7 Reasons Why You Should Be a Hobbyist Photographer Before Going Pro

The idea of turning your photography hobby into a profession can be exciting when you're a beginner. However, it might be worth pumping the brakes.

You’ll hear many people talk about following your passion, and it’s worth pursuing something that you love if you can. However, turning a creative hobby into a business or a full-time job can become a bad career choice if you aren’t careful.

If you jump into becoming a professional photographer too early, you might find that you haven’t yet obtained the skills that’ll convince a client to pay you. On top of that, you may also discover that you fall out of love with photography because you haven’t thought things through.

In this guide, we’ll outline seven reasons why you should spend at least a few years being a hobbyist photographer before going pro.

Before you ask people to pay you money in any field, you must—at the very least—become proficient in the basics of the skill you’re selling. Photography in particular has several areas that you must cover in the early stages, with the exposure triangle being one of the most essential concepts.

You’ll also need to learn about aspect ratios, and ideally, you’ll know which different ratios are required for each online platform you delve into. Furthermore, you should understand ideas like leading lines and the rule of thirds.

All of these skills combined will take many people years to learn. The best way to become proficient more quickly is to first study the concept, before putting in as many reps as possible when going out to take pictures.

In your early days as a photographer, you’ll probably spend a lot of time going out and taking photos of everything. Once you’ve become more proficient, you’ll likely start experimenting with different editing techniques in programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. And as you become more proficient in photography, you will—over enough time—develop a unique style.

Unfortunately, developing your signature photography style will take a lot of time and effort. You’ll need to understand what kinds of image-capturing you enjoy, along with whether you want to go for more of a moody look or something brighter.

If you want to speed up the process, consider checking out our complete guide to discovering your unique style in photography.

Many people think there’s no money in photography, but that is not true. In fact, according to IBISWorld, the US photography industry alone was worth $12.9 billion in 2022. You’ve got plenty of avenues that you can explore to grow a photography business, such as working for clients and selling your art. You might even want to start a YouTube channel as a photographer!

By observing different potential income streams from afar, you can decide which ones would fit your interests and skills. For example, if you’re not interested in client work, you can begin thinking of ways to create books of your favorite photos and tell a story that way. Similarly, you can—as you become more skilled—design masterclasses.

Seeing how the industry operates will also provide you the chance to see if you can fill any possible market gaps.

One of the biggest mistakes that creatives make is trying to turn something into a business while they’re still in the honeymoon stage. In the beginning, everything seems new and fun—and it can be easy to think that things will always feel that way.

But over time, you’ll find out whether you truly like photography enough to turn it into a business. You’ll have experienced ups and downs, and you may have needed to get yourself out of a rut as a photographer.

If you feel like you enjoy photography enough to turn things professional after three years or so, we encourage you to take steps in the right direction. Make sure, however, that you go through the post-honeymoon phase before making your choice.

Being a professional photographer, or even an advanced hobbyist, is about much more than simply pointing your camera at subjects that seem interesting to you. A lot of work goes into the post-production process, and sometimes, that’ll take even longer than actually going out and taking pictures.

Enhancing your workflow as a photographer is well worth it if you want to either take on more projects or have more time to relax. You can use presets for image styles that work best for you, along with organizing your workflow in productivity apps like Notion or Asana.

Once you’ve become familiar with different productivity systems and know what works best for you, you can take these learnings into your future photography business. Consider consuming resources from blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels before applying what you’ve learned to everyday life.

As a beginner photographer, any camera and lens—even if it’s your smartphone—will do. But the idea that “gear doesn’t matter” is only true to a certain point, and it definitely does if you’re planning to turn your hobby into something more.

Needless to say, new camera bodies and lenses are quite expensive. The best way to upgrade your equipment is slowly and over an extended period, allowing you to have the means for an upgrade as well as maximize the use of your current gear.

It’s worth giving yourself a few years to become familiar with your current equipment and upgrade to something better. That way, you’ll be in a much better position to serve your clients’ needs or create the art that you want.

If you’re planning to work with clients or get an in-house photography job, people that hire you will probably want to see a portfolio. But while many people wait for others to give them an opportunity, the best way to grow your portfolio is by taking the initiative and capturing the shots you want.

You can take photos of your friends and family if you want to get into portrait photography, for example. If you’re more interested in lifestyle photography, consider taking your camera with you and photographing whatever looks interesting to you.

Once you have a broader portfolio, you can sift through your best images and pitch your services.

Becoming a professional photographer might seem tempting in your early days as a hobbyist, but you should wait a few years to ensure that you actually like the craft enough. Doing so will also allow you to decide which niches interest you the most.

Remaining a hobbyist for a little while longer will also enable you to grasp the basics of photography. However, you should recognize when you feel like you’re ready to become a professional and create opportunities for yourself to do so.

Danny specializes in writing about productivity and also enjoys exploring different creative disciplines, especially photography. He has a degree in Sports Journalism and has been writing professionally since 2016. Danny is also a member of MUO's editorial team, and in his spare time, he's a part-time travel writer.