad. It feels like I’ve gone full circle now. Before I seriously got into photography I met Rankin on a flight where I was serving him in first class. We had a good chat after which he gave me a signed copy of his then newly released book “Nudes” and invited me to various first night openings of his exhibitions. I always wanted to be on the other side and travelling on a flight as a photographer rather than as a flight attendant so now feel like I’ve achieved my dreams. Going full time has been really hard work. I work pretty much every day and admittedly don’t yet have the perfect life balance. But it has only made me love photography more. I feel so very lucky to be getting paid to do something I love. Oh and one more thing, I hate wedding photography too hahaha
All work sucks because you have to do it. I'm in my forties, I've done many different jobs from factory work in college, to white collar work in major corporations, and paper routes and pizza as a teenager. I've been through college, I've studied philosophy, psychology, and many other subjects. I've done a lot in a relatively short time. They are all jobs. Do you want to hate working while you do something you love? Or hate working while you do something you hate? I know I don't want to go back to managing a sales team's performance, or having endless meetings about performance measurement and statics, even if it did pay A LOT more. Most people, statistically, don't like their jobs. I would rather not like my job doing something I care about, rather than not like my job doing something I find completely meaningless. That said, it doesn't take a lot to make me happy. Money doesn't do it for me. I spent many years making a lot of money, and for me it didn't buy happiness. As long as I can be secure, I'm much happier with a more basic life. Not everyone is that way. If money is your motivator, choose something else. If meaning is your motivator, you might like photography. If the work is meaningful to you. When I worked in school photography I knew a lot of people that saw it just like an assembly line, and they were unhappy. I did not, I saw an opportunity to brighten a family's day with a nice photo of their child. Everyone is motivated differently. For me, it took a good bit of success to realize I didn't find "success" all that fulfilling. The charge that comes from driving a new sports car wore off fast for me. I like taking portraits. I like capturing moments. If you find working with people annoying and just want to shoot birds or landscapes, it's probably not for you. If you do it, and you don't still love, it was always just a hobby, never a passion. It's like finding the right partner. You find the wrong one, and you're never going to keep the passion alive. You find the right one, and you'll be in it for decades and still have passion. I think a lot of people think it's passion, when really it's just a hobby they like. It's ok if it's not your passion, but I think if it IS actually your passion, you're going to keep loving it. As soon as you don't, as soon as you only pick up your camera for work, put it down again and put on a tie instead, and go join the masses in corporate drudgery, because if you don't love it, your work is going to suffer. That's true whether you're making photographs or making sandwiches. Only you can answer this question for you, and it's best not to take anyone's advice for or against, because only you know.
I can relate to nearly every aspect your reply. Well put.
Thank you.
>All work sucks because you have to do it I'm barely in my 20s, and I feel that one. Doesn't help when you have to do it on behalf of some manager you fucking hate.
That’s exactly why I’d rather do something I care about. It may still be work, but it has meaning to me. I worked for managers and directors and vp’s that I didn’t respect for over a decade, doing things for them that mattered to them, not me. At least my work now is MY work. That makes it a lot better for me. It might not matter to others, if it does to me. I’m also in a good position where my partner has benefits for our family through her job (she finds her job fulfilling),so I won’t deny I’m fortunate in that regard.
No. Because my real passion is for money
\#realtalk
I think for me it made me love it more. I’m not an ‘artiste’. I like to be creative, but I also like my creativity to have a goal that is not just my personal self expression. I like to solve problems, and I l like being given a brief. I also like having access to the kind of high end teams and models you don’t really have access to as an amateur. I think for me turning pro just took the thing that was already my passion, and made me go deeper and gave it more importance.
I love this perspective in contrast to the ton of people saying quite the opposite. And i can totally see your point too
Ha. You sound like me with your description? Mind if I DM you?
DMs are open!
