My wife is generally enthusiastic and encouraging. Though she is fond of noting the days with the most beautiful weather always seem to be the days I end up in a windowless studio or darkroom. She's not wrong.
She prefers me working on my own work over clients, but we both know which pays more bills.
:/
As a woman, I know I'm in the minority here, but I'll chime in anyway.
My former husband put in more input on my photography and a certain amount more encouragement, but was also rarely critical - which is something that's needed, too. My current (and hopefully enduring) husband is fairly good with encouraging it all. He's let me take over a decent amount of space for darkroom and craft room and even buys me funky cameras. He might be hoping I'll let his hobby go one for one with the cameras, but the garage just is NOT that big (he likes to redo cars). He complains about "more flower pictures?" and "not another calla lily", but I think he still likes them. Sorta. He's also not a shabby photographer, but hasn't done much since he was in Germany with the Army in the early 90s. If I really try to pin him down, he can have a decent critical eye. He just prefers being a wiseass more.
I wish I could get more time to photograph at times that I want to, but that tends to be dinnertime or getting the little dude to school/camp/whatever time. It isn't really Ken's fault that I don't, just life in general. And he does try to give me time without the little dude when he can.
My wife is an excellent photographer. She prefers small camera work. She is making beautiful photos with an Olympus E-P5 now. She has always been completely encouraging. Never begrudged an equipment purchase or my time with photography. Both of our photography time is limited by work and our time with your young kids, but that is life! It impacts my opportunity for darkroom time more than anything else. She has a great eye, and sees things photographically very different than I see things. She is also a good critic and beyond extremely supportive. I chose wisely.
My first wife hated photography. She was into paintings and antiques.
My second wife was a model and accomplished photographer. She was the one that encouraged me to photograph again and help her out with the wedding photography and model portfolio business. She divorced me when the wedding customers and the models preferred my images over hers.
My current live-in SO encourages my photography work and doubles as a (nude) model at times ... my other female friends either model for me, are photographers or are engaged in other aspects of arts and act as critics.
Photography is an important passion for me, otherwise, I make a living as a high tech executive in technology.
My wife puts up with many things like too much film in the freezer, camera gear laying about, me off shooting at the beach or woods while she is mowing the lawn or taking care of the kids. She isn't into lf or photo history but she does a great job with family photos with a DSLR, is good at graphic design, and has good taste in photography. She isn't into modeling but gave birth to two cute daughters who are easily bribed to model. I'd call her influence slight but all good.
Now that I'm single again, I'm free to pursue my artistic interests as I please. We have a saying in the south, and I'm pretty sure it has an equivalent in the north, as well as around the globe.
"If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Chris
Do pixies count?
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
I, too, will chime in.
My husband hated my photography. So he was never supportive at all. Guess where that went . . .
Now, I have a special man who loves my photography. He will be out traveling and text me about a place he is at where I can get a good photo. We do alot of gravel travel and he loves it. . . I have a whole new portfolio of landscape work because of him. . .
phase three sucksOriginally Posted by BrianShaw
but.. making lemonade out a lemons I guess
I changed the title from wife to spouse.
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