Wearing RF every day.

[Axel]

It´s a sign of time that so many professionals in various jobs are exhausted that way.
Just my opinion.
Behind that - what can be better than living and "working" and photographing for and
with a maximum of passion?

 

[Vince Lupo]

It´s a sign of time that so many professionals in various jobs are exhausted that way.
Just my opinion.
Behind that - what can be better than living and "working" and photographing for and
with a maximum of passion?

I think that’s definitely a valid point. Not that I can speak for a whole raft of professional photographers, but in this day and age of digital it seems that clients are wanting it faster and cheaper. And with the prevalence of cell phones with better and better cameras, that phenomenon is exacerbated and even more of a challenge to stay relevant as a ‘professional’. Additionally, you have to become adept at other disciplines - video, maybe drones, and of course post-production. ‘Back in the day’, once a shoot was complete you’d drop your film off at the lab (usually E-6), pick it up the next day, edit through your slides/transparencies, put them in sleeves, do up an invoice, send them to the client and you were done. When I worked for the AP in DC you’d have your daily deadline, you’d drop off your film (C41), they’d process it right there and then, you and the editor would go through the negs, choose the images and you were done. Nowadays you are the complete photo lab, and clients’ expectations of what can be ‘Photoshopped’ has accelerated, as well as how quickly they can get them. I’ve learned to ask ‘‘how much time do I have to work on these?” rather than “how quickly do you need them?”. I think all of those additional demands (and of course many of us have to do them just to remain viable and competitive) is a big contributor to many professionals wanting to be as far away in their personal time from the thing they make their living with in their working time. Not to mention just having other things that take up that time - family/home obligations, plus other interests besides photography (for me it’s now bicycling and working on bicycles).

The way that I ‘combat’ the money-making part of my photography is using my Leicas, and now I’ve gotten into using vintage lenses on my wonderful M-D. Plus the fact that the size of the kit is so much smaller than what I normally carry for work (I weighed my professional camera bag one day and it was 27lbs - no wonder I developed scoliosis!). It is a real antidote and one that definitely brings pleasure and satisfaction (especially when I manage to get the odd photo that’s decent). I don’t feel compelled to carry it with me 100% of my personal time, but it definitely helps put my frame of mind in a calmer state than if I was doing a commercial job for a client. I would dare to say that it’s ‘therapeutic’, and I suspect that may be the case with others as well.

Sorry if I’ve dragged this thread into another realm, but hopefully it all relates in a small way.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I get it exactly what Vince is saying and I have seen it too with other photographers I have known over the years. For me the personal work is what keeps me going and has kept me from burning out all these years.

This had been full time for me since graduation in 1986 so 32 years. There is rarely a day that I am not shooting and or processing images. There are some days I have to push myself to get out for me. Some days I can't wait to get out.

The commercial work is in many cases a collaboration with other visual professionals and ultimately the client is making all the final decisions so it is the client's. My personal work is all mine and without that I would have been crisp years ago.

The professional work pays the bills buys the equipment and is the base that makes everything else possible. I do it not only to support the family but also to support the personal work thus I have complete freedom with my personal work. I can't think of anything else that I would rather do for a living. But there are days I just want to get away from it all. That is very human and I understand why some full time pros do not even want to touch a camera after a long and hard week of shooting for others.

I wanted to add to this by saying what a passport photography has been for me. For work I have documented surgical procedures. I have been to different parts of the country shooting for clients. Been paid tp photograph celebrities and heroes.

Because of photography I have met so many fascinating, creative and interesting people. And I also travel to do professional and personal work and usually when I travel for my pro work there is usually opportunity to do work personal work.

So for me there is so much more I have gotten and so many places and situations I have been exposed to because I am a photographer and the professional and personal work I have done.

Like Vince I also shoot all Leica digital M and have for several years now. I do not do video or drone work at all.

 

[leicapixie]

I guess my only response to your response would be: Walk a mile in his shoes. Not sure if you've ever been a commercial photographer, but I think I've walked in his shoes to an extent, so I can now better appreciate his sentiment after all these years.

