When photography becomes work ...

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

It's always going to vary from person to person. Doing photography full time didn't work for me; I found the pressure too much. Combining it with other ways of earning proved much more rewarding, both in terms of pleasure and financially. I did weddings at the weekend for a local studio, plus a lot of local press work and some technical and advertising stuff. Because it was no longer my sole source of income, I found myself enjoying it more.

I haven't done any paid photography for thirty years now. Every so often, I think it would be fun to take on a couple of assignments. Realistically, I know it wouldn't work out; my day job is just too demanding. Still, I'll be scaling back on my current career in two or three years, so I might, as the Americans say, "hang out my shingle" again and see how it goes.

 

[daveleo]

... it becomes far more rewarding and interesting.

Just my personal experience ... how do others feel?

Not for me.

The freedom of making images is incredibly rewarding because I have only myself to answer to (and explore whatever creative molecules I have in my brain).

Work for pay has always sucked for me, because I could never get my (paying) job out of my head; the pressure to meet someone else's schedule and expectation was always there, and it sucked enormously.

 

[konicaman]

It depends. A friend of mine spends his days shooting soap boxes and meat for a large supermarket chain. He says it is better than standing at an assembly line in a factory. He may have a point there, but rewarding???

The few paid jobs I do is mainly parties, anniversaries etc., only find that rewarding if I meet interesting people to talk to. However having an exhibition of my own stuff and on occasion selling a print is indeed very rewarding.

 

[emraphoto]

I shoot what I want, when I want and suffer the interference of nobody. You like/want to buy? Great! Don't like/not gonna buy? Not my problem.

I am a very, very lucky guy. I love my job and work for myself. Even my last job... 'wanna go in for a couple of weeks for us'?

'yup'

'ok. Talk to you later'

I do agree with the folks keeping it separate though. If I ever had to go back to someone consoling what I do or how I photograph I would quit in seconds.

 

[Darkhorse]

That's interesting! I seem to remember RFFer darkhorse, who we haven't heard from for a while, photographs coins for a living.

I noticed this thread at around 5am Texas time, trapped in Houston airport back from the American Numismatic Association's big summer trade show in Philadelphia. I was there taking hundreds and thousands of photographs of coins, as well as shooting video (and other operational tasks with my company).

Does it feel like work? Yes, when I'm stranded at an airport, having missed the last flights to the Southland. But I like photography and, probably more importantly, coins enough to make it worthwhile. I can really throw my heart into it, and get reciprocation; You wouldn't believe the fans I have, there are threads on various internet forums discussing my work even. It's kind of strange.

 

[johannielscom]

I noticed this thread at around 5am Texas time, trapped in Houston airport back from the American Numismatic Association's big summer trade show in Philadelphia. I was there taking hundreds and thousands of photographs of coins, as well as shooting video (and other operational tasks with my company).

Does it feel like work? Yes, when I'm stranded at an airport, having missed the last flights to the Southland. But I like photography and, probably more importantly, coins enough to make it worthwhile. I can really throw my heart into it, and get reciprocation; You wouldn't believe the fans I have, there are threads on various internet forums discussing my work even. It's kind of strange.

That is cool!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

... it becomes far more rewarding and interesting.

Just my personal experience ... how do others feel?

Depends on the work: police giving you the dirty look, people getting in front of you so they could take their shot with their iPhone is not more rewarding, but definitely interesting. And don't get me started on bridezilla, or even worse, motherzilla of the bridezilla.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I shoot what I want, when I want and suffer the interference of nobody. You like/want to buy? Great! Don't like/not gonna buy? Not my problem.

I am a very, very lucky guy. I love my job and work for myself. Even my last job... 'wanna go in for a couple of weeks for us'?

'yup'

'ok. Talk to you later'

I do agree with the folks keeping it separate though. If I ever had to go back to someone consoling what I do or how I photograph I would quit in seconds.

Wow, your people are hiring? I've never had the kind of access you have, so obviously my Catch-22 portfolio may not cut it.

 

[emraphoto]

Wow, your people are hiring? I've never had the kind of access you have, so obviously my Catch-22 portfolio may not cut it.

There are no 'my people' gladly. Unless of course you have owed me $ for longer than my patience stretches. Then I send over 'my people'.

