Can you work professionally as a photographer?

I have always been very passionate about photography. And I'm constantly taking photos everywhere. I'm even thinking about buying a good camera (any ideas about a reasonably priced, good quality camera?).

But I've heard there's not much money in it, and if you do want to start it is said to be extremely hard to get noticed.

But I'm not just talking about taking family photos, weddings etc, I'm also meaning just genuine photos that you take around the world, that are original and may involve pets, animals etc.

Is there any money in it? How do you get noticed? How do you even start?

Certainly - I have a friend who is incredibly good - she does weddings, proms, all sorts. But the added string to her bow is that her husband frames the work. A great combo!

Put simply, you have to be better, more driven, harder-working and have more business sense than 99 per cent of the people who consider themselves photographers.

That won't be so hard when comparing yourself to the stupid teenage girls who pollute Facebook with their garbage, but if you're serious about it, you will really have to apply yourself. While talent is important, work ethic and a sense of the long term are equally so.

If you are asking what kind of camera to buy, you're far from ready to consider a career of it at the moment. You should read up on the subject until you know what kind of camera is the best for what you want to do. For instance, a wedding photographer may well use a Nikon D800, but not a D800e - and a knowledgeable photographer will know why (something called moire, which I imagine you've never heard of yet). Similarly, a sports photographer would use neither and pack a D4 instead.

Some photographers have one or two areas in which they are expert, but others are generalists who shoot all manner of things. You would have to decide which way you want to go. For instance, the photographer Nick Knight is a specialist (in fashion), whereas Joe McNally is a generalist. They are both world class, though.

You would have to spend some time learning how good photos are taken and then doing so yourself. Then you would have to convince people that your photos are worth paying for - and that's a tough one in this day and age. One thing to realize is that it has nothing to do with having millions of followers on joke sites like Instagram. Most serious photographers wouldn't be seen dead on such sites, although a few use them for publicity and making new potential clients.

Lastly, passion is nice, but on its own it doesn't pay the bills.

Yes, you can, and there's even the possibility of making a living from it.

Start by making yourself aware of the science and art of photography, and applying this. It's all about using and controlling light. Read as many photography books you can get your hands on - Scott Kelby has some great books.
Only invest in equipment that you can afford - photo equipment is expensive, and you may not want to continue after a certain period of time. Learn how to use the equipment you do invest in properly. Nikon, Olympus and Canon are all good, strong names in photography, and offer great cameras, from start ups to professional.

I actually found that using an old film camera for a while gave me a much better knowledge of how cameras work and how to use the light.

Practice; if you want to follow this, do it every day - fulfil your creative necessity. This will mean you contact people about events - including weddings - and ask if they need a photographer. Build a portfolio and put it there

Thank you, Sal, for your encouraging answer, too!