Some guidance needed..

[francongphotography]

I've been in photography for a little over a year now..and I'm loving it, and getting 'slightly' addicted to it. Since I'm raised in an Asian-family, I'm raised to have like good grades and the idea of getting into university and making lots of money...etc. I'm a high school student, and this is my last year of high school, and I'm starting to consider some career options. I've thought about some options like, getting in to university, or college, and perhaps some apprenticeship program that our school provides..and here's the kick- photography.

I feel that I should pursue something that I love, and be good at it. I've gone from knowing nothing about cameras to now knowing more than a little something about photography. Photography has changed my life too, I used to just be a typical kid, staying at home...watching TV, playing video games..but now I've used those time, to spend time going out to take pictures, reading some photography books, processing my photos, publishing them on my blog, and most importantly, asking for advises in this forum.

So that was kinda a little background about myself..and now here's the question, should I take photography extremely seriously, like really focus on it, and pursue on this career, and perhaps become a photographer in the future? OR just leave it as a hobby? Hopefully someone can perhaps give me some advises, and opinions.

thanks a lot,
Franco

[HDNitehawk]

Go to college

If you want to go for an arts degree in photography or photojournalism that might be good career path.

But another piece of advice...

Go to college...

and one last word of advice...

Go to college

[iND]

It is very hard to have photography pay the bills, and make the house payment and the car payment and the insurance payment and the kids clothes and ...
so have a good career and fit photography into it.....
it can be your passion...
but in reality most of us have day jobs..

[thekingb]

Go to college

Indeed. Go to college. You have time to decide if photography is really your career aspiration or a hobby. In the meantime, get yourself prepared for other potential careers that interest you.

[Kayaker72]

Agreed. Go to college. Avoid debt. Follow a pro for a few days, do the internship/apprenticeship, try to work for a pro over summers. But go to college, and seriously avoid debt.

[DLS]

Yup, go to college or university. Like HD says, maybe pursue a degree in journalism. Formal education is never a waste. And, yes, stay out of debt - the north american economy is not something to be taunted.... Photography will always be there.

Damian

[neuroanatomist]

Oh, and... GO TO COLLEGE!

From everything I hear and read these days, photography is getting harder to make as a career.

OTOH, it can be a great and rewarding hobby, or even supplemental income. Stick with it through college, perhaps as a minor, and if you do decide to try it as a career, you will also have other options.

I'm fortunate enough to have lots of nice gear to take pictures - I really doubt I could afford what I've got if photography was my day job.

[Rocco]

Hell, you could get a business degree of some sort. Or marketing. Both would be helpful if you decided to be a pro photographer.

[francongphotography]

Yeah. I guess..I will just go to college..it's kinda sad to see that photographers can barely support themselves..like..hell, almost everyone has a pro-sumer DSLR..and you know what makes me mad? it's the fact that people think it's all about the camera, and that they know how to take a picture when they know how to press the shutter release! I really hope I can change their minds one day..and I will stick with photography as my hobby..and hopefully I will be good at it, and perhaps make a buck or two out of it and get some nice gears! Thanks a lot guys. Reality really bursts my bubbles but owell, it's life.

[Rocco]

Its absolutely possible to make a living doing it. The advise you got on here is solid, real world advise. It's about having a backup plan. Opening your mind to other career paths. Get yourself an education, career, then start edging your way into it. If you eventually dive into photography head first, you'll still have the degree to fall back on.

You're 18? Create a ten year plan for yourself. That's probably the best guidance I can offer.

(Oh, all of that and open a Roth IRA. There is no force as powerful as compounding interest. . )