I guess being a photographer, for money, i.e a Professional gives me that right.
Working 14 to 20 hours a day/ nite till one cannot focus anymore a SLR but a RFDR.
Drive to a Darkroom..
Then off to process the film.
Making contacts and then quick prints for newspapers who were "holding" the print run for my images!
So I guess I more than walked in longer walks.
Digital would have been a miracle!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

My thoughts and feelings about that answer and one I give to such fellow photographers.
"You are a hack. Only work when the meter is on!"
Photography like any of the arts, requires constant working!
I always carry a camera, mostly a "toy" digital but often a film camera.
The Leica used in worst cold winter days!

My respect and full understating is with you!....

....
Someone paid for taking, editing pictures and not taking them for free? OK...
My daughter only takes paid pictures. She took her rig to Manhattan trip, but never used it. It was me who was taking pictures of all and else.
She doesn't repairs bicycles after work, but does some painting, drawing and this fancy ladies art (engraving, painting fake nails).
John Free was restoring old cars.
I looked at Vince paid photography (mostly american costumers it seems) and I know, I'll be totally drained! Running bicycle is good cure after it. I'll need to run it regularly and it will needs repairs due to it as well. 🙂
Here in Canada we also run on bicycles. At least four months have weather which permits. This is why in Milton, Ontario we have velodrome 😉

I get it. But I'm after Allen B and Elliot Erwitt. They made choice to wear
and use camera after work. And it gives to me as viewer something to look at, learn and enjoy.

 

[pgk]

Well, I've been a freelance professional photographer for 28 years and I am as enthused about my photography as ever (perhaps more) and almost always carry a Leica with me. Only if I know that there is no chance at all of using it do I leave it at home.

 

[Dogman]

In reality, it varies by the person and the circumstances. There are photographers who only carry cameras when actively working on a project, personal or professional. There are photographers who carry a camera every day, everywhere. Both types can do good work.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I was a high school literature teacher for a few yrs. You guys saying you don't do personal photography because you have to do photography at work would be like me saying I never read because I spend all day talking about books at work!

Well, I read constantly; I have more than 2000 books and have 3 or 4 at a time I am reading, and I didn't stop reading when I was a teacher. I love books.

I've also been a professional photographer most of my adult life. I never felt burned out on taking pictures because I did it for a living. Seriously, there is nothing else I would rather do for a living.

 

[Dogman]

"I've also been a professional photographer most of my adult life. I never felt burned out on taking pictures because I did it for a living."

You never worked for a daily newspaper.

 

[leicapixie]

"I've also been a professional photographer most of my adult life. I never felt burned out on taking pictures because I did it for a living."

You never worked for a daily newspaper.

I worked for Daily Newspapers with tight deadlines.
I taught photography (free) mostly to Black students for a New South Africa.
I ran a jewelry store doing watch services.
Yes all that BUT still shot for myself!
I repeat those who only shoot for money are hacks.
Musicians don't only play at concerts.
The don't rehearse but play for themselves..

 

[Dogman]

I worked for Daily Newspapers with tight deadlines.
I taught photography (free) mostly to Black students for a New South Africa.
I ran a jewelry store doing watch services.
Yes all that BUT still shot for myself!
I repeat those who only shoot for money are hacks.
Musicians don't only play at concerts.
The don't rehearse but play for themselves..

As I posted previously, it varies. I knew photographers who did personal work, I knew photographers who didn't. Some were photojournalists, some where commercial photographers. C'mon, you can't really label those who only do their photography as work for pay as hacks.

Over the years that I worked for a daily, I went through periods of never doing personal work and I went through periods of shooting a lot on my own. I went through a time when I didn't want to touch a camera after doing the job and I went through a period when I bought a 4x5 outfit and spent every off duty hour looking for photos just for myself. It varied for me over the years for weeks or months at a time.

It varies for others as well. A couple of quick examples. Photographers in the New Topographics vein are some of my favorites so I read a lot of stuff about and by them. I read an interview with Robert Adams a few years ago in which he told the interviewer he had not taken pictures in over a year but was about to begin a new project. I read recently that Lewis Baltz had to borrow a camera to do one of his projects. Obviously he wasn't carrying a camera every day at the time.

Every person, every photographer, is different. I think it shows a lack of understanding of human nature to claim that someone is not a "real" photographer if they don't carry a camera and shoot pictures all the time.