Hobby or Profession??

Please don't laugh at this question! Do any of you ever take photos for magazines, books, etc., or is it strictly a fun hobby? If you do sell photos, how do you go about finding outlets for your work?

I have so many opportunities to take photos of wildlife that I have often wondered about expanding my business to include a little part-time photography. I'm just interested in your thoughts on this matter.

Ty

Ty,

In the past I have sold some of my work, but I stumbled into it. I photograph a lot of rare or unusual wildflowers, and somehow a Japanese magazine found some of my work on the Internet. I sold about a half dozen shots to them, and usually was paid anywhere from $300 to$600 per photo (plus they gave me a copy of each issue).

I also have some shots used in displays at the New York Botanical Garden and the National Botanic Garden as well as some US Forest Service publications, but those were for free...but they found me the same way, via my work on the Internet.

Not sure that helps, but I think assembling a gallery of your shots that are available--like the old portfolios pros have always used--is a way to start.

Jeff

I had a photo of a Swainson's Hawk published in a book about the Snake River Birds of Prey area in Idaho, even though the photo was taken on the Pawnee National Grasslands in eastern Colorado and a photo of a Western Grebe published in a book about, well, Western Grebes. I donated the photos and was thrilled that they used them because I take wildlife photos just for fun although many are published in my employer's newsletters, annual reports and website.

I have two friends that take photos as a side business. One constantly worries about how his photos are being used or abused to the point he is not much fun to be around while the second sells his over on the internet and has a lot of fun with it. See http://www.jackstephensimages.com/Merchant/index.html if you're interested.

I think it is mostly what you want to make of it.

Cal