hassy501 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 <p>I have recently read in many professional photography magazines about "being true to your self and your art", and not worrying about anything because if you follow your passion success and riches will follow you. Forge your own path, create your own niche', blah blah blah.<br> I personally think that's a bunch of poppycock. Reality is reality. Failiing to be aware and preparing can lead to failure in any facet of life. Learning how to run a successful business take a lot more than just "following your passion".<br> What is your take on OUR profession and this type of idealogical dreaming ? Is it realistic or just makes for good reading ?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty_lowrey Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 <p>I think a good mix is a must. If you forget the "poppycock" aspect, as you call it, you may lose yourself in just the business and lose any passion for the art you may have had. Photography IS art, plain and simple. It should be treated as such. If not, everyone would do it and there would be no reason to strike out on your own.<br> I have a passion for photography, I hope I never lose it and simply become 100% about the buck. I have a passion for providing what I can for my clients, but I'm hoping my clients hire me because they like my art...not just because they want a snapshot.<br> I hope this makes sense. Yes, reality is reality. But without a bit of poppycock, whimsy, and being true to yourself, life wouldn't be much worth living.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie_ouellette Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 <p>Hmmm.<br> I get it, but I can't help but travel back into time when I tossed and turned in bed at night for a week before I had the guts to share my vision of the two of us owning and operating our own photography business.<br> I won't go into the details of how we got started but Steven agreed, and suffice to say we did not have much of a portfolio, entered a bridal fair and booked 16 weddings our first season.<br> We weren't too prepared nor aware in the beginning, but I do think that my restless idealogical dreaming has lead to a very successful business venture.<br> Sure it has not been 100% rosy, but the end results of me being able to stay home and raise our daughters, as well as tend to our business by day has been a huge blessing.<br> What made this 'passion' a money-making reality was the fact that my husband and I were on the same page, ploughed through, and saw immediate results.<br> What separates one's profession of 'doing' to actually 'living' is truly a mind set of where one is called to be. I don't think this is poppycock. I do believe it is the best case scenario!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>I guess from the articles that I have read, nothing is mentioned of the practical business side of the photographers careers. Only that they followed their passion and dreams and the riches just fell out of the sky for them with very little work.<br> No mention of whether they own a studio, work out of home, what their annual income is. Only that they are SUCCESSFUL ! One man's success is another man's mediocrity.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedding-photography-denver Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Me, I'm drinking the Kool Aid.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty_lowrey Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>George...I think I get what you're saying. I read articles too that tend to gloss over the actual work it takes to get to where you want to get. Case in point: when I started this business the LAST thing I wanted to think about was the tax aspect. I suck at math and I was just fine having someone else do all my taxes. But, as a business owner, you would be a fool not to take interest in earnings, expenditures, and taxes paid. I've learned so much over the past year and now can do my quarterly sales tax all by my lonesome. Passionless? For sure. Boring? Oh yeah. Not very artsy. But necessary.</p> <p>Of course, writing an article about how I learned how to do my own sales tax prep is not very inspiring or interesting.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobcossar Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Not Poppycock at all.......if you follow your passion, <strong>do the work</strong> , persist.....then you will have success. Chase success and you will never catch it.<br> But it has been my experience that, if you<strong> DO</strong> chase your dreams, and do <strong>DO</strong> the work, and <strong>DO</strong> persist....then success will chase <strong><em>you</em> </strong> ....regards, Bob</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Bob, respectfully i disagree. The world is full of people with tons of passion, but no talent. It takes a combination of talent, passion and hard work to be successful. Very few have all of the elements, but many have some of them.<br> I know many local photographers who have tons of passion, work hard yet are not successful because they just dont have "it " .<br> In OUR profession, let's face it, if people don't purchase our product, all the passion in the world won't put food on the table.<br> One may be successful inside, but Uncle Sam doesn't accept good feelings as payment.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobcossar Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Well George, respectfully, it has worked for me for over 40 years........</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherijohnson Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Following a dream with passion AND being a smart business person is a good mix.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjogo Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>I have a passionate talent for business --they only way I have survived 25 +years :-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manuel barrera houston, Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>depends on what you consider riches? If happiness has value and you have a comfortable life, I would say that you have riches that are not counted in money but are worth more then money, my thoughts. I know I am in America and money is god.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebell Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Here we go again..... art....! reminds me of a talk I attended by one of the top UK wedding photographers who said that he is not an artist, he is a photographer. Lets not get into this debate again, I started one a while ago. I am not an artist either, I am just a photographer.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedding-photography-denver Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>What is your measure of success George?</p> <p>I agree that success does not always follow hard work and dedication, as failure does not always come from following your dreams.</p> <p>What I measure success by is contentment. I am relatively successful by my own measure and while certain things may not come my way, I don't miss them too much either.</p> <p>I would say to anyone setting out in photography as a career, doing it for money primarily will likely lead to dissapointment, whereas doing it primarily for the love of sharing a vision through photography will not.