This week we begin a new series looking at interesting career choices. This week, Nina Palmer talks to a professional photographer

Flashing cameras, huddles of paparazzi and a life spent meeting the rich and famous that's the common view of the life of a professional photographer. The reality, however, is vastly different, as The Guardian's own senior photographer, Ryo Hayashida, knows only too well.

"I've wanted to be a photographer since the age of 20. I had always taken pictures but never thought I would carry it on as a career," says the 32-year-old. "The other path I was pursuing was music but this didn't suit me as I'm not a performer."

With only 15 per cent of Ryo's time spent actually taking photographs, more than half his day is spent riding his scooter from job to job and back to the office for his next round of orders.

"There's no such thing as a typical day, which is part of the attraction. Most of my day is spent going from one job to another, which can be anything from schools to local fairs to people achieving something special."

With people having mixed reactions to having their picture taken, the Tokyo-born photographer experiences many different feelings towards him. "Adults are fine, as they expect me to be there and as long as I turn up on time, they are okay. Children seem to feel intimidated by me, which does make it a problem to photograph them.

"Going to someone's funeral is the worst job to do, as you know you're not welcome there. I understand why and try to be invisible." Ryo had the unhappy assignment of photographing the funeral of Christopher Colmer, the 15-year-old Harrow cadet who tragically died in a bus crash, in August 2000.

"I was sorry for the family and friends for the fact that I had to be there," he says. "I wouldn't choose to go to something like that but sometimes you have to disassociate yourself from your feelings and try to do your best."

Nor does Ryo think photographers are as glamorous as people imagine.

"Unfortunately I'm not always proud of my work. There is always some factor that can be bettered," he says.

"It is difficult to say what my best photograph has been as it is hard to say whether a photograph was good because of the subject or the way I took it."

However, the job does have its high points. "My most exciting experience was photographing Nelson Mandela. I was over the moon to be in the position of meeting him. He shook everyone's hand, including mine.

"Unfortunately, I didn't get his autograph. I never thought I would meet someone as famous as Nelson Mandela, but that's not the reason I'm in the business.

"I would rather take a picture of someone ordinary and if that ordinary person thinks I've taken a good picture of them, then that is worth as much as anything."