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8 Comments

  1. Additionally, there is usually a transition from employee to business owner. It cannot be overstated, taking great photos and getting paid to take great photos are two differrent things entirely.

  2. I don’t disagree with his post at all, it’s really hard to distinguish yourself in a crowd of so many, and also have the time to make connections, have a social life, network for work, make photos and just, well, live. Being an artist today is down right discouraging.

    But, what I don’t like is he reminds me of 3 of the photographers I assisted with (Which has turned me off from assisting completely)…This stuffy, absorbed and drull mentality…”Woe is the life of photography as a career, it’s so so hard for me and everyone…if you don’t do what I did, you are as sure as hell doomed…”

    I never liked these kind of photographers (nor can I work for them anymore) that have such a passive aggressive negative attitude to it all, then try to end it with “Oh I love my job so much” when I just read 4-5 large run on paragraphs about all the negative mush…

    I understand running a business is not easy (I’m trying to start one for photography now, and I’m pulling my hair out), but for F**k sake, try to be less of a damn downer about everything…We all here enough of it with how much negativity is going around in the economic wake.

    He got one thing spot on which I love in the article though…”You have to learn to love it all”…agreed, it just makes everything so much more easy to get done.

  3. If you don’t like your job (it makes you rant about it), please, quit and do everyone a favour.

    You never hear Mario Testino or Annie Leibovitz saying those things…

  4. That is the total opposite of what I was saying. I love my job, all of it. I love the challenges and the hard work and how great it feels to land that big ad job. I feel that students should be given a clear reality of what you must love to do to be a commercial photographer. I feel I was very honest and real in how I replied to this student’s questions.

  5. I think it is way tougher being the independent business owner and photographer, Depending on how many clients you have determines how many different hats you wear or how many you can farm out/hire.

  6. Steve, don’t you think those students don’t know deep inside life is not a stroll in the park?
    They obviously know it, and if their eyes aren’t open yet, the best for them is to have their life opening their eyes, this is a fact of life. What we should do is not try to put our own fears and experiences into someone else’s mind, but help them create and be able to manage their own experiences and fears, that is to teach them to live their life, because each life is different. Maybe what was excruciating to you is easy-peasy for someone else.

  7. Jose, I appreciate your opinion. I really do, and I think this student would also appreciate your opinion.

    How would you reply to this students questions to me? I will forward your reply to the student so that she gets a more balanced perspective.

  8. We don’t bring cameras to a client, we bring ideas. What should keep us interested in our work is the challenge of new ideas.

    Miss the important business and licensing issues now facing all creative professionals, and someone new to all this can become quickly overwhelmed. Opportunities are in many places, while competition is also in many places, though people will continue to work with you because they like you, and you deliver.

    I’ve never viewed my creative profession just as another job. It’s not. This is woven into the fabric of my life, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I feel that when someone has a passion for what they do, then they can accomplish much.


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