If you want to become a professional photographer, the potential to earn a living should be the first consideration on your mind. However, for many of us, it goes far beyond the question of money.
Landscape photographer Attilio Ruffo's journey into photography is a familiar one. Having tired of his nine-to-five, craving the freedom that comes with following a passion such as photography, he took a risk, with all the emotion and excitement that mirrors a lot of our leaps into the world of professional photography. And that's ultimately what this video is about. It's not about money, as the title of the video suggests — it's about living your life.
Earning money in photography is difficult. You only get there with a lot of perseverance and losses along the way. But the pay-offs are huge, even if it doesn't work out in the end. Failure isn't easy, but the ability to say that you took it on and gave it your all is a powerful feeling.
Are you that interested in becoming a photographer? Because if it's only half-hearted, then maybe it's not for you. But if the passion and drive are there, listening to Ruffo's advice is a good start. He did the smart thing. He didn't just jump ship from his job that guaranteed a weekly paycheck, he honed his skills on the side first, because he knew how important it was to have a financial cushion should things not go as hoped.
