I have been interested in photography for awhile and I have some questions about freelance photography. Is it possible to earn an honest living shooting photos for a newspaper, magazine, etc.? What kind of insurance must you buy that relates to this field? Thanks in advance

All Answers To Questions

Possible? Yes Likely? No Photography is like acting, in that the pay scale is like a pyramid. There are very few at the top that make a lot of money. There are a bunch in the middle, who can get by, and then there are 10 times that many people at the bottom. These are the people who wait tables in LA and New York in between gigs like playing the dead body on CSI. To start as a photographer, you will need a lot of money up front. In addition to $20,000 worth of gear, you will also need to finance your own shoots up front to build a portfolio, have a decent marketing budget, and be prepared for working 80+ hours per week for the first few years. Even after you do all that, it is just like any other business in that 8 out of 10 businesses close up after two years.