christianrock wrote:This fits in the photography thread, but it's actually an article I just found, that goes against my previous post - regarding music, photography or whatever else in life, and tells me to just SHUT UP!!!! (yes CAPSLOCK!!!!!!).
The problem with these industries actually comes through with that post (complete with a Tony Robbins reference, hah!)... a lot of the top dollar art and photography really is nothing more than selling yourself to rich dudes. Basically if you are good at marketing and making rich people feel special, well, you are set. If you aren't, well...
(I was not impressed with his images on Teh Google, for my eyes I've seen *way* technically better stuff.)
So, if you want to make it in the photography business, learn how to hobnob with Teh Elitez.

(Or other ways of drumming up the business)
No different than music... the highest income musicians these days are very marketing and image savvy. Many of them are probably not technically the *best* musicians (well, pop production is usually top grade, but pop composition these days is, er, not up to the songwriting highs you saw in other eras) but they sure know how to promote themselves.
The issue for all these careers is that the "middle income" stuff (eg, yer cover bands / jingle writers / etc. or wedding photographers / stock / magazine photographer), these careers are slowly eroding away. So it's not like before where you could support yourself with a lower gig while striving to improving your craft to get the top level.
I guess with music, the nice flip side is that it is very possible to build up a respectable band that still is sort of a hobby and has less of that "you must produce megahit" label bullshit that killed a lot of bands back in the day. I've played with some bands with some national name recognition, and I always got the impression one way or the other that most of them had other jobs, probably something seasonal that would allow them to embark on tours every now and then. (Though I remember reading something about one indie band where two of the members worked 9 to 5er type jobs (an intellectual property lawyer and a computer engineer I think), I wonder if that worked out.)
Band is a job-hobby is good in that bands have longer shelf lives these days, and if you are okay with the inevitable slight amateurism that comes with anything that's a hobby, you get some pretty good music out there. Just avoid mainstream radio and it's bullshit. It's not much different than most times, but Youtube is easier than trading tapes.
Not sure if there's an equivalent for photography...