In a recent television series, run by the BBC, they investigated the top 10 jobs people would really like to do if given the opportunity. Basically what would make you dash out of the front door first thing in a morning, eager to get to work? Well, the intriguing thing is that the top 5 choices are all 'creative' jobs, and at number 3 was 'Photographer'. Specifically, Freelance Photography, where you become your own boss.

There has been a massive rise in sales of Digital cameras and equipment, we are all delighting in the advantages of digital photography; comparatively low running costs, the potential to take a virtually unrestricted number of photographs at effectively no cost, and the advantage of being able to edit and print them out yourself. The last 24 months or so has also seen large increase in the number of digital SLR cameras being sold ? mainly, the SLR beginner models such as Nikon D50, Nikon D80, Nikon D40and Canon 350D.

Directly in proportion to this has been the increase of photography associated sites, forums, galleries - such as Flickr.com for example - where everyone forces their photographic endeavours on an unsuspecting public with relentless energy. Some great, some just ok and, to be quite honest, some absolutely dire undertakings. Mind you, with most people now tiring of the daily 9-5 grind of life in an office, this is a superb creative outlet.

Most amateur photographers are quite happy to continue with this for pleasure, but for me, I've always strived to find an income stream that can be built from something which most people would call a leisure pursuit. This is what I call Freelance Photography.

Now I'm not saying that you will suddenly turn into the next Lord Lichfield, David Bailey or Man-Ray, but there is quite reasonable money to be made in freelance photography, and the great thing is you don't have to be an excellent photographer - just fairly competent and in touch with the basics.

Here are some thoughts to get you started:

Sign Up with a stock photography agency site like www.shutterstock.com or www.dreamstime.com. In particular these are what are known as "micro-stock agencies". You upload your photographs for approval (by the editorial team) and once approved they can be downloaded by the agency's customers. With only a small number of photographs, this type of Freelance photography won't make you a millionaire straight away, but it will provide a steady residual income that increases as your portfolio increases.

Start your own website and sell prints directly to customers. There are several providers on the net who handle all the web design and shopping cart details. I have a colleague that makes quite a nice second wage by selling his landscape photographs of the Peak District in the UK. The best advice here is to find a niche in something you are good at, and focus your efforts within that area.

Sell your photographs to the local newspaper. Seriously, if you've taken any decent pictures of the local football game, or community event, then see if your paper will be interested in using it. This sounds like a long shot, but local papers (in fact, national newspapers) use freelance photographers all the time. They often can't afford to employ more than one or two permanently employed photographers.

So, good luck in your efforts. Even if you don't quite get to quit the day job, it is very realistic to attain a very decent second income which will pay for all the expensive lenses, filters and accessories that come with having photography as a hobby.

For more information, visit my website below.

www.digital-photography-pro.com