Author Topic: become a full timer? (Read 21855 times)

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #50 on:** November 12, 2012, 09:39 »

Quote from: Miguel Calo on November 12, 2012, 09:29

hey, I really don't believe it!

let's be serious! 8000 per month and working full-time in the same time! and you probably shoot only in week-ends, right?

you're lying!

p.s.: who does agree with me? Hands up!

Yep, c'mon everybody, grab the torches and pitchforks.

Microbius · « **Reply #51 on:** November 12, 2012, 10:20 »

Quote from: cidepix on November 12, 2012, 09:35

Quote from: Miguel Calo on November 12, 2012, 09:29
hey, I really don't believe it!

let's be serious! 8000 per month and working full-time in the same time! and you probably shoot only in week-ends, right?

you're lying!

p.s.: who does agree with me? Hands up!

because he doesn't shoot

he probably creates his illustrations in the evenings..

"and a new van for my photo business in cash"
He is a photographer. I have no problem believing him, if you approach this as a business there's you get completely different results. Even if it is a part time business.

cidepix · « **Reply #52 on:** November 12, 2012, 10:23 »

Quote from: Microbius on November 12, 2012, 10:20

Quote from: cidepix on November 12, 2012, 09:35
Quote from: Miguel Calo on November 12, 2012, 09:29
hey, I really don't believe it!

let's be serious! 8000 per month and working full-time in the same time! and you probably shoot only in week-ends, right?

you're lying!

p.s.: who does agree with me? Hands up!

because he doesn't shoot

he probably creates his illustrations in the evenings..
"and a new van for my photo business in cash"
He is a photographer. I have no problem believing him, if you approach this as a business there's you get completely different results. Even if it is a part time business.

then I was mislead by luissantos' message..

EmberMike · « **Reply #53 on:** November 12, 2012, 10:40 »

I think it's really sad that we've gotten co cynical as a community that we 1.) Don't believe someone who claims success, and 2.) Don't encourage someone who has proven growth to continue pursuing this as a full-timer.

Microstock is volatile. It's risky. No one would dispute that. But so is everything else. My last full-time job was volatile. I came to work on a Monday morning ready to go for another week in a job I did well and enjoyed, and walked right back out the door 20 minutes later with my things in a box, not by choice of course. Is microstock more risky than that? I can't lose my microstock income in an instant.

And who cares if it's volatile? What's a little volatility if, in the slow months, you're still doing better than you would be in a regular job? SIFD makes triple in microstock what he makes in his day job.

So who should be a full-timer? I can't think of very many better candidates. SIFD earns 6-figures from microstock, on a part-time basis. He has no mortgage, no car loans, doubled his microstock portfolio and earnings in 2 years.

If that's not the definition of someone who should be doing this full-time, what is?

cidepix · « **Reply #54 on:** November 12, 2012, 10:56 »

Quote from: EmberMike on November 12, 2012, 10:40

I think it's really sad that we've gotten co cynical as a community that we 1.) Don't believe someone who claims success, and 2.) Don't encourage someone who has proven growth to continue pursuing this as a full-timer.

Microstock is volatile. It's risky. No one would dispute that. But so is everything else. My last full-time job was volatile. I came to work on a Monday morning ready to go for another week in a job I did well and enjoyed, and walked right back out the door 20 minutes later with my things in a box, not by choice of course. Is microstock more risky than that? I can't lose my microstock income in an instant.

And who cares if it's volatile? What's a little volatility if, in the slow months, you're still doing better than you would be in a regular job? SIFD makes triple in microstock what he makes in his day job.

So who should be a full-timer? I can't think of very many better candidates. SIFD earns 6-figures from microstock, on a part-time basis. He has no mortgage, no car loans, doubled his microstock portfolio and earnings in 2 years.

If that's not the definition of someone who should be doing this full-time, what is?

Agreed %100

No no! Agreed %1000

Felt like something I would post

lisafx · « **Reply #55 on:** November 12, 2012, 13:51 »

Quote from: Anyka on November 12, 2012, 03:06

And I thought I was the pessimist in the family
Don't you think that if Daddy comes home depressed every evening "love will fly away" too ?
The question is of course : does he REALLY hate his job, or was he just exaggerating, like in "I hate brocoli" ?
I quit (almost) one year ago because I realised that staying in that job would (1) make me unhappy for the rest of my career (really unhappy, no exaggeration) and (2) would even be bad for my health, both physical and mental. If you realise that, and at the same time earn $8000/month with microstock, becoming a fulltime photographer is a great option. I did NOT say fulltime stock-photographer ... This year, commisioned work amounts to 20% of my income, next year probably 30%. Gambling for 100% on stock photography without diversifying is indeed very dangerous.

