[Leica] Making a living as a photographer

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

Marc Dufour offered:
Subject: Re: [Leica] Making a living as a photographer


>>> When I take my camera, it's just to enjoy photography. Pure pleasure.
> And, sometimes, I even can use the result in my job as a graphic 
> designer;-)
> When something you love turns into a job, it stops being fun after a 
> while,
> for a vast majority, in most professions. It's true you can expect some
> satisfaction, time to time. But only a few privileged pros can say
> otherwise.<<<

Hi Marc,
It is a very rare occasion I do not have a camera wherever I'm going simply 
because, one never knows what joy they might miss if they do not have it.

The terminology by some folks that photography is work is beyond my 
comprehension, it's never been work!

"WORK IS MOVING CONCRETE BLOCKS!" How others see their photography as work 
has never ever been in my vocabulary or thoughts. WHY?  Well in my case, I 
don't care what others may think or say... "My photography involvement is a 
calling since I was a child! I always wanted to have a camera and have had 
them in hand or near by since May 27 1950 when my wife gave me the first, an 
Argus A2 35mm sort of point & shoot for my birthday. Yes I still have it!
In that moment it launched me into an extremely enjoyable life as a 
photographer, that I've never looked back on a 60 year life being paid to 
travel to many parts of the world, good, bad and ugly! Assignments so 
interesting and exciting right out of Hollywood! It sure as hell has never 
been boring, physically tiring? Of course, but never boring!

Mine has never been a turn it on at 9 a.m. and off at 5 p.m.! The ability to 
see and shoot is always there ready at the blink of an eye! I put time in as 
a news-photographer at the beginning of the career, but even then I never 
wanted the days to end nor places to go. Eventually teamed with a couple of 
extremely fine shooters as partners for 5 years. Then I decided I wanted to 
go my own way as one of the partners was a stop at Friday noon and  return 
noon Monday. Meanwhile I'm off generating the greatest part of the companies 
income. So started my own company and never looked back!

Today I'm just as wired as my younger days! If anything, I absolutely abhor 
this aging crap that robs the physical aspect of the body, but never deters 
the emotional involvement of looking through a camera at new things and 
places! And being involved in any project, whether assigned or the new 
medical book project. Hell why not, I'm only in the 82nd year so one should 
keep busy for the joy of it or you die! I don't intend on doing that for 
sometime yet as there are still many places to photograph and people to 
meet! ;-)
I know several very good photographers who've voiced they can't wait to quit 
and retire from "their job at the newspaper!" Once again, in my time it has 
never been a "job." Whenever I'm camera to eye I'm the happiest camper in 
the land.

I'm sure those LUG members who purchased the documentary film DVD about my 
career produced by the BRAVO TV network can attest this message comes 
through during the interviews and images shown on film.

As scary as some assignments have been, I'd do them all over again just for 
the thrill of shooting and being involved in this crazy crazy life I love 
with great passion.

Not sure if this means anything to some of you, however maybe you'll 
understand my passion about this wonderful profession! Damn I love it so!!

cheers,
ted



> On 12/5/2010 6:06 PM, Marc Dufour wrote:
>> When I take my camera, it's just to enjoy photography. Pure pleasure.
>> And, sometimes, I even can use the result in my job as a graphic 
>> designer;-)
>> When something you love turns into a job, it stops being fun after a 
>> while,
>> for a vast majority, in most professions. It's true you can expect some
>> satisfaction, time to time. But only a few privileged pros can say
>> otherwise.
>> An amateur has no more pressure than his own demand.
>> The matter isn't about photography.
>> It's about job or pleasure.
>> Cheers,
>> Marc
>>
> Amen.  I could not have said it better.  I would pay if necessary to enjoy 
> this avocation, especially since the advent of the internet and all the 
> insights and friends that result.  On the rare occasion when someone 
> responds to one of my prints, I am happy to make one for them.  I just ask 
> that they make a donation to a charity in an amount they think 
> appropriate.  Once that resulted in a very substantial donation at a 
> charity auction, but as I somewhat  recall whiskey was involved.
>
> Ken
>
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