<p>I have a friend who is a photographer. He doesn’t do weddings except for friends. He does 8th grade graduation, proms, senior portraits. Things like that. He does have an assistant for lighting, carrying, holding lighting screens, etc. You definitely need an extra pair of hands for that. You do have to start out volunteering so you can get some shots to show people. Lots of photographers use sites like smugmug to expedite selling prints. They charge for their time, a sitting fee and let the customer handle the rest.</p>
<p>DadII, there are more focused places to ask this question. You might want to try perusing DPR’s [Pro</a> Digital Talk Forum](<a href=“Forums: Digital Photography Review”>Pro Digital Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review) and even asking about making money from your hobby with your new pro gear – you’ll almost certainly get some interesting opinions and valuable insight from the pros there.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your inputs such as insurance etc. I am developing a portfolio by VOLUNTEERING my time to exchange for their time as models. </p>
<p>No, I am not buying Hasselblad level of equipment. let’s just say that my car’s value more than doubles with my gears in it.</p>
<p>To me, even the best experts of the best equipment could only be an 8. To get above 8, one must have some unique set of artistic eyes. </p>
<p>Well, the information and my gears are enough for me to get started. Thank you all.</p>
<p>Agreed that you don’t need to do everything bookiemom says to file a Schedule C tax return regarding business income and losses. You may or may not have to do some of them - check with your State Attorney General’s office or relevant agency re business licensing. (I wouldn’t be surprised if photography requires no license; my business does… but you’ll just have to check).</p>
<p>You’ll also have to check with a tax advisor re writing off your equipment cost. As others have side, the IRS is well “on to” the writing off of hobby expenses. So, while you do not have to earn a profit at the very outset in order to write off your investment and expenses, you do have to show income and a profit within a certain period of time in order to write such things off.</p>