I found your channel whilst googling Polaroid 'stuff.'......I've been a working photographer for best part of 40 years. I'm pretty much in the home straight now; jobs are few and far between, commissioners and editors I used to work for have either retired or died. Photography as an 'earning job' is gradually diluting. I'm in London, speaking to a friend recently, he worked for one of the major ad agencies. He told me that photographers are now infrequently used. Most ad pictures are AI constructed and most of the budget is spent on video. I know that's the high end of the business but it's an indication of the direction of travel for all photography. My advice to you would be to diverge. I doubt photography can sustain you financially for 10 years, let alone 30-40. Photography will become much more recreational. If you want to remain in the photo world and make a living, persevere with the workshops/teaching. Possibly specialise in one particular area of photography. Don't be a master of all. Guide your channel to a more specific direction and put out more tutorial videos, if you think teaching is your thing. I don't want to be discouraging, but i know how churning out stuff for clients can be demoralising and you can lose sight of your artistic vision so easily. Separate art from commerce. Social media content for clients has a shelf life. Before long, a keen snapper in the office will be able to produce perfectly good content with their iphone, then that's a stream of income gone. Furthermore, folk are getting less and less fussy about quality. That coupled with them knowing they don't need to shell out the big bucks means 'professional photographers' will become redundant. Unless you have a separate income, make sure you have an alternative revenue stream set up. I wished I had done that ten years ago, and I had a good run with my trade. It's unlikely you'll make a living from YT but it can be a good showcase for you. Again, I would emphasise specialising. Personally, If i had to start out again ( and had to be a photographer) , I'd seek unique ways of shooting portraits and target the high end. There's a better chance of making $2,000 on a portrait than $200. I'm currently working on a project shooting portraits with a Polaroid, but not conventionally. Hone your skills and get very good at one thing. There's far too much mediocre photography out there, it's bland and boring. I wish you luck......but make sure you find 'other ways' to make money. If you're short of cash, you'll not have the energy or motivation to shoot art !
As I was watching this, I was thinking “You need to teach…” and then you mentioned the same thought! 😁 That chasm between art (making something meaningful to me) and business (making a product I can sell) is a big one. At least, it was for me. That’s where teaching came in to help me bridge it to some degree. I taught, part time, for over 20 years, at both the community college level (adjunct professor) and state university (lecturer). Very rewarding and stimulating, both creatively and financially. Ok, so I didn’t get rich with teaching, but the extra income was very nice. I’d think doing workshops would be similar, the big difference was I didn’t have to promote the classes myself - they’d get listed in the course catalog and they’d fill up. EZ PZ! I’m really glad to know you’re FINE… really, you’re FINE! That’s a load off my mind. 😂
@@ezpoppy55 it’s always in the back of my mind as something I could do. I like a workshop thing for now because I wouldn’t have to commit to a full on job 😂 But I could definitely see that in my future
@@doublenegative4real I get that. You’re already teaching with this channel, so I think you’d find it (workshop or traditional class) a comfortable fit.
I think the premise of this question is flawed: I think "self-indulgence" sounds like something that brings zero value to others, but is all for me. In which case, I think people smell that and don't really connect. It's hard to sustain work like that. There's a difference between enjoyment of what one does and finding where enjoyment meets value to others. This question kind of calls out artists of all kinds really and almost implies that focusing on one's own artwork is a selfish act- and maybe it is to some extent. But I think the artists that become successful are the ones that provide value to someone in some way, whether that's a material good or something deeper. Which is just like any other job. A corporate job or some other more traditional job isn't more noble simply because one isn't necessarily enjoying it. Enjoying and loving what I do only means I'm going to provide maximum value to others, because I think true enjoyment of a job only comes from doing something that benefits other people in some way.
@@DA-yd2ny he definitely seemed more content focusing on his art more than anything else. I watched a documentary about him recently, he had an interesting life. I really admire his work
I found your channel whilst googling Polaroid 'stuff.'......I've been a working photographer for best part of 40 years. I'm pretty much in the home straight now; jobs are few and far between, commissioners and editors I used to work for have either retired or died. Photography as an 'earning job' is gradually diluting. I'm in London, speaking to a friend recently, he worked for one of the major ad agencies. He told me that photographers are now infrequently used. Most ad pictures are AI constructed and most of the budget is spent on video. I know that's the high end of the business but it's an indication of the direction of travel for all photography. My advice to you would be to diverge. I doubt photography can sustain you financially for 10 years, let alone 30-40.
