what else would you do?

[ibcrewin]

I already know I'm not the greatest at taking pictures. For me it's about tooling aroiund with chemicals, paper, cameras, scanners, films.

If the gist of your question was what other hobbies would I be into, then i've got a long list of stuff I like doing. Like Swimming, biking, running, gardening, cooking, sailing, whiskey tasting, playing the guitar or the uke.

 

[Rob-F]

Grow roses and photograph them.

 

[FrankS]

Wine, women, motorcycles.

 

[shadowfox]

My photography sucked brick.
But today I know more than in the past, so I can suck less.
And someday I'd have done enough, so I can produce a masterpiece.

As long as I think like that everyday, I don't need to worry about other pursuits.

 

[noisycheese]

I would not quit photography. The only time you "fail" is when you quit.

I would work and study twice as hard, with the knowledge that progress and inprovement come with commitment, work and time:

Jarvis sucked. Carsch sucked. Avedon sucked. Adams sucked. Mary Ellen Mark sucked. Every photographer in history was a horrible photographer for some period of time. They learned. They grew. They perservered.

That is the way of the artist. Just be patient. Keep on going. Transformation takes time. From what I have seen in my life, it really is worth [the work and] the wait.

- Zack Arais

Then there is this from Vincent Van Gogh:

If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

Also from Messr. Van Gogh (an excerpt from a letter to his brother):

The thing has already taken form in my mind before I start it. The first attempts are absolutely unbearable. I say this because I want you to know that if you see something worthwhile in what I am doing, it is not by accident but because of real direction and purpose.

 

[kxl]

but photography is just a hobby right? whether or not you suck at it is irrelevant.

Exactly...

 

[bsdunek]

Play my horn. Unfortunately, I suck more with that than photography. I enjoy both, so I'll just keep going and trying to improve.

 

[Vics]

Failure is not an option.

Maybe not for you. (I saw your flickr.)

 

[Shirley Creazzo]

Well, actually this is the replacement. My trade was commercial art [now it is called "graphics" but I come from a less fancy time.] Sadly when you do something you love for a living it becomes 'work' and work interferes with one's life.

Actually I enjoy many hobbies: baking, sewing, needlework, theater, gardening ...........
which may explain my not being very good at any.

 

[mike rosenlof]

I cut way back on the ""serious"" photography for about ten years also doing music. I'm now trying hard to balance photography and the study of classical Japanese music for shakuhachi (bamboo flute).

 

[taskoni]

Knitting 😀

 

[rbiemer]

Were I to pursue another hobby, it would have to also be something creative.
Not sure just what really. I might go back to trying to learn a bit about watercolor. Or maybe I'd get more serious about fly fishing. Or learn something altogether new to me.
However. For me I would have to wake up many mornings in a row thinking I sucked at photography before I could decide to not have photography as my primary hobby.
Rob

 

[skibeerr]

Thanks guys and girls.

I am not alone after al.

I rove the ocean in and on a kayak.

 

[Pioneer]

I have already tried baseball, racing motorcycles, working with wood, drinking beer, playing a trumpet, and now photography. The only one I am any good at is drinking beer. But I enjoy photography, even though I suck, so I'll keep doing it. I would like to learn to play the piano and write a book. Maybe I'll start doing one of those next.

After another beer of course.