I am no longer a photographer.

[bloodhound31]

Sold the lot. Yep, made the decision (been thinking about it for a while) and put it all up on Facebook and a couple of forums in Australia. Sold it all in less than a week, with most of it going within the first 8 hours of it hitting the net.

I have too much on my plate, am spread too thin and am trying to be good at everything. Dabbling in weddings, done about 8 now, real estate photography, lost count, portraits, baby, wildlife, macro, landscape, astro, even a bit of product and corporate work.

With a full time job, back to school to get quals in conservation and land management, a toddler to look after, outdoor adventuring, my creative side int he workshop... the list goes on... it's just impossible.

I'm a bit shell shocked and gutted actually. It all went so fast. About to head out bush in the kayak over Christmas with no camera, I won't know myself.

My photography is going nowhere, nothing is selling. Customers are few and far between. Pushing the business and developing my skills has been fairly fruitless in returns for the amount of effort exerted.

I've been at this since 2010 as a professional and earlier as an amateur enthusiast. Nobody has been buying my stuff save for a very small few. Not enough to make it all worth it. I've pushed and pushed magazines, TV, Radio, church, friends, family, internet forums, Facebook, newspapers, CSIRO, National Geographic, Australian Geographic, Wildlife parks, and much MUCH more and NO-ONE, but NO-ONE is interested. Photos might be good and I thank all my friends for their moral support, but no one is buying.

It's OK though, I'm not bitter by any means. I just have come to an impasse and have taken a great deal of heavy-hearted thought to change directions and pour all into my passion of sharing God's creation of the universe through the telescope. There's plenty of very good wildlife photographers out there who can step up in my stead.

I'll be upgrading the observatory and specialising in astrophotography only now.

So far I've made enough money and gone and bought an EQ8. Picked it up in Sydney yesterday but haven't had time to scratch my arse yet so I haven't played with it.

I've also ordered a GSO Truss RC12 to go on top of it. It arrives in mid-February.

[allan gould]

Good luck, Barry - wish you all the best.
Allan

[FlashDrive]

Good on you Barry.....go for it....nice new gear to.

Col......:D

[blink138]

a very brave decision barry........... you can still be in love with it but you cannot at the moment make a living out of it!
as long as you can support your new family mate that is the most important thing
a good few years back now my now ex boss told me something that has proved its worth and that is that your job is not a hobby!
all the best i know where you are coming from
pat
ju

[torana68]

perhaps you shoud choose to specalise (when you get back into it). I never really tried , it was a "hobby" did weddings etc, have boxes of negatives :) . Now I do motorsport only and I get some stuff published in England but I do the words as well. Not sure that will lead to anything more but its got me in print :)

[Kunama]

Hello Baz, The feeling will pass, after photographing several hundred weddings, I suddenly decided I had had enough and for many weekends was at a loss for what to do as my weekends had been planned out for months in advance for many years.
I went from owning every bit of Nikon and Mamiya gear to using a phone camera only in the space of a few weeks.
I think you plate is full enough by the sound of it. Toddler taming and tree climbing will keep you off the streets for a while.

I'll try to get over there for a beer soon. All the best for Christmas mate.

[glend]

It's the right decision for the times. My best mate in Canada has done the same, he was a professional photographer and taught at Uni and struggled to keep his business going - up and sold the lot, freeing himself from what had become a burden disguised as art. He's much happier now, and he was at it for fifty years. The proliferation of people walking around with camera phones has devalued the profession and quality photographs. Every selfie taker fancies themselves as a photographer - Ansel Adams woud be spinning in his grave. I got rid of all my film based equipment years ago but have kept my old Pentax KX match needle camera, my dad's old Argus, and my Grand fathers old Brownie - that's all they are now links to the past.

[GrahamL]

All the best Barry, theres very few photographs that really burn into my memory yours of that tree is one I can't forget :)

I know of one professional photographer , a couple in the national gallery and very well known in his field,he does travel the world and is paid very well,its a very nomadic life though and not one everyone could
latch on to , ,, he held and exhibition in one city and sold out everything went to another and didn't sell a single print !

I hope you pick up another camera , you see to well to let this gift to slide out of view.

merry x-mass to you and yours mate :)

[Miaplacidus]

Onya Barry,

You have the eye, and obviously you have the talent. And you've demonstrated to everyone here that you also have the dedication and determination. So I don't think the medium matters all that much. I've sometimes wished we could bottle your enthusiasm, because I know you're bound to be a success at whatever you latch on to.

I just hope we have the opportunity to witness the next chapter of your life, because it sure has been a great read.

All the best, and Merry Yuletide to everyone.

Cheers,

Brian.

[DavidNg]

Good luck Barry, hope you soon will produce wonderful astro images.

Regards
David

[bloodhound31]

God bless ya all folks!

