Who's living the dream?

[canonetc]

Hi Paula,

I've kept the day job and do shooting gigs on the evenings and weekends. This allows me the capital to invest in equipment (and darkroom, paper, etc), and gives the peace of mind knowing I'll have a roof over my head.

First ask yourself what kind of photography you'd like to do full time. Then, ask if you want to do film AND digital, film ONLY, or digital only. Once you answer these two important questions, ask yourself the following:

1) How much money do I have to invest in equipment? Do I need to?
2) Do I need to go digital depending on the kind of work I want to do?
3) How many "working" photographers are in my area and doing what I want to do (i.e. how;s the local competition)?
4) How's your portfolio? Do you have samples of what you want to do full time?
5) Should I keep my day job to pay the rent until I have enough clients?
6) Do I have a business card?
7) How much do I need to earn each month to pay my current bills (rent, phone, etc)?

So, I guess I speak from a semi-pro, semi-dream perspective.

For books, I recommend "In Retrospect" by Eve Arnold. Remember, however, she came from the Golden Age of photojournalism, and times have, sadly, changed.

"Photo Op" by David Hume Kennerley is another one.

"Shutterbabe" by Deborah Kopagen Kogen is interesting as far as how she got in...and where she ended up.

Fastest money, highest stress: Weddings
Good experience, high competition, high investment: news/photojournalism
Risky money, risky injury, occasional sleazy comrades: entertainment paparazzi
Nice money and fairly easy: special events (dances, awards, cultural events; you can shoot film too)
Awful contracts and long waits for payment: Fashion

Anyway, good luck. I suggest keep the day-job and work your way into full time. And make a business card!

Cheers,

Chris
canonetc

 

[DougK]

Every day I think about what it would be like to be a professional photographer and then I think about how I've already ruined one hobby (computers) by "turning pro." It's not that I don't enjoy computers anymore, but it's a lot harder to just play with them and get lost in the experience than it used to be. However, being an IT professional allows me to pay for the photo gear, film, etc. that makes my hobby possible so I really can't complain. I do have the satisfaction of having my work hanging in friends' homes and requests for more. That's good enough for me.

 

[XAos]

Whatever you decide, the way to "go pro" is NOT the chevy chase "Funny Farm" method where you get the advance (substitute other source of funding) and buy a bunch of stuff and then sit down and wait for inspiriation to strike. When you can't put enough time into your "day job" because you're so busy doing your alternate business is a really good time to switch.

 

[FrankS]

I am extremely lucky: I can afford NOT to become a (full time) professional photographer! The odd gig on weekends or evenings is just fine, thank you very much.

Now, in my DREAMS, I may still fantasize about being such a famous photogrpher that I can photograph only the situations I care to, and get paid handsomely, but like most fantasies, it's jsut not going to happen that way, and I'm okay with that.

As long as you can make SOME fantsies come true.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Paula,
I hear you loud and clear and I feel the same way but. Once you start getting paid to do something you love, the fun disappears. Photography is my passion and I would only too happy to make a sideline for pocket money. I would not want to slug it out as a career, I am in the middle of what can best be called a professional transition, leaving the world of sales and marketing. I have gone back to school for some specific training to enter the field of public relations/corporate communications, I though long and hard about it, this field I will be good at it, have fun, leverage my skill sets and make lots of money to finance gear purchaces and projects. At least my priorities are in the right place gear and projects . I for one, if I do get recognized as a photographer of note, I do not want to be beholden to arts grants and the machine that doles them out here in Canada.
I want to keep photography my passion and art, now I have concluded my rant, anyone want a soapbox?

Bill

 

[FrankS]

On the other hand, if you think that you would be living only a shadow of a life by not pursuing your photography passion full time, then go for it, but be aware that the vast majority of pure fine-artists live a life of poverty. A full, rich and rewarding life perhaps, but one filled with money worries. You have to decide which would be worse/better.

Try to marry rich and you can do what you want, might be the best advice!

 

[Erl]

Frank S said:
" Try to marry rich and you can do what you want, might be the best advice! "

Where were you when I needed advice, mate!

So now it's too late, what next?

 

[jlw]

I suggest the Harry Potter books. They will take you away into a world of fun and the things we all wish could have experienced in school.

What, like Harry's constant brushes with gruesome death?

Come to think of it, I went to a pretty tough school, and did experience that fairly frequently...

 

[wlewisiii]

When I went into computers professionally, I promised myself that if it was no longer fun, I'd walk away. I got lucky and lived up to that vow. Be that ruthless and you might be able to pull it off...

