After graduation, Shih returned to Lukang to teach, where he gradually became interested in photography. In 1961 he spent half his annual salary to buy a top-of-the-line Canon camera, initiating his career as an amateur photographer.
師範畢業後，施純夫返回鹿港任教，逐漸對攝影產生興趣，一九六一年傾盡半年薪水買了一部「高級」相機 CANON，開始了他業餘的攝影習作。