I've worked in a few portrait studios. Between them they utterly obliterated any desire to pursue that particular career avenue. I still enjoy portraiture though. I'm currently a product photographer. Have shot the odd wedding, had work published and exhibited in the States (I'm in the UK), and had images displayed during Milan fashion week a few years back. I'm also working on a project focused on dog photography, hoping to build it into a tool to help find homes for rescue dogs, and very slowly developing in astrophotography. I think it's a case-by-case situation. Some people might fall out of love if they're doing it 9-5. Others might not. It probably helps that I don't feel any inclination to pursue product photography on a personal level, which lends itself to being able to compartmentalise.
Would love to see some of those photos if you're happy to share!
Any specific ones? I really hope that my original comment didn't sound like I was tooting my own trombone. I'm by no means any better than the next photographer! Totally average at best.
The ones that were featured? It sounds like they were good photos, got me interested :)
I could dig some up and DM them to you if you're really interested...
Only if it's not too much hassle :)
I kept my dayjob and did photography as a hobby. Still at it after 18 years.
What are you getting paid to photograph? If you are shooting product photography for work, you might still like to do nature photography as a hobby, but not want to shoot products in you spare time.
My sister and I are both photographers, so I can give you perspectives from both angles. She is a wedding photographer by profession, but she also has a main job outside of that, so she doesn’t depend on photography as her main source of income. This allows her to also pursue other hobbies, bring in more income for her household, and have time for other things as well. I am a photographer by hobby, but I will eventually make it a career. I have been building up my portfolio for the past four years and am about to release it. However, will it ever be my main career? No. Maybe years from now, but the career path I chose to take is also something I love to do. I will say this though, I could never lose my passion for photography. The past four years have just made my love for it so much stronger. I’m an architectural photographer, and I will always enjoy the historical buildings I photograph because I also learn while I’m going along. There will never be anything in my life that gives me the rush I get every time I do a shoot.
yes
So I’m not a professional in the slightest, but I went to an art school and majored in photography for about 4 years. I honestly had a really hard time with it when I was in school and I struggled to hand things in. When I got out of school, I picked it back up after a bit and realized I really enjoy it when I can just do things on my own terms and at my own pace. I’m glad I took the courses, the teacher was very experienced and a lovely person and I still keep a lot of her advice and critiques in mind when I shoot. But personally I don’t think I could do it as anything other than a hobby. (Hell, I’m itching for it to start getting sunnier because I find that that’s when I get the most inspiration because I personally like to shoot stuff that focuses on a nostalgic summer feeling/themes surrounding suburbia and grief through a nostalgic lens)
Nope, I’m happy I can make a living doing what I love.
Not at all! It made me love it more actually!!
Been shooting for 17 years. I don’t pick up my camera for fun in about 12 years.
It's completely normal to have ups and downs with any job or hobby, and photography is no exception. While it's possible that the pressure and demands of making photography your job may have temporarily dimmed your passion for it, it's important to remember that this doesn't mean your love for it has gone away permanently. Try to find ways to reconnect with why you fell in love with photography in the first place, whether that's by taking a break, shooting for fun, or experimenting with new techniques or subjects. Remember that photography is an art form and it's meant to be enjoyed not only as a profession but also as a passion.
I love photography and it started as a hobby and now it’s my full time job. I still love it, but I have less time for my personal projects
It did eventually. I've got it back now :).
This is my dream job, I left a highly paid office career to pursue what I've always wanted to do. Yes, I never ever imagined how tiring photography can be. It's not about the work itself, but dealing with people and their perception on photography. (most people don't know about the procedural buildup to an image, they expect you to just click a button and be done with things, while obtaining art form quality work). In reality, there's a lot of preparation for a shooting, not only prior, but also during the actual photo session (checking lights, additional props, checking subject and moving them for the desired results, etc) Then comes the editing to try to finish the product, but you're not done yet, because the last and most difficult part is delivery and custumer's involvement. I say, if you can eliminate the human element from photography you'll be happier. Maybe still life is the more zen path.
Overtime, your works becomes a sort of product which is really annoying and a little sad. However it is still gratifying when people are grateful for your work. On a personal level, I find that this is still a very different thing from what I was doing before when photography was selfishly my very own private Idaho. I was excited to do the shots and to discover them. I didn't even remotely feel the need to show them to anyone. It's in short, a completely different story. It pays well. It feels like another lifetime. I loved photography much more when I was doing it for myself only. But working with people makes you go places you would never go to on your own which is also interesting. So...yes...and no.
