Types

• Some digital-photography careers are obvious, like fashion and portrait work. Photo shoots with models, brides and schoolchildren are part of the normal routine in this line of work. Other digital-photography careers are less readily apparent, like paparazzi gigs or field-service work for mortgage companies. Most digital-photography careers are freelance, meaning that you work for yourself; but there are staff positions for photographers at newspapers, magazines and portrait studios.
  
  

Time Frame

• You can begin your career as a digital photographer as soon as you read this article. If you have a digital camera and know how to upload pictures, you can begin researching potential companies who pay for digital photography--and all it takes is a click of your mouse. There are short online courses available that teach digital photography, and art school is another option for those who want a more in-depth knowledge of lighting, content and other fundamentals.
  
  

Misconceptions

• There is a broad market for digital photography, and you do not need special training or even an expensive camera to earn a living in this field. Mortgage and insurance companies hire independent contractors to take pictures of homes, cars and other equipment. All that is required is a digital camera and Internet access so you can upload the pictures. There are websites like Scoopt that will pay you for a candid, interesting picture of an event, a celebrity or any subject that may have wide appeal. You don't need to be a professional paparazzo to earn like one; you just need to be in the right place at the right time, with your digital camera in hand.
  
  

Considerations

• You don't have to make digital photography a career choice; you can consider it a hobby that makes you money. Upload your pictures to a stock photography website, and you can be paid multiple times for each one they accept. This could be a little extra spending money or several hundred dollars per month, depending on the quality and popularity of your shots.
  
  

Potential

• Paparazzi can make thousands of dollars for a good celebrity shot; wedding photographers make hundreds to thousands for one wedding. Whether your career involves working as a staff photographer for a magazine, or as a freelance digital photographer working for a variety of companies, taking pictures with your digital camera can be very profitable.