Anyka, congratulations on your success. Glad it has worked out for you. I notice you said above you are not supporting anyone but yourself. When you are single and don't have kids, you have the advantage of making decisions that only affect you. You can take risks. When your spouse and kids are relying on you, you have to be more cautious.

If you reread the OP, you will note that he is the sole support of his family. Secondly, he was asking if it would be a good idea to quit a steady job for the microstock industry. I don't see where he asked if he should quit his job and look for another day job and continue to do micro on the side. We are just answering the questions HE ASKED. Not the ones you imagine.

And secondly, having been a part of a family who lived for over 10 years on my husband's one income, I think I am familiar with his situation. My husband didn't have the luxury to just quit any job he didn't like. He had to suck it up and support his family. I can guarantee you he is glad he did.

Now that our daughter is older, and I am able to work and bring in money, he is under less pressure. He was able to quit being an electrician and become a teacher. He did the responsible thing - delayed his gratification for the sake of his family. That's what a good parent and good provider does. When you are a parent you will do the same, I hope.

It's very naive to imagine that we all have to love our jobs all the time. Satisfaction in life can come from your family, your hobbies, your social life, etc. And if you have to work a job you don't love to support that family, it is a trade off that people have made since the beginning of time.

PixelsAway · « **Reply #56 on:** November 12, 2012, 14:50 »

OP said "i hate my day job to death"

So, I really like Anyka's answer discussing some options. I doesn't need to be binary choice.
I would add one more hypothetical possibility:
involve your spouse and expand your stock business.

Anyway, I am doing my old job mostly part time these days for fun,
deriving living income from microstock,
and trying to diversify.

Anyka · « **Reply #57 on:** November 12, 2012, 14:56 »

Lisa, I absolutely understand that if you are responsible for a family, quitting is much more difficult. You say your husband did not like his job, but did not quit because he had a family to support. Good on him, but suppose he had a boss like mine, a really cruel one, who enjoyed breaking your husband mentally, day after day, wouldn't you as his wife have asked him to quit?
My advice to become a fulltime photographer was based on the fact that I take the word "hate to death" literally. If he just meant "I don't like it", asking for a part-time job would be my first choice.

lisafx · « **Reply #58 on:** November 12, 2012, 15:25 »

Quote from: Anyka on November 12, 2012, 14:56

Lisa, I absolutely understand that if you are responsible for a family, quitting is much more difficult. You say your husband did not like his job, but did not quit because he had a family to support. Good on him, but suppose he had a boss like mine, a really cruel one, who enjoyed breaking your husband mentally, day after day, wouldn't you as his wife have asked him to quit?
My advice to become a fulltime photographer was based on the fact that I take the word "hate to death" literally. If he just meant "I don't like it", asking for a part-time job would be my first choice.

Fair enough Anyka. If you absolutely despise your job and your boss is abusive, it makes sense to have an exit strategy. Your suggestion to the OP of perhaps looking for another job while using microstock as a cushion makes sense. I was just warning him that in the current microstock climate, that 8k he's making might not be something he could continue to count on.

gostwyck · « **Reply #59 on:** November 12, 2012, 15:33 »

This is a non-question. If the OP is earning 3x more from his part-time 'hobby' than his full-time day job then it is pretty obvious where his time is more profitably spent.

Microstock is not particularly 'volatile' as others have suggested, at least provided you remain independent. A decent portfolio actually represents $10K's, maybe several $100K's, worth of future earnings. It's residual income and provides far more security than any salaried job.

Just grow some, take the plunge and get on with it.

RapidEye · « **Reply #60 on:** November 12, 2012, 16:10 »

I am happy I took the plunge and went full time four years ago. I hired an assistant and trebled my earnings in just over two years. It's still good money that enables me to support four people including an aged mom who needs 24hr care. The day job, and it wasn't a crap one, could not have paid for all this.

I do have money paranoia that I didn't have when I was an employee, but that's only because being in business opens your eyes to the risks.

ClaridgeJ · « **Reply #61 on:** November 12, 2012, 16:18 »

Quote from: gostwyck on November 12, 2012, 15:33

This is a non-question. If the OP is earning 3x more from his part-time 'hobby' than his full-time day job then it is pretty obvious where his time is more profitably spent.

Microstock is not particularly 'volatile' as others have suggested, at least provided you remain independent. A decent portfolio actually represents $10K's, maybe several $100K's, worth of future earnings. It's residual income and provides far more security than any salaried job.

Just grow some, take the plunge and get on with it.

