"I had not started from scratch, but had been pursuing photography and filmmaking as a side hustle for more than a decade, which gave me a substantial understanding of potential revenue streams. However, I quickly learned the hard truth that part-time and full-time creative work are fundamentally different pursuits. When you're earning from creative projects while maintaining a salary, that steady paycheck covers your expenses, and creative income feels like a bonus."
"At the start of this new phase of my journey, I defined myself simply: a storyteller who uses photography, short films, and writing to inspire people. My background included landscape photography, street photography, portraiture, cinematic short films, travel documentaries, and client projects, all of which I did while maintaining my corporate career. I had already established a foundation: YouTube content featuring photography vlogs, tutorials, and gear reviews. This existing portfolio gave me confidence that transitioning to full-time creative work would be achievable."
A transition from a two-decade software career to full-time photography and filmmaking occurred one year ago. Prior part-time work spanned over a decade and included landscape, street, portrait, cinematic short films, travel documentaries, client projects, and YouTube content with vlogs, tutorials, and gear reviews. Part-time creative income had previously supplemented a steady salary, but full-time creative work removed that financial safety net. Sixteen years of disciplined savings and strategic investments provided essential backup support. The shift required redefining professional identity from IT professional to creative entrepreneur and exposed complexities in running a creative business beyond technical and artistic skills.
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