Who's Day Job is Photography?

[bdkphoto]

30 years and counting. Still at it, business has picked up a bit, shot some fun magazine projects recently, commercial has picked up as well. Teaching at ICP, lecturing a bit, and finishing my second term on the Board of Directors of ASMP. Working on some personal projects too, some of this is heading over to China for exhibition there.

[Kuzano]

I shoot a graveyard shift. That's why I am one of those thousands of photographers who would prefer that ALL developments in photography were aimed SOLELY at high ISO capture. You know the one's, concert-goers who could care less about interrupting others entertainment with their clicking shutters and such.

And no, I don't make any money at that enterprise. At the stroke of midnight, I don my cape and cane (monopod, as it were) and strike out into the evening. As I must be back indoors by the crack of dawn, I get a full 5-6 hours of capture, and can then spend the other 18 hours of the day in my dark room either processing images or resting before venturing out the next night.

Love those shadowy, poorly lit images, however. "GRAVEYARD Shift".... Yum!!!

[Old-N-Feeble]

Keep your beloved passion as your hobby because 99.99 percent of the time, when it becomes your livelihood... "needs outweigh passion". Sweep streets, if you must, because no one is passionate about street-sweeping... so no love/passion is lost due to need. I speak from experience as, I'm sure, many here do.

[adam satushek]

After graduating from art school I spent a little over 5 years in the photography business mostly assisting and some shooting for a commercial studio. For the most part I really enjoyed it though I was never really fond of actually shooting. The hours were often long, but I got to travel some for shoots, and I still managed to make time to shoot my personal work, prepare for exhibitions, and remodel the house. But now I have moved and am currently in the mapping industry, specifically quality control for aerial imagery. Still involves photography, though I am never behind the camera which is fine by me. When I make images I want to be in complete control and not have an art director or designer telling me the angle they want on the latest cell phone or catheter or whatever (yes I had to shoot catheters). I prefer to be outside with a 4x5 or 8x10 ground glass in front of me shooting whatever I want without regard to how commercially useful it is.

That being said, I often wish I had the drive/personality to be a commercial photographer. From the pros I have known, it can be a lucrative profession and its often not a normal 8-5 type job which is nice. I had a great opportunity to become a commercial photographer, but for reasons I cannot explain it just did not suit me.

[Old-N-Feeble]

ADAM... you're NEARLY jaded enough to call yourself a photographer. Give it a few more years and you'll get there. Don't worry... it won't take long. Life is short.

[Henry Ambrose]

Its been a long dry spell for the last few years.
However, this spring I'm getting lots of calls and my share of the jobs.
I'm busy and pretty darn happy about it.

[adam satushek]

ADAM... you're NEARLY jaded enough to call yourself a photographer. Give it a few more years and you'll get there. Don't worry... it won't take long. Life is short.

Ummmm.........thanks?

[Old-N-Feeble]

Ummmm.........thanks?

You're welcome... and welcome to the real world. Now, don't you wish you'd chosen the blue pill?

[adam satushek]

You're welcome... and welcome to the real world. Now, don't you wish you'd chosen the blue pill?

Well not really...I'm happy I spent time in the commercial world, even if just to figure out that is wasn't for me. And now I'm very happy with my recent career change, and I still have plenty of time for my personal work. But I have no regrets (well in terms of career choices that is).

[Old-N-Feeble]

Your response belies your true feelings...