Zero to Pro - Photo Blog 5
So I was
surprised but delighted when I found many positive responses to the project in
my inbox, supporting the idea of the project minus the timescale which was
deemed to be, not impossible, but unrealistic by the majority.
The
timescale was inspired, in part, by my time at university; I spent years there learning
about business and the hospitality industry.
I enjoyed that time in my life. A handful of lectures each week and the odd tutorial was balanced with a healthy social life. In the end, I got a good
degree having had a great time, I wouldn’t change it. However, I always felt that I could have condensed
what I learned into a much shorter time frame with greater commitment to the
cause and fewer distractions.
I imagined that if I took this focussed approach and added my passion for photography to the mix it would propel me through my studies and I would land, 9 months later, in the field of photography ready to earn a living.
Anyway, I
made the wise decision (well actually I let the professionals make it for me)
and said goodbye to the timescale. Of
course, part of me wanted to try to prove people wrong but I thought ‘hello’ if
you’re going to start off by ignoring the pro phos you’re defeating the point
of the project, which is to learn all I can from experienced
photographers so that I can be one too.
In any case,
perhaps there’s more value in pursuing your dreams at a leisurely pace rather
than running yourself into the ground.
So now the project is zero to pro...one photo at a time for as long as it takes!
Strongly disagree with the majority consensus of so called "Pro Phos" feedback you've received. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that anyone can go from zero to pro within a 9 month time-frame provided they have BAGS of passion and commitment to put in some serious hard graft both in terms of academic theory and actual real world practice and a sizable budget to invest in professional gear.
ReplyDeleteThen again it depends on one's definition of the term "Professional". For for example, hypothetically speaking, if you happen to be on your way home one night and saw Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson from a distance in a compromising position, took some pap shots with your entry level DSLR and sold said photos to Getty Images for £100k, does that make you a "Professional" photographer? Likewise if you were to setup a photography studio and kitted it up with £100k's worth of high end professional gear but couldn't attract any paying clients for love or money, would you be classed as a professional photographer?
Moral of the story here is this. Never let others decide or influence the goals you set yourself. My two cents for what its worth.
Best,
autofocuspoint.tumblr.com