Why try and start a photography business in a time and place where everyone is a photographer? I cant go anywhere without seeing a photographer. The competition is fierce to say the least. You have the mamarazzi, the weekend warriors, the GWC's the perves, the students, heck even the teachers are all willing to take portraits, team photos, weddings, maternity, newborn, product and cake smash pictures the list goes on and on. And they do it for nothing, nada, zilch, zero. Hey, I'm just trying to build up my port, you know? Thats all good and fine, all the power to ya. Giver! Or is it? What are you trying to build you port up for? So you can start a company and compete with the next generation of port builders? Its a never ending cycle. How then does one compete? How indeed. I personally think that some of the fringe photographers do it for recognition. Hey your a photographer? wow, how cool? Then there are the gear lovers, addicted to new gear and obsessed with having something newer (therefore better) than the guy next to him. Yeah but this lens has Quadra axis super hyper image stabilization. (because last years model didn't take sharp pictures while strapped to the horn of a stampeding buffalo.) The book photographers who do everything by the rules. Oh gad, look at this pic, so, not obeying the rule of thirds. Garbage! So many varieties of photographer and with that there are so many takes on great photography. The common bond though is that we all love photography and want to be successful at it. The secret, I think, to being successful is to focus on what you love most about it, where you feel your creativity is best served. Find your happy place and rock it. Don't be bound by restraints, be they, gear, reputation, or popular opinion, create what you need to create. There you will find your success, weather financial or spiritual, success should only be measured by you. Right now my personal success comes in knowing that I am home each night and there is work to do tomorrow, taking pictures. Yay for me! :) And Go Oilers GO!!