A question for the teens out there

Ok, for those of us without careers and huge amounts of disposable income (i.e. teenagers), how do you guys afford photography? Any suggestions for someone whose about to have to pay for car insurance on top of everything else?

 

I rob banks





haha. Just kidding. Its really about setting a goal and saving up. Also try to find second hand gear. Not really sure what kind of photography your into but there are some oppurtunitys there. You could do things like take pictures of local sports and find a way to sell the pics to parents.

 

I have a part time job, and I save everything I can! I never spend my own money if I can help it (call me a tightwad, meh) - like on lunches and stuff. I live at home, so bringing a packed lunch costs me nothing. I guess you just have to proiritize your 'needs', and doing some simple math can make it easy to see where pinching a penny could be useful.

Of course, I don't have a DSLR yet... But I've kind of arranged for the body to be a grad gift from my parents, and then I'll buy all the lenses and stuff, which is really adding up.

And I don't have a car or anything yet. I do, however, partboard a horse, and that takes $275 from my wallet a month, in addition to the equipment.

I'd like to hear what others are going to say...

 

Work construction, work many hours (65+), bank the overtime.

 

I do things the old fasiond way.....With obsolete cameras and lenses

Film SLRs and used lenses on a discontinued mount.

 

I get my gear by being patient, getting name-brand stuff, and not buying the cheap gear.

The poor person always pays twice, oh "i'll get a P&S now, and a D40 later when I can afford it". Now you've just bought 2 things.

I also get the name brand, expensive stuff so when I want to sell it, I don't' lose too much value.

eg. I had a Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 that I really only paid $300 for.

Now I shoot with a D70 and 18-70 now, but that's becuase when I was going from house-to-house, I had a hard time affording rent, hence why I sold the 17-55. Life isn't fair.

 

hahah i negotiated a birthday + christmas + saving-up-all-the-money-i-can deal with my parents (im 16 if thats relevant) to get my K100D with an extra lens
however, now that i got an actual job i just need to save up all over again to get any other stuff that i want (currently its an external flash unit)
pretty much patience is a virtue for the teenage photographer =P

 

Im 17.
I work 3 jobs, and go to school(Sr. year). I also work as a photographer. I do small time weddings, portraits, models, bands promos, live band shots, and just about everything in between.
All the money i make at my 3 part time jobs goes to savings for college. The money I make with photography, goes right back in to photo equipment. ( Sad side note, I had saved up just enough to buy up some white lightning strobes and soft boxes, and my car got t-boned in a parking lot. Now that money is going to buy a new car...)

At some times during the day, I feel as though I am violating some law of physics...

My point is that you have to get out there, and work your ass off! Things dont just come to you, you have to go and get it.

 

I'm 20, but this still applies as i'm in college. I've bought both of my camera bodies with money from payperpost.com . I wont explain it on here because it'd take me a while and i have had to explain it so many times that i just cant do it anymore. it IS a great way to make extra cash and i highly recommend it as a legitimate way of making money. The rest of my stuff has mostly come from my photography jobs. I'm working on the yearbook staff here as well as being a student photographer for our school's university relations. payperpost was by far one of the best things though, because it was like getting my cameras for almost free, and thats a great feeling, especially when you buy a 1400 dollar camera body.

 

I worked throughout all of grade 12 (at a camera store, so that helped with the discount). But I am not going to lie, I am primarily a leach. Most of my gear is borrowed from a relative - which gives me the opportunity to try different lenses and determine what I want to save up for for 100% use. I am a huge believer in finding a photography buddy with the same gear lineup and swapping. It saves everyone money and gives you a much larger range of gear to work with

 

I'm 17, and have about $1,800 worth of stuff. I used to work at a grochery store, and waited 3 long months, and saved most of my money. I really didn't buy anything else except when I went places with my friends..Even then I kept stuff cheap. I waited till after I got my 40D to buy my Xbox 360, Ipod...etc..
You just gotta be patient, but when you finally see that two grand in your acount, it's a GREAT feeling!!

 

well i am 23 and i use my income tax money to buy my gear it helps i have 3 kids i get like 4Gs back every year so thats how i bought my camera this year so nect year i'll be getting my monster zoom lens lol =)