From pets and parties to products and pasta, photographers can earn a living taking pictures in many different ways.

By Sarah Keen

You know the stereotypical image of the high-fashion photo shoot: a photographer, a model, a well-lit studio, dozens of assistants. We've all seen it, maybe only in movies and TV - but that's OK.

Unfortunately, though, the reality is that only a handful of photographers make their living in this manner. While we always encourage people to follow their dreams...we'd like to suggest some alternate careers for the aspiring photographer in which you can actually earn a salary.

1. Event Photographer
Event photographers are experts in finding the perfect angle, the best lighting, and the right tone to capture those perfect moments at special events like weddings, birthday parties, and bar mitzvahs.

The Pay: Event photographers can make quite a bit, depending on experience and clientele. In fact, depending on the size and scope of the venue, a wedding photographer can take in $2,500 or more for one full day of shooting. Keep in mind, that you won't work every day and a job requires several days of preparation and follow-up. But, all in all, wedding photography is pretty nice work if you can get it.

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2. Photojournalist
Publications like newspapers, magazines, and journals depend on photojournalists to snap visual images to run with breaking news and other types of stories.

The Pay: According to simplyhired.com, a job search site, photojournalists make $33,000 per year on average. This number, of course, depends largely on the company you work for, the location you work from, the industry you choose, and the experience you have. If you have a lot of experience and want to go the Peter Parker route and work the freelance circuit, you could charge $100 an hour or $150 per purchased photo.

Another plus: Photojournalists often have the opportunity to travel all over the country - even the world.

3. Restaurant Photographer
Restaurant and food photographers take pictures of food used in menus and other settings. Photographers who hone their craft to cater to a few specific industries can carve out a niche in an industry as the "go-to" photographer.

The Pay: Food photographers make an average of $34,000, according to simplyhired.com. Pay varies by experience and state. For example, the average salary goes up to $45,000 for photographers snapping grub in food-crazy San Francisco.

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4. Pet Photographer
Animal photographers take pictures of pets, often traveling to the client's home or working from a studio. If you're not a pet person, you probably shouldn't think about this line of work. But if you are, don't you consider your pet part of the family? And shouldn't every family member have a few high-quality photos on the wall?

The Pay: Starting off, you might not make much. But once you've built a loyal clientele, done some networking, and got the word out about your services, the volume and reputation can lead to more money.

5. Portrait Photographer
This is probably the most traditional of all the photography careers here. You've seen the holiday cards people send and the framed, posed family photos on the wall, right? Well, portrait photographers are the ones who shoot them.

You'll need to be a people person in this line of work, as wrangling little Billy and Jenny to smile on cue is not easy task!

The Pay: The hourly rates for portraits can range from $50 to $500. Some photographers set a price for a set of portraits in agreement with the client. Keep in mind, you'll need to deliver your photos to the client as well, which can involve digital asset management, printing, and more.

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6. Product Photographer
Product photographers take photographs for retailers for websites, catalogs, and stores. This segment of the photography trade can really bring in the big bucks. If you think about some online retailers selling thousands of products with five or six photos for each product... you do the math.

The Pay: Photographers in this trade might work on an hourly rate similar to portrait photographers or enter into an agreement with a client for a certain amount of work at a certain price.

Training for Your Photography Career

Entry-level photography positions generally require a college degree in photography.

You can generally find photography degree programs at art and design schools across the country. Two-year and vocational colleges also offer photography training programs of varying lengths that cover introductory photography and more specific advanced techniques such as digital photography, portraiture, landscape photography, and more.