Becoming a professional photographer is not as easy as you may think. It seems like all you would have to do to make money would be producing great images. This is far from the truth. As I've said before, and I quote myself, "The most talented photographer in the world may remain largely unnoticed and never make a sale, while a sub-par photographer may be known for his work and make a great deal of sales." It's the way it works and it doesn't seem quite fair, but it is!
Most photographers are the artsy type of person with no business background, and no real interest in learning business. They can produce great images but are only barely scraping by month to month on small paychecks, and maybe working additional jobs. Sound like you? Don't let this be you! If you have skill (and even if you don't) you should be able to make sales. 90% of a sale is you approaching the client and sharing your winning personality. Your work should seal the deal but if the client really likes you, they may hire you without hardly seeing your imagery.
We live in a business world. Photography may be your business, but it won't necessarily bring you business. Get out there and network to make sales. Meet new people, step out of your comfort zone, and you will be greatly rewarded with a profitable photography career. Don't sit around hoping that the fancy new website you built is going to land you jobs. It almost definitely won't. It sucks but it's true.
So are you stuck in a rut with your photography and contemplating selling your gear and sitting behind a desk for the rest of your life? DON'T! You'll always look back at what you were doing and dream of what could have been. Don't be that washed out high-school football star reliving the "Glory Days" every night to your friends who are doing nothing with their lives.
Becoming a professional photographer is a commitment. It takes time and a lot of work to be known and build your steady client base. It may take a few years, but stick with it. And whatever you do, don't waste all your time dreaming of who you could be, it's a waste of who you are. Be proud of yourself for sticking with it and enjoy these slow days even if they are a bit of a struggle. When you find your niche and start turning a profit, you won't have a moment to sit down again!
Now get out and market yourself. Your not going to be famous sitting on your couch eating potato chips. (Theres a time and place for that.... not mid-workday!)
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