A question for the teens out there

[JimmyO]

I know that Ken Rockwell wrote a really nice article on how to keep photography cheap. I think its really good but there are definitely some Rockwell haters out there. But either way its a worthwhile read and really goes into depth about everything.

 

[Mav]

How to Afford Anything :hail:

There's a lot of good advice in there for real, but a lot of it is intended purely as a joke too. Either way, lots of good and funny stuff.

 

[Rogan]

Ken rockwell seems to wub Nikon from the look of his website!

 

[JimmyO]

Some think hes the smarted man alive, some think hes a total idiot and some think nikon pays him to write his stuff.

haha. Thats a very good article (ive read it more than once). Thanks for the link Mav.

 

[mrodgers]

Going by that particular writing, I think he's an a.... er.... a total idiot and he should open his eyes to the real world and see how it really is out there.

 

[gamerz]

I'm 14.

Set a goal for yourself, and have the self discipline not to spend money on other things.

 

[brileyphotog]

You afford camera equipment the same as you afford anything else.

1. Get a job, no matter how much you hate it.

2. Save all of your money. If you can walk somewhere, walk. Don't go out to eat...your parents still buy your groceries I'm assuming, stuff like that.

3. Buy good equipment, but look for the best deals you can. Good used stuff and online is the way to go. But like others have suggested, don't sell yourself short.

I've been paying for all of my own stuff since I was 16 (and I do mean all), and it took me 4 years to save enough to buy my first DSLR - thank goodness I had a decent film camera. But it was worth it.

 

[ZacMan1987]

I am 20 and I work for big oil...no really.
But the story of how I got there has a lot more to do with what you're asking.

Busted tail in HS working as a traveling salesman over the summer.
Busted tail in college to stay in top 10% of my class in engineering.
Got hired as a per-semester intern working for ExxonMobil.

Work hard, and you will, not can, will attain your goals.

 

[robitussin217]

Haha! That's a great article MAV. That is really going to apply to me. But, how do you go about being a Yacht "Mate." I'm sure there are requirements as far as engineering experience.

Anyway, I'm about to get my undergrad degree in music. And, I'm probably going to go into the Navy for 2 or 4 years. I can go in as an officer and get pretty good pay and great benefits. If I go on deployment, I'm sure I'll save enough to get some neat gear and set up a studio to make some extra coin.

 

[tundrakatiebean]

I leech off my parents for the most part, they are willing to pay for school supplies - so I took a photography class where I had to buy a new camera now I have a film SLR. I also asked for a semi-good digi for my birthday and nothing else, which I recieved.

My next plan is to use my Alaska pay-off money to buy a DSLR, since the cash should be a little under $2,000 I should be able to get the camera I want and still have some left over to donate to various causes.

So, basically, I'm just lucky

 

[ScottS]

There have been several occasions when im talking to another photographer about my age, with the dreams of becoming a pro, where they make the statement, that it must be nice to have parents who buy me camera gear... or they ask "did your parents buy you that camera?"

HA! My parents buy me food... on occasion. Im on my own with other stuff.

 

[Stranger]

I just buy slowly...

About one new lens a year... Plus as many accessories as i can squeeze in.... I am in college and only work 3 months out of the year. My parents are very helpful with my basic needs (and more) so it is pretty easy to save my money.

That and my grandfather was a photographer so i am supported by my parents a little bit non directly... They might give me money here and there but they have never bought my equipment directly.

 

[Mav]

Busted tail in HS working as a traveling salesman over the summer.
Busted tail in college to stay in top 10% of my class in engineering.
Got hired as a per-semester intern working for ExxonMobil.

Congrats! On being in the top 10% of your engineering class. That's quite an achievement. :thumbup: I forget if I was or not, but I had the prestigious "above a 3.0" GPA and Deans' List a few semesters for resume pimping purposes.

But yes, work your tail off in school in a USEFUL degree program that will result in jobs that pay good money, get good grades, and then you'll be able to buy anything you want (as long as you can clear it by the boss I mean wife).

 

[daluke09]

Save all you money now while you still can. When you get older and make more money you will have a lot more to pay for. I'm still trying to get a DSLR but that morgage payment still comes around every month. Maybe one day!

 

[Paparoksguitar]

Get Straight A's and B's. If you parents send in your report card with straight A's and B's you get a lower rate.

I haven't really gotten anything yet..No money but Christmas + birthdays + I'm gonna try and get a job caddying this summer which I heard is a pretty well paying gig.