How do I leave my job and become a photographer?

Question: How do I leave my job and become a photographer!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Make sure you have enough income to cover your living expenses!. I work a full time job and do photography on the side!. Photography is a very seasonal income!. Most weddings occur during the summer, portraits are usually done in the fall!. Then your down all winter until spring again when the wedding season starts!. Don't count on sales from stock photos that is hit and miss and not much pay there!. also you won't have any health insurance, pension plan, no such thing as a paid vacation!. Every day you take off is lost income!. You will spend most of your time marketing, doing your bookkeeping, at meetings with potential clients, makings sales calls, once in a while you will actually get to do some photography!. Get the picture!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Never a good idea to quit immediately because unless you have lots of jobs lined up (that is if you are a commercial photographer) then you could be sitting in a quiet studio waiting for the phone to ring!.
What I suggest you do is either start working as an assistant, or take up a second job working on a grassroots level around your neighborhood doing various photo related jobs!. Personally I would go the route of the assistant as it can provide valuable insight as to how the commercial photo world works in your area, as well as give you hands on experience dealing with shooting and most importantly knowing how to deal with your clients!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Check out this site: http://hubpages!.com/hub/10-Reasons-Profe!.!.!.

The old "definition" of a professional photographer was "A man with 7 cameras and a working wife!."

The link doesn't work as it should!. Just type '10 reasons professional' in the Search box at the top right and it comes up!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

That depends on if you have experience in photography!. If so, you can start by selling your photos to places like istockphoto!.com except where they don't rip you off!. Otherwise, good luck!. You can do stuff like portrait photography and do landscape/ architecture stuff for companies!. Sports photography is another possibility!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Don't leave your job until you are making more money from selling your photos!

Start by doing a part time course on a chosen type of photography!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Start by going to your boss and saying "I QUIT!." Then go buy a camera and voila, you are a photographer!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

quitWww@QuestionHome@Com