I have been an amateur photographer for many years. For most of that time, my skill and training have combined to produce snapshot photos. This is a category of photo that I still happily stay in most of the time, as it is a good way to document my various trips and the activities I participate in. My education lets me make some better than average decisions, and I get a reasonable number of good images.

Still, I am working to do better. Part of my efforts to do so has been by becoming a semi-pro photographer. I knew from reading and looking at other people's photographic work that I have reached a point where I am good enough to start making money off my photography. It does not mean I've maxed out my skills, just that they have improved significantly. To challenge my skills, I've started shooting for micro-stock sales and have become a part of iStockphoto.

Now, if you look at my portfolio there, you can see some of my efforts that have been accepted there. You will also notice that the portfolio is not a large one. That is not because I am having trouble meeting the standards. It is because most of my work is not stock usable, so I do not even submit it. That is part of what is keeping me semi-pro rather than going full-time. That is a topic for another post however.

Still, it does work, and when I take time and focus on shooting something specifically for submission, I can meet the higher standards and add to my portfolio there. The extra attention is helping me continue to improve. Once I get enough photos in a series I am currently working on that is not stock, you may see another post listing another expansion of my photographic career.

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