What is your End Game?

[Hollywoodgt]

Bitter great thread.....Me, no formal education in art or photography. I'm 52 yrs young and have managed to build a pretty successful business. I use to shoot about 18 yrs ago, raising two boys with my wife, business, coaching I had no time for it. I've always wanted to get back into it. So I did, bought some nice equipment and my goal is to get good enough, I can shoot just about anything. I love racing, yet also enjoy being in nature. Tom Mangalson, Images Of Nature, would love to be able to have a store in a cool town like Scottsdale, West Palm Beach or Naples and sell prints out of......that would be a fun retirement. Enjoying life through my lens......that's life!

 

[bentcountershaft]

I had to peruse through the beginning of this thread to see what I said a year ago. I'm happy to report that my opinion hasn't changed much and that I'm still learning and having fun which is all I wanted in the first place.

 

[Soulz3urn3lack]

Photojournalism I believe. I'd love to travel and do something of the sort. Art photography also. I really just want to do it all, I've been obsessed for so long and I guess I'm more of a dreamer.

As far as training it's just me and my cam. Never had a class yet.

 

[blackxthink]

I want to do it for portrait arts. Not as a job.. i'd love to do stranger photography in the street and all that kind of stuff.

 

[KenC]

If I knew, or thought I knew, it just wouldn't be as much fun.

 

[sanderso]

Very interesting thread....thanks Bitter.

Like many here, my needs are to have a fullfilling hobby only. I have no formal training nor business aspirations. I've been taking snapshots for 30 years, creating great memories of the kids growing up. Now that they're grown, I want to improve my skills by actually paying attention to the shot: move off P, off the Sports mode, off the Portrait mode, off all presets (cameras seem to get more presets w each generation). A few months back, I actually spent 2+ hrs shooting a small, growing plant in M with my (then) new 35mm f1.8. I then knew I was REALLY hooked. I just hope I can continue to improve...and that my better half doesn't divorce me while improving.

 

[manaheim]

So how many other IT folks do we have? I've been in software development for 15 years now and all of that time spent in a cubicle is compelling me to spend more time outdoors.

I want to get very good at nature photography. I want to get out and see things I haven't seen, photograph it and just enjoy it.

* raises hand *

I think there are a lot of IT people in photography. Creative outlet for Tab A Slot B types.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Manaheim, don't you have a show going on right now?

 

[Compaq]

Interesting thread!

I've been at it for a year, now, and I feel my only goal right is to develop a style that I am confident in. I want to be confident in composition and post processing, and in that my shots aren't newbish, but rather show signs of knowledge within visual arts and visual communication - even if I have no formal nor informal education in the field (except for what I pick up from, especially, Bitter and Derrel).

When I need to take pictures, for example when selling my house, my bike, my whatever, I am able to capture it in a flattering light and show it off nicely. I see too many poor pictures of stuff for sale on the internet, and it annoys me!

I'm starting to dive into film photography, and my current short term goal is to get into developing film and print them myself in the university photo club's darkroom. As a chemistry student, I feel it's only fitting! I also have ambitions of really understanding how the chemicals work on the film and photo paper.

Being regarded as the nerdy chemistry guy with lots of old rangefinders is also something I wouldn't mind



edit: I really really want to win the contest one of our Norwegian TV channels holds every week in which we're supposed to capture weather. $1000 worth of quality weather tight clothes - that I intend to sell

 

[bentcountershaft]

Dammit Bitter, I feel like when you bump this thread it's like a mid term consult with my academic advisor.

"Have you reached those goals yet?"

"What do you mean you haven't set any goals yet?"

"How do you expect to advance without direction?"

Ok, Ok! I bought a flash! I'm messing around with it! I'll figure it out, I'm sorry!

 

[Compaq]

I have absolutely no idea what I'm trying to accomplish or why I even do this.

My best guess, to date, is that I'm trying to recapture some of the soul I lost through years of public school and corporate IT work.

Other than that? Not a clue.

I still don't know what I'm doing this for.

Why, you just need that perfect skyline picture, surely!

 

[sm4him]

I wasn't around TPF when this thread started and hadn't seen it til now; still haven't read the whole thing.

But, Bitter, I *really* want to know... Did you have the show in an art gallery you were aiming for this past year?

And, I've seen your jewelry, a few of your photos, and a couple of other pieces I recall seeing in a thread.
You ARE an Artist--quite an amazing one!

 

[mishele]

My end game has changed......I want more!!! LOL

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I wasn't around TPF when this thread started and hadn't seen it til now; still haven't read the whole thing.

But, Bitter, I *really* want to know... Did you have the show in an art gallery you were aiming for this past year?

And, I've seen your jewelry, a few of your photos, and a couple of other pieces I recall seeing in a thread.
You ARE an Artist--quite an amazing one!

Flattery will get you *almost* everywhere.

No. It is still a goal. But honestly, I don't think it will ever be realized. That will take a lot of time and effort, that I don't have to spare.

My job is demanding, and I am ramping up my game there.
Fortunately, I love nearly every minute of the time I do have to spend at work.
Labors of love. Every day I get to create.


But, sm4him, what are your goals with photography?

 

[sm4him]

I guess the closest category I'd fit myself in is Art Photography. I have no aims to actually make a living with photography, though I would like to sell more of my work.
I have no real interest in portrait photography, other than just learning to do it for the sake of improving my overall skills.

I have no formal art education, but have always been attracted to it. I wish I *had* pursued it on a more formal level sometimes, but instead, for reasons that completely escape me anymore, I pursued a Business degree. Well, actually I have a B.A. degree with a major in Marketing, and a double minor, in English and Astronomy. No kidding. This is what happens when young people are left to their own devices to pick a career path...

I didn't pursue Art seriously for three reasons:
My Mother
My oldest brother
My older sister
They were all *fabulously* gifted artists, and despite their repeated reminders that I was younger, I just saw their giftedness and decided that I could not possibly approach that level of ability. So, I didn't try. But as a teen, I discovered photography, and it gave me a creative outlet. By then, though, I had already convinced myself that I wasn't artist material, and I wasn't smart enough to be a computer scientist (my original plan for a major)...so I just picked Business.

But life has a way of bringing us back to our dreams. And so here I am, back with camera in hand and enjoying looking at life through the lens. If I can sell some of my photos, maybe eventually have a show somewhere, I'd be thrilled.

But if I can look at my photos and LIKE what I've created...that will be enough for me.