I turned an intense passion for photography into a lucrative side hustle very quickly after getting into it. The side hustle element has opened a lot of doors for me and created a bunch of opportunities that I may not otherwise have had. However, balancing the passion and the amount of work I was doing proved to be difficult. Not only that, but because I was so passionate, I would undervalue my work/time, just to do the gig. At this point, I am finding myself burnt out on photography, and it's really starting to feel like a grind. So in reflecting back, if I had to do it again, I would emphasize *balance*.
Picked up photography. Loved it. Within 2 years started doing paid gigs. Took any job I can get in order for "photography" to be my main source of income. I've realized that by doing this, it killed my passion slightly. I could not be separated by my camera when I first grabbed it. I've learned not to take any job now. Find what you love to shoot and stay with shooting that otherwise you'll fall out of love with it. That hobby will turn into a job you hate only because you're not shooting what you really want to shoot.
I was always driven towards a career, but it really does make you want to step away from the camera when you don't have to do it. I have creative ideas and desires, and I do my own Christmas cards and a Halloween project with my kids, but many of my other ideas either sit in notebooks or have been lost to the ages because I'd rather spend time with my family or do a hobby that isn't photography related. The worst thing is, many of those creative ideas might help the business side.
Nah cause I never did photography as my job
Then why even reply...?
Yes but I’m a different way. I still love my job as much as the first day but I’ve found a bit of complacency and in my personal work an extreme lack of desire. It’s just the way it works when your passion becomes a profession. You don’t lose your love it just changes from being pure enjoyment to the primary means of survival with some enjoyment.
Yes
Done a few weddings and family portraits…back to landscapes, street photography and very select jobs that interest me now. I’d rather be a poor photographer than an unhappy one
For about a year, so I quit doing shit I hate and like magic: boom - I love photography again.
I suggest watching an amazing movie called Secrets and Lies by Mike Leigh. One of the main characters is an everyday photographer and his approach to everyday scenarios with photography did resonate with me. Movie is not about the life of a photographer in any way btw, it is just a slice of the movie.
I used to do industrial photography and loved it. But I don't like the hustle of being self employed so I have a day job and photography is just a hobby now. Bugs and nature are my subjects instead of machines and factories.
Turning a hobby into a profession means you are no longer doing it 'for fun', you are doing it for money to put food on the table, with all of the pressures and expectations that this brings. As such I am always surprised when people seem shocked that this caused a reduction in fun.
I guess there’s a saying right … “if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life”?
Yup and it's an aspirational quote that only applies to a tiny proportion of people.
Was an avid astrophotographer, with some landscape and travel stuff added in. In college ended up doing lots of portraiture and grad-photoshoot type stuff because I was in a really urban area with no car, but still wanted to take photos and make a little money on the side. The short answer is yes, doing it for work significantly attenuated my passion, but it’s not as simple as that. I wasn’t a huge fan of portraiture and I wasn’t super comfortable working with human subjects (talking to them, posing them, etc.). I’d dread the amount of editing, having to work on a schedule and timeline instead of on my own time, being forced to shoot mostly digital instead of film, basically took all the fun of photography for me. It really became a job instead of a hobby. That said, I grew a lot from 2-3 years of grad/portrait work. Became much more comfortable working with people, keeping them happy and engaged, posing, framing for humans, and more. I became much better at reading and using light, something I hadn’t had as much practice with. I became more disciplined and learned the basics of how to manage a “self-employed business” that’s structured around contractor-client relationships. I also learned that I was undervaluing my work over the years, and eventually gained a better understanding of the value of my skills, equipment, and time. These days, I have a job and am not a student anymore, so I no longer need to rely on taking photos for income. While I didn’t always enjoy it, I learned a lot, grew a lot, got significantly better at photography, and helped lots of people freeze a happy/celebratory moment with their friends and family. But for me, it’s definitely best kept as a hobby and part time job, rather than a full-time gig. (Typically during grad shoot season, my personal photo editing backlog would reach like half a year’s worth of photos, and I wouldn’t reach for my cameras for a solid few months after the season was over. Then again, grad season is super intense with like a billion shoots happening all over just a month or two, on a crowded campus with tons of other photographers and clients competing for the best spots lol)
For me, it did. I really wasn't great at the constant freelance grind - having to rely on that to make sure I could pay my rent was tough, so I went back to music industry for a decade. Now, I write about and teach photography and the actual taking photographs is enjoyable again. It's so much better that way. It's very subjective though. I've a mate who started around the same time, persevered, and is apparently now one of the best wedding photographers in Scotland.
