What's so great about Photography...

Fajitas!

In direct opposition to Roen's thread

What makes you happy you're a photographer.

I'll start the ball rolling.

Turning up to a venue, with a big que, marching to the front, and in a loud demanding tone, saying 'I'm the Photographer' (needs a capital P) and walking in infront of everyone.

Pretending not to know how to use a P&S when someone asks you to take their photo, while you have your SLR over your shoulder.

When seeing someone proclaiming the greats of film, taking a photo and proclaiming 'Ah shur, I'll fix that in photoshop' just to wind them up.

Knowing your gear costs more than your neighbours car.

elven

Excellent stuff!

That wonderful feeling you get thinking of all the fantastic shots to be taken on a day out somewhere.

The excitement when you load up your new pics and see one you think is fantastic

Realising how much you've improved in the last 6 months/year/5 years...

Finding a new processing technique and trying it out on your entire back catalogue of pictures just to see if it works with any of them.

Having something that sounds fairly respectable to put on the 'hobbies' section of your CV

Meeting up with a bunch of photo geeks, going out shooting - then seeing what different ways people saw things when you compare pictures from the day.

Meeting up with a bunch of photo geeks and borrowing other people's kit

Paying more attention to the light/seasons/plant life around you through the months.

sineadw

All of Al's, apart from the last one

Seriously- looking at things properly. Seeing something special in the most mundane of objects. Just taking the shot (was always the fun bit when I was film only). Seeing myself improve. Having (a few) people genuinely impressed with what I can get, even if they don't know how easy it really is Collecting stuff (when I win the lottery). The social aspect - going out on meets and having a laugh. Annoying the crap out of my boyfriend by talking about it for hours

Zillah

Fajitas! wrote:

Turning up to a venue, with a big que, marching to the front, and in a loud demanding tone, saying 'I'm the Photographer' (needs a capital P) and walking in infront of everyone.

I've done that! Well, it was just a student fund raiser, but the bouncer tried to kick me out because I didn't have ID with me (I'm 22 ffs) and I just smiled and said "I'm the photographer..." and a bunch of people around me said "Yeah he's the photographer!" He just frowned and left

Valentia

The surprises.

Roen

Knuckling down to a good hour or two cleaning your gear after a day in the saddle. Can't beat it.

ThOnda

To think. Before tkaing a picture, during making a picture and after having a picture.

And also to have unique pictures that there is no second in the world.

And it's sometimes good way of meeting people. Sometimes even women...

Sebzy

The hot chicks, fast cars, wild parties and the of course the god like status.

And the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBG8RhmW_N8

sineadw

hehe..

So *that's* what you all do with those long lenses.

leinsterman

I like for the adoration and screaming groupies myself ... especially Elven and Sinead ... two of the best groupies I've ever met ...

... and the free drink ...

irishcrazyhorse

The long tireing shoots with half naked girls....

Chochese

Here's a list of Plus points:

• Observing people for an extremely long amount of time and not having to feel creepy about it.
• The sound of a shutter...and someone not noticing
• The ladies think it's sexy :P
• Getting to a really cool assignment and realising you are the only one there to witness it
• Having that one photo that will come in handy for blackmail down the road
• Seeing a scene that make you never want to take the camera away from your face
• Looking down to see your name printed on a laminated credential that most would pay hundreds for
• Overpricing yourself and landing the job
• Seeing your name in print

magicbastarder

knowing your gear costs less than your neighbour's moped.

mervifwdc

Everyone has been told at some point that they had taken a nice picture and the person may have said "you must have a nice camera" or similar. I responded to one guy who had a super garden that since he had a nice garden, he must have a great shovel. He got the point!

best feeling in the world!
Merv.

City-Exile

When can you call yourself a photographer?
I mean, I'm an IT Consultant, who loves taking pictures.
I've never had any training, simply started taking pictures of cars during at a local rally, when I was a kid.

What I love most of all is when you capture a moment and show someone the picture but don't have to say a word. The picture tells its own story.

