On quitting my job to become a full-time photographer
A dream job is still a job
A few years ago, I took the crazy step of quitting a stable, well-paid job to pursue my passion. The reality has been very different from the often romanticized idea of what outdoor photography is like. It is my dream job, but it’s still a job, after all.
While there’s nothing wrong with practicing photography as a creative outlet in our free time, I wanted more. I fell in love with the medium, and soon enough, it was all I could think about.
Unlike some creative pursuits, outdoor photography can't be done anywhere, at any time. You can wake up early to write a novel before heading to work or draw late at night, but photography requires you to be outside. Weekend photography is fine, but the chances of the best conditions happening exactly when you’re free are slim.
What pushed me to quit my job was the realization that a photographer’s most important asset is time: the more we do it, the better we get, and the greater the chances we have to encounter magical conditions.
Without a job, I finally had all the time I needed. But I had a new problem: how to pay the bills that never stopped coming.
Over time, I built multiple sources of income: print and book sales, a YouTube channel, Patreon support, talks, sponsorships, and workshops. There are many ways for a photographer to make money, but the problem is that the more of these "mini-jobs" you take on, the busier you get. You might end up back at square one: without time for actual photography.
My dream would be to “disappear” from the face of the Earth for a few years while I work on a photography project, then come back with amazing work, do an exhibition, publish a book, and release prints. The reality, however, is that few people have the financial means to do something like that—especially in a world that increasingly favors short-term projects.
I’m glad I took the chance and feel privileged to be able to do this for a living. I’m fully aware that this could change at any moment, so I cherish every opportunity I have to photograph beautiful places.
Adrian
I’m contemplating this myself, leaving a steady job I hate but with consistent money for photography full time… it’s a paradox because I’m assuming I’ll feel freer working for myself, but perhaps even busier because of not being able to punch out the way I can at my job. And the idea of constantly being in hustle mode bothers me. And having to treat photography as a job instead of it being a passion might run my passion for it into the ground… I’ll be following u to gather any insights.
Thanks for sharing. I left a pretty substantial corporate position to pursue photography and write great American novels and, oh yeah, create wonderful works of art via oil painting. I had a passion and vision for each but realized after a few months that something had to give. Each of those pursuits requires enormous time and devotion. I walked from painting (I had been closet painting for two decades) to focus on photography first (as I was new to the profession, though had been shooting more or less since college). I threw myself into the technical aspects as I primarily did portrait, headshot, editorial and family/child photography. I also would burst in and out of my novel. And oh yeah, the photography stuff was an actual business so there was also that responsibility. Three years later, I was just starting to get there... repeat customers, referrals and some decent bits of recognition along the way (despite my loathing the marketing and self-promotional side of things). Then... along came covidity... after about 6-8 months of absurdity in Chicago, where i could see many of the signs of a city in decade-long and perpetual decline, we decided to move back to Houston (back to family), after being in Chicago for 13 years. Great... I had to start all over... again... except now I was 60 years old and much had changed and I knew no one from a photography client perspective. So much more to say... It ain't easy!