fireworks1059
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2014
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I have recently graduated from college with an Associates degree in digital photography. Im looking for advice into what my next step(s) should be.
I have spent the last year (from graduation in the Fall of 2012 until now) building my portfolio & looking for a way to start a career in photography. Im most interested in landscape & travel photography. Aside from one freelance job last year (which taught me how little money was available in freelance work), I have been unemployed. On the bright side, I do have my own website to show my work, as well as a blog. I have some images available on Dreamstime as royalty free microstock. Ive also recently started using Twitter to try & build my audience.
Even though I am lucky enough to have parents that will let me live at home, with no rent, until I can finically support myself, Im beginning to doubt if I have a future in the career I have spent so much time preparing for. Their advice is to get a part time job, even something not directly related to photography, to start getting a steady pay check & to build job experience.
Because, despite my best efforts, I have no job experience on my résumé.
I feel like I have to decide, soon, how to live my life. It seems like these are my only options:
-I can keep attempting to make it on my own, submitting to stock agencies (especially rights managed ones) & finding a rep to help me get assignment work.
-I can try to make a living through a part time job & stock sales.
-I give up completely & seek a full time job.
I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure this out, so Im turning to the anonymity of the Internet for help. What should I do? I certainly dont want to give up, but Im starting to feel like the career Im looking for doesnt exist. I dont want to divide my time between photography & a part time job, especially after only trying this for a year, but I have to admit that the finical stability is a major attraction, as well as the possibility of increasing my social life (Im still in contact with friends from high school & college, but theyre chasing their own dreams as well). I love what I do, but I never pictured myself running my own business & Im not sure if I want to do that
I was never the best of the best or the top of the class. In fact, I felt lucky if I wasnt the worst in the class. I feel like whatever I decide to do at this point in my life will determine what I can do later in life. I feel so much pressure to make the right choice, that Ive been driving myself insane.
Any & all advice is welcome & appreciated!
I have spent the last year (from graduation in the Fall of 2012 until now) building my portfolio & looking for a way to start a career in photography. Im most interested in landscape & travel photography. Aside from one freelance job last year (which taught me how little money was available in freelance work), I have been unemployed. On the bright side, I do have my own website to show my work, as well as a blog. I have some images available on Dreamstime as royalty free microstock. Ive also recently started using Twitter to try & build my audience.
Even though I am lucky enough to have parents that will let me live at home, with no rent, until I can finically support myself, Im beginning to doubt if I have a future in the career I have spent so much time preparing for. Their advice is to get a part time job, even something not directly related to photography, to start getting a steady pay check & to build job experience.
Because, despite my best efforts, I have no job experience on my résumé.
I feel like I have to decide, soon, how to live my life. It seems like these are my only options:
-I can keep attempting to make it on my own, submitting to stock agencies (especially rights managed ones) & finding a rep to help me get assignment work.
-I can try to make a living through a part time job & stock sales.
-I give up completely & seek a full time job.
I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure this out, so Im turning to the anonymity of the Internet for help. What should I do? I certainly dont want to give up, but Im starting to feel like the career Im looking for doesnt exist. I dont want to divide my time between photography & a part time job, especially after only trying this for a year, but I have to admit that the finical stability is a major attraction, as well as the possibility of increasing my social life (Im still in contact with friends from high school & college, but theyre chasing their own dreams as well). I love what I do, but I never pictured myself running my own business & Im not sure if I want to do that
I was never the best of the best or the top of the class. In fact, I felt lucky if I wasnt the worst in the class. I feel like whatever I decide to do at this point in my life will determine what I can do later in life. I feel so much pressure to make the right choice, that Ive been driving myself insane.
Any & all advice is welcome & appreciated!