Money question

Mainecoonmaniac · Jul 30, 2013

You're amazing!

benjiboy said:
Just an obsession with me for the last sixty years.

That is great! Shooting for that long. Most people would have given into digital completely by now. All my friends that shot analog has gone that route. I've been shooting for about 30 years and hope to keep up my obsession for another 30.

keyofnight · Jul 31, 2013

Most people I know spend more at the bar than my partner and I spend on film and development; she shoots Polaroid, and we both do 35mm. Hellwe've spend more feeding our two cats than I've ever spent on photography stuff. (;

I'll also note that I find ways to spend less. Rodinal at 1+100 is a little cheaper than other development methods. I scan film at my university instead of spending money on a scanner. I also shoot very slowly, so I don't use that much film. I also don't like G.A.S.all of the time I've spent looking for a camera to buy is time I could've spent taking pictures, processing and scanning film, etc.

Nige · Aug 1, 2013

I can buy pretty much what I want, however I have no time to use it... working Mon-Fri and with kids that do sport 6-7 days/nights a week means time is scarce. One day they'll leave home and I'll have lots of time! Well, that's what I dream

Jesper · Aug 1, 2013

Started out as a freelance photographer with computers as a hobby but the economic realities made me switch that around. Now I work in IT with photography as a hobby.

Tom1956 · Aug 1, 2013

Nige said:
I can buy pretty much what I want, however I have no time to use it... working Mon-Fri and with kids that do sport 6-7 days/nights a week means time is scarce. One day they'll leave home and I'll have lots of time! Well, that's what I dream

I can buy pretty much what I want too, so long as it's bills, tax, insurance, gas, and 1 meal a day whether I need it or not.

keyofnight · Aug 1, 2013

Nige said:
I can buy pretty much what I want, however I have no time to use it... working Mon-Fri and with kids that do sport 6-7 days/nights a week means time is scarce. One day they'll leave home and I'll have lots of time! Well, that's what I dream

That sounds like the BEST time to take pictures. Get some long lenses and get to it.

MartinCrabtree · Aug 1, 2013

I'm a crazy SOB who is leaving a day job to pursue some scraps in photography. After some schooling first.

removed-user-1 · Aug 1, 2013

When I had a full-time job in financial services, I bought pretty much whatever I wanted (not that I was rolling in cash, mind you - didn't buy a Leica; but I was on that semi-annual upgrade cycle of Nikon DSLRs...). Of course, this was 2003-2007, when I thought film was mostly a thing of the past and my purchases revolved around digital. Looking back, that would have been a great time to buy film gear. For a couple years during and after grad school, I did some freelance work as a commercial photographer, and that was mainly digital too; the work drove me nuts, it was very assembly-line and ... I got out of that. Now, I on a teacher's salary I finance my gear purchases by selling other gear - it's sort of a revolving door, with the occasional monetary loss when I can't make my money back. But I don't own nearly as much camera gear as I once did and I'm much better off for it. Film and chemistry I buy as needed, it's a few dozen dollars a month typically.

Nige · Aug 2, 2013

keyofnight said:
That sounds like the BEST time to take pictures. Get some long lenses and get to it.

Ohh, I take 1000's of kids sport pics... all digital though.

benjiboy · Aug 2, 2013

Mainecoonmaniac said:
That is great! Shooting for that long. Most people would have given into digital completely by now. All my friends that shot analog has gone that route. I've been shooting for about 30 years and hope to keep up my obsession for another 30.

Photography has been my life since I was thirteen, my family indulge my passion , my wife knows it's who I am and has always encouraged me. It's taken me a lifetime to try and learn, understand and practice the wonders of film photography, and although I'm in a financial position to be able to afford any digital equipment I want, I don't feel inclined to have to learn photography all over again .

blockend · Aug 2, 2013

I've always thought it was easier to make money from photography's ancilliary activities than as a pro. Selling cameras, providing print and developing services, being an educator bring in a steadier income than your average jobbing professional. There are exceptions of course, but most commercial photography is not a romantic occupation, it's a living (if you're lucky!) like any other.

Stephen Frizza · Aug 2, 2013

I'm a pro lab owner who's only source of income has been photography the past 14 years. I find the money I earn from running my lab allows me to indulge in my own photography and gives me complete access to any direction in photography I wish to go. I am truly very lucky.

