Re: [Leica] Elitism and the PRO

[Paul Chefurka <pchefurk@Newbridge.COM>]

Ted Grant wrote:
> 
> I bet most of the folks on the LUG are amateurs at heart, some of us wear
> our "amateur enthusiasm" on our sleeves even though we may have been doing
> picture taking for many years earning our keep.
> 
> I feel sorry for  the "camera manipulators" who do it for "money only"
> without the constant fun that most of us enjoy. Quite frankly, if I didn't
> love what I do, "Why would I do it?"
> 
> An amateur at heart and soul,
> 
> ted

I think this is the right place to jump in and say hi.  I've
been lurking for about a month (ever since I bought my "new"
M3), and Ted's sentiments bring back many bittersweet memories
for me.

I was bitten by the bug in the late 60's, and became more and
more of an "amateur", till at last I figured I knew enough to
ask people to pay me to do what I loved so much.  After an
all too brief apperenticeship, I struck out on my own.  All
fire in the belly and artistic sensibility, and as naive as
they come.

For the first few years, my complete lack of business skills
didn't seem to be an impediment.  There was always money in
the bank (though I never knew whether it belonged to me or
someone else) and I was doing what I loved, and learning as
I went.

Then a disturbing thing began to happen.  There was less
money in the bank, though I was working harder than ever.
By the time I realized I was in serious trouble, I had
neither the money nor the time to rectify the problem
properly.  My only solution was to take on an expanded
range of assignments and work still harder.

Now, for soemone who valued the work of Duncan, Capa,
Eddie Adams and HCB, spending three or four years of
14-hour days shooting baby portraits, tool catalogues
and cans of bug spray was ultimately soul-destroying.

Fortunately I ran out of credit right when I ran out of
spirit, and the bankruptcy meant I could finally stop
doing all that crud and get off the treadmill.  So there
I was - broke, broken, chewed up and spit out.  I didn't
touch a camera from 1980 to 1993.

I've gradually regained some of the love of the art, though
my passion has been tempered by a "been-there, done-that"
weariness.  I must admit that having a Leica in my hands
for the first time in 20 years has been a remarkably
healing experience.  Although building up a reasonable
Nikon system got me back in touch with the technology
of photography, somehow the Leica spoke to me again of
the art and the way your vision can move others' hearts
and minds.

So, to all you amateurs out there - strive mightily to
retain that status, whether you're getting paid for your
pictures or not.  Losing that status can have serious
spiritual consequences.

And if you're thinking about "turning pro" so you can
get paid for what you love so much - reflect seriously
on your capabilities.  Not the f-stop, shutter-speed
and composition ones, but all the others which will
ensure that you survive intact the experience of being
beholden for your output.

I really admire the people like Ted, Fred Ward, Tina
Manley and the others who have made the "money-for-pix"
thing work, but if I had to choose between love and
money, I'd take love any day!

Paul Chefurka (amateur)