Residual income, provides far more security? future earnings? microstock secure? beg you pardon sir but are we talking about the same business? microstock?
Have we all forgotten the IS shambles, changes, claw-backs, RCs, etc, etc, how thousands of contributors lost half their incomes over a period of time, FTs constant sort changes? this and that.
Can you guarantee the OP his security? that nothing drastic, no changes will take place that will lower his income.

I wont tell you who says it because it hasnt even been printed yet. Microstock have for the past two years been regarded as one of THE most untrustworthy, dodgy, shakey, edgy, businesses on this planet. There is absoloutely nothing, not even the remotest
security in this business. We could wake up tomorrow and its all gone.

This guy is trying to support his family. Its utter madness fooling him up the garden path. Almost every week I hear you talking about the IS greed this and that. How can any business based on this type of greed be secure.

I feel sorry for the OP. Frankly I really do.

JPSDK · « **Reply #62 on:** November 12, 2012, 16:37 »

Life is life.

And there are no guarantees.
First there are no guarantees for financial security. No matter where you live and no matter how you plan you life.
It can all be destroyed in a hurricane.

Secondly there is no guarantee for happyness.
Its all up to you to choose what makes you happy.

There are risks to be taken. There are risks not to be taken.
When all is said and done we are all burried in the same cold grave and left to rot.
We cannot bring any lenses with us. Nor can we bring gold.
What remains is two: That we leave our children with the best chances in the competition, and that we say goodbye with a smile.
The smile comes when we have lead a decent and productive life that has not made us suffer, when we follow our inner urge and when the children say: Father did what he could to make us prosper.

So, go for it, be happy and do not regret.
Safety is not nearly as important as you being able to renew yourself.
Remember the children.

BTW... Maybe, just maybe, your very creativity, might be caused by you boring dayjob.

Oldhand · « **Reply #63 on:** November 12, 2012, 16:54 »

Been there - done that. Best five years of my life while I was making good money (macro) - followed by worst three years as the money dried up to a point it would not sustain my family - amazing how fast residual income dries up when you are relying on it.

So it was back to work again away from the family, then I found micro of an evening. If my part time hobby (for which I put in full time hours I hasten to add) paid me enough, would I do it all again? Probably - although it would take some very serious family discussions.. Good luck either way.

ClaridgeJ · « **Reply #64 on:** November 12, 2012, 17:05 »

Quote from: Oldhand on November 12, 2012, 16:54

Been there - done that. Best five years of my life while I was making good money (macro) - followed by worst three years as the money dried up to a point it would not sustain my family - amazing how fast residual income dries up when you are relying on it.

So it was back to work again away from the family, then I found micro of an evening. If my part time hobby (for which I put in full time hours I hasten to add) paid me enough, would I do it all again? Probably - although it would take some very serious family discussions.. Good luck either way.

Funny you should say that. My Macro, RM/RF, has never been better then right now. OTOH, I have been concentrating on that far more then micro.

Oldhand · « **Reply #65 on:** November 12, 2012, 17:30 »

That's for another topic - suffice to say the newspaper market I dealt in got hit with the recession cutting advertising revenue and hitting stock budgets - combined was the rise of Alamy and Microstock which undercut me. Point I'm making is the "glory" years of Macro were just that - we made money hand over fist. To watch that whittle away was soul destroying when I was self employed and working from home. A 40 hour week ended up a 70 hour one for less and less money.

Got to take the good and bad in business; go into self employment with confidence but your eyes open. I learned the hard way. A cautionary note for a Monday evening....

cidepix · « **Reply #66 on:** November 12, 2012, 17:42 »

Quote from: JPSDK on November 12, 2012, 16:37

Life is life.

It can all be destroyed in a hurricane.

+1

there are no guarantees in life..

I just wouldn't be able to do a day job that I hate..

It's like a slow death!

luissantos84 · « **Reply #67 on:** November 12, 2012, 17:47 »

Quote from: cidepix on November 12, 2012, 10:23

Quote from: Microbius on November 12, 2012, 10:20
Quote from: cidepix on November 12, 2012, 09:35
Quote from: Miguel Calo on November 12, 2012, 09:29
hey, I really don't believe it!

let's be serious! 8000 per month and working full-time in the same time! and you probably shoot only in week-ends, right?

you're lying!

p.s.: who does agree with me? Hands up!

because he doesn't shoot

he probably creates his illustrations in the evenings..
"and a new van for my photo business in cash"
He is a photographer. I have no problem believing him, if you approach this as a business there's you get completely different results. Even if it is a part time business.

then I was mislead by luissantos' message..

its not the Julien you are thinking

lisafx · « **Reply #68 on:** November 12, 2012, 18:00 »

Quote from: Oldhand on November 12, 2012, 17:30

Point I'm making is the "glory" years of Macro were just that - we made money hand over fist. To watch that whittle away was soul destroying when I was self employed and working from home. A 40 hour week ended up a 70 hour one for less and less money.