Photography will become much more recreational. If you want to remain in the photo world and make a living, persevere with the workshops/teaching. Possibly specialise in one particular area of photography. Don't be a master of all. Guide your channel to a more specific direction and put out more tutorial videos, if you think teaching is your thing. I don't want to be discouraging, but i know how churning out stuff for clients can be demoralising and you can lose sight of your artistic vision so easily. Separate art from commerce. Social media content for clients has a shelf life. Before long, a keen snapper in the office will be able to produce perfectly good content with their iphone, then that's a stream of income gone. Furthermore, folk are getting less and less fussy about quality. That coupled with them knowing they don't need to shell out the big bucks means 'professional photographers' will become redundant. Unless you have a separate income, make sure you have an alternative revenue stream set up. I wished I had done that ten years ago, and I had a good run with my trade. It's unlikely you'll make a living from YT but it can be a good showcase for you.
Again, I would emphasise specialising. Personally, If i had to start out again ( and had to be a photographer) , I'd seek unique ways of shooting portraits and target the high end. There's a better chance of making $2,000 on a portrait than $200. I'm currently working on a project shooting portraits with a Polaroid, but not conventionally. Hone your skills and get very good at one thing.
There's far too much mediocre photography out there, it's bland and boring. I wish you luck......but make sure you find 'other ways' to make money. If you're short of cash, you'll not have the energy or motivation to shoot art !
I’m loving the double negative videography
Guys, I don't think he's fine. Not sure tho
As I was watching this, I was thinking “You need to teach…” and then you mentioned the same thought! 😁
That chasm between art (making something meaningful to me) and business (making a product I can sell) is a big one. At least, it was for me. That’s where teaching came in to help me bridge it to some degree.
I taught, part time, for over 20 years, at both the community college level (adjunct professor) and state university (lecturer). Very rewarding and stimulating, both creatively and financially. Ok, so I didn’t get rich with teaching, but the extra income was very nice.
I’d think doing workshops would be similar, the big difference was I didn’t have to promote the classes myself - they’d get listed in the course catalog and they’d fill up. EZ PZ!
I’m really glad to know you’re FINE… really, you’re FINE! That’s a load off my mind. 😂
@@ezpoppy55 it’s always in the back of my mind as something I could do. I like a workshop thing for now because I wouldn’t have to commit to a full on job 😂 But I could definitely see that in my future
@@doublenegative4real I get that.
You’re already teaching with this channel, so I think you’d find it (workshop or traditional class) a comfortable fit.
The synth was very fun
@@MattTheMinoltaGuy YES. Excited to continue to make people’s ears bleed with synth in future videos
Keep at it, love the work you've shown here 🫵🏽
@@khai.45 thank you so much!
Haha I absolutely loathe selling myself! I just want to take photos and make art :)
Same
Question for you, are you fine?
@@mattyspattys I’M FINE
Camera renaming suggestion: Fujifilm G-zilla. Think it fits the setup with the massive lens and tilt shift adapter.
@@MattTheMinoltaGuy I definitely need to rename this thing for sure
Is work that's purely for self-indulgence worth it?
I think the premise of this question is flawed: I think "self-indulgence" sounds like something that brings zero value to others, but is all for me. In which case, I think people smell that and don't really connect. It's hard to sustain work like that. There's a difference between enjoyment of what one does and finding where enjoyment meets value to others.
This question kind of calls out artists of all kinds really and almost implies that focusing on one's own artwork is a selfish act- and maybe it is to some extent. But I think the artists that become successful are the ones that provide value to someone in some way, whether that's a material good or something deeper. Which is just like any other job. A corporate job or some other more traditional job isn't more noble simply because one isn't necessarily enjoying it.
Enjoying and loving what I do only means I'm going to provide maximum value to others, because I think true enjoyment of a job only comes from doing something that benefits other people in some way.
I think Saul Leiter had a similar problem.
@@DA-yd2ny he definitely seemed more content focusing on his art more than anything else. I watched a documentary about him recently, he had an interesting life. I really admire his work
It's going to get worse 》 AI
I'M FINE! 😆😆😆
bollsack