Young photogs how are you?

[Georgiy Romanov]

Friends, I need a vest to cry. I'm 31 and love photography. I love it so much that I decided that this is my vocation and can be a profession BUT something goes wrong and real world always try to say me that you can't earn money for living from your photography. Suppose I'm a good photographer and bad bussinesman. It could be much easier if I would a regular wedding photographer with big DSLR but I'm working on my personal documental projects with cheap film cameras. I'm working on them for years and as a result I have more visually strong content. But nobody care about it. You can't be a PRO in Russia with such style as mine.

Anyway. If you can't making money from your photography you must still eat something and have if not a full time job but part time job. For the last 6 years I was an entrepreneur, bicycle mechanic, engineer, content manager, now I am a photolaborator. For those years my life was looks like: earn some money, buy film, taking pictures, making books, exhibitions. All In anticipation of success or progress. Was a lot of fun but nothing happend. My parents are starting to worry about me and my future. They told that this can't continue for long if I want to provide for myself and my future family I should find a new good job and leave photography or stay it as a hobby. I'm agreed with them but as a result have deep depression. It was 3 years ago.

In any case, I began to prepare for the worst and start learning new language (Japanese) in that bad time for my new (as I think) future. Depression is gone, but doubts remained. To resolve doubts, I sold my Leica stuff this year and bought tickets to Japan. The X time in november. Stop buying film, cameras and tacking pictures. Saving any penny on geisha's :angel: You know, I keep a positive attitude. Before I give up I want to make sure that I've done everything I can.

What do I want? Please, wish me good luck. This forum always inspired me. You taught me a lot without even knowing it. I know that I'm not the first and I'm not the last. Many are in the same condition as I am. For those guys I also wish a good luck!

If you wanna know more about this crazy russian guy I give you a link http://grphotography.ru/?page_id=91 There you find some stuff.

Georgiy.

 

[huntjump]

Good luck Georgiy. You are not alone in your struggles, it is very difficult to make a profession from photography, but I think your passion and dedication is key to your success. I hope you find what you are looking for in Japan.

 

[rfaspen]

Ever since the advent of relatively good digital cameras and the flatbed scanner, I have suggested to everyone who asks me to find another profession and just do photography as a hobby.

Georgiy, I applaud your decision to pursue a different profession, but I think you'll be unhappy without any photography in your life. Don't feel bad if you get a nice little RF camera (something like a Canon QL17?) and experience a little happiness with it.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Find something you like to do that is rewarding but can also make you enough money to survive. Keep your photography as a back-burner hobby but don't quit.
I have been a professional photographer since 1999 but social media and digital marketing have changed the world for small-time photographers. I decided, after a couple years of identity searching, to return to school, get a graduate degree and become a mental health professional. It is something I believe in and I will find very rewarding. Just because I am changing careers does not negate the fact that I am a photographer. I still am and always will be. Now that I'm no longer hustling for small photo jobs, I'm actually producing more artwork photography than I ever have before. I'm getting into alternative processes and having a great time doing it.

Phil Forrest

 

[charjohncarter]

Phil, above nailed it. Get a job, and always carry a camera with you. There are masterpieces to be made while you are working outside of photography. Low key photo sales is a good way to finance your hobby.

 

[Fjäll]

It's important to be realistic. I see a lot of "starving artists" heading in no particular direction expecting to magically end up making it. I'd say you should work a normal job and spend a lot of time after you get home trying to figure things out. A good idea would be to interact with people in the industry/community through Instagram and such platforms. Social media is a great place for exposure.

Edit: I think the most reasonable way to success is to double down on your strengths. If photography is that to you then you should already know what to do.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I spent 40 years working a "regular" job, but continuing evenings/weekends building guitars, and then by a blessing of God I began to do it full time.
Find a profession you enjoy and continue doing photography when you can.

 

[Big Ursus]

Hi Georgiy,
I never had a photo vest, but I did shed many tears in situations like yours. In fact, I had to sell all my cameras and darkroom gear. Finally, I got a straight day job, as my musician friends would say and, because the overhead was so much lower, I began writing for publication.

When I did return to photography, a few years ago, I felt as if I was trying to get back together with an old flame. It's a major drag, this abandoning one's passion, but it can be re-kindled.

My son's been to Japan many times, and it appears to be extraordinary, almost another planet.

In any case, my warmest best wishes to you. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[ddutchison]

Someone once asked Randy Bachman (a very successful Canadian Musician) what he would have done if he hadn't made it big in music. Without a moments hesitation he answered "I would have been a failed musician" - point being that being a musician was never in doubt.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Georgiy,

Good luck!

