Quote Originally Posted by Giselle
Two words: Senior portraits. I've seen a lot of senior portraits and they don't even seem to require much artistic flair. You just need to catch the subject in a good light, and you've just earned a couple hundred

I'm sure there's more to it, but I wouldn't hesitate to try to find a part time job with a respected photographer/photography group that does senior portraits.

ETA: Or you can go into pet photography, which I'm sure a bunch of folks on here are already doing or considering doing. It would be a wonderful way to hone your artistic abilities while earning small surplus income.

I had already thought pet photography years ago, in my particular area though not much market for it unfortunately. I don't really want to move just to do pet pix.

Yes I've noticed senior portraits are the hot comodity right now. The ones I consider 'professional' though are highly artistically done with retouching though and I don't have a good enough program nor do I have alot of computer retouching skills yet.

That's part of my reorganizing of skills I'm working on. I'm eventually aiming to be a member of the PPA (professional photographers association) with at least a few merit credits behind me. I'm way behind since I had to switch up gears from landscape/nature which I've been doing for years before digital and internet was a common thing. Ahh the good old days of high quality film and a great rapport with the pro lab & camera store guys (real people not a faceless unknown on the internet), expensive but well worth the price. Didn't have to deal with memory cards, RAW, Photoshop, masks, layers, internet, websites etc.

Yes some people go out and earn a couple hundred on fairly simple portrait work. I'm aiming for a sustainable living of a higher standard that should pull in a $100,000 a year or more consistently AFTER expenses. The price range you're describing works out to less than minimum wage after expenses/time which is more like hobby status.

All I DO know for SURE is I'm not doing any weddings for any reason! I've already been asked by a bunch of people and they just don't seem to 'get it' that just because I can do a drop dead gorgeous landscape is not the same as a permenant memento of the most special day of someone's life! I don't have that type of equipment, I don't posess those particular skills, and I don't know how on earth the photogs that do that deal with the stress of everything involved. They're more than welcome to that part of it with my blessings, someone has to do it, but it won't be me!

Anyways I'm rambling so I'll stop now. lol