[AMA] I Quit My IT Job of 16 Years to Follow My Passion and Become Wedding Photographer

itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 21:46

I worked in the IT industry (network & system support role) for about 16 years. I completed my master degree in 2007 while working full time. But in the end I threw it all away to follow my passion for photography and became a full time wedding photographer.
I shot my first wedding in 2011 when opportunity came knocking, and fell in love with it. The satisfaction I get from capturing a beautiful photo and see the happy reaction from the newlyweds is far more than what working in IT had ever given me. So I spent the next few years learning about photography (mostly self taught, workshops and watching online tutorials). I started shooting more and more weddings while working full time in IT and quite enjoyed doing that. Until I became working long hours 6-7 days a week and got no more time left for family.
In 2018, I took the plunge and became full time wedding photographer.

Ask me anything :)

Introduce Yourself

closed Comments

  • jjjaar on 11/09/2019 - 21:47
    +8

    Great job! Following your passion is awesome. I have a few questions.

    What camera/s do you use? And what lenses?

    Do you give guidance to the couple or do they just do their own thing?

    Are you making money?

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 22:00
      +5

      I bought my first SLR which was a Canon, so now I'm sticking to it. I use 5DMk3 & 6DMk2 for weddings & a Sony A7 for hobby. I got 24-70 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, 17-40mm f4, 100mm macro
      I do pose my couples, but always achieve the natural looking results. There's no such thing as looking beautiful naturally. Every photo is a pose at some degree, it's how you pose them & make them feel comfortable.
      Yes I do making money, just not as good as previous full time IT + part time wedding photographer. I do have more time with the kids though.

      • nomoneynoproblems on 12/09/2019 - 20:03
        +2

        Do you see yourself transitioning to mirrorless completely, given the way the market is heading?

        • p1 ama on 14/09/2019 - 00:26
          +1

          Do you see yourself transitioning to mirrorless completely, given the way the market is heading?

          Not the OP, but used to be a pro photographer, so trying to chime in.

          Not really a question of if, but when. When I was a pro photographer, basically no pros were using mirrorless, but it's becoming an increasingly viable option. There are huge advantages to mirrorless, most importantly better lenses. Designing a new mount from scratch is also great because it allows manufacturers to put in newer and better tech. E.g. Nikon's F mount is great, but it's a 1950s relic, that's why Canon's EOS system is so much better in terms of the mount.

          The way I see it is that low end DSLRs are going to die out pretty soon. You'd rather get something like a Sony A6000 series and be happy. Phone cameras are also eating away at this market.

          The only real market that's left is the super high end market. With the Canon EOS R and Nikon Z6, they're really going for the entry-level full-frame DSLRs already. The 6D/D750 type of camera is next to go, then the 5D/D850 type, then finally (it might still be years and years away), the 1D/D6 cameras will follow suit.

          • nomoneynoproblems on 14/09/2019 - 09:33

            @p1 ama: Thanks for the response. I'm a complete amateur but loosely follow the products via Kai from digital rev fame. It seems like Sony and Olympus are knocking it out of the park while Canon are stagnating…but yea, can't see any reason why you would be wrong. Why did you leave your photography job?

            • dis4vow on 14/09/2019 - 14:21

              @nomoneynoproblems: In my opinion - it's the only viable option if you want to be able to offer the whole package (video and stills) and make good money. Mirrorless is better suited to the dual roles wedding videographers need to inhabit at the high end of the market

              Also ex pro photographer and designer - advertising and print in London back in the day. You couldn't pay me enough to be a wedding photographer. I like my subjects dead inside

            • p1 ama on 14/09/2019 - 22:04

              @nomoneynoproblems:

              It seems like Sony and Olympus are knocking it out of the park while Canon are stagnating…

              I wouldn't count out Canon - the EOS R is a woefully underrated camera by the specs, but it's fundamentally a good camera. If anything, the only reason Sony released it's A7 III at such an affordable price point is because of Canon and Nikon jumping in the mirrorless market, so competition is good.

