a hobby...

Joe ... a friend of mine had some professional photos done of her daughter and paid good money for them. When she showed them to me my thoughts were "Christ ... I've seen far better stuff on this forum" ... from people like you and many others who frequent it ... and who, by their own admission are not working professionals.

I would like to be recognised artistically and also receive some type of remuneration for my work ... and intend working towards that goal if possible. If I don't succeed, which is a likely fact of life, it wont stop me from taking photographs and gaining the pleasure it gives me now.

I will always see value in my own work and if others don't, I'll just have to accept that fact and not worry too much about what I need to do to change their perceptions! :)
 
I love the fact that it's my hobby. I don't have the pressure of satisfying a client. I can be as "creative" as I want to be. If someone asks me, "What is that?!?" in that scornful manner, I can politely reply that it may be a bit too avant garde for them to appreciate.
 
It's definintely a hobby for me. If I didn't have to work, it would be a full time hobby. But probably not a job. A) I still have lots to learn B) I'm not that good.
 
I sell prints now and again and do volunteer work for a local conservation group.
I'm actively working toward selling more prints, but I don't go at it with the energy that would be needed to be really sucessful. I don't have it to spare and that level of dedication would likely take the fun out of it.
I'd love to be "discovered" and make a living selling prints. The main obsticles to that miracle are that I'm not good enough or prolific enough.

I NEED this hobby. It's the one thing in my life that is about me, my priorities, my direction and my view of the world.
When my wife balks at my hobby I remind her of how much a shrink charges by the hour. If she still balks, I mention how expensive divorces tend to be.
 
Joe, I think you should go for it. Shoot a story, post it on the web, spread the word (start here), see what happens. A friend of mine whose day job is not photography just went from total obscurity in the art world to an offical brick & mortar gallery exhibit in a major metropolis in under a year, all he had were two photo-reportages. One is never too old for anything.
 
IF you want to be famous, you can't WAIT to be discovered, you have to SHOVE it down their throats,

or be incredibly LUCKY. You need to be a salesman.

Actual talent plays a smaller role than you may think.

(This is just my somewhat jaded view.)
 
greyhoundman said:
To be truthful. He took his cameras and went shooting. He found it so addicting, he can't stop.
I've got some of his prints that would knock your socks off.
Click to expand...

Are you sure it isn't a red haired green eyed girl who is occupying his time?

I just subscribed to that publication, I can't wait to see his work.
 
FrankS said:
IF you want to be famous, you can't WAIT to be discovered, you have to SHOVE it down their throats,

or be incredibly LUCKY. You need to be a salesman.

Actual talent plays a smaller role than you may think.

(This is just my somewhat jaded view.)
Click to expand...

I disagree. To be a famous photographer. Talent is the most important quality.

Now I'm waiting for a sleuth of people giving examples to the contrary. I'll just respond by saying that you're all bitter.
 
FrankS said:
IF you want to be famous, you can't WAIT to be discovered, you have to SHOVE it down their throats,

or be incredibly LUCKY. You need to be a salesman.

Actual talent plays a smaller role than you may think.

(This is just my somewhat jaded view.)
Click to expand...

I agree with that.

I disagree. To be a famous photographer. Talent is the most important quality.

Now I'm waiting for a sleuth of people giving examples to the contrary. I'll just respond by saying that you're all bitter.
Click to expand...

The way I read Frank, he's not saying that talent is not needed, nor that it is not the most important prerequisite. But I think he says that talent is not enough - you need to have certain managerial skills to promote your work, even a predilection for some elbow pushing, or, in the absence of that, a healthy dose of luck. I think he's right.
 
familiar? No.
I have no chance. But i'm fine with that, since I like the activity itself, as hobby. and with an occasional reasonable shot that pleases me and that I dare to show to others too.
 
Like most other things in life, to be a really successful photographer, I assume it takes 5% talent and 95% sweat - unless you are very lucky. Talent is overrated - home-runs are rare.

Roland.
 
FrankS said:
IF you want to be famous, you can't WAIT to be discovered, you have to SHOVE it down their throats,

or be incredibly LUCKY. You need to be a salesman.

Actual talent plays a smaller role than you may think.

(This is just my somewhat jaded view.)
Click to expand...
Ouch! Frank, what happened?
 
greyhoundman, i regularly check that iste of him, alas many of the images don't load, just red crosses appear...
I subscriubed to the magnachrom. Seems to be an interesting ...something.
 
Eo !

My ears where buzzing like mad in the train home, lol.

> how did he ever escape and get a real life?

Honestly, it's quite easy. In the end it resulted that real life was just out there, and most times, it 's happy to have new visitors ;)

The red head green eyed girl would have been nice also, but well, one step at a time.

Have fun and enjoy the ride you all, in the end that's what we're going to take with us.

Oscar

PS: Btw, MF and LF users will find there plenty of useful information. Of course I won't say I have no relationship this time :p but it's really worth checking, and the works from Don Kirby and B.A. Bosaiya blew my socks off. Seeing it is also a pleasantly humbling experience, I must say.
 
"The way I read Frank, he's not saying that talent is not needed, nor that it is not the most important prerequisite. But I think he says that talent is not enough - you need to have certain managerial skills to promote your work, even a predilection for some elbow pushing, or, in the absence of that, a healthy dose of luck."

Yes, that is what I mean.

Hi Oscar! Congrats!
 
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I Guess 'The Dream is Over'

I Guess 'The Dream is Over'

Or so says Mr. Lennon.

Talent = Fortitude in the face of failure
Skill = Learning from mistakes

Fortitude in business does not necessarilly equal success. Fortitude at art MAY make an artist but it does not guarantee success.

Mick Jagger says: 'No artist was ever discovered holed away in his garret'.

Having been born to a family of frustrated artists, and lost my my home and family for my artistic ambitions I find my self in middle age still devoted to nothing else. My closest friends are all artists as well, and I believe our most common attribute is that we are all misfits in some way. You know who we are. We're the folks who didn't let the guitar become a closet queen, the guy whose camera is on his 3rd CLA, the lady who had to choose between moving the couch or her paintings (and I'm all three!).

Finally, I can show a small portion of my work on the web. I can let my little light shine. I've had nearly 5000 hits since last August to my little site. Still there's no real money, and probably never will be, but finally someone has noticed and I have an independant venue.
 
shutterfiend said:
I love the fact that it's my hobby. I don't have the pressure of satisfying a client. I can be as "creative" as I want to be. If someone asks me, "What is that?!?" in that scornful manner, I can politely reply that it may be a bit too avant garde for them to appreciate.
Click to expand...

This makes me recall a couple of things. The first was from my ad design prof. He said, "What you a creating in this class is not art. What you are creating is something that satisfies the needs, and/or desires, of your client. Art is something you create to satisfy yourself."

The second I read decades ago, and if from the singer/writer/ music producer Nick Lowe. He stated, "Of course I'm an artist, but I can be a prostitute if its a matter of the rent being due."
 
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