Ansel Adams made over 1300 prints of "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico." Many more photographers, like Brett Weston, Elliott Erwitt, etc., etc., have sold prints of their most popular photos over and over and over.Yes, I've seen these guys at all the art festivals around Atlanta, selling the same Holga pictures of Paris they were selling when I first saw them in 1998, selling the same macro photos of tiny dolls climbing up sprinkled donuts, selling the same lace-covered, semi-nude cyanotypes. You probably know exactly who I am talking about.
Can't say I would enjoy that at all.
In my day job, my team lead is a decade younger than me. Whet he brings to the team is the ability to organize stuff, as well as technical excellence. So I have tremendous respect for him. Same with photography teachers - when I teach, some of my students are high school or college age. Some of them are my age, and some of them are retirees with 20+ years on me. They're choosing to take my class because I have something to share that they want to learn. And when I take classes from others, it's because they are sharing something I want to learn. I've learned the etiquette of keeping my mouth shut in class when I think I know better than the teacher, as a courtesy to them - I'm not the one getting paid, they are. Now, if they spout off something that's factually WRONG, I'll speak up. But I don't try to override them because I know how obnoxious it is to have a student try to take over my class.
Ansel Adams made over 1300 prints of "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico." Many more photographers, like Brett Weston, Elliott Erwitt, etc., etc., have sold prints of their most popular photos over and over and over.
Some people don’t worry about those things. (I’m a worrier.) Many years ago I was on a carefully curated photo expedition in the mountains and got snowed in. All roads closed. Hotels filled up fast. In the parking lot met a fellow traveler... a traveling artist and preacher. He only had a backpack and nothing else. He was cold, hungry, and the only plan he had was “to let the Lord provide”. Me and some other guys bought him dinner and let him stay in our room. He was a real wacko so we slept with one eye open at all times. He was grateful when we parted ways the next morning. Things worked out for him. I couldn’t live like that but some folks can.I could not go out and create without worrying about my next meal, bed, or house payment (well, we live on a boat, so slip rent actually).
I definitely know the first one, think I know the second, but don't know the third. It all has to do with how far they're willing to travel to do shows.You probably know exactly who I am talking about.
Ha! If I need surgery, I'd rather have a young surgeon than an old mechanic!
In all probability, many folks have photos they consider awesome. Some bring them to art fairs and sell some. That fellow people see selling the same (tired in their eyes) images time after time at these type of events might be making a meager living off them. Just not Ansel Adams rates. I heard of one well-known photographer referring to printing a popular image as "printing money."Yes, but "Moonrise, Hernandez" was AWESOME.
You'd be surprised how lucrative art fairs can be.Some bring them to art fairs and sell some. That fellow people see selling the same (tired in their eyes) images time after time at these type of events might be making a meager living off them.
You should trade your Hasselblad in for an RB67 so you can better appreciate the weight of 4x5 cameras!Hand held 4"x5" cameras are getting heavier to carry.
You should trade your Hasselblad in for an RB67 so you can better appreciate the weight of 4x5 cameras!
Really!You'd be surprised how lucrative art fairs can be.
Yes. Really. I know many people making over 100K doing art fairs.Really!
John rubs his chin and goes "hmmm....."Yes. Really. I know many people making over 100K doing art fairs.
Depends on where you are. Right now, here in Montana, it’s -14 with a breeze making it feel like -24. Batteries fail to function and the lube in my mechanical cameras turn solid. Pinhole might be an option though.OK, you've got 33 answers to mull over. Now grab the camera and hit the bricks. No time like the present.
THAT is a double edged sword. I know what I was like when I was 18/19/20, and I also know that I could not listen to myself at that age, today. I'd probably have slapped me.
I was shocked when Bill Clinton became president. He was the first person that was younger than I was when he became president. That's when you know you're getting old. The other thing I had difficulty with was after losing my business where I was president for 20 years, I went to work for another firm. I had a lot of problems being subordinate to others What did they know was my attitude. It caused a lot of problems until I pulled my ego back. I had to keep reminding myself I was the one out of business.How do you do this? I don't know that I could take a college professor seriously if they were 25+ years younger than me. Especially with your veteran status. You've seen and experienced more than probably the entire classroom combined, and yet you have to sit there and listen to them spout off lessons.
I enjoy watching the young people with photography blogs on YouTube. It's great to see their enthusiasm. And I'm learning a lot from what they do. Hanging out with younger people makes you feel younger especially for me as I'm 76 and live in a retirement community. When I moved here, friends would ask me how I liked it. I told them it was like hanging out with your grandparents. Very weird.In my day job, my team lead is a decade younger than me. Whet he brings to the team is the ability to organize stuff, as well as technical excellence. So I have tremendous respect for him. Same with photography teachers - when I teach, some of my students are high school or college age. Some of them are my age, and some of them are retirees with 20+ years on me. They're choosing to take my class because I have something to share that they want to learn. And when I take classes from others, it's because they are sharing something I want to learn. I've learned the etiquette of keeping my mouth shut in class when I think I know better than the teacher, as a courtesy to them - I'm not the one getting paid, they are. Now, if they spout off something that's factually WRONG, I'll speak up. But I don't try to override them because I know how obnoxious it is to have a student try to take over my class.
It's hard to be creative when you're hungry.I think older artists, who have a history of selling their work, can find themselves resting on their laurels, and repeating themselves. I've done over one hundred art festivals, beginning in the mid 90's. I've seen some photographers with the same work hanging on their walls for 25 years. While that may be a good financial decision, it certainly doesn't advance their art. They've traded being artists for being merchants. Sad, but true.
They gave up being creative many years ago.It's hard to be creative when you're hungry.
Older artists (assuming they've been at their art for decades) are frequently faced with the "I've already done that!" problem. That is, their creative juice is resolving to many instances of a repeated attempt at an idea they tried and felt they failed at in the past.
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