Do professional togs still enjoy photography as a hobby?

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Naith

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As per title. Do those who tog for a living still enjoy photography when 'off duty'?
 
Not as much as I used to...
Gone are the days where I'd take the camera out just to see what I could find - now I only take the kit out if there's a specific event going on that I know I'll get good images of...
And having 'all' the kit in the bag means that I can't just take one body and a 50mm out...if I do spot something good there's the nagging feeling that I could record it so much better if I had all the toys with me...so it's all or nothing these days...

That said, I'm determined to do just that next year - take out just one camera and a 50mm for a bit of 'grass-roots' street-togging...I know it won't last though - I'll be back to the hotel to grab the rest of the bag within an hour...:lol:

Just recently I decided to get out of this slump and shot a couple of girly-shoots - the first was mediocre to say the least, but I came out of the second shoot with some nice portraits, so that will continue when I get back as well...
The 'new' (to me anyway) CLS lighting from Nikon has me all excited at the moment and I'm keen to get out and put what I'm learning right now to good use on some non-military subjects...
 
A good question.

Yesterday I felt like I never wanted to even see a camera ever again.....

In an ideal world you'd be exploring new avenues all the time with all the stimuation that provides. It must have felt like that when I started.

But actually, you find your niche and you get stuck there, especially if your living depends on it.
 
No I don't!!!

Which is why five or so years of weddings and portraits I have one more wedding to go and thats it.

Turned down 17 weddings for next year and it feels great...lol

One family wedding next year and no more weddings for me.

It has ruined my hobby and I want my hobby back.
 
jolsterj said:
No I don't!!!

Which is why five or so years of weddings and portraits I have one more wedding to go and thats it.

Turned down 17 weddings for next year and it feels great...lol

One family wedding next year and no more weddings for me.

It has ruined my hobby and I want my hobby back.
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WOW thats a big move for a hobby if you dont mind me asking, what else you got up your sleeve for next year?
 
Nothing......just want my hobby back...


I work part time in a shop also and the wedding money was extra.

I want to take pics of different things like trying lanscapes and macro but always bought gear aimed at weddings etc.

Took me a few months to make the decision but once I said ''no more bookings'' I was a happy bunny.
 
This is an interesting post!

There seems to be a glut of hobbyists yearning to make their hobby their profession so they can be rid of their boring work-a-day life.

.....and then theres the professionals realising that they've lost their fun, now that 'togging is where the bread on the table comes from!


I think it means we all hate having to work for a living.....
 
Karen said:
I wouldn't know as I never have time for recreational photography these days so I suppose in effect it has impacted greatly on what used to be an enjoyable hobby.
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Which is exactly why I am giving it up.:D
 
It's not as enjoyable no. I used to be a weekend warrior, now my income depends on it. I used to enjoy sitting in a hide for hours on end, now it's costing me money to be sitting there with nothing happening.

Still love photography but don't always enjoy it.

Arron
 
Not so much these days. Hardly any to be honest....

I'm shooting four or five days per week, doing 2500 - 3000 miles driving each month and on average, doing 14-hour days. Then I go home to archive shots and make adjustments before burning to disk and giving the shots to the editor. Often the last thing I want to do is take another photograph.

I love shooting when out at work - the other week I had trips out in the English Channel at night, trout fishing on Hanningfield Reservoir, wading in the River Severn, sat in a boat on the River Avon at Christchurch and the fishing the steep banks of the Foss Dyke near Lincoln; all in all a really varied, mixed week with every kind of weather that really tested my skills. I got some great shots and the commissioning editors were really happy. That's the reward, knowing that everyone is getting something they couldn't get otherwise.

I like faffing around with shots on my mac these days. A lot of my work is 'straight' processed for magazine inclusion; basic tweaks but nothing radical - most stuff looks identical to the original JPEG but instructional magazine rarely require arty photography. But, some stuff I do shoot is shot for me to later process to my own standards for display as part of a portfolio that I'm working on. It's the shots that aren't so boring, the shots that have something about them that wouldn't really fit in an an instructional magazine.

There are plenty of exciting things out there that I have stored in the back of my head; more outdoor multiple flash stuff, possibly portraiture, is something I'd like to get better at but I want to invest in the right equipment first before I invest the time required to get the shots.