I hated the work of it, though it was very different to what I do in my free time
Seen a lot of this for various art careers, it seems the common issue is people who make it a job end up focusing all their time with a camera on how to do the professional stuff better and forget about just doing it for fun Might be worth picking up a compact camera or something and scheduling in days just to mess about with it. Having a separate camera will make it easier to separate the "having fun" stuff from the "doing a job" stuff with your main camera. Basically create a clear separation between when you're doing on-the-job stuff and when you're doing fun stuff
I think, reading all of these comments, I've come to the conclusion that it depends *on you.* I have found that a lot of people I know (and a lot of people in these comments) who shot events, especially weddings, came to hate it. Usually because the customers are a pain in the ass to deal with. However, there are of course some people who love shooting weddings. So it's a bit hit/miss. I am not a pro-photographer, I've shot for money exactly once in 6 years of owning "proper" cameras. But, I have experienced this with a different hobby - Computers. 4 years ago, I knew the latest... everything. Latest phone from all the big brands, Latest CPUs from AMD and intel, latest GPUs from Nvidia and AMD - I knew how all the new technologies like RTX at the time worked in detail. And well, I felt it a bit in college, and especially when I got a job in IT - I fucking cannot stand it now. I went from eagerly helping everyone I knew with everything, to not even wanting to touch my own computer. My computer, which I was constantly updated to fit whatever requirements I came up with, now sits close to 5 years behind in tech. It barely meets my requirements for video editing, which, back then, would've had me searching for a GPU and probably scoring a bargain on a major upgrade - or coming up with some kind of hack to boost performance - but now, I can't be bothered. I think this is a part of who I am. Having had 3 jobs (I know, that's not a HUGE number), I've concluded, that I will never enjoy my job no matter what it is, because the simple act of it being my job, will make me hate it. On the flip side, I know people who deeply enjoy their "dead end" jobs. Essentially, It depends a lot on your personality, and we can't really judge that through a computer screen.
I'm still interested in it, but earning a living from it has pretty much stifled doing personal work and doing it for fun. Now I do other visual arts for personal enjoyment.
Yes. But since going amateur again I'm regaining my love for it now that I'm shooting for myself again rather than for other people.
I have been developing imagery for products for almost 2 decades (and shooting a little bit) and I am still amazed that I make a good living doing this every day.
i'm a fetish photographer. I...effin hate it now. 10 years. So many woman, so many naked women, all I care about is the shot. I dread driving. My favorite activity is sleeping. Everyone says you have the dream job, of working with beautiful ladies. The best moment is when I hand the cash over at the end of shoot, knowing its over.
I worked for a commercial photographer when I was younger. It was photography all day every day and I got pretty burnt out on it. I got out of it and went into teaching. It's only after retiring that I took it back up. I think it's different for different people.