              Canon have also launched some of the best mirrorless lenses in the past year or so - the 50/1.2, 28-70/2 and 85/1.2 for the EOS R are all fantastic, fantastic lenses. Once Canon releases a good mirrorless body that's a replacement for the 5DIV, it'll be a serious hit to Sony. I'm a Sony shooter now, used to be a Canon shooter, there are still many things I prefer on the Canon to be honest.

      • imurgod on 12/09/2019 - 22:31
        +3

        Time with the kids is awesome. Can't buy that. Awesome to read stories like yours.

        Best of luck, mate. I hope it just keeps getter better for you.

        • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 10:18
          +1

          Thank you @imurgod My kids are everything and I would hate to see they growing up with parents not being there spending time with them :)

  • Godric on 11/09/2019 - 21:53
    +9

    Do you get a slice of the Wedding cake?

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 22:03
      +2

      If I stick around when till the end when they started serving coffee & cake :)

  • whooah1979 on 11/09/2019 - 22:03

    What brings in more money. IT or arts?

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 22:07

      It depends. I can shoot 1 or 2 weddings a month and can earn more than my IT job. But being in a business of photography, there are so much expenditures that I bring home less than I did with IT.

      • heineken016 on 11/09/2019 - 23:31

        What sort of expenditures bedside gear? I've never really thought about it!

        • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 23:42
          +22

          Being a photographer and being in the photography business is a huge difference. There are heaps to spend, such as insurance, branding, marketing, advertising, tax, assistant, book keeping, gifts for couples, software, subscription, and CRM system to manage jobs, etc….I'm sure I still miss a few.

          • orangetrain on 12/09/2019 - 22:10
            +3

            @itstuan: Gifts for couples? Why?

            • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 22:39
              +14

              @orangetrain: To say thank you for having me. A small difference I can make to give my couples the best experience possible. Its not just photos I provide you see. There are many other things I do part of the service :)

              • macrocephalic on 13/09/2019 - 14:34
                +3

                @itstuan:

                A small difference I can make to give my couples the best experience possible

                Our photographer knew that after the ceremony we hadn't eaten anything, and that we wouldn't get a chance to eat anything until dinner, so while we were travelling to the posed shoot location he went through the HJ's drive through and bought us some burgers. It was really thoughtful, plus now our album has some photos of us -dressed up in full suits and wedding dress- eating a burger.

            • Boba on 12/09/2019 - 23:53
              +4

              @orangetrain: If a couple has a positive experience (including the gift), they are more likely refer you to their friends when it becomes their turn. A gift that I like to provide for my clients is a calendar (e.g. 2020) with a wedding photo for each month. More than happy to gift a few calendars if it leads to additional business.

              • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 10:21
                +4

                @Boba: Precisely, when you provide an unforgettable experience for the couples, they will more likely to remember you by.
                Calendar is a great idea.

              • p1 ama on 14/09/2019 - 00:31

                @Boba:

                More than happy to gift a few calendars if it leads to additional business.

                Yep, this is what it all comes down to. When I was a pro wedding photographer, I would set up a "photobooth", which was just a backdrop, some studio strobes and a second shooter where guests can come to take photos at the start of the reception.

                The second shooter will then send them to the local 24 hour Kmart to print off for a few cents per pop and it'd be ready by the end of the night for guests to pick up as they're leaving. It'd cost me literally $300 to hire a guy to stand there shooting for a night, the photos to be printed and a slip to put the photos in with our logo on it. The guests loved it, being able to take home a print and I got so much business from guests calling back - whether it be for weddings, portraits or whatever else our studio could take on.

          • kaleidoscope on 13/09/2019 - 22:58

            @itstuan: Insurance? Is that for equipment?

            • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 23:03
              +1

              @kaleidoscope: for both equipment and for protect yourself from accidentally causing anyone injury or break any antique item while you're at work. Sometimes, people will just sue you for not delivering the photos they want and it causes them some sort of emotional break down that apparently cost hundreds of thousands to heal. You know, things like that…

              • kaleidoscope on 13/09/2019 - 23:05

                @itstuan: Oh those…

                "Sometimes, people will just sue you for not delivering the photos they want and it causes them some sort of emotional break down that apparently cost hundreds of thousands to heal." Seriously? :-\

                All the best mate. Cheers!

  • marka on 11/09/2019 - 22:41
    +13

    I just wanted to wish you all the best!

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 22:44
      +3

      Aww thank you. You're too kind :)

  • Donaldhump on 11/09/2019 - 22:42

    well done, wouldnt worry about the money side of things only.

    being in the same industry for that long blows… enjoy the new variety

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 22:54
      +3

      Thank you. Being supported by my wife both mentally & financially. It makes the transition process easier.
      Which industry are you in, IT or photography?

  • Changskies on 11/09/2019 - 22:58
    +3

    Whatever it is, please know you have my full respect for chasing your passion! Hopefully this also bring greater financial stability also in near future!

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 23:20

      Thank you. Very kind of you. Yes it's still an early start, being new in the whole business thing. But I'm sure it'll bring financial stability & quality time with the family.

  • PAOK11 on 11/09/2019 - 23:10

    Do you regret it ?

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 23:21
      +14

      No. I can't imagine going back to IT working 9-5 and dealing with BS from management. I love what I'm doing now :)

      • wchau on 13/09/2019 - 07:46
        +1

        I SO agree with this comment. *…king politics, almost existent in every corporation

  • AustriaBargain on 11/09/2019 - 23:12
    +2

    IT workers famously all dream of becoming wedding photographers, glad to see you realise this dream.

    Also what do you think of the iPhone Pro? Apple claimed it was the first iPhone they have made that they are comfortable calling a professional quality camera, previously they had called the iPhone X/XS a "studio" quality camera, which actually stood up in court when someone challenged it wasn't a studio quality camera.

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 23:31
      +3

      Funny enough. I've met many IT guys who's doing photography as side hustle or hobby.
      I'm sure the iPhone Pro has better image quality than the last and they can call it whatever they want for marketing purpose. Professional in what standards? Will it replace SLR and mirrorless? Not any time soon. It still has a tiny sensor compare to full frame SLR. When you try brighten the image or enlarge it, is when s**t hits the fan.
      Saying that, its still great to see phone camera has come a long way. I don't mind upgrading from my current iphone 8 :)

    • p1 ama on 14/09/2019 - 00:36

      previously they had called the iPhone X/XS a "studio" quality camera, which actually stood up in court when someone challenged it wasn't a studio quality camera

      This is some weasel marketing by Apple - it's easiest to take a photo in a studio where everything is well lit and posed.

      Challenge for cameras is low light or fast action because in both cases, you need to crank up the ISO which is where the big sensors dominate the small sensors.

  • twadds on 11/09/2019 - 23:25

    How often do idiots with phones get in your way when you're trying to get a great shot?

    • itstuan on 11/09/2019 - 23:37
      +7

      Every one at the ceremony is with a phone but generally they are pretty good standing in their spot. I had only one occasion when this couple's relative intentionally jumped in front of me a few times to take photo at critical moments
      More and more couple is requesting unplugged wedding to avoid this situation.

      • Name on 13/09/2019 - 08:16
        +1

        Yup. I went to an unplugged wedding. It was weird not getting the phone out!

  • dcep on 12/09/2019 - 00:00
    +6

    Thanks. This inspires me to chase my dream rather than stuck being a rat race.
    But i think i'll be waking up the same tomorrow, next year, decade later, then dead.

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 00:24
      +5

      Having a dream makes life more interesting. You may not see it yet but opportunity will come knocking when you least expect it. Just be ready when it does.
      It takes years for most people to have their dream become a reality so don't ever give up my friend :)

  • johndowy on 12/09/2019 - 00:43

    Whats your last years tax return like?

