Where is the point of no return to the "9 to 5" and how does the photographer or model know it's time to quit the secure job and make the jump to full time pro?

Only you can make that call.

That said, there's no such thing as a "point of no return".  You may not be able to return to one specific job, but you can always return to the world of 9-5.  It goes the other way too.

I shot full-time for 13 years.  At the end, the "business" aspect was taking up more of my time than the shooting, and a lot of the shoots I did get to do were the good paying, but low creativity stuff I really didn't enjoy doing.  I decided to switch careers and entered the 9-5 world (now I can truly enjoy shooting again).  And, while I like my new field (been in it for 7 years now), I'm thinking about using the camera for some part-time income.

As to whether you're ready to make the jump, you need to ask the following questions:

How much income is your photography currently generating?

On top of what your photography is earning, how much potentional photography income are you turning down because of your 9-5?

How much is the gap between your total photography earnings (potential and current) and your 9-5?

How much do you know about running a business?  (you're going to need to know marketing, budgeting, etc).

How much are you going to need to live? (mortgage/rent, health insurance, food, business costs, etc)

How much savings do you have, and are you prepared to use it to live on?

How happy are you with your 9-5?

Are you the type of person who is comfortable living without a net?

Are you willing to do shoots that pay the bills, rather than shoots you want to do?


The important thing in life is to be happy.  If you can financially make the leap, and you're not afraid of hard work, try it.  You can always go back to the 9-5 if it doesn't work out.  But, if you're the type who worries about finances, and likes the security of a 9-5... even if you don't like the job you're doing, you probably won't be happy making the switch.

Excellent answer, Mr. Stein.

Thanks Mark for your very practical response. All of this rings true.