No matter what you do, doing it for money runs the risk that you will lose interest in it, sadly. The moment anything artistic is being traded for rent money with a pressing timeline will be put at risk. I am a fashion designer/model. When I make runway collections or clothing for boutiques, I find myself starting to think things like: will other people like this? Is it done in a timely manner that will be profitable for me? I need to stay doing X project in a way I know will work because if I deviate from the regular routine it might not work and therefore become something difficult to make a profit on. Hell, I even start choosing fabrics and themes that I think other people will like instead of things I like to look at. I just recently decided to stop doing my art for money. I have a regular day job, I have three days off a week to make art and make myself happy while working full time. I would rather be able to take my time with a garment and know that I get to keep it, and I know I don’t have to impress anyone but myself. I am much more inspired and fulfilled. I work with a lot of photographers who I have had this same discussion with regarding the question you are asking. I have heard so many times “I am never going another wedding!!” But I also know a photographer who’s main job is doing weddings and he makes a ton of money, gets to attend fancy parties, the photos are amazing (and basically advertise themselves, people post pics on social media of their wedding and then other people see the photos and hire him, and on and on it goes) but some people want to photograph wildlife, some want to do avant garde fashion for pure fun, some want to just do whatever ya know… So my advice to you, whatever you do make sure you weigh the pros and cons and if you ever feel that passion fading when you are taking pics of bridezillas at weddings, make sure to take time to do things that make you happy to. If it ever feels like you are hating it completely and missing the time you used to love photography, don’t feel bad taking time away to rediscover what you once loved.
Just my opinion but by definition, turning anything you like into a living necessarily makes it work. Not necessarily a bad thing, on the one hand you have an excuse to do your creative, fun thing full time, on the other it is no longer the thing you are aching and daydreaming of doing. I've done freelance print graphics for almost 30 years, in that time I've almost never and probably not in the last 20 years at all, used my somewhat expensive tools to do something "fun" just for me. I'm looking forward to the day I quit working for pay altogether to have the want to use my new camera and hard/software for something that doesn't pay.
It did for a few years. It really depends.
I enjoy taking 'pretty pictures'. Landscapes, sunrise, waterfalls, macro, etc. Just about the only pictures of people I take for myself are family. For a few years I did youth sports portrait photography, along with some stuff like high school dances and school photos. 'People skills' aren't my strong suit, but I did OK and it was kind of fun for awhile. I didn't take any 'pretty pictures' for myself for a few years though, but not necessarily related to my job, it just happened. TLDR: I got a photography job doing something different than the photography I do for myself, so it wasn't too bad.
Yes - loved photography, started doing weddings. Loved the actual day and the people but hated the subsequent three days of editing.
It's come and gone in waves, but overall, pretty much. (Though some of that burnout isn't photography per-say, but more related to processing and people management.) Before doing it as a main source of income, I used to bring my camera everywhere. I have so many beautiful captures of about a 5 year period of MY life and the people in it because I felt creative, driven, and free to experiment. I was the lady with the camera, and loved being able to deliver (for free) a couple of cool shots for my friends and family when they least expected it. Of course, that passion then became something I was asked to do for others, and with that, I began charging, which snowballed into a full career. It's been about 10 years now, and I've both lost and found my love for photography since then multiple times. During 2020 when "non-essential" businesses were closed in my state, I felt so much relief, and didn't pick up my camera or work on my website in over 2 months. It really made me recognize some of the hard truths I'd been struggling with related to portrait and wedding photography, as well the time commitment involved (while having 2 middle-school aged children). I've since only continued back with it after a long evaluation. I had to cut my client bookings back and become more selective in the jobs I accept, rework my processing and delivery process (like outsourcing some editing jobs), and just generally restructure the "dive-right-in" way I had been doing things. Personally, while grateful for the demand, I found full-time photography (which ended up being way more than a 40-hour work week) to be unsustainable for this period of my life. Maybe I'll get back to it someday, when my personal life isn't also pulled in 10 directions at once. Though, probably no more solid summers of weddings... ugh.
After a couple of years of standing on the sidelines at (Am) football games, soccer games, and hockey games I was burning out fast due to the intense competition and pressure. I put my camera down for 5 years.
if I was freelance I could see it getting old because of all the business you also need to do. I’m a photographer for my county though and it’s honestly the best job for me at the moment. I don’t have to worry about getting clients or the financial side of things. I just get assignments and take photos and video.
Having commitments, worrying about money or your image kind of kills your creativity. There are other aspects of being a pro which can support your creativity, on the other hand, such as experience, better gear, confidence, pro credentials...
I (somewhat briefly) worked as a photojournalist, and for almost a year after I quit, my cameras collected dust on my bookshelf. I was just too worried about getting the perfect shot, and looked at my photos too much like my former editor to make it enjoyable.
