Sometimes you get sober and open your eyes to seemingly banal things. There is money in photography, but only in certain genres. In creativity, it often happens like this: either a soul or money. But there are exceptions, if the soul matches what is in demand in the photography market.
If photography takes a whole life, like mine, then you need to start to distinguish between hobbies and work.
There are themes and genres that need and can be sold, but there is a pure creative hobby that will be interesting only to oneself.
How do you know what is in demand in the photography market?
You need to look at the most expensive fashion glossy magazines - not necessarily there will be only fashion portraits, there are magazines like National Geographic.
You can also see the most expensive gallery sites and elite photo stocks. That's what is expensive there, and that is what you need to strive for. Everything is outrageously logical!
Other ways not to make a lot of money from photography. To shoot on the table in the hope that sometime in the distant future your archives will be in demand - stupid and empty self-hypnosis.
Looking at your picture, you need to ask yourself the question: will be able to hang this picture on the wall in an elite office as an interior decoration?
Or you can ask another question: is your photo suitable for publication in a magazine? Or to print in a book?
Or at least in a regional newspaper?
Or to design a website?
If none of the answers fits, then all your attempts are self-indulgence and it will not interest anyone except yourself.
One should always, without exception, think about at least one of the above questions.
Otherwise there will be no growth. Never. Contests, except for the most prestigious ones, will not give the desired results, except for self-satisfaction.
You are not going to stop at the first place in the regional photo contest called "Autumn Palette" or "Lyrics of Golden Autumn"? Do you want to achieve success at least at the level of the country?
In fact, these motivational speeches are not only for everyone, but more for myself...
Sometimes you need a sobering kick in the ass to stop pampering.