Is being a career photographer viable in 2022?

While I can't directly answer your question, as I am in a very similar position. I have my SW Engineering job for my 9-5, but have been exploring posting my photography publicly and exploring the world of social media and photography lately. I do think that social media has enabled a new kind of paid photographer, that builds a solid following, get's paid to post via sponsorships and brand deals. I guess it's a borderline influencer type thing at this point.

I've also seen around my local scene, a lot of people who get paid to shoot all sorts of events from the Renaissance Fair, to Pride, or smaller cultural events around the city. I think there's a lot of opportunity outside of shooting weddings but it requires some hustling and networking to make it work.