What does „working hard” means for you as a photographer?

[itelu_usihozix]

…after all, photography, even when it's less of an artistic endeavour, is far more abstract than ditch digging.

So how do you see it?

[lauren_macintosh]

<p>I see it as a measure of myself to think and then interpret what I have done and to continue that process<br>

so as to achieve a very good balance between what was taken and what was edited and then the end results.<br>

the about may sound like B.S line but that's the way I think: good luck on your pursuit</p>

[MathewDH]

<p>Siting on my buttocks 16 hours a day, day in, day out, trying to process all of the images I have shot in the past. Then I shot some new stuff today that may lead to another shoot tomorrow to get more stuff within the same subject matter. The satisfaction is the completed presentable image worth printing. But I am tired and getting physically weaker form the effort of siting down all day. Keeping a good chocolate cookie supply is mandatory and scary when I find myself too tired to raise one to my lips. dedication to a beautiful image can make you a slave to a digital fashion statement.</p>

<p>CHEERS... ;-)</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>"Working hard" only exists when it's for money and on a deadline. Otherwise there's no such thing. </p>

[dan_south]

<p>Examples:</p>

 

<ul>

<li>Completing a project, learning to do something new, or pushing myself to get better at something that I can already do.</li>

<li>Writing text to accompany photos for publication, books, blogs, etc.</li>

<li>Image management.</li>

<li>Copyright management.</li>

<li>Selecting the best images from a shooting session.</li>

<li>Post processing.</li>

<li>Training myself to use new camera features.</li>

</ul>

<p>Any of these can require a great deal of effort, dedication, and persistence.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>You complete your vision or set of visions and goals.</p>

[rossb]

<p>It's just a camera and I use it to take photos of stuff. So probably the only hard work is sometimes when hiking the camera gets a bit heavy and uncomfortable. </p>

[AlRohrer]

<p>"Working hard" can define great physical effort or great mental effort, or a combination of both. Trying to compare physical effort to mental effort is ridiculous. Claiming that one is more meaningful or difficult than the other is also ridiculous.<br>

Sorry Michael, you could make a reasonable argument that "working hard" involves a deadline of some sort but it is definitely NOT always for money.<br>

I am 65 years old, farm raised, spent 8 years in the Marine Corps, worked on supply boats on the Gulf of Mexico, shipyards in Louisiana, farmed and logged in northern Illinois, 35 years on the road as an over-the-road truck driver doing my own loading and unloading most of that time, retired in October of 2008, and went back to work as a truck driver (tankers this time) in May of this year and for years did a little wedding, portrait and sports photography on the side so I figure to know a little about "hard work". <br>

Now to answer your question. For me, hard work as a photographer is dealing with people who have no idea of what it takes to create the image they expect from you yet want to tell you how to do it. The hours I spend preparing myself and my equipment, the many hours sitting in front a computer screen, the setting up and tearing down, and the physical act of capturing the image are all work but the "hard work" is dealing with the people.<br>

Should be interesting to see some of the other answers posted. :-)</p>

[rconey]

<p>I think along lines with Ross. In landscapes, working hard usually means getting to the place I want to photograph, at the right time of day. Post processing is usually fun, but sometimes when I just can't get it like I want it, it turns into working hard.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>Working hard for me is lugging a hundred or more pounds of power pack, lights, softboxes, c-stands, backdrop stands, multiple backrops and a couple cameras and lenses to a location shoot. I'm usually sweating heavily with two of us carrying the equipment, even in cool weather. Setup can be hard too, a lot of stuff to move around. Shooting is easy after all that.</p>

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>I would describe my hours as 'casual' so I have not yet had to work hard as a photographer. However, I have recently been frustrated by f***ing computers and all I want to do is edit my photos!</p>

[jimpete]

<p>Working hard for me is when doing landscape photography trying to chase the light and the moment via early rising, lots of hiking with gear, or driving like crazy in a big hurry to get to the spot you need to take a photo before the light is gone. Post processing is hard for me also as I am just average with computers. Also, getting a print to match all the hard work in post processing is also hard. I have done a few art fair events and those are quite a bit of work. The hard work pays off for me when looking at and editing chromes under a light table (film guy). It doesn't get any better than that and I don't think that part is work at all.</p>