Continuation - Macro's Why I Shoot Tread

[Greg7579]

That thread maxed out and clod\sed and I was enjoying reading it. The Mad Kiwi, who is a professional photographer, said this right before the thread locked:

" I only use my cameras professionally to make money, I don’t even take pictures of my kids, and I don’t even take a camera on holiday.

Mainly it’s because I use lights for everything I do, and if I can’t use lights, I don’t really see the point of bothering to take a picture that’s not going have that polish that lighting give the image."

I just wanted to say that I was very surprised by that statement because I have met and know so many "pro" photographers. That is a rare sentiment. The Mad Kiwi shoots only for his job for money (his profession). That is cool. But he also only shoots with lights. I assume all or mostly studio but may go out with lights and shoot people in external settings with speedlights or strobes.

I must say that is an amazing take and of course is the polar opposite of why I shoot. I would say The Mad Kiwi might have a passion for his job and could be a great portrait or product pro (I don't know), but it sounds like he has no passion for photography in general and never fires a shot outside the constraints or boundaries of his job.

Every pro I know shoots outside their work in some aspect and most of them I know even have separate gear for it.

I know MF portrait pros who shoot MFT while walking around or traveling. I know a portrait pro who is a master studio light artist and doesn't own a speedlight and never lights a shot outside the studio.

I know an art pro who likes to shoot high school baseball fir free on some weekends. weekends.

I know one a BIF pro who also likes to shoot his Fuji X100 compact while out walking around as he travels to bird locations with his heavy gear.

I met an NBA photographer who like to shoot panos of city scenes for fun as he travels to all the NBA cities.

I met a very expensive and hard to get wedding pro who never leaves home without her Q2 when not shooting a wedding (every weekend of her life).

Then there are people like many on this forum who have shot for decades with tons of different gear and for whatever reason now shoot the latest GFX and Hassy gear for fun.

Then they get mad at me when I tell them that the image fidelity of their new MF gear is way better than their best FF gear! LOL.

 

[Macro guy]

I didn't want to pick up a camera either when I was shooting professionally. Working as a photographer took all the joy out of photography and it became a job. I rediscovered the joy once I switched careers and I no longer made a living as a photographer. I discovered that it's much better to make a living doing something you're not passionate about. Otherwise, you lose the passion and you're not necessarily even making a good living.

 

[JimKasson]

I didn't want to pick up a camera either when I was shooting professionally. Working as a photographer took all the joy out of photography and it became a job. I rediscovered the joy once I switched careers and I no longer made a living as a photographer. I discovered that it's much better to make a living doing something you're not passionate about. Otherwise, you lose the passion and you're not necessarily even making a good living.

Shooting for hire is sometimes not much fun -- the pressure can suck joy out of it -- but it's never caused me to not want to make images for myself.

The only thing that for me was simultaneously great fun and very lucrative was electronic circuit and system design.

 

[paulraphael]

It's a temperament thing. I know that if I did assignment work it would suck the joy out of it for me. So when I need to be a hired gun, I do it in different mediums. But I have friends who are happy be doing photography all day long, whether it's for some inane paid job or not. They have bottomless appetites for it. They often make a living doing assignments and then come home for their passion projects.

That person who can't imagine wanting to take a picture without lighting is pretty extreme. But it's a reminder that people come to this medium looking for different things. "Photography" is a very big tent. There's room inside for so many approaches and interests, to the degree that you'll find photographers who don't share many opinions or even much vocabulary.

My best friend from high school was a fashion and commercial photographer. We found we often had no idea what the other was talking about. I finally got a hunch and said, "you realize, I'm never talking about artificial lighting." And he said, "oh, I'm only ever talking about artificial lighting." We both used cameras, like most people on Earth ... but my work was about finding and exploring things, while his was about creating installations and performances for the camera. The similarities were all superficial.

 

[bobby350z]

I am glad that photography is a hobby for me. If it was a job, then it won't be a fun. Well I take it back, if shooting models, SI covers, it will be fun, just not enough money compared to my day job.

I also shoot outside with studio lights 100%. I don't shoot ambient only pictures of people. I am not a pro but still think lighting makes a big difference and I don't need extensive pp later.

 

[Greg7579]

I didn't want to pick up a camera either when I was shooting professionally. Working as a photographer took all the joy out of photography and it became a job. I rediscovered the joy once I switched careers and I no longer made a living as a photographer. I discovered that it's much better to make a living doing something you're not passionate about. Otherwise, you lose the passion and you're not necessarily even making a good living.

Shooting for hire is sometimes not much fun -- the pressure can suck joy out of it -- but it's never caused me to not want to make images for myself.

The only thing that for me was simultaneously great fun and very lucrative was electronic circuit and system design.

 

[dbateman]

I photograph as "shutter therapy ". To walk around mostly and photograph what I like. This typically ends up being macro. But might be multiple spectrum to look for new patterns not visible to us normally. Sometimes landscapes and building.

I think it was Robin Wong whom first used the term "shutter therapy ". Made popular on Ming Thein and Kirk Tuck's blogs. He was an structural engineer (still is but not is main job), and first used it to melt off the day. I do the same. But have some projects lined up in my mind. Now Robin seems to be an on off Ambassador and YouTuber.

I don't like photographing people, unless family. So now risk in becoming professional.

I can understand someone locking their mind to one vision for photography. Especially if work related and they have a specific style that they project and like to be known for.

 

[kristian1]

I didn't want to pick up a camera either when I was shooting professionally. Working as a photographer took all the joy out of photography and it became a job. I rediscovered the joy once I switched careers and I no longer made a living as a photographer. I discovered that it's much better to make a living doing something you're not passionate about. Otherwise, you lose the passion and you're not necessarily even making a good living.

For example my case is very different, my only income is from photography, and really great one, also I shoot when I want, what I am inspired to do and also I can take brake if I feel like it, also I made my work that way that I do only the work that inspires me (for all other staff I have employees that do that work). So I am more than glad and thankful that I could make all this work the way I like and still have time and passion for shooting landscapes for hobby

Kristian

 

[Greg7579]

I didn't want to pick up a camera either when I was shooting professionally. Working as a photographer took all the joy out of photography and it became a job. I rediscovered the joy once I switched careers and I no longer made a living as a photographer. I discovered that it's much better to make a living doing something you're not passionate about. Otherwise, you lose the passion and you're not necessarily even making a good living.

For example my case is very different, my only income is from photography, and really great one, also I shoot when I want, what I am inspired to do and also I can take brake if I feel like it, also I made my work that way that I do only the work that inspires me (for all other staff I have employees that do that work). So I am more than glad and thankful that I could make all this work the way I like and still have time and passion for shooting landscapes for hobby

Kristian

Well Kristian, as I have said for a while now.... You are one of the best anywhere and The Best landscaper on this Forum.