larryzplace Loc: Elk Grove Village Illinois

Any time you take your hobby and attempt to make money with it in my opinion your hobby is going to suffer... All through my life since I was 10 years old I asked myself that same question... If you have a good career path in your current position, STAY with it... Turning photography into a business will definitely make your enjoyment for the hobby/passion dwindle... Thru the years I have drifted back and forth between some very interesting hobbies... However I always come back to photography... I do it when I want to not when someone else wants me to do it...

Look at how many professional news photographers have lost their positions due to every tom dick and harry with their cell phones in many cases getting better pictures than the paid guy...
With technology being what it is and will be keep your photography as a hobby that you can enjoy for the rest of your life...

Just my 2 cents worth...

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I've had several hobbies over the years, and, in order to support them, they also became businesses. I found that the joy diminished when the strain of making the business profitable took over.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I think that is one reason why I don't turn pro. I have had opportunities to do weddings and portraits and work as an assistant for a friend of mine that is a pro but don't think I'd stick with photography if it were a job.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Last night at camera club our speaker said as a person who makes a living with photography that his passion is landscape photography, but that does not pay the bills so he takes other jobs for money (i.e. real estate, portriats, and a few weddings). The point is to keep your passion for photography shoot what you enjoy, but also accept paying jobs, even if they are not your passion. https://gary-randall.com/

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Take the opportunity.

Never stop taking pictures that you like for your own satisfaction. Compartmentalization is how you do this. The stuff you do for your business will be boring and can be uninspiring. However, you will never ever tire of pursuing your challenges and artistic vision.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Concur. You can start a personal photographic project. One of mine was the goal to photograph every (remaining) covered bridge in Oregon. I believe I have about 35.....

Horseart Loc: Alabama

I am not a good enough photographer to turn mine into a job, but I am an artist and I did turn it into a job for 0ver 50 years. I made good money, sold enough at Christmas time for the whole year, but painting was no fun any more. Now, I paint what I WANT TO, not what people want me to, put it on my Facebook auction and and ship out artwork 6 days a week. Makes me a lot happier painting what I want to! I still take a few orders but nothing like I did. It's fun painting things my way. I'd just say that however you do it, keep it fun for YOU!

Horseart Loc: Alabama

PS: Here is a suggestion that may not work for everyone, but it has worked for me. I target my customers. I paint for horse owners. They love their horses as much as cat people love their cats and dog people love their dogs. If you could specialize in pet portraits or people with their pets, business might be great! People love their animals enough to spend good money on them.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Maybe someone to run the business while you enjoy your passion is an option?

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

Did someone mention to you take pictures?

ggttc Loc: TN

I shoot for an animal shelter...maybe 20 to 25 animals a week...It's work.

Go searching for osprey the same day.

Just do it...it's not a great or pertinent question.

It's the search for getting better...thats the question.

Say Cheese Loc: Eastern PA

When I got my Canon AE-1 (around 1976) I took pictures of everything that seemed neat to me. I saw a log house being built and almost daily I took pictures of the progress of it going up. When it was completed around Christmas, I took an album of about 100 pictures of the built to them. I had never met them until that day. They were thrilled saying they wanted to take pictures but it just did not happen. We became good friends. About a year later they asked me photograph their twin daughters weddings. I did not want to do it at all but they did not want an elaborate album just some pictures so I said yes. It turned out the pictures were better than I ever thought they would be and again the brides were thrilled. That was the start of what I called my paying hobby. My wife, the gown fluffer, and I only averaged about 6 wedding a year. They were all word of mouth and that was great. I also got involved with our daughters sports and soon started doing team photos and memory mates. With the money I made I upgraded to a Bronica SQ-A and the weddings pictures got better. When I retired from my real job in 2000 I stopped all photography for money. Now I just do things for charity, dog and cat no kill shelter, children's home and other things. I think this would be a good way for someone to see if photography is what they want to do. I would not want to do it full time but I enjoyed doing what I did. I really love doing this for the enjoyment of others.
On this past Sunday March 18th I did Easter Bunny pictures with dogs and cats.

one shot Loc: Pisgah Forest NC

Say Cheese,
I'm glad you've been able to enjoy photography so much in your life. Looks like the Easter bunny shots you're doing now are fun!