What is your End Game?

[Compaq]

I am just like cmartin - I have hobbies, and I want to do them well. I'm continuously learning the art of shaving, each shave makes me better. I will never master the art of shaving, but I will become better at it each time I do it. The same applies to photography. I dare say no one masters this art - and never will master this art. However, for each trip I'm on I learn something.

 

[cgipson1]

Now you're definitely a pro!

Nope.. not a bit... just likes me toys!

I was being sarcastic
Hope the D4 serves you well!

I ignored the Sarcasm! No problem! Thanks...!!!!

 

[greybeard]

I posted on this earlier and now I would like to elaborate on it a little. Back in the 80's I had a photography business of sorts. I took wedding pictures and did a lot of sports teams. I used a twin lens Mamiya C330 with a Braun potato masher. After a few years of doing this on the side I got real burned out for it. Spending my entire weekends shooting kids baseball teams really wore me out. In the 90's I sold all my 2 1/4 equipment, kept my Minolta SRT's and put them in the closet. I can remember years after that when I didn't even take a picture of anything. I just recently rekindled my passion for photography and I'm not going to do any thing to drown it again. I feel like Rip Van Winkle with the digital stuff. I am amazed at being able to shoot at ISO 6400 and having a very usable print. Now we can do things with a computer and editing program that we could only dream about back in the day. And, we can take as many shots as we like for free....LOL.....No professional work for me, strictly amateur.

 

[jaicatalano]

Headshots Actors and Corporate... And a little bit of Event Photography. Started out as a secondary income but has grown to my primary. I was a Dancer, Actor and ESPN commentator for years so the transition was easy.

 

[APHPHOTO]

I've been asking myself that shortly after I got my first dslr. I guess I still dont know.
As far as doing a service and taking money for it, I would love to have the ambition and the gutts to go out and just do it.
But I think I still need to learn a bit more.
I think I would like to do portrait, wedding. But I sure love to travel and discover new places. The sense of photographing something that grabs your
attention and makes you sit back and smile. Thats what I enjoy. I guess thats what passion is.

 

[cgipson1]

Back in the 80's I had a photography business of sorts. I took wedding pictures and did a lot of sports teams. I used a twin lens Mamiya C330 with a Braun potato masher. After a few years of doing this on the side I got real burned out for it. Spending my entire weekends shooting kids baseball teams really wore me out.

Dang... you sound like a long lost brother! Same here.. almost exacty! I was shooting 35mm OM4s and mostly weddings and softball/baseball teams! Got fried and quit... no photos for several years! Glad to know I wasn't the only one!

 

[Ryan L]

Back in the 80's I had a photography business of sorts. I took wedding pictures and did a lot of sports teams. I used a twin lens Mamiya C330 with a Braun potato masher. After a few years of doing this on the side I got real burned out for it. Spending my entire weekends shooting kids baseball teams really wore me out.

Dang... you sound like a long lost brother! Same here.. almost exacty! I was shooting 35mm OM4s and mostly weddings and softball/baseball teams! Got fried and quit... no photos for several years! Glad to know I wasn't the only one!

Great... this is the path I am on! I do wrestling, baseball, and trying to get the football contract for fall currently. I shoot second with a wedding photographer thats close by as well. Here I thought my candle was starting to burn brighter, little did I know it was going to get blown out! I even got all legal, taxes and all! lol

 

[cgipson1]

Great... this is the path I am on! I do wrestling, baseball, and trying to get the football contract for fall currently. I shoot second with a wedding photographer thats close by as well. Here I thought my candle was starting to burn brighter, little did I know it was going to get blown out! I even got all legal, taxes and all! lol

All depends on how much work you get! Sometimes the money is no good, if you don't have a life also!

 

[Ryan L]

Single father of 2 kids, I do 2 things; spend as much time with my kids as possible and photography. So no life really, lol. After they graduate I will have an opening for a life. lol

 

[nickzou]

My End Game??

35mm Summicron mounted on E-P3.

That's my end game!

(I like toys)

 

[jowensphoto]

I like this thread!

My "five year plan" ends with me shooting full time. I am learning as much as I possibly can; if it doesn't work out as soon as I'd like it to, I'll be disappointed, but I'm not going to "go pro" until I know I'm really ready.

I like weddings (have been "the" photographer for 2, second shot for several), but I know it's easy to get burnt out fast. I'd like to mix it up with some fashion photography and portraits.

I studied art for the short time I was in college (heh!), and then went on to work in two so-called studios. I learned a little about lighting at the first, but it was still very corporate and all about sales. The second I learned a lot about posing and composition; the lighting at that place was pre-programmed into a computer so all I had to do was push a button. I did learn how to lie very well when it came to sales... I'm not exactly proud of that; it was a big part of the reason I left.

 

[RyanSands]

2011 I shot 13 weddings...2012 is my first full year going pro(don't really count 2011 since I didn't know what I didn't know yet haha). My goal was to turn my love of photography into a full time business and leave the world of web design/graphics behind. I'm well into my goal and things are looking very positive : )

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thank you for posting this thread! I have a tendency to grab onto a new (or renewed in the case of photography) interest with severe tunnel vision and this time around is no exception....but I want it to be. This thread is helping me realize that

Reading the replies here made me go hmmmm and what is MY path to get to my goals? And I had nothing. All I had in my pocket to pull out was this:
Ultimate goal: nature/wildlife photographer.

So ... Step 1... Take the blinders off!!
Woot! I'm closer to my ultimate goal than I was when I opened this thread so again, thanks for the thread/much needed kick in the butt!

 

[Geaux]

End Game:

Improve my hobby and continue to enjoy shooting. Never planned to take it to the job level, but if friends/family want things done, I don't mind doing them for a lil dough on the side, even though I'm not a fan of "people photography".

Maybe put some of my city shots in an art fair and sell a couple prints, but nothing major. I really just enjoy shooting and keeping it relaxing, so thats my goal.

 

[MWC2]

I haven't really thought about an "end game" it sounds so FINAL, lol.

Right now I'm happy just trying to learn how to get the best shots I can of my kids, but I will admit I'm getting a little bored of looking at their faces in PS, I think I might start harrassing the neighbours to see if I can take a couple of pictures of their kids, you know mix it up a little.

As of right now, I have no need/desire/want to hang a shingle and call myself a pro or even a semi-pro, I don't have the talent, pateince, time or drive.