And how's your spousal support?

[jovo]

Since I met my wife through photography, it's no surprise that there's great compatability about it. We share cameras but mostly she uses the ones I don't and I the one she doesn't. Her images are very different from mine and we can go to exactly the same place and bring back utterly different work and we each marvel that the other saw what we did and missed what we didn't. Financially, there's a great deal of respect for the need to get the equipment and supplies that are necessary but both of us are careful about the money spent and aren't wasteful about it. Mostly, though, our interest is in making images and not fussing over equipment so it's never a problem. I can't imagine how I could be happier actually.

It's interesting that this thread is so upbeat. Months and months ago there was a similar one but the premise was on lack of support rather than what's positive. This is much more enjoyable to read.

 

[roteague]

I'm not married, but I have a lady friend that just gushes over all my photos. She has several of my photos on her desk, as well as a framed 11x14 of this image: (there was a url link here which no longer exists). It is her favorite. I take her to the framing shop with me, and she helps me pick the color for the undermat (top is white). Last Thanksgiving, I gave her a little 3MP digital snapshot camera, and recently I had one of her photos mounted and framed - she has been walking on cloud-9 for days now.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

As long as I don't occupy the darkbathroom for hours on end while she's home, we're fine. Fortunately our schedules work well in this regard.

 

[mark]

So what is the secret to getting them on board?

APUG turns marriage counselor

 

[brimc76]

My wife is also 100% supportive and has been for the last 29 years. She isn't a photographer but very talented as a watercolour artist. In fact it was my wife that persuaded me to get into large format photography. I guess the fact that she spent 27 years working for the Visual Arts Department at the local School Board helped a lot.

 

[medform-norm]

So what is the secret to getting them on board?

APUG turns marriage counselor

Give them a camera!

 

[Charles Webb]

There has been a lot of responces to this thread, but I am happy to relate
how things are at my house.

My wife is a fantastic photographer, wife, and chemical mixer. She is not only my wife, but she is my best friend. I have not told her that other wives most often don't mix their husbands chemistry, since she is very good at it I am going to ah er a kind of forget about telling her. Shhhhh

She however doe's not reload the thousands of rounds of ammunition we shoot around the country at Cowboy Action Shoots. She believe that all that is necessary is to take the empty box of brass and sit next to the reloader. Then come back tomorrow and "Walla" they are ready for her to shoot again! I haven 't mentioned the facts to her about this either.

She prefers the Pentax 6x7 to the Hasseys and Nikon 35 stuff. Also doesn't have much use for 8x10, says everytime I squeeze the bulb, we have sacrificed a trip out to dine. Hmmmmmm

I just may be the luckiest guy in the world!!!!!!!!

 

[oriecat]

Well I'm not married either, but my bf lives with me, and he is very supportive. He often has one of my pics as the desktop on his computer, and he wants me to print some pics so he can hang them in his office and replace the ugly artwork on the walls. And then since we're not married how much money I spend is none of his business!

 

[JBDeal]

Mark, you must satisfy her needs as well as your own. ;<) I am fortunate. She thinks it is cool. I also play bass in a band she thinks thats even cooler. When she ask for something I give it to her whatever it may be.

 

[Mongo]

I'm fortunate that not only does my girlfiend give her full emotional support to my photographic passion, but she's also helped me grow as a photographer. She's helped me understand just how important my passion is to my well-being, and has helped me understand why it is that I'm drawn to the things that I photograph. (When I divorced a psychologist, I swore I'd never date another one. How wrong I was...and how thankful I am that I was so wrong!)

She'll often come along with me when I want to go out to shoot, but usually just to find a nice place to sit and read while I'm off making photographs. She's not much into the technical end of things, but she does appreciate the peacefulness of the forests around here and the opportunity she gets to relax while I'm under the dark cloth.

She does, however, appreciate my work, and I'm very grateful for that. I gave her a portfolio of Azo contact prints as one of her Christmas gifts this year, and she loved it so much she was fighting back tears. It was an amazing moment for me, and I can't think of a better gift that she could have given me. (Although the Super Angulon 90mm she gave me was pretty nice too!)

 

[etriplett]

And then since we're not married how much money I spend is none of his business!

Yeah what you said! My live in "GF" sounds like your live in "BF."

"When are you printing that photo for my office."

"As soon as I can get in the darkbathroom"

"Well get in there!"

She's even my pseudo-manager, getting me paying commission photos once in a while.

Even if we marry I'm keeping the accounts separate just to support the habit. We already co-habitate without a joint account, what difference would marrage make?

 

[MurrayMinchin]

My girlfriend of 19 years, 9 months calls me her "long term, high risk investment" when it comes to my photography...I hope it results in much $$$$$$$$ for her! She's TOTALLY supportive! When I'm in the darkroom and working exhaustively on a print, feeling close to giving up and taking the easiest route, I'll take the print to her and she always gives me the advice I need to hear...she's got a finely honed eye for print quality and expects me to deliver.

She also signed on to a dream of mine and came (never complaining once) on a six month sea kayaking trip on the BC coast. We left our jobs, put everything in storage and pushed off the beach. I paddled a double with our tent and my 4x5 gear in the front cockpit, and she paddled a single...even towing me after my neck blew out. We did 2 months in the winter, two months in the spring, and 2 months in the fall. Oh, and for part of the trip I tried to quit smoking...she's TOLERANT too!

