How do you keep the faith?

[binga63]

Suffering starving artist syndrome....full of ideas ...empty of cash. Wondering if it is all worth it

Those of you who read this, please tell if you have been in this position and how you pushed through...how you kept the faith.
Or should I just step back and pause....

Or just drink some cement and harden up

 

[tirediron]

I haven't yet, no, however I may be soon, and I have spent more than a little time contemplating these very points. At the end of the day, we have to do what we have to do to survive, and if that means slinging hash at the local beanery to fund photography, well, then that's what it will be I expect.

 

[binga63]

I have gone as far as selling little used equipment to fund the creative need

 

[tirediron]

I have gone as far as selling little used equipment to fund the creative need

Okay... that's treading on thin ice. Selling vital organs? Sure! Acting as a guinea pig for drug testing? Okay... Selling gear????? Dude!

 

[binga63]

yep camera gear...if you have a choice to shoot or not and it costs...for me it all costs...a printer...2 flashes...my 600mm, my backup camera body.... to fund it (last year) little options to earn....the second employers see me shake(parkinson's) they always find an excuse not to hire me. Needed to vent.

 

[Gary A.]

I've never been there, having been paid a weekly salary by large media companies. But John is right about having to do what you gotta do. When I was working news, I had to shoot a bunch of uninteresting crap every week in order to stay on the dole. Now that I am working for myself (consultant), it is tough, during normal business hours you want to market because that when the clients are awake ... then at night you have to work to meet deadlines and get paid.

Your stuff is so good ... I would think you could easily get a full/part time job at an established studio. That may dash your hopes of independance ... but sometimes three squares a day makes up for doing stuff you rather not be doing.

I can see a lot of conflict if you work with/for someone else while still Moonlighting under your own shingle.

I know a few successful commercial photogs and they are very good at marketing, getting their name out there where it counts and closing the deal. You are quite creative ... maybe you can expand into graphics design ... give yourself a broader commercial base. You have already mastered a key graphic design program, PhotoShop. Have you thought of just processing the images of other studio/commercial photogs.

 

[tirediron]

Have you tried just shooting regular, every day retail stuff? Family portraits, weddings, etc? Not always exciting compared to some of your work, but it does pay.

 

[bribrius]

no idea, never relied on photography for a income.
i can say i just got my kids sports photos in i paid for from them playing sports (team pic, portrait shot etc. etc.). And whoever took them clearly didn't put much for gear or effort into them they are sadly not very good at all. And they still got paid. You could always sign on to shoot that type of stuff, though i think you may be over qualified. But they do pay.

 

[bribrius]

Have you tried just shooting regular, every day retail stuff? Family portraits, weddings, etc? Not always exciting compared to some of your work, but it does pay.

no doubt. i saw some wedding photos that were simply horrendous. But they still got paid. Seems the standards in commercial work aren't always so high.

 

[Gary A.]

Perhaps an agent to market your talents. An agent would separate your Parkinson from a potential client.

Perhaps ... use the Parkinson to your advantage. Market your images and your craft to those enterprises in the healthcare industry. I can see your images in the lobbies and hallways of hospitals and clinics with a small framed image of you and your story. Offer yourself to speak and do shows at groups sessions and such. Your images are inspirational as a stand alone product, combined with your story, they jump up a magnitude or two into Olympian inspirational. You can be the poster child for teaching others that life doesn't end with Parkinson's.

You have all the components for success except the marketing. Work on the marketing ... bring in a marketing expert.

 

[tirediron]

Perhaps an agent to market your talents. An agent would separate your Parkinson from a potential client.

Perhaps ... use the Parkinson to your advantage. Market your images and your craft to those enterprises in the healthcare industry. I can see your images in the lobbies and hallways of hospitals and clinics with a small framed image of you and your story. Offer yourself to speak and do shows at groups sessions and such. Your images are inspirational as a stand alone product, combined with your story, they jump up a magnitude or two into Olympian inspirational. You can be the poster child for teaching others that life doesn't end with Parkinson's.

You have all the components for success except the marketing. Work on the marketing ... bring in a marketing expert.

This is f**king brilliant!

 

[gsgary]

Real Ale would be better than cement

 

[DarkShadow]

I am glad this is just a hobby for me and I am not talented enough as a living anyways. You have some wonderful talent that needs to really get out there in the world. I said it before in another post that your photos should be hanging in a art gallery somewhere. You need exposure to your work any way you can get it and Gary A brilliant idea may be just the way to get it. IMO sometimes you have to make a lot of noise to be herd,so to speak.

 

[pgriz]

Totally agree with Gary (and seconding John's opinion). Chris - you're not selling your body, you're selling your talent. Your body has Parkinsons. Your talent does not. Match your talent and vision against most "able-bodies" people, and it's no contest - you're at the finish line while they are still at the starting gate. Your work is inspiring. Your ability to produce it is inspiring. Your ability to do it despite having Parkinsons, is beyond inspiring. Let your images and your creativity do the talking for you. Use the internet. On the other side of that link, no-one knows if you're 3 ft 5 inches with two heads and green skin. And they probably don't care. Because they may get access to the talent that you have, and very few others can even approach it.

 

[annamaria]

I totally agree with many of the posters, you have a tremendous talent!! Maybe teaching classes? Perhaps locally as well as online? You are good at what you do.