Steve Smith · Aug 2, 2013

On the subject of money, if anyone has any old money, perhaps last year's which has gone out of fashion, I will happily take it off you.

Steve.

Bob Carnie · Aug 2, 2013

I have been working professionally since 1976 , my only source of income is from phototgraphy, I feel as passionate about it today as I did the first day I saw a print emerge.
I am also working on personal projects at a rate that would be daunting for many, I use the camera as a tool to put images on film , I prefer to call myself a printmaker rather than a photographer, and the darkroom is where it all happens, not at the exposure / camera side.

PKM-25 said:
Unless you are highly successful at it, then you are living a way that most can only dream of and that is far better than a hobby. If the day ever comes that I can no longer earn a comfortable full time living off of photography, then I doubt I would do it even as a hobby because I would not have nearly the time or freedom to do what I want, when I want like I do now.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Aug 2, 2013

When I have Leica, I dont have Money to buy film, When I dont have Leica, I dont have Money to buy film either.

Bob Carnie · Aug 2, 2013

I am confused , are you not under 30?

Stephen Frizza said:
I'm a pro lab owner who's only source of income has been photography the past 14 years. I find the money I earn from running my lab allows me to indulge in my own photography and gives me complete access to any direction in photography I wish to go. I am truly very lucky.

pbromaghin · Aug 2, 2013

We were a 1-income family while our daughter was growing up, and remained so after that, due to my wife's health problems. This required a lifetime of real frugality. I always had a low level interest in photography, but never pursued it due to expense and family responsibilities. My increased interest coincided with becoming empty-nesters and the collapse of film. Now that I'm in my peak earning years before retirement and we were mostly unaffected by the recession, old habits die hard and I still am pretty cautious about spending on photography equipment and supplies. I never forget that every bit of it is just a toy. However, when an unexpected opportunity appears to get something I want at a good price, I don't have to worry about taking advantage of it.

Stephen Frizza · Aug 2, 2013

Bob Carnie said:
I am confused , are you not under 30?

Im 30, I got my first paid photographic job when I was 16 I've only ever done photography since. I didn't launch my own lab until I was 23.

Bob Carnie · Aug 2, 2013

I was impressed with your lab knowledge at 23 , the post seemed to age you.

Stephen Frizza said:
Im 30, I got my first paid photographic job when I was 16 I've only ever done photography since. I didn't launch my own lab until I was 23.

pbromaghin · Aug 2, 2013

Stephen Frizza said:
I didn't launch my own lab until I was 23.

Why did you wait so long, slacker?:munch:

Stephen Frizza · Aug 2, 2013

Bob Carnie said:
I was impressed with your lab knowledge at 23 , the post seemed to age you.

That's very kind of you to say, I still feel like I know nothing. I have been very lucky to have amazingly talented mentors nurture me.

Bob Carnie · Aug 2, 2013

Don't worry at 60 I still feel I know nothing, thats the good thing about this profession, like the energizer bunny the learning still keeps coming.

Stephen Frizza said:
That's very kind of you to say, I still feel like I know nothing. I have been very lucky to have amazingly talented mentors nurture me.

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 2, 2013

Bob Carnie said:
Don't worry at 60 I still feel I know nothing, thats the good thing about this profession, like the energizer bunny the learning still keeps coming.

That's very reassuring. I feel that the day we think we have nothing more to learn, is probably the day we should quit.

Does anybody else feel that every printing session has some learning value to offer?

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Aug 2, 2013

Same Energizer bunny poking me for 32 years since 10. I have still no money but extra belly , it keeps me tired. I reached to a hunger point , without extra 10 years at university , I cant make one step more.

Stephen is amazing friend and suprised he was so young.

Bob Carnie · Aug 2, 2013

Thomas

If you are honest with yourself and truly love photography, that day will never come to you. I am always amazed that after 37 years of continuous work that I feel at lost with some of others capabilities that I meet online or in person.

Chemistry, Optics, Computers, Aesthetics, Materials,Marketing, are fields that I have had to learn from others, I have no talent, just the ability to gather information and work hard.
I feel I have another good 20 years of working ahead of me if I can keep healthy and now am most interested in hybrid work using the technology I have gathered and the archival attributes of wet process.
After that I will raise turkeys and bitch about all the younger people .

Bob

Money question

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