William

 

[jlw]

Okay, we've all been pretty depressingly realistic to ol' Paula here.

But I did think of someone who, as far as I can tell, is "living the dream." Her name is Lois Greenfield, I've taken several workshops from her over the years, and she's a charming person and a brilliant lady.

In her chosen field (peak action photography) she has achieved artistic success, which in turn brought her commercial success, and to all appearances she seems to enjoy both.

I believe that her secret for doing this consists of two things: (1) she's a bright, observant person who genuinely enjoys solving creative and technical problems, and her studio career lets her do that every day and get paid for it; (2) she's interested in things other than photography (dance and movement) and her photographic work lets her explore those interests in more depth, which both enhances her enjoyment of her work and her outside interests.


I suspect it's that quality of being interested in something ELSE that interacts with your photography, and the ability to make a paying career out of that "something else," that determines your likelihood of being happy in professional photography. After all, professional photography is basically a sales job, in which you also happen to make the product you sell. If you like your potential customers and enjoy doing a good job for them, that also will increase your enjoyment of making a good product.

Lois is a rather high-stature example, but you don't need to look that far to find people who pull this off. For example, I would gladly schedule root canal to get out of having to photograph a wedding -- but I know highly social people who genuinely enjoy the thrill and drama of an important family occasion, who photograph weddings both enthusiastically and brilliantly, and who make a good living at it. I suspect the fact that they actually LIKE weddings has a lot to do with their success -- their enthusiasm rubs off on their potential customers, and gives them the energy to keep trying to improve their work.


So, I agree with the people who have said, "If you love photography, DON'T try to make a living at it." But if you love photography AND something else for which there's a demand for photography, you may be able to build a career opportunity for yourself that will enhance both your enthusiasms.

 

[aizan]

i'm living in a dream. does that count? 😀

 

[sf]

living the dream

living the dream

I live the dream. I get to go out and shoot whenever I want, I can shoot whatever i want, and I have no deadlines or customers to please. My art is entirely my own, limitless and self fulfilling. And self realizing. I am not a professional. I don't make money at it really. I wrote a long essay, but deleted it because it was mostly fluffy garbage, and reminded me too much of what my photography would look like if i let the market and customers decide what I shoot.

You know what though, that is really bull too. You could shoot professionally during the weekdays, and shoot for yourself in your spare time, just like with any other job.

But really, yeah, I'd love to shoot for Nat Geo or Vanity Fair, or something cool like that. The travel, the subject, the importance of the work to the culture, it would all be very motivating and affecting. I would love to apply my talent and passion for the work to a career, but I would fear ever tiring of photography too.

Forget it. Do it if you love it, but never rely on it for a living. Allow it to sustain you, but never need it. If you do this, you have the greatest chance of success.

 

[sf]

Okay, we've all been pretty depressingly realistic to ol' Paula here.

But I did think of someone who, as far as I can tell, is "living the dream." Her name is Lois Greenfield, I've taken several workshops from her over the years, and she's a charming person and a brilliant lady.

In her chosen field (peak action photography) she has achieved artistic success, which in turn brought her commercial success, and to all appearances she seems to enjoy both.

I believe that her secret for doing this consists of two things: (1) she's a bright, observant person who genuinely enjoys solving creative and technical problems, and her studio career lets her do that every day and get paid for it; (2) she's interested in things other than photography (dance and movement) and her photographic work lets her explore those interests in more depth, which both enhances her enjoyment of her work and her outside interests.


I suspect it's that quality of being interested in something ELSE that interacts with your photography, and the ability to make a paying career out of that "something else," that determines your likelihood of being happy in professional photography. After all, professional photography is basically a sales job, in which you also happen to make the product you sell. If you like your potential customers and enjoy doing a good job for them, that also will increase your enjoyment of making a good product.

Lois is a rather high-stature example, but you don't need to look that far to find people who pull this off. For example, I would gladly schedule root canal to get out of having to photograph a wedding -- but I know highly social people who genuinely enjoy the thrill and drama of an important family occasion, who photograph weddings both enthusiastically and brilliantly, and who make a good living at it. I suspect the fact that they actually LIKE weddings has a lot to do with their success -- their enthusiasm rubs off on their potential customers, and gives them the energy to keep trying to improve their work.


So, I agree with the people who have said, "If you love photography, DON'T try to make a living at it." But if you love photography AND something else for which there's a demand for photography, you may be able to build a career opportunity for yourself that will enhance both your enthusiasms.