I'm a lucky, lucky man....

Murray

P.S. I just read this to her and she said, "SHOW ME THE MONEY"!!!!!!!!

 

[FrankB]

No wife, thus no spousal support.

Some good friends though, who I wouldn't be without!

 

[Graeme Hird]

My wife is 100% supportive: she should be too, since derives 100% of her income from my photography!

She loves my work, but is also my most honest critic. She also stops me from going overboard with my purchases.

 

[SuzanneR]

Yeah what you said! My live in "GF" sounds like your live in "BF."

"When are you printing that photo for my office."

"As soon as I can get in the darkbathroom"

"Well get in there!"

She's even my pseudo-manager, getting me paying commission photos once in a while.

Even if we marry I'm keeping the accounts separate just to support the habit. We already co-habitate without a joint account, what difference would marrage make?

My husband and I lived together before we got married, and kept seperate bank accounts, and didn't change a thing after we got married. It'll be ten years this summer, and we still keep seperate accounts. Makes for a happy marriage!!!!

He's been very supportive of my photography, especially these past three years or so since I decided to build the darkroom. Sometimes he and the kids get a little impatient if I want to stop and photograph when we are out for a walk or something, so I tend to just focus the camera on them! They've become my main subjects! It's great to have unconditional support; I'll be leaving the hubby alone with the kids for a week this summer to take a workshop in Maine. I'm excited about it, and without his support, it just wouldn't happen! Of course, it's a two way street, and I do all I can for his endeavors... we wouldn't be happy any other way.

 

[SchwinnParamount]

My wife supports my photo hobby. In fact she actually encourages me to acquire new equipment. I buy it and try to use it. I say 'try' because she grabs it for her own projects before I've really had a chance to warm it up. Presently we are fighting over a Bronica ETRSI I just got Grrr. Actually, I'm very happy that she does her own photography so we can learn stuff together. Now that I've committed to building my own 8x10, I can see that I'll be building 3. One for me, one for a friend, and one for my wife

 

[25asa]

Non-existent to hostile.

I stop - get the camera out - walk off a little ways - set up - etc, etc.
She'll say, "I don't know what you are taking a picture of!"
To which I simply reply, "That is correct".

 

[bobfowler]

No complaints here! As of 2 days ago, Liz and I have been together for 20 years, though it doesn't seem like it at all. Liz isn't a photographer, but she's the best assistant I've ever worked with on wedding or commercial shoots. She actually enjoys loading film backs, timing Polaroids, keeping the production notes, picking lint, fixing stray hair... you know, the details that at shooting time can mean being able to do a straight print vs a lot of retouching.

Her Mom was a wildlife photographer and her Dad was a wildlife painter, so she's used to the "visual arts" lifestyle. I think that a big part of what makes us work so well together is that just as she'll do a photo gig with me, I'll go (and not kicking and screaming either) to quilting shows and crafts fairs with her.

 

[Jeremy]

Now that I've committed to building my own 8x10, I can see that I'll be building 3. One for me, one for a friend, and one for my wife

I know you mistyped that, it was supposed to be 4; you forgot the one for me

 

[SchwinnParamount]

I know you mistyped that, it was supposed to be 4; you forgot the one for me

Gosh, you're right Jeremy. I was going to save the one that I'm inlaying with Brazillian Rosewood for me, but now that I think about it... It's yours bud. I'll just keep the pine camera for myself

 

[modafoto]

My husband and I lived together before we got married, and kept seperate bank accounts, and didn't change a thing after we got married. It'll be ten years this summer, and we still keep seperate accounts. Makes for a happy marriage!!!!

Somewhat like us. My wife and I are having separate accounts, but we compare the amounts we have for our selves and help each other out so none of us have month where we cannot survive.

 

[Aggie]

June 19th it will be 25 years, that is the silver anniversary. I'm also lucky that Dan is supportive of me. He buys computers and things, and I buy cameras. When he does accompany me out in the field, I have found the best use of a digital camera is in his hands, allowing him to play while I go about what I need to do.

BTW for the silver anniversay just send film and photo paper. Thats all the silver I need.

 

[arigram]

You now know why I am not married or thinking of marriage any time soon!

 

[removed account4]

i met my wife 9 years ago when we were schlepping coffee together for health insurance. we lived together in a small industrial building / 20x20' studio for a year or 2 before we got married. she is as supportive now, as ever, regarding my photography --- when times are thin, or a little better than thin. she my best and most honest critic, doesn't mind ( the insane ) purchases i make too much, and is a great photographer herself. she makes sure that we have photo album after photo album ( now more than 40 ) filled with family pix - yes, the mini lab operator is very happy with the weekly 2-5 rolls of film . i am lucky to have her, and can't imagine what would have become of me if we never met.

 

[arigram]

But actually to be fair, my ex girlfriend was very supportive of my photography and she saw it as part of me. She was very willing to pose for me in and follow every instruction, plus give her own ideas, she came with me when I shopped at the local Calumet in Cambridge when I was in the US and even gave me photographic presents like photo coloring kits and filters. She also didn't have a problem with me posting photos of her in the gallery.