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Bob, so what you are saying is that you have no talent yet are successful as a wedding photographer ?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Success is being able to live comfortably with your profession. In any profession there will always be the one percenters who sit at the top of the mountain, and then all of the rest.<br> For the sake of THIS thread, success should be categorized as monetary.</p> <p>If I wasn't making enough money to live comfortably, I would be out of it in a heartbeat.</p> <p>Is photography an art or a craft ? Such as a plumber or electrician ?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty_lowrey Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>I think photography as art or craft is really dependent on the photographer themselves. If you choose to see it as craft only that's fine, great in fact! You provide a wonderful service and hopefully do well with it.<br> To me, I measure success in different ways. The job I left to do this paid HEAPS more than I'm making now. But my success lies in the fact that I can stay home with my daughter and do something I absolutely LOVE everyday. There are just some things I find more important than making the most money I can out of what I do.<br> It just comes down to different strokes for different folks...there is room for all kinds!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Success for me is purely monetary. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty_lowrey Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>George- That's fine for you. Like I said...different strokes. My daughter is the measure of my success...corny as that may sound. I'd rather have less money and more time with her.</p> MODERATOR NOTE: Betty Lowrey - is referenced below as "Amanda". Note made to eliminate confusion as posts below are answering an "Amanda". Amanda changed her name to Betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Amanda, i totally understand what you are saying. My kids are all grown. You are doing the right thing. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think27 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Poor George, you sound a bit burned out. </p> <p>For me, I believe if you follow your passion you'll be successful. But, I mean Passion with a capitol P. To be happy doing this kind of work, I think you really really have to love it, as well as love people.</p> <p>I've seen burn out and promised myself I wouldn't get there. I felt if I got burned out I'd loose my vision and excitement as well as success.</p> <p>Initially, I was fine with shooting 3-4 weddings in a weekend. Later, I started raising my prices for longer days, would charge a fortune for a near Christmas or New Years wedding and only took one wedding a weekend (but made sure my pricing was much higher to compensate for the lost income). </p> <p>As soon as I saw that I was turning away work like crazy because I was booked - I'd raise my prices for the rest of the season and for the following year. I wanted quality of work and quality of life and wanted to work smart, not hard.</p> <p>I turned away the kind of weddings that I felt I would not be happy doing. If the couple/parents started talking about alter shots and wouldn't be convinced to do group shots outdoors, or seemed to like a more "studio" style, I'd refer them to another photographer. </p> <p>I did stay true to myself. I did have riches and success. But, that's all relative..What are riches to me might not be enough for you. You say you are motivated by money. Many of us are motivated by money as well but -- coupled with the rush, the craziness, the beauty and fun of working a wedding. What is success? It may be different for you than for me.</p> <p>I love people. I don't mind winging it when things run late. Plan A and Plan B are always in effect to capture the moments I want to capture. If something happens to ruin my vision of what I wanted to get at a super location or lighting, I just wing it and create a great situation later to give the couple the best shots of themselves they've ever seen. I do my best for the various moments and sometimes put my camera down to help move things along. I work with them very very carefully on the timeline and plan for the worse case scenerios. The main thing is to find a way to shine with the couple shots. Not everything can be the perfect vision I have but the couple shots can be, and that makes me happy. Being true to myself is capturing the day with an eye towards flexibility and documenting the real emotions and beauty and then knocking thier socks off with the bridal portrait and couples shots along with some great "moments" throughout the day.</p> <p>I agree it can be frustrating when things don't work out the way you planned due to lateness and other factors like weather or whatever... But it is the nature of the beast and accepting that and finding a silver lining in that cloud by being flexible and positive is the only way to beat it. If you are focusing on what can't be rather than on how to turn it around, you'll continue to be unhappy.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassy501 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Dont' get me wrong, I still produce outstanding images for my client. I guess it's the beast within me.......it's like an athelete who let's the team down. You take it personally. I have to be less caring and just take what's presented to me.<br>It comes from my life in working in law enforcement. I was there for people, trying to make life better for them. Protecting the less fortunate, protecting the weak from the wolves. Everyday just trying to make just a little bit better for people. <br>That's where the caring part comes in. A person never loses that.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think27 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Got it George, perhaps you are too hard on yourself. </p><p>Caring.... I care too! Big time. But remember that your expectations are probably colossal compared to theirs. THEY know they are running late and that perhaps those shots on the beautiful lawn outside the house can't happen... But thier focus is more on the wedding than the photos. Yes, the photos are a key part of it but you have to ease up on yourself and have more fun. Your expectations are killing you. <br>Clearly you are still doing a great job for them by producing outstanding images!<br>Give yourself a break.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mt4x4 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>George,<br /> Can you please share some of your "money making" photos so I can see what it takes.<br /> Thanks much.<br /> <br /> Bob,<br /> I love your shopping cart photo.<br /> Thanks for sharing.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin_james Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>In my opinion, "Positive Thinking" or PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) is a component of (or even pre-requisite to) success (If you go into business with an attitude of "I'm going to fail" then you probably will), but it's not a "just add water and hey-presto instant success" strategy.</p> <p>For want of 3 better words, a "Positive Mental Attitude" needs to be followed with "Positive Meaningful ACTIONS"</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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