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Hobbyist or Professional

raven4ns
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p.1 #1 · Hobbyist or Professional

Hello,
Many people on here buy and sell camera gear quite regularly and expensive gear at that. How many use their camera equipment as a hobby or do many/most of you use it to make money? Do many of you sell your photos as a sideline to help defray the cost of your equipment?
While I have had many compliments about my images I have never sold nor tried to sell any of them. It crossed my mind that perhaps many on here do use their photography as a sideline business as opposed to a full-time business so was curious about it. Thank you.

Kindest regards,

Tim

Nov 07, 2009 at 01:49 AM

corndog
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p.1 #2 · Hobbyist or Professional

As a hobby shooter, I currently refuse to accept money for photos. I have done a few 'jobs', but only for the most persistent.

I think there was a poll on this subject not too long ago, might try a quick search if you have interest in the results.

Nov 07, 2009 at 01:54 AM

matanuska
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p.1 #3 · Hobbyist or Professional

raven4ns wrote:
Hobbyist or Professional

Niether. Just a hack with an expensive camera!

Nov 07, 2009 at 01:58 AM

Dpic_arctic
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p.1 #4 · Hobbyist or Professional

I enjoy photography a lot, but I have only paid for a small fraction of my equipment with what I've earned so far. I sell my photos on the side. It is definitely a hobby, not a job so far. Hopefully I can change that in the future.

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:00 AM

EB-1
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p.1 #5 · Hobbyist or Professional

I'm just the occasional hobbyist with five FF bodies and a few L lenses, etc.

EBH

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:10 AM

David Israel
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p.1 #6 · Hobbyist or Professional

While we may be splitting hairs with semantics here, I consider myself more of an "enthusiast" than a hobbyist. I absolutely LOVE photography and think of myself as taking it more seriously than a "hobbiest would." No doubt, some people who consider themselves hobbiest will dispute this, hotly. That being said...

I have been asked many times by people if I ever inteded to sell my images (especially when I shoot HS sports). However, I would never want to rob the pleasure and joy out of my photography by turning it into a job.

Dave

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:21 AM

Rockies Photo
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p.1 #7 · Hobbyist or Professional

EB-1 wrote:
I'm just the occasional hobbyist with five FF bodies and a few L lenses, etc.

EBH

6 FF Bodies actually

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:24 AM

M Vers
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p.1 #8 · Hobbyist or Professional

Can I be both?

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:26 AM

rafael_enrique
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p.1 #9 · Hobbyist or Professional

David Israel wrote:
While we may be splitting hairs with semantics here, I consider myself more of an "enthusiast" than a hobbyist. I absolutely LOVE photography and think of myself as taking it more seriously than a "hobbiest would." No doubt, some people who consider themselves hobbiest will dispute this, hotly. That being said...

I have been asked many times by people if I ever inteded to sell my images (especially when I shoot HS sports). However, I would never want to rob the pleasure and joy out of my photography by turning it into a job.

Dave
+1 - if you sell, then maybe it becomes a job and who would want to spoil the joy of a passion by making it a job. IMHO - YMMV

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:27 AM

Rockies Photo
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p.1 #10 · Hobbyist or Professional

I think of myself as a photographer with a camera, a passion, and a few bodies & lenses.

James

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:28 AM

bsc2112
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p.1 #11 · Hobbyist or Professional

Hobbyist.

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:33 AM

Zara
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p.1 #12 · Hobbyist or Professional

I've on rare occasion taken money for s^H^H photos before. But I consider myself an enthusiast in the sense of David above

Edited on Nov 07, 2009 at 03:13 AM · View previous versions

Nov 07, 2009 at 03:12 AM

Jman13
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p.1 #13 · Hobbyist or Professional

I'm a passionate hobbyist who occasionally shoots a paid gig (once or twice a year).