    • Fredfloresjr on 12/09/2019 - 10:16

      fishy =)

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 11:22
      +5

      Last year being my first year doing it full time. I made about 50k. But also spent as much for all the expenditures. First few years you will spend a lot and try everything for marketing. Until you find something that works and focus your money & energy in there.

  • onetwothreefour on 12/09/2019 - 06:16

    Good for you, wish I had a passion to follow.

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 08:56

      Why follow something if you didn’t have the passion to begin with? Obviously you have the passion but haven’t got the right sparks (opportunity). Don’t give up and constantly work on your dream after hours and it may come earlier than you think. Good luck :)

    • [Deactivated] on 13/09/2019 - 11:52
      +2

      'Passion' is overrated as a motivation for a job. Passions change; the thing that you are passionate about you might not be any good at; passion can make you take financially unjustifiable decisions; turning a passion into a job can eventually destroy your enjoyment of that thing.

      The OP is in the honeymoon period of his passion, has yet to turn a profit, and has yet to have his new job turn into the grind that all jobs become with time. Let's see what happens a few years in…

      • Hamlet on 13/09/2019 - 18:34
        +2

        dad, is that you?

      • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 22:14
        +1

        You are very right. Passion is overrated without the financial responsibility, years of hard work, planning & the right opportunity.
        Nothing guarantees you won’t wake up one day and passionate about something else. Nothing will guarantee you will be full time employed forever either. Ever heard of story of ppl who only work one job all their lives and when they were let go. They don’t know what else to do any more.
        Of all the successful business, successful entrepreneurs, no one is without years of hard work & sacrifice. You’re not willing to put in the work, please don’t expect to be where you wanna be.
        I rather giving it my best shot now and if not working out. I tried. Rather than sitting on my bed one day and wondering what life could have been if I pursued what I love.
        Thanks for your input

      • ZzRice007 on 13/09/2019 - 23:39

        Lol.. Unfortunately @mikeoz.. You haven't experienced true passion yet, because when you do.. You don't call work…a job anymore.

        To be able to serve people with your passion is when you will be personally and financially rewarded.

        Good luck Tuan.

        • [Deactivated] on 14/09/2019 - 11:27
          +1

          Yes, I forgot one, thanks- being 'passionate' about something doesn't mean you will be profitable. The OP has explicitly mentioned he hasn't been profitable yet. Did you even read the thread thoroughly before commenting?

          And you know nothing about me, or my work or business history. My comment was made partially to counteract this unrealistic hippy attitude that things will always work out if you follow your passion. There are better and more realistic ways to achieve happiness with one's work.

          • itstuan on 14/09/2019 - 12:17
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: You're wrong there mike, I didn't say I haven't yet made profit. I said I re-invested most of my income back to the business to fry a bigger fish. My long term goal will be more important than what I want to take home right now. Most businesses in the first few years will either make loss or not very profitable. Does that mean they should all close down and go work for the man?
            It's okay though. There are no right and wrong. Simply each person has a different view and approach. You're too quick to judge people with unrealistic hippy attitude comment. You don't know them either.
            Also, my post is to answer some questions people might have if they were also interested in photography. Not to advice everyone to jump the boat and quit their day time job.
            All the best for your career choice though. Other people still struggling to find their call. Don't judge them mike.

          • ZzRice007 on 15/09/2019 - 13:09
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: Cheers Mike,

            hope this comment reminds you something:

            mikeoz on 05/09/2019 - 10:55new
            Start your own company. People too often want to be a small cog in someone else's machine.

            If you are in business, then you know all too well the steps it took you to get there.

            Have a great weekend.
            :)

  • serpserpserp on 12/09/2019 - 08:04

    How much do you make per wedding shoot now? How many are you doing a week now?

    You can do really well out of wedding photography once you get to the stage of covering really huge weddings or just having a solid pipeline of weddings from Friday-Sun.

