Photography as a Glamorous Job?

It's funny how many different ideas there are about photography. I know that when I tell people that I shot the photos on the back wall of JJ's (and I don't even know how many are up now, but I'm thinking at least 100) they either tell me how easy photography is or they tell me how hard the type of shooting I'm doing (low lighting action shots is). One thing is for sure, everyone says it, and the wedding photography if they know about that, is cool, often they call it the best job ever.

In a recent survey by Salary.com people would seem to agree with the latter sentiment as it was number 4 on a list of today's most glamorous jobs. Here's what they say:

"4 – Photographer
The pay: $27,850/year

The allure: A typical day on the job involves meeting high-profile celebrities, traveling to exotic locales and seeing your work on the cover of Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Could you BE any cooler?

The reality: Most photographers start off on pretty modest pay as assistants and work their way up. If you're not persistent about pursuing work and marketing yourself, Glamour Shots might be as glamorous as it gets."

As for me, though I've photographed Trent Reznor (http://media.www.thespartandaily.com/media/storage/paper852/news/2005/12/07/Ae/Nin-Comes.To.Town-1501483.shtml), Fiona Apple and Coldplay with a pit pass I didn't get to meet them one on one. I am planning on traveling this year to shoot but for individual clients. It seems like these people were thinking only of magazine photographers, a small sector of a large market of jobs. Still, I agree, it is one of the coolest, most glamorous jobs.