Like other posters mentioned, it's crazy hard to make a good living doing what you want artistically. E.g. take photography: the only way to make a living is to

Like other posters mentioned, it's crazy hard to make a good living doing what you want artistically. E.g. take photography: the only way to make a living is to shoot weddings, professional headshots, interior/architecture, or products for brands, which isn't exactly thrilling (how many times can you shoot Nike shoes or Ikea chairs before the excitement wears off?). If you want to shoot the stuff that you want to shoot, maybe edgy dark fashion, or quirky abstract art etc. you will be piss poor, especially considering most invest way too much in gear rather than actually doing the work. It's not unlike say being in a metal band. 99% of them have to have real jobs, even when they're "famous". It's just too much of a niche and making money with it is not obvious. At the same time, that seems only fair. Should you be paid more for doing something you enjoy doing? E.g. playing music/videogames/making art all day vs someone stacking boxes at a warehouse all day or an accountant looking at taxes etc. Most people have mind-numbingly boring jobs that pay the bills because nobody wants to do them. Making a living with the arts without "selling out" is super hard, probably not worth it to most.