I've been a full-time photographer for almost 15 years now, and I remember the pain of swapping my part-time hobby to be my full-time career. Katelyn James looks at how, when, and why you'd want to do this and lists the three key steps to consider if you decide to go full-time.
Katelyn looks at the three main points you'd need to ponder when deciding to go full-time as a photographer.
Financial
It always worried me when changing my career if I'd have enough money to pay my household bills. I had a period of crossover from one career to my current career and I was still doing my previous job as well as taking on photographic jobs. I was an IT technical support contractor, and I was lucky enough to have lots of small contracts and people whose computers and businesses were my responsibility. Katelyn points out the things I was lucky enough to know when I transitioned from one career to another. These are things that, if you're working for someone else, you might not have considered. Changing your mindset from "this is play money, as I have another full-time job to cover the bills" to "how do I make enough money as a photographer to cover the bills?" Her suggestion to have a buffer fund is a great idea and something I implemented at the start too.
Time
One of the hardest things is managing time. I get it. Writing at 2 am. Editing at 7:30 am. You have to consider the time you spend giving attention to your new business. It's always going to be difficult in the beginning, and Katelyn discusses the right approach. I personally prefer to work when I need to. I am never going to be a 9-5 person.
Mental
This, for me, is the main reason why I became a full-time photographer. I didn't like the 9-5, and often, I worked past 5 pm to get things finished and was still expected to be in at 9 am the next morning despite working late. The great thing about working weddings is that while it's a full day's work, you can (in most cases) rest the next morning. Katelyn does her best to advise you that "it's not all rainbows and unicorns," and I have to agree
This is an important video to watch if you are transitioning to being full-time at photography or thinking you might like to go full-time. I'd definitely recommend a watch.