IIS has been a great sounce of encouragement and critique for me along the way. I thank each and every one of you for sharing the journey with me.

Now it's time to focus on the road ahead and I'm sure it won't be without it's challenges! I'll still be around picking the brains of my betters.

And yes Matt, that beer sounds awesome!

Baz.

[MortonH]

Ironically, this thread has prompted me to look at your gallery for the first time. Very impressive. I especially like Experimental light.

Sad to hear your photography isn't making money, although it's such a tough business I'm not surprised. Over the years my friends and family have said a number of times "that picture is amazing - you should be a professional" and I've tried to explain that there are many people more talented than I am who can't make a living from their skills.

But you seem to have plenty of other things going on so hopefully you won't miss it too much. I will attempt to derive some inspiration from your excellent gallery.

Cheers

Morton

[hotspur]

Good luck Baz.

I know exactly how you feel,trying to make money out of photography is a joke,so much time and effort for so little reward.I too have been selling odd images and stories here and there,for the huge amount of effort-and time,was really not worth it.

Interestingly,I spoke with other wildlife togs etc,and one said the only reason he makes regular money from images,is because he has thousands of hunting and wildlife images from 50's/60's etc,when not many people did photography,in modern times-everyone has a camera-even images from phones are very printable,so you are competing with everyone.Never did weddings-but imagine that would be long and painful days.

I too,have decided to sell most of my astronomy gear in next couple of weeks,and will likely get rid off a fair amount of camera gear and just keep the one outfit for birdlife-specializing seems a good idea like you have done with astro.

Must be a relief having less kit to look after and worry about-I will look forward to that! :thumbsup:

[graham.hobart]

What everyone else says, and my thoughts as well..
I am sorry to hear it and also would say have been impressed with your stuff especially the macro.
Was talking to a geezer tonight at xmas drinks who was a professional photographer/film guy. He is now diverging into web design and PR and all that and with multiple income streams he can only just make it work. So sad that pure art and aesthetics are being bulldozed by the snap happy vox populi.
I wish you well and I anticipate great stuff from you astro wise.
One of the things I love about this forum is the stories you hear and although you are a stranger to me and mine, I feel belonging to this community I had to write something. It may not make anything better but my thoughts and wishes are heading your way this Yuletide.
Best of luck
Graham

[Rob_K]

Good onya Baz - sometimes you just need to get back to basics. :thumbsup:

Cheers -

[terra05]

congrats on the new purchase and sad to hear about lost interest in your photography work, i guess the reality is that everyone with a dslr these days considers themselves to be a pro and with more and more people trying to break into the field its become dammed difficult to make a decent living from it

[midnight]

I was reading your post there and some of it relates to me. But for me it's been work away from home for nearly 2 yrs so it's difficult to let go.

Good luck Baz for your dedication to AP. I just got home after finishing 2yrs on a Pilbara job and my G11 and scopes are looking very sad. But I hope to get most of Jan off.

Focus on your passion - it looks like you've already found that.:)

Darrin...

[taminga16]

Barry,
If you really are without a camera, consider purchasing a Canon G15 (superseded now, read cheap), it will satisfy your soul and when you feel that it is too much just hide it somewhere.
Good luck with the rest.
Greg.
My kid's have all of my gear now and the proviso is that if I ask for it back they have to say NO!

[LewisM]

With everyone owning a mobile these days capable of decent photos, and with decent SLR's so cheap, the age of the dedicated photographer is drawing to a close, sadly. I have been to weddings where there is not a single camera to be seen, but many mobiles happily recording or snapping away, and then they all sit around and collate which ones they want. Free, gratis and for nothing.

I have not done a wedding in 3 months. I have done 4 model shoots. It earned enough for one replacement lens. So, everything I shoot these days is for my own use.

Just about every Tom, Dick and Mary with an SLR suddenly thinks he/she is Cartier-Bresson and advertises at Woolworths community notice boards, blissfully showing his/her lack of talent but happily trying to gouge a harsh price for same.

Like you Baz, given up being serious about photography. Just enjoy it for myself, not for money.

[Ric]

Sorry to hear that Baz, I've always enjoyed your images.

I hope you kept a camera to occasionally get some shots to show us.

Good luck with the course, it sounds a very interesting field of study. I'm currently studying for for Permaculture Design certificate which I hope to teach one day.

[multiweb]

Wouldn't have though it was so hard to sell your shot as the quality is quite professional. I guess it's who you know these days rather than what you can do and clever marketing will always take over quality.

[bloodhound31]

There are a lot of photographers out there way better than me who can't make a living out of it.

There are a lot of photographers out there way worse than me who make a fortune out of it.

The world is flooded with crap photographers and excellent business-men.

I am not a good business-man and don't mind admitting it. Now I can just enjoy nature. I feel very liberated.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Baz.