I'd also like to do more reportage stuff, like Arkady mentions, using a fixed lens. I've shot some B&W stuff lately, cutting out raw shooting so i have to get the shot right in-camera. It's worked a little bit; if anything at least it's got me interested in B&W again, which was my first love when I started out.

Unfortunately, the missus and I had our baby on the weekend so that's put paid to any equipment purchases I had in mind (a 85mm f/1.8) this month. Plus, I won't have half as much time as a result. Still, I suppose when I am limited by funds and only have so much time to shoot, then I'll make the most of what I've got and that could be a good thing to help me become more enthusiastic about my personal photography. :)

I still love photography, just in different ways these days....
 
Still love it after 15 years although the the commercial stuff comes first which leaves little time to do my own pictures.
 
whatdoesthisbutt said:
This is an interesting post!

There seems to be a glut of hobbyists yearning to make their hobby their profession so they can be rid of their boring work-a-day life.

.....and then theres the professionals realising that they've lost their fun, now that 'togging is where the bread on the table comes from!

I think it means we all hate having to work for a living.....
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Well spotted :) Mind you, I don't want to stop shooting for a living; I want to keep shooting as a hobby :)
 
jerry12953 said:
A good question.

Yesterday I felt like I never wanted to even see a camera ever again.....

In an ideal world you'd be exploring new avenues all the time with all the stimuation that provides. It must have felt like that when I started.

But actually, you find your niche and you get stuck there, especially if your living depends on it.
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Having said that, when the photos you took last week are better than you remembered them, and more suitable for the use you had in mind, things don't seem so bad......
 
addendum: I love my job - I think I have the best job going - especially right now...but it's not my hobby any more...and I miss that...a lot...

When your hobby becomes your profession, you need to find another hobby - for me it was cars as I no longer have the energy to thrash an MTB up hill and down dale the way I used to 12 years ago....
 
arronbarnes said:
It's not as enjoyable no. I used to be a weekend warrior, now my income depends on it. I used to enjoy sitting in a hide for hours on end, now it's costing me money to be sitting there with nothing happening.

Still love photography but don't always enjoy it.

Arron
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I'm in the same position pretty much. I used to love sitting in hides, randomly walking around town and so on back when I was in university. But now I make a living from it, if I'm not shooting for work then I'm finding more work!
 
I'm kindof in the reverse position, but can relate to this. Computers and programming used to be an avid hobby of mine. I used to love building PCs/writing apps/web pages etc. So I got a career in it. I still love it but because of it I can't face developing my own web site in my spare time.

Now photography is my hobby, and I would never want to make a career out of it. I'd like to be as good as some of you guys, wouldn't mind making some money out of it, even if it is peanuts compared to what I spend, but never want to rely on it.
 
I do. Took about 700 pictures in a weeks holiday, which I thought was quite good between all the drinking and sunbathing. Nice to do something different with no pressure.
 
I find that I like taking pics of other things!

If I'm not shooting weddings then I love shooting anything else that I feel like. I'm also doing some architectural/project photography at work and preparing a panel for judging next year so it's all keeping me quite busy, add to that new albums, new design software, new website design............

So on my day off last week I went and shot cars on the way to B&Q! :)

Tomorrow, (or tonight if I have time) I want to go and shoot Batman. (as one does :))
 
I didn't enjoy photography as a hobby! What was the point of taking all these pictures - printing them - and stuffing them in a drawer (no internet in these days). So if no-one ever saw them what was the point - I went pro - gradually - and there was a purpose again! I've seen things and been to places I couldn't dream about if I hadn't been sent to take pics. I love it - just the way it is.
 
There are two reasons why I will never be a professional photographer.

1. I'm not good enough

2. It is my hobby and I do not want to sacrifice that.

I know the first can be overcome (and possibly would be given time) but the second will always prevent me from taking that step.

Selling the odd photo here and there would be nice, or get paid with meals/drinks for shooting someone's kids, but not 'full time pay the mortgage with the proceeds' style efforts :nono:
 
Job - Photographer - love it to bits :)

Hobby - Photography - love it to bits :)

I honestly can't believe that doing something you love so much can become a chore/bore as others seem to think - 'sacrifice' to becoming a Pro - what utter tosh IMO ;)

DD
 
jolsterj said:
No I don't!!!

