Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/05/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well........ as much as I enjoy working as an in-house photographer, I have to say I enjoyed photography more before it became my job. I've taken pictures of people for clinical research that have all sorts of gross skin diseases, missing an eye and a nose, snake bite victims, legs that are about to be amputated, various surgical procedures. I've photographed social events, building dedications, awards ceremonies and weddings. World Cup qualifying soccer games and little league baseball. People and scenics for calenders, post cards, multimedia presentations. I've hiked hours up mountains, through jungles carrying 30 lbs of equipment in bitter cold and rain or steamy hot and rain to get to remote villages. I've taken portraits of families with 6 kids, 4 of whom didn't want their pictures taken and just as bad, adults who tremble and their head shoots one side or crunch up their face when they see a camera. I've eaten guinea pig three meals in a row including breakfast. I've eaten other foods that were.....less than appetizing. I spend hundreds of hours developing E-6 and BW and more hours mounting, labeling and filing images. I make thousands of slide dupes and a lot of copy work. I work with people who don't know what they want in a picture but they'll know it when they see it, (maybe) and people and places that aren't real photogenic. I guess I like my work because every day is a bit different and I take about every subject-type of photo imaginable in many different styles. I've been to some incredible locations (most are anything but) and have seen and photographed people and places that very few other people will ever see. But I put so much energy in doing work for assignments and completing them by deadlines, that I find very little time to do the photography that I would really like to do. I had set a goal this year to take 1 day out of every two weeks to do personal work. I've taken 1 day in the last 4 months. It's easy to get burnt out doing photography full time If you are lucky enough to get paid enough to support your family for doing the type of photography you enjoy. By all means go for it. I think a lot of people have romanticized photography as a profession. Everybody wants to work for National Geographic. (Fred Ward had some interesting comments a while back on why you wouldn't want to work for NG anymore. besides the fact that you are away from home and family a lot) But if you expect to derive more pleasure from photography by doing it full time than what you derive from it as a hobby. Well, I'd recommend you think again. If you're stuck in a dead-end job and are looking to do something you enjoy, photography might be a possibility. My recommendation, don't quit your day job until you are somewhat established. Don't overextend financially and get into debt buying equipment, rent seldom used items. Hold off buying the latest R-8 and every knickknack you think you'll ever need. Debt is what kills most new photography studios. I saw quite a few studios go belly-up in the Chicago suburbs while I worked there. Do a business plan, research the demand in your area and scout the competition, work out billing and expense rates, do a budget for your home and business. Understand that it might be two or three years before you turn a decent profit, plan financially for that reality. You have to work hard and you have to deliver the goods even when you're not given anything to work with. Take a deep breath, Say "Bokeh" three times, do everything in the above photograph first, and think about it before going forward so your banker doesn't say "You're brokah" three times before repossessing your Leica Bokeh Duane Birkey HCJB World Radio Quito Ecuador