I’ve always wanted to do photography full time and now that my chance is here I’m having doubts. I do pretty well on the side of my 9-5 but just can’t seem to figure what it will be like if I can’t pull in enough to match my 9-5. my wife does well at her job and said it wouldn’t matter but that’s right now. I also want to retire someday. any advice from people who shoot full time?
IMHO, if you don’t get enough jobs to get 50-80% of your needed wage already, you’ll struggle for a long time. Are you having to turn a lot of people down at the moment? Also, are you charging enough?
I do around 60 percent…but then there are months I do way over and months not even close.
This is a freelancer thing always. Every next month I feel like going unemployed.
Look, it might ruin your life if you quit your 9-5. Stability is a much more valuable asset. Through stability, your dream can be achieved, nothing will prevent you of doing photography on the side. Will you be able to achieve stability through your dream?
When I was a freelancer I made more money – and I also was jumping through my ass every day and had zero work/life balance.
That’s part of the game depending on your genres.
Then I think you could stand in good stead to go for it. That’s life as a freelancer, as said. Get a few months saved up as a ‘bad month’ fund, and go for it. But you need to really go for it. You need to be making 110% most months, to make up for the 70% months.
One of your other posts (1) year old was asking how to start a business. Did you ever get around to it?