Working in the IT industry can be very thankless and there's never that sense of achievement you'd get with, lets say, making furniture or something like that.
With photography, it's nice to be able to say, "I took that!"

run_Forrest_run

City-Exile wrote:

Working in the IT industry can be very thankless and there's never that sense of achievement you'd get with, lets say, making furniture or something like that.
With photography, it's nice to be able to say, "I took that!"

here here, I am also in the IT sector and I love photography because it is everything IT is not! You have more freedom and control (apart from things like weather;) ) and you get to enjoy the rewards from your own work (and project management can't steal the credit!). Of course if photography was my bread and butter then things might not be so carefree

bovril

having an endless supply of blackmail material on your mates should you ever be in a situation where you need it

sineadw

I take it the pole dancing went well then?

bovril

yep ha ha ha

City-Exile

run_Forrest_run wrote:

Of course if photography was my bread and butter then things might not be so carefree

Yeah, I think I'd be the same.
Was presented with a chance to make photography my bread & butter. When I saw the money available, I knew that I'd have to bust a gut just to make a living.
I actually prefer that I don't rely on photography for my income as I enjoy letting my mood dictate what I shoot.

trooney

City-Exile wrote:

Yeah, I think I'd be the same.
Was presented with a chance to make photography my bread & butter. When I saw the money available, I knew that I'd have to bust a gut just to make a living.
I actually prefer that I don't rely on photography for my income as I enjoy letting my mood dictate what I shoot.

Spent a year doing just that for Irish music mags/club promoters/record labels and went back to IT after cos its just not the same. Found it almost impossible to survive.

City-Exile

Ironically, I probably couldn't afford my kit, if I wasn't working in IT.

FreeAnd..

there is nothing better to suck the enjoyment out of photography than turning pro...

Roen

City-Exile wrote:

Ironically, I probably couldn't afford my kit, if I wasn't working in IT.

Amen to that!

FreeAnd..

Originally Posted by City-Exile
Ironically, I probably couldn't afford my kit, if I wasn't working in IT.

Amen to that!

Or the time to write to message boards on the internet..

City-Exile

FreeAnd.. wrote:

Or the time to write to message boards on the internet..

True!

Fenster

Groupies.

Chochese

FreeAnd.. wrote:

there is nothing better to suck the enjoyment out of photography than turning pro...

You need a passion for it to survive as a pro. Just enjoying photography is not enough :P

evilhomer

mmmm, does anyone know where I can get a lens like Bruce Testones??

I love having a photo hanging on the wall of my house and someone saying "I really like that picture" and then they don't believe me when I tell them I took it!

Calina

evilhomer, we missed you...


oh yeah back on topic:

that moment when a Photobox package arrives, preferably one containing a 20x30 print and you know it's going to be perfect.

rymus

probably being recognised for something you've done with a skill that was always 'just there' is one of the best things...

And yes, I did miss the boat on learning to play a musical instrument...

FreeAnd..

You need a passion for it to survive as a pro. Just enjoying photography is not enough :P

Its when that passion gets replaced by a need for cash... like if you have the chance to get a great shot or a shot that will sell..which do you take? If its your sole source of income then you take the shot that brings in the cash..you have to pay the bills..I am more talking about freelance work rather than something like fashion\music photography..its not always good photos that sell, if they are newsworthy they might sell but they might not be any good..thats the business..its also about getting them in first, might not be the best but if its in to a paper\magazine first it has a better chance to sell...

Not sure if i would like to depend on photography to earn a wage - ill just do it for the passion, nothing worse than it being about the money to corrupt the soul..

evilhomer

oh, oh! I have another one!!

Getting huge prints of your work and feeling your ego swell in a "mine is bigger then yours" way

Morlar

I like it when you take a lot of crap pictures and then in the middle you accidentally take a good one, and tell everyone that it was intentional.

Spyral

lol at the above.

Appreciating nature better

Getting into Gigs for free as you are the only person that the people know with decent kit

Chicks commenting on 'the length of your lens' and they are not referring to your kit

ThOnda

Spyral wrote:

Chicks commenting on 'the length of your lens' and they are not referring to your kit

I suppose you ment "Chicks commenting on 'the length of your kit' and they are not referring to your lens "

:-)