    I think a lot of people just don't want to commit to those years of not much work. It might only really equate to a year or two of making an average wage, but people can't see past that.

    OP do you have dreams of doing things beyond weddings? My favourite story is Will Harris who does a lot of stuff for the UFC now and does documentaries. He started with nothing, then eventually got to weddings and then quit all that to do docos and the like!

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 12:10
      +4

      My average wed is about $3K. There are months I do 7-8 weddings and there are months just 2. Depends on the season. But I also do heaps of commercial & events in between.
      You’re so right, when you meet the right client (opportunity) it does really give you a push. But you also need a solid marketing plan & branding to have a predictable outcome. I’m still a progress.
      I love doing weddings but my dream is to shoot a more high end wedding when ppl really appreciate fine art & willing to pay for what it takes (Ryan Schembri). I also love shooting b&w portrait (peter coulson) but never thought about documentaries or something else. Who knows 😉

      • ngengerous on 18/09/2019 - 12:06

        +1 for Ryan. Went to a local photography meet and he was the evening's speaker - such a knowledgeable bloke. Gotta have someone to aspire to be!

  • MrBear on 12/09/2019 - 08:22
    +4

    You're trading dealing luddite senior managers for dealing with bridezillas and mother-in-laws?

    Brave move Cotton, let's see how this plays out…

    :)

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 08:51
      +3

      I may have dealt with bridezillas once or twice over 8 yrs shooting, but back in working in corp. I constantly watched over my shoulder every day. Been to HR many times. Yes I do prefer working for myself now.

      • Andard on 13/09/2019 - 14:07

        I constantly watched over my shoulder every day. Been to HR many times.

        where the fk did you work lol

        • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 22:16

          Its not where but who.

    • Indomietable on 15/09/2019 - 08:02

      IT is one of the industry that has a lot of toxic people in it. So many morons that has absolutely no business in IT getting to the top. so many geniuses bickering over simple matter on the ground. Backstabber and people that don't want to be in IT in the middle.

      • itstuan on 15/09/2019 - 10:10

        That's exactly what happened in my last year with IT with the new manager came in and made our lives like hell. I guess he helped me with my decision.

  • nep on 12/09/2019 - 08:47

    What would you recommend for a small handy cam ? I am looking for a handsize cam that is easy to carry like phone.
    THanks :)

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 08:53
      +2

      Why not just use the phone? It can produce amazing 4K video quality. Easy to edit with apps. All you need is a small gimbal for smoothness.

      • nep on 12/09/2019 - 10:18

        Still on iphone 6s, so it's a bit outdated. So was looking for something handy and small :)

        • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 11:20
          +3

          Good thing is new iphone 11 just being announced. I reckon its good enough to do photo & video with great quality. Its really coming down to what you want to produce & what quality? I know lots of wed videographers use panasonic. But start with your phone & shoot as much as you can, until you realise you needs something better. Theres no point buying a camera & end up not using it as you thought you would.

  • Digitalco on 12/09/2019 - 09:10

    When you quit your IT job was it a struggle at the start?

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 09:14
      +10

      I have been shooting weddings 7 yrs when I quit IT. I had support from my wife (financially & mentally). It’s still a struggle trying to establish your brand out there and it takes time to build a predictable stream of income compare to working full time. But I’ll get there :)

      • Digitalco on 12/09/2019 - 09:16
        +1

        you should promote yourself on ozbargain haha but good job man you found a passion and stick with it where as for me im still trying to find my passion

        • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 11:04
          +1

          OB being a social media like FB & instagram, is a good place to promote yourself. But for different purpose, not selling I think.
          What is it that you do that makes you happy? Do you wake up everyday and can’t wait to go to work? What are you doing anything about it?

