Becoming a photographer or writer is at the top of many people’s dream list, but few people are comfortable with the risks required to make either a viable career. It requires dedication, persistence, and creativity to simply create great work and then you need to find a way to sell it. It’s tough and only the thick-skinned and lucky survive.

“In fact, if you do not feel like photography is something you are called to – by God, your gifts, your talents, a small nagging voice inside, or just an overwhelming passion for it – then it’s probably not the right choice for you. Finding a life through the lens is not hard – if it’s what you love, it’s easy. but making a living is tough.” from Visionmongers by David duChemin.

As many people know, I graduated from Western Academy of Photography with a diploma in Journalism and Photography. After that, I completed an online New Media course with the Matador Network. Both programs gave me a solid foundation of photography and writing skills but, sadly, business skills were not often part of the lesson plan. With this blog, my intention is to not only encourage people to take the first step to becoming a creative professional but to create a resource that helps with the journey by providing the bare-bones business process required to go from selling a single image to making a living.

While photography and writing are often solitary pursuits, I believe in collaboration. In that light, I’ve reached out to many of the photographers and writers whom I admire to answer a short interview about their journey. They’ve responded enthusiastically with business advice, personal stories, and the occasional word of warning. Over the course of 2011, I’ll be posting their answers as part of my new Interviews category.

I hope you appreciate their time, effort and answers as much as I have. The first interview will be posted on Monday, January 31, 2010.