I was originally self-taught in photography, but that only goes so far, so I added formal schooling afterward. That said, it was when I started shooting for newspapers that I really learned. I shoot for my local papers (the Oakville Beaver, Burlington Post, Milton Champion) and have been published in the Hamilton Spectator, Toronto Sun, Toronto Star, West of the City Magazine, and others.
I was slow starting - but that is worth doing since you need to learn, and learning takes time. It was fantastic to start selling pictures, to see that people liked my work. The disappointment is that today, people do not value photography; or rather, they do not easily perceive the value in having a pro do it. Where shoots would be worth thousands, they are now worth hundreds. Somehow, the $30,000 in equipment in a pro's car and the years of learning has to be paid for.
Uncle Fred with his digital SLR thinks he can do it too - but he can't, not really. My disappointment is that a photographer all to often earns half of what a dental hygienist earns. But that should not put anyone off. Persevere. If you have a vision, make it real.