Re: [Leica] Pro or no

["Roland Smith" <roland@dnai.com>]

Paul, your comments confirm my observation in 1960 when I moved into the
world of independence.   I considered and quickly discarded the idea of
entering a career in photography.   First, I thought it a career where the
entry was too easy.   Buy a camera, undercut the market price and try to
pick up business.

Second, my talent has required forced application.  Others produce a good
art form without the same struggle at creativity or so it seems.

I went back to school preparing for a profession that had some thresholds
restricting the casual entry of the masses.   I became a CPA.  The wisdom of
my choice has been proven over the years.

I enjoy photography as a hobby and work hard to get a few acceptable
pictures.   I am not complaining about that.

Roland Smith

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Chefurka <Paul_Chefurka@pmc-sierra.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 6:21 AM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Pro or no


> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Martin Howard [mailto:howard.390@osu.edu]
> >
> >I am not a beleiver of the old saying: get paid for doing what
> >you do anyway.  It doesn't happen.  You'll get paid for doing,
> >not what you are already doing, but for doing other things.
>
> As an ex-pro, I'll throw in my two cents worth.  I agree with Ted about
> everything except the "getting paid for what you would do anyway".  On
that
> issue I side emphatically with Martin.
>
> I started out as an amateur, and went pro in about '72.  Five years later
I
> was bankrupt and burned out.  Bankrupt from not having someone like Ted to
> warn me how essential the business and marketing side of the equation is,
> and burned out from not having someone like Martin to warn me about the
cost
> to my soul of shooting too many baby portraits, weddings, cans of bug
spray
> and grip 'n grins.  I was in a small market with a number of established
> photogs, without enough business or marketing sense, no fallback income,
and
> not enough startup capital.  Believe me, doing it wrong is no fun at all.
>
> Paul Chefurka
>