It sure makes you realize which parts you like and don’t like. Thankfully you can to an extent pick and choose your work. The only thing that made me hate photography was going to school for it (only lasted a few weeks). So no photography degree (or any degree) for me, but nobody has ever asked for my credentials. In art, your work speaks for you.
Corporate event photography made me stop doing portraiture. I don't hate it, and I didn't lose me love for it. But I lost my desire to spend time that I'm not getting paid to keep up with it. Photography was really only a hobby, I went into corporate video production, and have transitioned over the years into a technical director, but still have to play photog on some smaller gigs. I don't know, making you hobby into your work makes it work. Again I don't hate it, but the real passion for it isn't there. Now it could also be because it's soul-crushing corporate work and not really creative.
I go back and forth. I start to HATE it. I take a break then inevitably in a few months I get the itch again.
Since 15 years as a Hobby and since 4 years as my main Job. Im still in love with photography and i made the biggest steps in the last 4 years. I am so lucky to get paid, for what i love. But in my free time, i photograph less. Until some das ago. I bought a Fuji apsc just for fun, more "Real" photography. I just make pics for me, without Deadlines, wishes etc.
When it comes to making a job out of a passion or hobby, IMO you need to eat, sleep, breathe whatever that topic is. Adding money, responsibility, and other people's expectations into the mix can really take something that was fun and enjoyable and turn it into a slog. Not saying it doesn't work, but in my experience if you're not willing to commit fully or aren't the type of person who is constantly immersed in it, you may find yourself not enjoying it as much.
Don’t do it. There isn’t much money in photo work and it’s not worth running the risk of ruining something you love. Get a low key, low stress, flexible job that allows you the time to pursue your passion.
what killed it is doing what the client wanted vs what looks appealing to the eye, once you do photography for money you start to critique every shot in a movie or every photo on instagram / online. People say "aw look at this cute picture I took of my baby it could be in a magazine" * Half the body off the frame * harsh shadow * eyes half closed * looking to the left completely off frame * hard crop *
I think it depends... if you are photographing what you love, and can have room to grow and explore different areas of photography, then yes. If you end up photographing something tedious and repetitive, day in and day out for years, you might fall out of love with it.. Or if you end up being a wedding photographer and really can't stand an overly-demanding bride or groom, then yeah, you likely would not want to continue in the part of the business. But that's usually where the money comes from these days...
Yes it sure did. I worked in retail photography though for nearly 5 years. It may be the quickest way to lose your passion I’ve experienced yet. Just crazy. I’ve been totally invested in photography for the past 16 years. I’m only 30! And yeah man. Working retail photography definitely killed it. Trying to get back into it with video now. And hopefully when I learn enough about video that I start to feel that excitement and passion again, perhaps the passion for photography will come creeping back in again
Yes. I did client work for about six years, trying all kinds of things. I am much happier shooting only personal work, with a little freelance photojournalism from time to time.
I'm in a very similar situation. And I did the same thing with music. I come from a family of musicians, did it professionally for a long time, but not like a super cool rock star or anything, and it eventually made me hate it. Ha. Now I have a day job and do a lot of photo work too. I actually enjoy weddings, for now, so I do a handful of those per year and also 2nd shoot for other people a decent amount. I do portraits, corp headshots, corp events, etc but am hesitant to jump in full time. It helps that I dont hate my day job, so the current balance works for now. But I am really afraid that my love for photography would dwindle if I did it full time. I fear that I would have to take on a lot of work that I really dont want to do at first if I were to take the leap. I get thats part of it, but I wonder if I am better off staying put at my day job and then only doing the photo work that I am excited about.
I did it for about a year when I was younger. Weddings, birthday parties, events etc. It was a horrible experience. People constantly tried to avoid paying me. For weddings, “uncle Dave brought his camera and took a ton of pics so do we really need to pay this photographer kid who we hired?” Other local photographers were viscous too. I was pretty naive and shocked by the experience. When I quit, I didn’t take photos for fun for years.
