any photographers here need advice?

HI Erwin

What camera do you have?
I'm a bit out of touch with what the latest ones are (I believe mirrorless is all the thing these days).
I've got a Canon 5DIII up in the loft along with a full set of studio lights, background vinyls, etc.

What about glass? Do you have some nice lenses?
My favourite is probably my 70-200 2.8 L (I can't remember is it is IS or not).
I think the motor or something went wrong on my 24-105L 

Ah okay that is good then, sorry I offered up useless advice I misunderstood your post. 

Do you use loops or something similar as they can help with sensory overload from sound. Check them out and see what you think. Otherwise I think graded exposure may help, so purposefully put yourself in crowded areas and sit with the discomfort and anxiety without the pressure of photographing an event. Hopefully with time it will get easier and become more normal.

I used to find photography as a hobby extremely rewarding. I also did some paid work - portraits, pet portraits and several weddings.
Believe me, it can be very difficult and is extremely draining.

Yes, its great when your client's face lights up when they see the results, but so much stress and work goes into getting to the point of presenting the final product.

You also need to take into considerations things like insurance, tax, etc.

I haven't touched any of my [high end] photography gear for several years now.
I fell out of love with it when I had a confrontation with a friend's official photography who was mad aware in advance that I would also be there taking pro level photos. The guy was quite thrown by the level of gear that I rocked up with - maybe even a little threatened. 

Even when I was so in love with photography I considered going full time pro. but the demands were just too much (and that is before I really started to struggle with my autism).

Erwin said:

I just wanna do something fulfilling and something that I enjoy even doing alongside other stuff.

That's a great way of looking at it, I think.

Erwin said:

Do you only use Shutterstock? I have thought about selling prints of pictures I have taken in small batches. 

I don't use them any longer.

I removed my portfolio due to the 10 cent sales.

I have a small port on Wirestock and then a small port with a specialist agency.

Yes, there are quite a few sites where you can do what you suggest (unless you want to use your own website to sell from).

I think you can sell direct from Wirestock now actually but there's also Fine Art America and in the UK Photo4Me and quite a few other options I believe.

I already own a high-end camera, and having the feeling of gear isn't my main issue, It's not knowing where to start or even how to manage my fear of big crowds in that kind of sense. 

I will be watching more YouTube videos about it and trying to improve my skills and everything around that. i

Thank you for your feedback, it has helped me massively. 

Thank you. earning massive income isn't a big problem for me. I just wanna do something fulfilling and something that I enjoy even doing alongside other stuff.

Do you only use Shutterstock? I have thought about selling prints of pictures I have taken in small batches. 

I really appreciate your feedback.

I would start by visiting a shop that sells cameras like Currys, and hold the cameras and see which one feels more comfortable in your hands. Then you can either get it, or seek one out 2nd hand but be careful where you get 2nd hand gear from. 

Next, go to YouTube and Google and watch and learn as much as you possibly can about how to use the camera and then learn about the manual settings and how they work and how they influence the photos you take. 

And practice, practice practice practice as much as you can do. Do not start doing it professionally until you are up to a professional standard. 

And there are soooo many different areas of photography, you need to find what you are good at photographing and what you're comfortable photographing before you can decide what you will do for a living. You don't necessarily have to do weddings if that isn't your thing. 

Erwin said:

as a job

Are you able to get by on a relatively small salary by doing bits of work here and there for clients or were you hoping for a full-time role?

Stock photography has done a good job of killing most work for photographers so making a full-time living is hard.

There used to be photographer roles in the media, but often now a reporter takes along their phone + snaps some shots.

So, phones have downgraded photography too in the professional sense, making it much easier to take your own photos without a professional camera.

There's a photographer I know of who just does family photos in a studio setting at her own home.

She has all the professional lighting and props and clothes for the children and seems successful.

Erwin said:

do you find photography hard when meeting new people and doing weddings?

I just do photography for stock sites, with only occasionally family members but when I do I find it very hard, especially children.

There was a time when good earnings could be made with stock photography but sadly that has been downgraded enormously.

The most common payment by Shutterstock for a sale is 10 cents.

My husband has done wedding photography quite a few times and finds it very stressful (and he isn't autistic).

You can have so many things go wrong, least of all the weather, and there are huge expectations on you for capturing those special moments perfectly.

I was his assistant for one wedding of Greek people who didn't speak any English and it was like herding cats.

All the best.