Every year I go to Arles. The vast majority of photographers there have a "day job", even the award winning successes. One, for example, worked as a cinema usherette to help fund her travels. A few have private incomes and do not need to earn money from their photography.

There was never much money in the kind of photography you want to do. Now there is virtually none. Sad, but true. At best, you may be able to establish yourself in some other business and then return to photography in a decade or two or three. But you have to keep up the photography for all that time too, along with a job to put food on the table.

Again, best of luck!

Cheers,

R.

 

[jarski]

Japan isn't the best place to be if you show symptoms of camera acquisition syndrome! 🙂

being a good businessman seems* essential, if someone wants to earn a living from photography.

* (am not personally)

 

[Georgiy Romanov]

Thank you for your posts! I'm feel much better now. Found some BW paper to do a few prints. I need to show something in Japan anyway 😀

 

[bonatto]

I suspect a lot are in the same boat. After 10 years of taking photos regularly, working as picture editor at a prominent agency, a handful of paid commissions and a pile of unpaid ones, a couple of books, one successful one (break even + beer money), and more unanswered emails that I care to count I've decided to put the camera down. All film gear is gone, I enjoy taking photos with my iPhone, mostly of my young family, just so I don't completely stale the eye. There is no real survival money unless you are in wedding, commercial, staffed or lucky in the arts and all come with their own set of serious challenges.

Robert Frank quit and moved to film, this was decades ago "there is no money in photography"

For me I managed to suck all enjoyment out of it in trying to pursue certain things or meeting unfulfilled expectations.

I have a guitar now and that is a much more rewarding outlet at this stage in my life as I get to hear the music I play as I play it. I have a day job and very few illusions.

 

[ForestCap]

Why go to Japan? Why not go to un-photoed Russian places and shoot things there, it could be fun.

 

[jsrockit]

I'm sorry it has been hard to make a living... I think it is for most artists. However, if you have true love for photography, you'll figure out how and when to do it even if you have a job.

 

[Bill Clark]

Let me preface, I'm retired & not young.

Here is Ansel Adams, his own words, "I have been busy, but broke. Can’t seem to climb over the financial fence.”

More on Ansel here:

http://anseladams.com/ansel-adams-bio/

I found making photographs of people was rewarding. There are plenty of ways to make a decent living with a photography business photographing people. Success consists of a basket of ingredients.

Good luck.

 

[PRJ]

I think the dark secret that really isn't a secret but everyone seems to want to ignore is that most all photographers that are successful don't need to do photography for a living. They were already well off before they started and because of that had connections. The whole romantic starving artist thing will just make you starve.

In other words, if you don't have any money get a day job. Photography these days is brutal and it is only going to get worse. If you love photography you will keep doing it, just with a full stomach.

Good luck.

 

[Roger Hicks]

A lot depends on what you mean by "successful". I earned a fairly good living at photography and writing for many years, without ever getting rich, but then the internet came along and everyone wanted everything for free. Fortunately my wife and I are of pensionable age.

Cheers,

R.

 

[David Murphy]

Roger I love your books, but "for free"?

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=roger+hicks

 

[x-ray]

I think the dark secret that really isn't a secret but everyone seems to want to ignore is that most all photographers that are successful don't need to do photography for a living. They were already well off before they started and because of that had connections. The whole romantic starving artist thing will just make you starve.

In other words, if you don't have any money get a day job. Photography these days is brutal and it is only going to get worse. If you love photography you will keep doing it, just with a full stomach.

Good luck.

I've been a commercial photographer for fifty years and built my business into a very profitable company. I'm semi retired and have crossed the line from commercial into both art and documentary work and built another very successful business selling especially my art. It doesn't happen over night and just having the desire won't make you a success. You have to have a high degree of talent and be a really good businessman.

I didn't come from money and in fifty years have only known one commercial shooter that did and he was a good business man and very good photographer and built his business on quality as many of us old timers did. Money alone won't make you a success.

Life's different now since 2008 when the economy started to crash and cheap digital cakes became available. Now everyone and his brother are picking the skeleton of the photo industry. What once could provide a great living for a select group of very talented photographers now yields little more than pocket change for the majority. Almost none make in the six figures let alone in the upper five figures as it once did. Clients often only look at price and couldn't care less about quality if they can even recognize it. The market is dominated by a huge group of no to little talent "photographers" with a burning desire.