Serious about photography?

[Roger Hicks]

I went the opposite way than you did, Roger.

I studied FA Photography in NYC in my late teens, and later at "elite" universities both here and abroad, but could NEVER envision myself doing it to earn a living. That would have taken all the joy out of it.

Instead I went to law school and became a lawyer, but my first love has always been my photgraphy. I'm good with that, as I probably couldn't earn what I do as an artorney, and practicing as a pro would have killed the love I have for the process.

I can understand that -- for you, and possibly for any rational person who can get an LL.B. But equally, it's not so much that I want to earn a living the way I do, as that I prefer it to earning a living the way you do. (That is far from being an insult, by the way).

There's a old saying that talent does what it can, while genius does what it must. I completely agree that there are people who 'must' do certain things -- their personal make-up allows no real alternative -- but I am less than convinced that 'genius' is the word for them.

Cheers,

R..

 

[zauhar]

'Management', by the sort of person who reckons that 'managing' a hospital is the same as 'managing' a widget manufacturing department or a warship.

And probably accountancy.

Cheers,

R.

Well put, gentlemen.

 

[Teuthida]

I can understand that -- for you, and possibly for any rational person who can get an LL.B. But equally, it's not so much that I want to earn a living the way I do, as that I prefer it to earning a living the way you do.
R..

LOL. Yes, the practice of law can be a bitch. Luckily, I've always worked for myself and have been able to carve out a nice little niche without working too hard. This is not the norm, however. Most attorneys I know are massively unhappy with what they do. Me, I see it merely as q means to an end and try not to identify myself with my job. My identity comes more from my artistic pursuits (painting and photography...although it pains me to call my photogeaphy "art.")

 

[boffen]

I'm in the middle of studying to become a teacher, and I'll more than likely end up as a teacher. I am not interested in standard, commercial photography at all, and the only kind of photography I would be interested in working with would be photojournalism/documenting, and I'm sure that I'd end up like Kevin Carter after a short time of doing war photography, minus the excellent photographs. Sure, there are some fashion photographers who make wonderful photographs, but they are scarcer than alive Magnum photographers. Because of this and the fact that I have taken no incredible photographs as of yet, I don't regard photography as a career I could make a living doing. I do plan on studying photography after I've completed my current education, and who knows, maybe I turn out good enough to be able to do photography at least part-time. That's just hopeful wishing though.