How many members have a photography related occupation?

[hamradio]

I was wondering this today...how many people around here currently have or had at one time a photography related job? I'm beginning to heavily consider a photography related major. (though I'm more or less completely undecided)

 

[Gumby]

This seems like a rather familiar question - hasn' t this been asked several times in the past couple of years... or is it my imagination?

The answer, my young friend is "yes." Although you didn't ask, I never had a formal photographic education. Good luck to you on whatever you choose to study.

 

[Al Kaplan]

I've earned my living primarily as a photographer for all my adult life. I'd suggest a major in psychology or social anthropology, with maybe a minor in some form of writing like creative writing or journalism, or even business administration. Sometimes I wished that I'd studied political science because of the type of clients I was getting.

On the other hand a lot of very successful photographers never graduated college, or even attended for that matter. They invested that four years working as an apprentice or just learning by doing.

My formal college education consisted of three credit hours one summer while my wife started classes at another college. We wanted to keep our daughter in the day care center through August. Needless to say, I can now brag that I maintained a 4.0 average all the way through, and my major was Physical Anthropology.

 

[Ken Ford]

I was a full-time PJ for about five years when I was much, much younger. There are times that I wish I had kept at it, but then I remember the monastic financial lifestyle.

 

[pesphoto]

I do commercial photography and went to a 2 year photography school and assisted many photographers to really learn the ropes. IM a staff photographer for an advertising agency. Decide what it is about photography you love and follow that. Commercial, weddings, art, what is your passion? Know that it is very very competitive now, not to scare you. It is possible to be successful with a lot of hard work.

 

[Silva Lining]

I am a wedding photographer as well as being generally hire-able for any type of events. It's not my only or main job though as it ain't enough to pay the bills!

 

[JOE1951]

Question sounds familiar, but I'll bite.

Studied photography through community college, and my own self training.

Over twenty yr period, I used to work in local film/television industry as camera assistant/operator, also photo-lab supervisor, and photographer for local university.

With a graduating class of about 20 people, 22yrs later, maybe 4 continue make a living at it.

I was never able to make much of a living with cameras. Now, at 44yrs, I work in government as map librarian and have the most interesting job, and best pay, I've ever had!

Still think of myself as a photographer though, but glad I don't have to make a living with it.

I wish you well with whatever path you take.

 

[Keith]

How many members have a photography related illness? ... might be more to the point! 😛

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Nah, I'm an English professor. But I definitely have a photography-related illness.

 

[MartinP]

Studied applied physics, but worked for several years in a professional darkroom on copy-camera and black-and-white hand printing. Now it's just a hobby.

 

[newspaperguy]

Started as a "cub" on newspapers while still in highschool in the late '40s, played photographer for Uncle Sam, then back into newspapers in the '60s. Still at it... and still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

 

[oftheherd]

How many members have a photography related illness? ... might be more to the point! 😛

Good one Keith! LOL

I certainly suffer from that, alone with other delusions.

 

[oftheherd]

I voted yes, but it may be wishful thinking. I got one week of training on photography using a 4x5 Speed Graphic at the pleasure of Uncle Sam during an investigative school. Used it very little for 7 or 8 years. Then I got to an office with no photographic support and a Kodak Instamatic for a crime scene camera. I decided I could do better. When my Yashica TL Super caught up with me I began devouring all magazines and books I could find and began experimenting.

I soon became the person who was called on for crime scene photography. That lead to a specialty in majore crime scene processing for several years.

Now I only rarely get called on to do any photography. Where I work now we don't do major crime scenes. In fact I don't think there has ever been a major crime.

I wish you luck in your pursuits. I am inclined to think the most valuable training you will get will be your own experiments and actual work as an apprentice it you can get it. That isn't to say some formal education in photography wouldn't help, but a specialized school might be just as good. A well rounded education will give you better insights into whatever you find yourself photographing.

 

[mh2000]

I did commercial photography as part of my creative services... but hated it and found that it was the lowest paying so I dropped it... continue as a fine artist...

 

[thomasw_]

No, photography is my creative outlet, a hobby that I treasure; nothing I could hope to make a living doing. Even though I do sell a few prints from time to time, I am not interested in every aspect of mainstream photography; the digital processing, the digital-video editing -- none of it takes me beyond a yawn. I am just into 35mm and 120 film and the wet printing process. At UBC I studied for a double major in Mathematics and Philosophy; so nothing to do directly with photography.

 

[bcostin]

Photography is part of my job but not my main responsibility. I'm the resident "guy with all those cameras" at work. When events are held that require more than point-and-shoot photography or when someone needs a quick portrait, I'm often the guy they ask. For the big expensive stuff they hire a local pro.

I'm happy with it staying like that for now. I do photography mostly for fun, and I don't want it to turn into just another obligation.

 

[swoop]

I work professionally. I got my Associates in Photography, then went on to get my Bachelors in English with a Journalism minor. My senior year I taught the photo 1 and 2 classes while my professor was either away on assignment or sitting in the back sorting through his negatives. After college I worked as a staff photographer for a magazine in Milwaukee, WI. I moved back to NYC in May and have been freelancing at two community papers. One of them called me in the other week and said they wanted to start using me for the majority of their assignments, that they've shown my work to the publisher and that in time it would lead to a staff position.

I work on my own personal projects when I have the time. In an effort to get a book together.

I still apply for for other freelance gigs on occasion. Hoping to build a portfolio strong enough to get me in with some of the major papers. Or an assignment with a large magazine. After some review I think I'd be happier working at a monthly magazine than a large daily paper. Somewhere where I can take my time with an assignment and show it love. Rather than run around town, quick snap, get it edited and submit before the sun rises.

 

[35mmdelux]

I have degrees in Political Science and Management. Did a tour in the US Army, and worked more than 25years in the professional business world thus far.

 

[Frank Petronio]

I work at marketing my photography. There is no time for actually doing any ;-)

 

[stuken]

I teach photography and I do the occasional portrait, wedding ect. Do some interior work now and again.