How do you define a successful photographer?

[STM]

I watched that movie just the other night! Oh s**t! Here comes Mr. Creosote!!!!

 

[manaheim]

It's just a wafffffer thin.....!

 

[Bynx]

Well any thread that can produce a bit of Monty Python cant be all bad. Its a shame though about some of the wasted sperm here.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

:roll:

 

[photosbydeberina]

A successful photographer: I think that all depends on what your personal idea "is" of a successful photographer. To me,.. a "successful photographer" is one who thoroughly enjoys his/her work, and gets paid enough to support him/herself and his/her family! that is,. whether or not the spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend is working or not. I think if/when you're making a consistant suitable "living" as a photographer,... then I think you're a success. Maybe your idea of a successful photographer is one who simply "makes money on the side" while you work a "conventional" job. (However, that's not "my" idea).

 

[Mike_E]

How do you define a successful photographer?

That would be a photographer with a smile on their face.

 

[Railphotog]

"Maybe your idea of a successful photographer is one who simply "makes money on the side" while you work a "conventional" job. (However, that's not "my" idea)." (Sorry, newbie here and not sure how the quote thingie works).

I had a convention job, now retired after 35 years in it at 57, several years in prior jobs too. I've been taking photos all of my working life, for fun and for pay on the side. I started out taking photos at local car race tracks for fun, then onto selling photos to racers and fans. Got into part time wedding photography for about 25 years, helped pay for my hobbies. Did a fair amount of photography during my full time job because I knew my way around a camera, it was never a part of my official duties. Had lots of great assignments and photo opportunities that way.

Got back into my teen age model building hobby, aspired to have some photos used in the hobby press. Did pretty well there, with over 30 cover photos and now over 850 of my hobby photos published. Made some decent part time income that helped my hobbies and family expenses. My hobby related photos have won major awards (1st, 2nd & 3rd) in many local, regional and national photo contests at conventions and in hobby magazines.

So to me I've been fairly successful in photography, all the while holding down a conventional job that provided me with a full time pension. I never had any interest in doing photography full time, depending upon where my next mortgage payment and other living expenses might come from.

I don't have any idea what a "successful" full time photographer might make annually; I did read somewhere sometime that the annual average salary was under $30K a year, don't know if this is accurate or not. I made a whole lot more than that at my full time job and had the pleasure of doing a lot of photography and making money from it. So was I successful? To me I think I have been.

 

[Bynx]

If we look at the definition of successful it says:
suc·cess·fuladjective /səkˈsesfəl/ 

1. Accomplishing an aim or purpose
   • - a successful attack on the town
   
   
2. Having achieved popularity, profit, or distinction
   • - a successful actor
   
   

According to these two definitions the first one is so broad that anyone that enjoys using their camera is a successful photographer. But I'm more in agreement with the 2nd definition. No matter how good you might think you are, unless someone else agrees with you, maybe youre not as good as you think. Anyone who makes a living by their photography alone is a successful photographer to me. Anyone whose photography talents are wanted either for money or free is a successful photographer to me. But especially anyone whose photographic talents are so unique that they can be identified by viewing alone is a successful photographer to me. In days of old to achieve this uniqueness meant the photographer was an expert in the darkroom. Nowadays this means the photographer has a computer and expert skills in Photoshop.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

:lmao:

 

[skieur]

I would think you are a successful photographer when customers seek you out rather than you are looking for customers.

Yes, when a TV station came looking for me to offer me freelance work, I felt that I was successful.

skieur

 

[STM]

Bynx you are taking this thread WAY TOO SERIOUSLY! Go out and shoot some photos and get it off your mind! Seriously!

 

[table1349]

Take one of these.

And follow this advise.

 

[STM]

Kind of sadly ironic that Bobby McFerrin killed himself while in a deep clinical depression, isn't it?

 

[table1349]

Kind of sadly ironic that Bobby McFerrin killed himself while in a deep clinical depression, isn't it?

Yep, but the song was quite SUCCESSFUL!!!

 

[bentcountershaft]

Kind of sadly ironic that Bobby McFerrin killed himself while in a deep clinical depression, isn't it?

It would be if he had, but he's still alive. He hates that song though.