Canada Is it possible to live on photography in Canada?

[Yuri]

Sorry for odd question: is it easy to convert the passion for photography into full-time occupation as photographer in Canada? Have anyone such experience? I am crazy about black and white street photography (http://wanderinglook.com/) but my day job is web-design. Most of all I`d like to give up design and devote myself to photography if it only bring enough money for living. Is there are any chances in Canada?

 

[back alley]

i think like most places, it would hard to make a living as an 'artist' but you could work as a photographer if you included weddings, family portraits etc.

 

[Marc Jutras]

I guess it's just as hard as anywhere else (meaning hard as hell!).

I've been making part of my income from professional photography for about 13 years in Montreal and I can assure you it's not easy. I'd say about 90% of the job is PR, promotion and stuff like that. You have to know the right people to get some decent opportunities. It's all about who you know. There are so many photographers around it's ridiculous.

Personally, as soon as I find something else that's steady enough, I'll quit pro photo completely. I'll just do it artistically, for my own pleasure. Ironically, I might end up having a lot more success that way! I have one artistic project that's coming to life slowly. Haven't shot a single frame yet and I'm getting offers for gallery space, publication and other stuff. Finding regular crappy and boring normal work remains hard though.

So, Yuri, if you're really good at doing your own PR and are extremely aggressive in the market, you might have a chance. It's an uphill battle though.

 

[jayjee]

Steve Carty has been doing it for years in Toronto...

www.stevecarty.com

 

[FrankS]

Sorry for odd question: is it easy to convert the passion for photography into full-time occupation as photographer in Canada? Have anyone such experience? I am crazy about black and white street photography (http://wanderinglook.com/) but my day job is web-design. Most of all I`d like to give up design and devote myself to photography if it only bring enough money for living. Is there are any chances in Canada?

IMO, you'd have to be amazingly good and/or extremely lucky to make money at this. Being amazinly good would not be enough. Luck (as in who you Know or happen to make contact with), would play the largest role by far, IMO.

And the line forms behind me! 🙂

 

[somecanuckchick]

Is there are any chances in Canada?

Once upon a time, I think that it was possible to live, and live well. That was also in the days before digital, and before everyone and their dog had a camera.

 

[FrankS]

You bought a camera for your dog?!!! 🙂

 

[Uncle Bill]

Yuri,

The chances are really slim in Canada though better than Russia. The fine art photographers I know have another career to pay the bills.
If you want to immigrate to Canada, Toronto is the place to be if you are a web designer and/or photographer. There is a large photographic community working with a variety of different mediums, galleries to display and camera stores where you can find what you need. You can earn a living at photography shooting weddings, editorial shoots for magazines or if you are really really really good at photojournalism, get a gig at Canadian Press or one of the newspapers.

Bill

 

[emraphoto]

consider yourself very, very lucky if you pull together enough dough to cover the cost... that's a feat that took me about 15 years.
there are loads of federal, provincial, municipal and private art grants out there... do a little research and maybe, just maybe you won't have to pay for film and chemicals next year!

 

[VitoGuy]

That was also in the days before digital, and before everyone and their dog had a camera.

Hey, I have a dog and a camera, where's my money?

 

[somecanuckchick]

You bought a camera for your dog?!!! 🙂

I did.

One step closer to dogs ruling the world. :angel:

 

[macymills@mac.c]

It depends on what type of photography you're talking about - some are easier than others when it comes to making money, imo.

It will be much more difficult trying to earn a living doing street and landscape photography than to be a wedding/portrait photographer, imo. But if you are interested in the latter, then at least in Toronto, it is not difficult.