Photographerlife. Or not.

So, I'm a photographer.

A pro, a professional. Someone who gets paid for their work. (Often the only difference between a pro and and none pro is Public Liability insurance and a tax return. Having that 'Pro' status doesn't make anyone better than anyone else. I'm under no illusion! )

I work for PR agents and business owners with stories to tell. I produce images to go alongside copy that gets published in advertorials, interviews, blog posts and syndicated news stories. I shoot portraits in the studio, in pop up studios and out and about. I also shoot events, parties, conferences and well... Pretty much anything that pays!

It really isn't all glitz and glam.

Chances are, it's twenty minutes in a car park photographing a chap who has bought a new van and wants to post on one of the many online news blogs in order to boost SEO links and social interest. It's certainly not 'Joe McNally' style New York photo editorials and magazine covers. I mean yes, I've done some interesting things. The fab Cirque Du Soleil, Mary Berry queen of Cakes and one or two Z lister portraits have crossed in front of my lens but in the grand scheme of things... It's been Ford Transits in car parks and portraits for Linkedin profiles. Exciting stuff... (not).

I'm not saying this was a bad thing. But you know that saying,

Choose a job you love and you won't have to work a day?

If you choose to do something you love, do you end up still loving it?

My 'love of photography' certainly took a bruise or two and producing work for everyone else, most of the time on their terms, slowly but surely wormed its way into my soul and well. Photographerlife lost its appeal.

Then of course, 2020 reared its ugly head and everything went south. Here in the UK we had lock down after lock down, business slowed then stuttered then stalled and certainly didn't restart. Coronavirus spilt its self everywhere and people didn't hire. Work shrivelled and boom. I found myself twiddling my thumbs and an increasing layer of slowly covered my cameras.

Maybe this was a good thing.

I picked up my old, old old, ways. A battered old Praktica MTL 5b and some rolls of Ilfords finest. I came across Cinestill and their awesome single bath film developer. Summer was great, it bought back that spark of interest that sometimes gets lost with pro life. I was enjoying photography again. I was just shooting roll after roll, frame and frame of nothing. AND LOVING IT. It was real, it was authentic. I had nothing to prove, nothing to share. No client expectations. It's such a cliche, but I had really found my passion, my interest in photography again. The love was back. Photographerlife had been rejuvenated and boom.

But of course, summer 2020 turned into winter 2020 and new year 2021. Work is still stagnant, not moving and people are getting used to self shot phone pictures for PR and screen shots of ZOOM Calls for news.

I'm still shooting film for personal interest. I'm sure I'll talk about that in another story. The big question is, has Photographerlife run its course? Do I find something else to pay the bills and leave photography to top up my personal joy levels?

Maybe Covid has a silver lining. Maybe it shows us what is important and has enabled us to look at changing what isn't. So Jan 2021. Time for new years resolutions and fad diets and more lockdown. Maybe it's time for bigger decisions too.