  • Fredfloresjr on 12/09/2019 - 10:17

    One of my dream to pursue my passion for photography/videography but I am stuck being a clinical manager working 9-5 M-F =(

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 10:55
      +5

      Nothing stops you to pursue it on the weekend and after work hours. Don’t underestimate your clinical job which helps pay the bills and finance your passion. Money is always a big challenge when pursuing your dream. I see people who lives on instant noodle to just to save up for the transition. I’m lucky to have a wife who works :)

  • Broke-Ken on 12/09/2019 - 10:23

    Thanks for this AMA,

    I'm also in IT with photography as a hobby, so it's great to see that you were able to transition across.

    Do you feel that Wedding photography is a dying industry? as everything seems to be moving towards videography instead.

    I checked out your website and was surprised that I recognised one of the couples you shot, small world! What's the meaning behind the business name "21 studio"?

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 11:13
      +11

      Wow small world :) Thanks for checking out my work.
      I don’t think photography is dying industry. Every couple getting married needs a photographer but not necessarily a videographer. But like everything else it gets harder to establish yourself amongst the big crowd. You need to do something different with everyone. Get coached. Get creative. Do whatever it takes to stand out from the crowd.
      It used to be 21 photography but now I also have a team to do video too hence I changed to studio. Long story but ppl used to pronounce my name “two one” for tuan. Hence the number 21 lol

  • Luckyalways on 12/09/2019 - 15:27

    Fantastic! I hope you find yourself so successful you need staff! All the very best to you :)

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 17:08

      Thank you. I do have videographer, editor, and few assistants to help. But cheers, I can't wait to share success story with you in the future.

      • Luckyalways on 12/09/2019 - 17:11

        Please do share that. Its inspiring! (sorry bout the staff comment then! ) :)

        • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 17:40

          haha don't worry about it. I know what you mean. I haven't yet got permanent staff per say, just contractors on per project basis. When I get there, I'm sure will do another AMA shout out & hopefully will help someone who's on the same boat. Cheers :)

  • idonotknowwhy on 12/09/2019 - 19:56

    Is GIMP a feasible piece of software for editing wedding photos?

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 21:56

      I use Lightroom to edit photos. Why would you use anything else?

      • idonotknowwhy on 13/09/2019 - 17:25
        +1

        Yeah I don't know, that why I was asking you.
        I use gimp occasionally because I only edit pics maybe 1-2x / year and just google how to do whatever it is each time.

        I feel like gimp is one of those tools which will never be successful because it's not made by people who would use it. Same with opensource music creation software.

        • Indomietable on 15/09/2019 - 08:05

          Hah… Username checks out

        • jaimex2 on 15/09/2019 - 19:09

          The equivalent fos is Darktable and it's more or less on par with Lightroom.

          Gimp is a substitute for Photoshop and really not a friendly program without some mods that make it act like Photoshop.

    • Broke-Ken on 13/09/2019 - 08:53
      +1

      Depends on how much you value your time.

      GIMP is a great free product that can do almost all the features of a paid software does, but to do it, it takes a lot more steps and messing around to archive.

      Editing one or two photos should be fine, but if you need to edit hundreds, it's going to take forever.

      • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 09:47
        +2

        Yes thats what I thought. For wed photos often I have to deal with thousand photos per wedding. Its not practical to use a freeware that is slow & complicated. For us, time is money. Anything that helps reduce the time spent mucking around is worth invested in.

        • macrocephalic on 13/09/2019 - 14:41

          If you're not making money then Adobe CC is an expense, if you're making money then it's an investment as it allows you to do more work.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 12/09/2019 - 20:38
    +1

    Wish you all the best i wish i had that kind of passion

    • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 10:26

      Many of us choose a full time employment with stability to support our family. Nothing wrong with that. You don't need to have a passion to quit your day job. Just keep both. Do what you love in your spare time.

  • foolsgold on 12/09/2019 - 21:19

    Was wondering as a fellow contractor, what do you use for CRM, and Invoicing?

