Stock Photographer Lise Gagne’s Story: From Photography as a Hobby to a Six-Figure Career

I always wanted to be a photographer.  Since a young age, I’ve been creative and curious. I could spend hours and hours admiring the pictures in books and magazines. At the age of 15, I took a photography class at school. With my savings, I bought my first real film camera. But photography was too expensive for me to pursue back then.  And my parents preferred to support me in a more stable career (not the short-lived one in the artistic world). So for the next 25 years, I pursued photography as a hobby. At around 40 years of age, with the arrival of digital, I decided to quit my graphic design day job and launch myself in full-time photography. I have no regrets, I made the right choice: now I know that I do the most wonderful job in the world. I’m a photographer! My job is exciting for several reasons… It allows me to fully exploit my creative and curious side. I get up early in the morning with no one to tell me what to do. I can develop concepts without constraints…and, without delay, I’m free to go looking for accessories, find the ideal subject, and be inspired by everything around me: a picture in a magazine, a character in the street, a television ad or just an object or item of clothing found in a shop. All this inspires me every day. My work as a photographer allows me to meet amazing people. I work most of the time with models. Usually, these models are not professional, because I prefer real people with vitality and emotion.  Also, as they have little or no experience, it allows me to train them as I want. I love capturing pictures of human spontaneity, innocence, and truth.  It’s all in the attitude of the eyes and expression. I get great satisfaction when I look at my images and see that I managed to do what I had imagined for my concept and often, I get more than I expected! Models also provide ideas that are amazing. We work as a team and it’s great! Photography allows me to travel around the world and meet other passionate photographers, too. Since I’m my own boss, I can walk out the door at any time. Through my work, I’m often called to take photos at events, create new photo shoots or make training photographs. I visit places I never thought to visit.   I meet amazing and inspiring people. Today I have friends and images from all over the world. It’s fantastic and rewarding. I force myself to shoot subjects that I would never do at home. Having an assignment is very challenging, motivational, and exciting. Photography also allows me to share my passion with others. I learned all alone and I’m still learning every day. I like to share to my knowledge with other photographers — it’s important to me. What I like the most about my job is the freedom it offers at all levels. I can work at home…at all hours, in pajamas, with coffee, good wine. I can make my schedule depending on the weather and enjoy the sun and the beautiful summer days that are so short in Quebec. I can enjoy life, go visit my family at all times, make road-trips, and take the opportunity to take some pictures. And, of course, there’s creative freedom. I can easily get up one morning with an idea and do it right away… or sometime later in the day. Sometimes, for more developed concepts, I have to work many hours, weeks, and even months to arrive at the image I want. It’s fun, challenging, and surprising. Finally, the beauty of this job is to show people a different side of a subject, an angle that they could never have imagined without my image. I love to surprise people with an image. I catch magic moments and make people dream, laugh, cry, smile… My images tell a story. With my camera I capture images of how I see the world…and share it with others. What could be more wonderful? [Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.  Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]