Got to take the good and bad in business; go into self employment with confidence but your eyes open. I learned the hard way. A cautionary note for a Monday evening....

Seems microstock is following a similar trajectory for some of us. As recently as 2010 I still felt like I had won the lottery. Now it is so disheartening to see the income dwindling, despite efforts to keep it up.

Seems there are those of us on each side of the fence. Bottom line is that the OP has been told of the benefits and warned of the pitfalls. The ball is in his court now. There's really only one person (maybe two including wife) who can make this decision. Wishing you the best of luck, SIFD, whatever you decide.

gostwyck · « **Reply #69 on:** November 12, 2012, 21:08 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on November 12, 2012, 17:47

its not the Julien you are thinking

If it's the Julien I'm thinking of, living in Paris, then he definitely needs to grow a pair and go for it. Could enable him to move somewhere cheaper than Paris for starters.

pancaketom · « **Reply #70 on:** November 12, 2012, 22:00 »

It seems w/ the microstock cushion you have you could fairly safely explore a more gratifying life path, even if it isn't micro, it seems unlikely that it will cut down to the level of your day job over a few years. It is a bit riskier, especially for example if you were in the US you would want to get good healthcare etc. Still, it seems like you should be able to put away a pretty good next egg w/ 10K a month or whatever you are making between your day job and micro - especially as the micro isn't going to drop to 0 overnight - even if it cut in half, that is still more than your day job.

I lost my job quite a while back (not so stable after all) and went on a roadtrip financed by renting out my place and savings - I ended up not tapping into my savings at all - but I am single and most would consider me insanely stingy - I think my cheapest year I lived on less than you make in a good microstock month. Still, if you have to you could probably do without a lot of the things you consider essential - I guess it really boils down to how is your day job effecting you - if it is as bad as you suggest, you owe it to yourself and everyone around you to explore other possibilities and your micro income gives you some financial freedom to do that.

fotografer · « **Reply #71 on:** November 13, 2012, 03:30 »

Quote from: lisafx on November 12, 2012, 18:00

Seems microstock is following a similar trajectory for some of us. As recently as 2010 I still felt like I had won the lottery. Now it is so disheartening to see the income dwindling, despite efforts to keep it up.

Exactly how I feel. I used to feel that I was having money thrown at me and was always amazed how much I earnt compared to how much effort I put into it but now that it has gone down and I'm working a bit harder it seems more as it should be but still disheartening after going through the golden years.

cidepix · « **Reply #72 on:** November 13, 2012, 05:24 »

Quote from: gostwyck on November 12, 2012, 21:08

Quote from: luissantos84 on November 12, 2012, 17:47
its not the Julien you are thinking

If it's the Julien I'm thinking of, living in Paris, then he definitely needs to grow a pair and go for it. Could enable him to move somewhere cheaper than Paris for starters.

That was the Julien I am thinking and luis says it isn't him..

nicku · « **Reply #73 on:** November 13, 2012, 06:21 »

What seems to be very , very odd is the fact that somebody came on the forum claiming that is making 8k/month and no portfolio visible on any agency for us to see... I don't say that the topic is a joke or impossible to grow that much in a short period of time... but no portfolio visible let me think that all this topic is ''fake''...

No offense SIFD but I'm little skeptical.....

Dantheman · « **Reply #74 on:** November 13, 2012, 06:46 »

Quote from: nicku on November 13, 2012, 06:21

What seems to be very , very odd is the fact that somebody came on the forum claiming that is making 8k/month and no portfolio visible on any agency for us to see... I don't say that the topic is a joke or impossible to grow that much in a short period of time... but no portfolio visible let me think that all this topic is ''fake''...

No offense SIFD but I'm little skeptical.....

Maybe he has the best, most crazy and unbelievable niche and doesn't want to show everybody.
Of course non of us here would copy anything after knowing that he earns 8k

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Author Topic: become a full timer? (Read 21855 times)

PaulieWalnuts

Microbius

cidepix

EmberMike

cidepix

lisafx

PixelsAway

Anyka

lisafx

gostwyck

RapidEye

ClaridgeJ

JPSDK

Oldhand

ClaridgeJ

Oldhand

cidepix

luissantos84

lisafx

gostwyck

pancaketom

fotografer

cidepix

nicku

Dantheman

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