WOW - Lois' work is spectacular . It is really really good stuff.

 

[dim]

I’ll agree with you saying that it doesn’t worth mixing what you like to do with the bills payment.

Follows the experience I lived.

I always loved theater. I was acting from age 17. At a point I had to make decision acting or something else? Because I have been met with lots of people from various theaters (actors, directors, etc) and work in one as an all-to-do-boy I knew what kind of people I had to deal with. And I didn’t like to cooperate with them. They had forgotten what theater was all about and cared only for tickets and state subsidies. And that made them had a “two faces” character. Gentle and sweet, with the audience and reporters and brute and bitchy (my English are not good enough to describe it as I would like) with their fellow theater people. They had bills to take care and some of them, families. I do understand that know. But the essence of theater was gone. I did something else for living (computer programming) and kept acting as an amateur.

Years past and I got married had children, and still acting as an amateur. One nice day I got a call from a friend of mine who is a director. He informed me that he build a Theater in the ruins of an old dyer’s house. I went to see him and start working with his amateur team. It didn’t take long to make me a purpose to participate in his professional team for the new play. I was very experienced, I hadn’t stop acting, I was in very good physical condition, and had developed my own way of approaching a role. At the time I was complete. I had discussed it with my wife (had one children at that time, and a full time job), and she said “do it, it will be difficult but if you don’t do it then you’ll end up accusing your self”. So I did it. And I did it passionately. Every day for a year and half (two theatrical seasons) I woke up in the morning, play a little bit with my child, kiss my wife, go to work (I didn’t quit programming job). After work I had a rehearsal or a show. Every day. Holydays, weekends. Every day. The anxiety for having a theater with full seats or not could break you in pieces. Because you knew that the Electricity bill had not been paid for months also the water bills. Not to say about paying the actors. The play was very good. Indeed very good. And it was a difficult one. The director knew a lot of Europeans directors and some of them come to see us. The play was in Greek. They couldn’t understand a word. But all of them where exited about it. The play was really good. Communicating with the audience was perfectly made. But some times we didn’t do the show at all. No seats. Then you had to run around for advertising it. Argue with magazines and the press why they didn’t put the ad on time, why the critics didn’t come to us. Ugly stuff like that. The essence was gone. We ended up doing it mechanically. Now the show was bad. It was time to stop it. And we did that.

After that I returned back to amateur schemes. But it was no good. Technically I was light years ahead but I had lost most of what they had (and I had before going “pro”). The excitement, the joy, the mistakes. Everything that makes you feel good. I had a play with them. The audience was excited about it. I do not exaggerate by saying that I could not breath from the people that come backstage to tell me how good my performance was. People I didn’t knew. I should felt good about it. But I felt empty. Totally empty. Then I decided to stop. And I did.

And start photography (September 2004). Now I won’t do the same mistake again.

P.S.
Forgive my chatter.
🙂

 

[pvdhaar]

How times have changed..

Up untill well into the nineteenth century, philosophy and science (the latter as a practical implementation of the former) was carried out in the excess time of the wealthy. The designation 'amateur' held high esteem, for only when you did not have to labor in the fields all day, you could spend time pondering nature's character. A 'professional' was considered someone to be pitied, what with actually having to be paid to do something..

Nowadays this has changed, it seems that becoming a 'professional' has become the holy grail. There's this mental image of fulfilling when a hobby is turned to a full time job; that somehow we'll be able to make images that are better, that have more impact. And of course equipment manufacturers and sellers want us to believe that as well. But when this pastime is turned into an obligation, will we really be better off? Isn't it so that what really is sought is recognition?

So, I wonder, what's wrong with being an amateur? If you make pictures that stand out or that have meaning to those around you, you'll get a pat on the back anyway. Besides, you'll not be pressed into one particular mold of photography. You can be a nature photographer on one day, do portraiture the next, and top it off with a still life or two in the weekends.

Take care,

 

[Sonnar Brian]

This question was asked on DSLRexchange. The final post is by a member who is a professional photographer. It must take a lot of perseverence; I had some very talented friends go into it in their 20's just to get out of it within a few years. And I have friends and family that do commercial graphics, animation, and movies.

http://www.dslrexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?p=829#post829

Look at some of the work over in the DSLRexchange gallery. And look at some of the galleries here. Pick out who is shooting for fun and who is posting samples of paid work.

Me, I collect cameras, work in the Optical Sciences Division, and have a senior Optical Engineer that works with me. He used to work for me, but I'm a senior Scientist and OUT OF MANAGEMENT NOW!!! That is living the dream!