Nov 07, 2009 at 03:13 AM

burningheart
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p.1 #14 · Hobbyist or Professional

Hobbyist though some might say collector. I have been asked to sell some photos, and do some paid gigs but have always declined, if I was to take that step it wouldn't be for the same fun anymore.

Nov 07, 2009 at 03:36 AM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #15 · Hobbyist or Professional

Just another yuppie puppy twit with a cupboard full of expensive gear. I mostly walk around with my gear tucked in a 6 Million Dollar Home and try to look cool. If I was a pro I probably couldn't afford all these nice toys. By dumb luck I've managed to sell a few magazine and book covers, enough to fund a trip to Vegas and blow it all.

My Diamond Head Lighthouse photo is the cover of the Commemorative-Stamp-Yearbook-Postal-Service Book. They printed 500,000 copies so that was a lot of ink!

USPS Commemorative Stamp Book

Nov 07, 2009 at 03:43 AM

fmikio
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p.1 #16 · Hobbyist or Professional

Hobbyist / Gear-Head

Nov 07, 2009 at 03:48 AM

vachss
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p.1 #17 · Hobbyist or Professional

You should add another category of professional camera dealer. Some folks on the Buy and Sell list make a steady second income from gear sales.

Nov 07, 2009 at 04:01 AM

RobertLynn
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p.1 #18 · Hobbyist or Professional

M Vers wrote:
Can I be both?

Nov 07, 2009 at 04:38 AM

stanj
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p.1 #19 · Hobbyist or Professional

Do hobbyist boaters have to justify their spending?

Nov 07, 2009 at 05:53 AM

Bob Loundagin
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p.1 #20 · Hobbyist or Professional

A job is where you go to work. No one I know of gets up in the morning and says "Honey I'm off to fun!"

Nov 07, 2009 at 06:51 AM

15Bit
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p.1 #21 · Hobbyist or Professional

Somehow i find the idea of someone paying for my photos quite funny. Definitely a hobby.

Nov 07, 2009 at 11:45 AM

Donald Gray
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p.1 #22 · Hobbyist or Professional

Ex Professional - last took a photo for payment in 1968!!!! In the days of B&W
and a wet room & nasty smelly chemicals & time & grumpy staff & grumpy wife & grumpy me.....

Now a hobbyist with some darn good kit...Canon 20D & 5D2 + 70~200 L and a 28~300 L

(Wife is still grumpy when I buy some pieces of kit like $$$$$ on a full spherical pano head and leveller

... But I'm no longer grumpy

)

Nov 07, 2009 at 11:53 AM

Daan B
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p.1 #23 · Hobbyist or Professional

A lot of hobbyist earn some money by selling pics to fund their gear purchases. Either though commercial stock agencies or shooting weddings for friends/family, etc. If you have the chance or feel like it, go for it. It can be fun. As long as you stay out of my way when I am doing my work

Nov 07, 2009 at 12:07 PM

raven4ns
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p.1 #24 · Hobbyist or Professional

Donald Gray wrote:
Ex Professional - last took a photo for payment in 1968!!!! In the days of B&W
and a wet room & nasty smelly chemicals & time & grumpy staff & grumpy wife & grumpy me.....

Now a hobbyist with some darn good kit...Canon 20D & 5D2 + 70~200 L and a 28~300 L

(Wife is still grumpy when I buy some pieces of kit like $$$$$ on a full spherical pano head and leveller

... But I'm no longer grumpy

)

Ahahahahaaha....I saw a license plate that many of us can relate to, it said " Sometimes I wake up grumpy, most times I let her sleep".

Nov 07, 2009 at 12:22 PM

raven4ns
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p.1 #25 · Hobbyist or Professional

Thank you to everyone for responding to my query. I was curious as to how many did use their cameras as a sideline business and it seems quite a few. While using them to help defray equipment costs is appealing, I don't think i will be doing so any time soon. I am retired and intend to remain so even though equipment costs are escalating. Thank you again, everyone.

Best regards,

Tim

Nov 07, 2009 at 12:29 PM


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