photography economy?

[sparks84]

for the most part....the economy is not looking to good in my point of view....i love photography...and i know its what i want to do...i'm currently in the military and getting out in less than a year....any advice on GOOD and BAD about photography as a lifetime career...? any comments or suggestions...anything to look out for.....any insight of the photography world as a career job would help me in my planning for the future...thank you....

[Tzetsin]

my advice is that if you really want to be a successful photographer, soon as you get out of the military get signed up for as much education as you can afford in business and sales. You can be a pretty half ass photographer, but if your a great businessman, you'll be successfull. Its an age old custom that he who can sell will make money, not he who can deliver.

[Jim Poor]

Start now! I first got very serious about photography while in the military myself.

We could use more details (and some punctuation) to help more.


What sort of photography are you interested in?
Where are your skills now?
Where are your business skills now?
Where will you be after you separate?
How much savings will you have to support yourself while you get up and running?
Even in a good economy, the conventional wisdom is that it will take you five years to turn a profit when starting any business.

Depends on your market it seems.

I made a good chunk of cash last year from photography, others made nothing... so it's all about business skills in my opinion.

~Eric

[sparks84]

I like portrait photography, street photography, and sports photography. Photojournalism is also an interest because of travel.

My skills I would say would be an amateur. I get most of my skills learned from internet advice, and just taking pictures for 8 years in the military. I use photoshop and lightroom to edit pictures and print them out at our local photo lab. As far as business skills. I would say I lack those skills and have no experience there. I just always did photography as a hobby. After I leave the Army I plan on going to a photography school in New York, Miami, San Francisco, or Hollywood California. They have schools that interest me. Art Institute, and Academy of Art University are the 2 schools im leaning torwards. I will have about 20,000$ saved up and I will also have the Veteran G.I. bill which will pay for my tuition and housing.

[sparks84]

I appreciate the replies. Everyting helps.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

Start now! I first got very serious about photography while in the military myself.

We could use more details (and some punctuation) to help more.


What sort of photography are you interested in?
Where are your skills now?
Where are your business skills now?
Where will you be after you separate?
How much savings will you have to support yourself while you get up and running?
Even in a good economy, the conventional wisdom is that it will take you five years to turn a profit when starting any business.

+AAAAAA
Even through I was a photojournalist in the Navy from 73-83, I started my photography business in 73 and gained the necessary experience to land a newspaper job and freelance.

[ScottWebb]

Photography may not exist has it has in the past.

We have to be ready to change, adapt, shift, and be very creative. It's super exciting.

[Jim Bryant]

Making money at photography is a difficult thing to do. I don’t want
to discourage you from your dreams, you should always pursue whatever
it is that you love doing. The fact is that in the last three years
the business has changed considerably. It has gone from being hard, to
being very very hard. Success requires considerable luck, a vision
that is relevant to the market, business sense and most of all
perseverance. There is a certain Darwinian element to it, those who
try the longest and the hardest survive.

via Blog: David Harry Stewart

[Rhythm Photo]

Originally Posted by sparks84

for the most part....the economy is not looking to good in my point of view....i love photography...and i know its what i want to do...i'm currently in the military and getting out in less than a year....any advice on GOOD and BAD about photography as a lifetime career...? any comments or suggestions...anything to look out for.....any insight of the photography world as a career job would help me in my planning for the future...thank you....

First and foremost, thank you for your service.

What I have learned is photography is all about networking. Whether you start off as a second camera for some JA or whether you get hooked-up with a cool photographer from Car and Driver, its all about networking. Both of those two may know other photographers in the area you want to shoot and can get you going in that direction.

Also I don't know what service you're in but Marines have MOS 4146. Combat photographer.