What about working a full-time or part-time job in some other field, as support for an unprofitable run at professional photography? Anyone given that a try?
hatidua
Established
The photographers that I know who have lasted the longest at professional photography, or indeed thrived at it, were those that had no alternative occupation. For many, photography HAD to work. If there had been something to fall back on, they'd have likely bowed out when times got tough.