Hi @tony-g. Your time here is a little over a week and you've already made more than I probably made my first month!
Why would you give up on Steemit? If the goal is to start off making the amount you see in trending, then those goals are a tad bit unrealistic. At least, not yet. @simplymike did a great job explaining how engagement is key and I won't reiterate the same things. It's important to build relationships on here. The people that stop by my blog are the ones I've built relationships with in my time on here. These are the individuals that support me and I support in return when I get the chance to blog hop.
That being said, I do like your post on photography tricks. I'll stop by there to show my support. You are welcomed to use our #newbieresteemday hashtag for future posts and since you are a newbie, we'll also try to get you some extra exposure if you spent quality time writing it.