 

[gb hill]

I don't have the self confidence to do much any work professionally. For me it's a hobby. I have shot a couple of weddings & it was pretty fun. One wedding I actually got paid. I think I'll stick to driving a truck though.🙂

 

[emraphoto]

I don't have the self confidence to do much any work professionally. For me it's a hobby. I have shot a couple of weddings & it was pretty fun. One wedding I actually got paid. I think I'll stick to driving a truck though.🙂

That has always been my choice of profession should the current not pan out. Truck Driver. Good stereo, open those windows and see the country.

 

[Darkhorse]

That is cool!

I think it is... I wish my assistant thought so.

My interest in photography outside of this work has been waning. But it's part of a cycle, at certain times I'll focus on photography, at other times I'll focus more on artwork. I'm more interested in artwork (watercolors) at this time.

 

[KM-25]

I shoot what I want, when I want and suffer the interference of nobody. You like/want to buy? Great! Don't like/not gonna buy? Not my problem.

I am a very, very lucky guy. I love my job and work for myself. Even my last job... 'wanna go in for a couple of weeks for us'?

'yup'

'ok. Talk to you later'

I do agree with the folks keeping it separate though. If I ever had to go back to someone consoling what I do or how I photograph I would quit in seconds.

Pretty much the same boat I am in and I feel the same "Wow am I lucky!" feeling you do more and more everyday. It's truly amazing to me, I know tons of guys in my area clawing for work, but because I stayed true to my self and put money far down on the list of priorities, it has never been better.

There comes a point when you know you are safe, you have enough work so you relax and then your work gets much better, feeding the energy that draws people in. It's the opposite of a vicious circle, being pure creative momentum...

People who truly love what they do never tire of even the most pedestrian parts of daily life, they live for the whole package.

 

[Contarama]

Truck Driver. Good stereo, open those windows and see the country.

Man that sounds good for some reason. 🙂

 

[Richard G]

I don't do this for a living of course. But I see what Keith means. There's nothing quite like having a skill, having it valued, including in dollars, and professionally having to find solutions to problems because that's what's expected. Those demands end up taking you away from what's comfortable and you learn. I read a book on Elliott Erwitt years ago. What a professional he was. And I used often to visit the Wedding section of photo.net. Some of those guys are real pros too. Nothing left to chance. A solution for every problem. Scared me off weddings altogether.

 

[Keith]

My first post was probably a little misleading in that I'm not necessarilly refering to a nose to the grindstone five day a week job. It's more to do with structure and purpose for me ... when I'm required to do something I feel more comfortable and tend not to drift from my task in the way I can when I have total freedom to do so. The infrequent jobs I get from QUT are poorly paid to be truthful but in spite of that I gain an immense sense of satisfaction from them ... far more than just going off on some jaunt of my own volition!

The couple of days I spent recently at a motocross meeting were purely to photograph specific bikes owned by an individual who sponsors a rider to compete on them ... he wanted shots of his toys being used basically. I would never go to something like this normally because it wouldn't really interest me ... but with a specific purpose in mind I found it very enjoyable and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Also I don't come from a photographic background at all so pretty much everything offered to me presents a new challenge.

 

[john341]

I did child and wedding photography when I was at Uni .. disliked it. Photography when you feel like it..experimental stuff..thats for me

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . It's more to do with structure and purpose for me ...

Dear Keith,

Ah, yes, now I see what you mean. Yes, it is a great deal easier and more motivating when you have a purpose in mind, though for me for the last 30+ years that purpose has been publication in one form or another. But what I try to get published is what I like photographing...

And I'm currently working on ideas for exhibitions.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Spanik]

Wouldn't like it. Now it's a hobby, I do it if and when I like and shoot whatever I like. If there came pressure on it I wouldn't enjoy it at all.

I have made my hobby into work once (electronics) and believe me after having to spend 8+ hours a day at it there isn't any fun left in it to do it again in the evening. Even if what you can do then is your own choice, not that of clients. So now I like to take photo's instead of an electronics project.

 

[Darkhorse]

Also I don't come from a photographic background at all so pretty much everything offered to me presents a new challenge.

Same here. I did take a traditional photography course back in university but that's it. I basically got to where I am today taking snaps of coins with an archaic digital point and shoot with some desk lamps and basic Photoshop skills. Now people expect professional results for everything in every subject from me now. "Photo Phil" they call me at work.