Which is why five or so years of weddings and portraits I have one more wedding to go and thats it.

Turned down 17 weddings for next year and it feels great...lol

One family wedding next year and no more weddings for me.

It has ruined my hobby and I want my hobby back.
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and there was me thinking that just 2 short years ago you were new at all this and didnt know what to charge...:thinking:
 
DiddyDave said:
Job - Photographer - love it to bits :)

Hobby - Photography - love it to bits :)

I honestly can't believe that doing something you love so much can become a chore/bore as others seem to think - 'sacrifice' to becoming a Pro - what utter tosh IMO ;)

DD
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You read my mind too often Dave and I find you have written my words before me :D:D:D

There is no greater hobby than being a pro photographer but you have to shoot what you want. The biggest mistake is to shoot what others want you to. Then you are no more than a shutter presser :gag::gag:

stew
 
jolsterj said:
No I don't!!!

Which is why five or so years of weddings and portraits I have one more wedding to go and thats it.

Turned down 17 weddings for next year and it feels great...lol

One family wedding next year and no more weddings for me.

It has ruined my hobby and I want my hobby back.
Click to expand...

I go on many forums for many subjects but that has to be the biggest pile of Bovine excrement I have ever read. so you turned down upto 17k or more (depending on cost) because you just want to do it as a hobby.:lol:
 
purplepaul said:
I go on many forums for many subjects but that has to be the biggest pile of Bovine excrement I have ever read. so you turned down upto 17k or more (depending on cost) because you just want to do it as a hobby.:lol:
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Correct.
 
Dunno yet :D

I love the hobby, I mean love it with bells on it. Nothing is more exciting than a week in the highlands shooting Scotland in all it's glory.

However, as a result of the recent work - I have not taken photos for fun for a long long time. I do miss it, but I am more excited by all the other things at the moment.

I have a massive plan to combine the hobby part with an income, but it requires a lot of thought first.

Gary.
 
artona said:
There is no greater hobby than being a pro photographer but you have to shoot what you want. The biggest mistake is to shoot what others want you to. Then you are no more than a shutter presser :gag::gag:
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That's what I wanted to say :p

I love it, but I'm not a full time pro, just part time. It's actually allowed me to combine things I enjoy all into one bigger "hobby".
 
It's only natural to want to turn your passion into a full time career, and it's only natural that the career will eventually lose some of it's spark.

I used to dream of being in IT, these days I am less than enthusiast about my career. However I do still love computers - when I get to do the things I want.

Although I doubt very much I'd ever want to turn photography into a career. The real bread and butter work just doesn't appeal to me (weddings and portraits). The only obvious exception to this would be stiff staff photographer for FMH.
 
gingerweasel said:
It's only natural to want to turn your passion into a full time career, and it's only natural that the career will eventually lose some of it's spark.

I used to dream of being in IT, these days I am less than enthusiast about my career. However I do still love computers - when I get to do the things I want.

Although I doubt very much I'd ever want to turn photography into a career. The real bread and butter work just doesn't appeal to me (weddings and portraits). The only obvious exception to this would be stiff staff photographer for FMH.
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If you love seeing loads of happy people having a great time & being paid to photograph them - then that is NOT what I'd call bread & butter work, and there are at least 3 Pros in here saying the 'spark' hasn't dimmed at all

I know a few people who's sole photographic aim in life if photographing tits and that often neatly describes them too :D But that's not about photography really is it, it's about sexual frustration - at least in the 'tits' I know anyway :lol:

DD
 
I think if i did it all day and then had to lug loads of stuff around in the evening i wouldnt find it fun, it would become boring..chefs dont like to cook all the time
 
I think you have to make a distinction between pro's.
There are pro's that love taking photographs and there are pro's that used to love taking photographs, but don't now shoot unless they're being paid to do so.
Its easy to see how recreational and occupational photography can become blurred, if you count all your camera time in pound notes...:)
 
Part of the thing that puts me off being a full time pro is that I wonder if I will just not want to do it for fun anymore. All that gear to lug around without getting paid like I would '9 to 5', not to mention the stress. I wonder how I would feel about losing my hobby.
 
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