Art center?

[Jeremy Z]

Wow Zack. If you are smart enough & dedicated enough, be a doctor.

Keep photography as a hobby. If it becomes work, it will no longer be (as much) fun. As a doctor, you will be able to pursue photography if you want to. You could even work part time as a doctor (once you're established) and buy & set up a photo studio.

As a photographer, the chances are that you'll barely be able to pay the rent. Not that some don't make it big, it's just that the odds are against you. Kind of like being a professional athlete.

On the other hand, if you really feel that passionate about photography, and you're not the kind of person to jump from thing to thing, maybe you could succeed at it. Heck, if you like what you're doing enough, you don't HAVE to be making good money, because it feels like a hobby!

I wouldn't make that gamble though. If you can hack it, do medicine. You can see the world on your salary and get to locations that you can only dream of otherwise.

A few years back, there was an artical in National Geographic about their photographers. It was excellent. I think I have that issue somewhere still.

 

[craig]

I certainly think this is the wrong place to be asking a question like this. There are many many people out there making tons of money with photography so it is not such a far-fetched thing as some of the people here might lead you to believe. This kind of decision can only be made by figuring out for youself what you want to do. Medicine is a field that takes of course hard work and dedication but the thing about photography is that your career after school is entirely up to you there will never be an ad in the paper that says "Wanted National Geographic Photographer" you need to have the motivation drive and of course talent to self-promote and hustle.

Jip hit he preverbial nail on the head. I have found that there is money in photography. You will succeed if you are serious.

 

[ladyphotog]

Don't go to photography school, it is a waste of time and money. You can learn all you need to by assisting. Go to med school and learn photography on the side or when you get out. I got my degree from RIT and it wasn't worth the money or time and I'm still paying off the loans.