I fell into photography by force and by chance. My job has me working with all types of media, from designing logos and magazine layouts to green screen work and even audio recording / editing. I have been building a green screen studio piece by piece and on a shoestring budget for years, but never thought of taking the leap to photography.
The 'chance' part came from my desire to have the smallest laptop I could find without sacrificing performance. The 11" macbook air is the only thing that fits that criteria.... and there are virtually no backpacks or slings designed for it... but incase makes a DSLR sling that has a pocket designed for that exact laptop.
80 bucks later I had a very empty backpack. This would never do. I began the hunt and dove into the darkest corners of the internet. Researching like crazy what I would need to get into the business, watching tutorial videos, reading blogs, and studying lighting. I spent weeks - literally hundreds of hours. I taught myself photography the same way I learned computer repair, web design, and every other skill I have acquired that pays the bills. I read everything I could find until I knew every forum thread, webinar, and blog by heart. I knew everything about how a DSLR camera works (seriously.. like the science behind CCD and CMOS - did you know a digital camera can't see color? FASCINATING!) and the specs of most makes and models. I knew the triangle of light. I memorized the f stop values. I... still needed to buy a camera. I did discover that other than the camera / lens, and maybe a decent speedlite, I had almost everything I needed.
So, here I am. 3 weeks after I opened the box on my first DSLR. I have not had a paying client yet, and I have four established photographers in town. I believe I am better than all of them already. I just need the chance to prove it. I'm just thankful the most important piece of gear is 5" behind the lens, and that fits well into my budget.