Reminded me of a story, from my college days. The Confederate Air Force was doing a big fly-over at an Air Force base that hosted some of the courses that I was taking. A friend got me a press pass for the VIP tower, I went up with my Nikon F and 500mm F8 Reflex-Nikkor, and '70s long hair. Up with the two and three star generals, who made positive comments on "That is a Lens!" The Air Force photographers went up on a helicopter to get the shots. They blew theirs, mine came out nice- Kodachrome 64. The Air Force publicity officer asked to dupe my slides, and ask how much did I want for the rights. "Nothing, just put down 'courtesy of the Navy'". to me, Photography has always been about fun.

 

[Erl]

pvdhaar said:

" The designation 'amateur' held high esteem, for only when you did not have to labor in the fields all day, you could spend time pondering nature's character. A 'professional' was considered someone to be pitied, what with actually having to be paid to do something.. "

AND

" Nowadays this has changed, it seems that becoming a 'professional' has become the holy grail. There's this mental image of fulfilling when a hobby is turned to a full time job; that somehow we'll be able to make images that are better, that have more impact. "

Speaking as a past Amateur and current Pro and a 'wannabe' Amateur, I have travelled much of that road.

Observations during travel:
Pro's have high demands placed on them and performance is expected. This tends to generate certains skills and techniques. Often to the exclusion of creativity because restraints are frequently in place.

Amateurs have to please no one, have no (or few) constraints in place and are generally uninhibited in their thinking and creative persuits. this is a great breeding ground for 'art', 'creativity' and 'innovation'. For example, observe students, especially art students, in their final years. They produce brilliant stuff. Then follow them through to ultimate employment (if they get any!) and see how they are squeezed into the 'Company Profile" and finally stereotyped. This is a parallel to 'amateur' V's 'Pro'.

My observations reinforce the notion that amateurs are often more creative than Pros, even if they are not as technically skilled or experienced. Of course there are those that are superior technically too, but that is just another variable.

 

[XAos]

The Air Force publicity officer asked to dupe my slides, and ask how much did I want for the rights. "Nothing, just put down 'courtesy of the Navy'". to me, Photography has always been about fun.

So how many figures was his counter offer? 😀

 

[egpj]

For me my photography complements my day job. I work in aerial imaging for mapping, security and scientific purposes. For that reason I need to know still photography and the occasional video system. Working with everything from multi-spectral systems, hyper-spectral and FLIR systems. Traveling to all sorts of different countries and working my photography in between missions. My hobby is close to what I do professionally but not exactly. For me that is the kind of job to have. I can use my knowledge of photography in my work and then the work experience bleeds over into the photography. I never tire of either activity. If you can find something similiar then go for it.

 

[VinceC]

>>So how many figures was his counter offer?<<

There's the rub ... there isn't much money in photography.

I was peripherally in photojournalism for much of a decade.
My original passion was writing, and I joined the U.S. Army about 25 years ago to work on their weekly installation newspapers. The military journalism course included a week of photojournalism, and when I arrived at my duty assignments, our office equipment included Canon F1s. Over time, I found the photography to be complimentary to my writiing and I spent many long evenings in the darkroom learning the craft. Due to my ability to write and photograph equally, I got a job doing newspaper work overseas in the late 1980s and was based in Europe for a decade, mainly writing but also taking pictures for my assignments. Among other things, this odd arrangement allowed me to cover the 1991 Persian Gulf War with Nikon rangefinders, my camera of choice, while the other press photographers used Nikon F4s. I probably did half my work with the Nikon rangefinders and the other half with Nikon SLRs (for example, took FM2s to Somalia and, by the time I was covering Bosnia, used a Nikon F for film work and an early digital NC2000 for digital work).

I returned to the United States in the late 1990s and am now have an exclsively writing job while raising a young family. If, God forbid, I were to wake up one morning and find myself alone in the world, I would probably get an Epson RD-1 and head overseas, because I've always had a passion for telling the stories of those whose lives have been affected by world events (and there's no shortage of good people covering the hurricane on the Gulf Coast).

All that said, the photojournalists I work around are, collectively, not a happy bunch of people. It's competitive. Fiercely competetive. It's digital. High burnout rate. You're only as good as your last assignment. Strong pressure/interference from editors. The successful ones have the demeanor of a cocaine addict, and they stick with it because they're action junkies with a strong passion for pushing their way into a front-row seat of history.