[Leica] Used M9 prices

[steve.barbour at gmail.com (Steve Barbour)]

On Aug 26, 2010, at 6:58 PM, Chris Crawford wrote:

> I couldn't afford your seminar even if you let me attend for free. The
> travel costs alone are simply not a possibility for me. I live off my art,
> and I make enough to support myself and my son, but little more. When I 
> have
> extra money, I usually spend it on him.
> 
> I am VERY thankful to have the income I have because the city I live in has
> unemployment near 30%, and for men in my age group with university degrees
> more than 60% are jobless. Leaving is not a possibility either. I moved 
> back
> here from Santa Fe, where I made a lot more money doing commercial work,
> because my son's mother was locked up by the state in a psychiatric
> hospital. I moved to Santa Fe because I couldn't earn a living in Indiana 
> as
> a photographer, nor would anyone hire me for a non-photo job. I applied for
> more than 800 jobs after I earned by BFA in 1999 and got ONE interview! 
> That
> is very common for college grads here....the only jobs are doing
> construction or factory work, and there's not much of that to go around.
> After I moved to Santa Fe, I began earning money doing commercial work
> almost instantly so I know my failure to make a living here before I moved
> away wasn't a result of any failing on my part.
> 
> My ex is out of the hospital now, but I have kept custody of our son. State
> law here says I cannot move out of state with my son without his mother's
> permission, even though she's a nutjob, and she won't give it.
> 
> My son is 13 yrs old. The split second he graduates from high school, which
> will be a couple months after he turns 18, we're both outta here. Until
> then, we're living off my art only. There is NO commercial work here. My 
> art
> sells 100% to people outside Indiana. I highly doubt one can earn a dime in
> Indiana with an M9. Even the wedding and portrait people here are all
> hurting, and that's the easiest form of photography to earn a living at
> because the demand for it is universal. Anyway, I am supporting myself and 
> a
> teenage son entirely from sales of my work off my website. I am proud of
> that and I know there are VERY few photographers who could do that.
> 
> Maybe I'll buy a used M9 when I move back to Santa Fe in 5 yrs! In the
> meantime, I have two M6 bodies and several lenses that I pieced together
> here and there when I had some extra sales, and I am enjoying them greatly.
> I actually gave my digital SLR, a Nikon D70, to my son because I never used
> it. He's having a blast with it.


an eye opener Chris, thank you,


Steve



> 
> 
> -- 
> Chris Crawford
> Fine Art Photography
> Fort Wayne, Indiana
> 260-424-0897
> 
> http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com  My portfolio
> 
> http://blog.chriscrawfordphoto.com  My latest work!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 8/26/10 9:24 PM, "Tina Manley" <images at comporium.net> wrote:
> 
>> I'm giving a seminar for Leica on Cape Cod in October about how to pay for
>> your M9 with your M9.  I've certainly paid for mine several times over.  
>> You
>> might want to sign up ;-)
>> 
>> http://www.pksqcamera.com/seminar/seminardetails.htm
>> 
>> <http://www.pksqcamera.com/seminar/seminardetails.htm>Tina
>> 
>> PS:  It won't be with Fine Art, though!
>> 
>> I'm a fulltime graduate student. I can't afford an M9 even with a 
>> discount,
>>> and I couldn't have when I was working on my BFA years ago either. I 
>>> don't
>>> know any students who could where I study (Indiana University at Fort
>>> Wayne). Anyone that wealthy doesn't go to a state university.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Chris Crawford
>>> 
> 
> 
> 
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