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 21:47
      +1

      I use Studio Ninja for CRM & invoicing. It changed my life. You should really check it out. If you need any help, pm me

  • Pho King on 12/09/2019 - 21:50

    good to see you on OzB brother and well done on taking the leap when most of us are still doing the 9-5 on on weekdays and being weekend warriors with whatever little time we have left… i do agree with you that time is precious especially when you start a family… looks like you have found a happy medium (so true about having physical and mental support)! we've come a long way from snappy shutters! onwards and upwards! (mr cool)

    • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 00:30

      Yo L, Great to hear from you bro. Yeah we came a long way from snappy shutters. It was such a good time & it helped me lots being a photographer today. Should catch up for old times sake.
      Having a full time job & weekend side hustle/hobby is great man, don’t get me wrong. I just grew sick of IT & the workplace and don’t see myself in there anymore, so I took the chance. I’m not getting any younger you know. Now or never.
      As long as you have a work/life balance, just keep doing what you do. Once passion becomes main source of income, its another level of stress :)

      • Pho King on 13/09/2019 - 20:39

        i've been in IT for 12 years now but i happen to still enjoy it by always challenging and upskilling myself with current and future trends… i am actually excited with the way technology is going so don't see myself leaving the profession anytime soon… to be honest a lot of what i do at my day job mirrors a lot of things that are needed to run the photography business as well (administration, documentation, requirements gathering, analysis, design, product refinement, quality control, marketing, research, customer relationship management, customer experience, project management, release management etc)… i even use Sprello to manage my backlog! i'm thankful that the two disciplines integrate so well… yes let's catch up some time and share war stories!

  • pegasusx on 12/09/2019 - 22:04

    Really happy that you took the next step. Its almost deja vu that mirrors my life 5 years ago. I too was in IT for almost 10 years, and they I took the step to become a full time wedding photographer and it lasted 5 years. Hope your journey is a fruitful one!

    • itstuan on 12/09/2019 - 22:46

      Thank you 🙏. What happened after that 5 yrs being full time photographer? You went back to IT or found another career path?

      • pegasusx on 13/09/2019 - 08:54
        +5

        For me, it was ironically success that drove me to quit. You would have noticed a quirk in the the Australian market. There is a black hole of weddings around late June - mid Sep, so I expanded to Hongkong / SEA area to fill in this period. Business got good there until it was 80%+ of my income. Partly due to the fact they were well off expats that had destination weddings so I was hopping around SEA for almost 6-7 months out of the year.

        In the end, I choose to get married and have a family. And it wasnt practical to expect them to be without me for half of the year at a time. This was the main reason, but other things such as creative control, travel fatigue also came into play.

        • itstuan on 13/09/2019 - 21:47
          +1

          Wow, your are an inspiration. So awesome that you made it work even though in the end you put the family on top. Well done for making the sacrifice for your loved ones. I wish to have the opportunity to chat to you more in person. There's much to learn from you.

          • pegasusx on 13/09/2019 - 22:58

            @itstuan: If youre ever in a Sydney shoot, send us a PM. Happy to chat about how I structured business, tips and some pitfalls to watch out for. I am pretty sure you would have already figured out some so maybe just a chat :)

            PS. I read my reply and I think I made it sound like I took the high road and choose family. But what actually happened, verbatim was that I proposed to her and got rejected! Argh. She didnt feel the stability, being married to someone that isnt there 1/2 the time or LDR. But in the end (1.5 years later) I concluded she was right that if I wanted a stable family, I'd have to be present.

            • itstuan on 14/09/2019 - 12:34

              @pegasusx: @pegasusx My opinion about you didn't change, you still made a choice & put having a family on top. Have you got kids? What would they be like if growing up and not seeing their dad half the time? (Congratulations on your second round proposal btw)
              Thanks for the offer, I'll keep in mind when I visit Sydney next. Hopefully by then I'll have a success story to tell.
              I'll send you an pm so I got you in the contact :)

  • [Deactivated] on 12/09/2019 - 22:23

    As the saying goes, it comes down to a simple choice! Get busy living or get busy dying.

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