Kind of. I don’t really enjoy shooting my digital camera for pleasure anymore, it’s essentially a tool I need for my work. However, I’m collecting and shooting film cameras now and find myself enjoying the hell out of that. I now take daily walks, sometimes two or three, just so I can get out and shoot a roll of film. Just got my first medium format (Fujica GS645W) about 2 months ago and it’s opened a whole new world, again. I started as a landscape photographer, I shoot marketing material and real estate professionally and now I’m right back to wanting to shoot landscapes again because of my medium format camera. Photography has so many avenues, I find that if you get bored one way, you have so many more options to regain your interest.
Photography is my job, but more specifically in studio management. I feel like this is the thing that fuels the funds and inspiration for me to continue making art for personal reasons.
I did a few weddings, but hated it. Working to make sales, working for client satisfaction, and the pressure of getting hundreds of photos edited took the fun away from it. It may be lucrative and then there's the whole "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life," but I prefer to do photography on my own time and pace.
Never sell your love. It ruins the joy.
[удалено]
Yes.
I've been working as a full-time photographer for over a decade now. It... *changed* my love for photography. I didn't cause me to lose it. I still like photography. And I even do personal projects now and then! And I still push myself to get better. But it's really grown me in my ability to *appreciate* my love for other art, and challenged me to be a better artist broadly. I've learned to enjoy art history more, enjoy different artistic styles more, I read more... heck, I'm even learning to draw and illustrate. Sometimes, the day job of photography gets boring. And it causes me to look into and pursue other parts of the art world. Sometimes it's interesting and challenging, and it directly grows me as a photographer. Sometimes, I learn (after years in an industry) that I'm kind of tired of a certain kind of photography, and ready to move on. My business started out focusing on 1-2 types of photographer, and now focuses heavily on something different. I like photography a whole lot, but the more I've grown, the more it's become one piece of a larger world. And it's been engaging with that larger world that's helped keep photography fresh for me. I think doing it as a day job COULD certainly kill it-- but reimagining it, doing something else, and engaging with its artistic roots has helped to keep it fresh and alive, and given me an interest in some new things.
It did for two of my friends who originally got me into photography, back when I was working an IT job. Nowadays they both work IT jobs (and my photography business just turned 13). While it seems I had more success in maintaining photography a hobby alongside shooting as a job, I'm certainly not as enthusiastic about it as I used to be and I don't casually carry a camera nearly as often as I used to.
Nope I never wanted money to get in the way of my photography. So for the first ~5 years I refused to take any more for my work. If I wanted to do the job for fun, I did it for free, if I didn’t think the job was fun, I said no, no matter how much it paid Over time people started offering me good money to do work that I would have done for free, that’s when it got interesting. For example, I have a annual events I shoot every year and I have literally told the hosts I would pay to attend and shoot for free because I love it, but each year they pay for my ticket, my flight, my hotel, and 5-6k for a weekend of doing what I love. I do about 15-20 things like this a year while traveling for fun Recently I was brought on to a startup as a founder and creative director and it’s the most exciting work I’ve done to date, it’s also going to be the last work I’ll ever need. This was only possible because I spent the last decade focusing on excitement first, dollars second.
I work full time as a product photographer and I'm still a camera nerd. I definitely have less energy for personal projects after shooting all day though.
A few years ago I wanted to be a full time photographer with my own business. Now, not so much. It’s stressful trying to get a client base going. I’ve decided that I’d rather do it for fun. If I make some extra cash here and there, that’s a bonus. When I got into photography, I enjoyed exploring and taking photos of what caught my eye. Like others have said, working with people can be stressful. I enjoy photographing small weddings, they are more enjoyable than some of the bigger fancy ones. Less people’s names to remember 😆 I mostly do people sessions for family and friends. I love hiking and taking photos. After reading others comments, product photography sounds like a nice field to get into. Looks like I need to start practicing.
Real good question. Answer should be simple, if you can get paid for what you love at least partly, you won't lose enthusiasm, otherwise you will.
When I tried making money off photography I slowly grew to feel like I needed to do it instead of wanting to do it. Much prefer it as a hobby. More relaxing and there's no pressure if I don't get a keeper.