Things they don’t tell you about being the photographer

I have written this text some time ago. But my feelings about the subject didn’t change that much since then…If you are accidentally in the need of a photographer and the price they gave you seems a bit too much, please read this first. Only then ask for the better price if you still consider it to be too high 🙂 So, what are the things that they don’t tell you about being a photographer? It seems such an easy profession, right? A very romantic one, right? 🙂 Let’s start.

1.

You’ll have work in an extreme environment: hot, cold, wet, snow, mud, high altitude, underwater…and I don’t mean just a little bit cold or wet, I mean as extreme as it might get. Your hands freezing off. Sitting in a muddy ditch, heavy rain pouring on your head while mosquitos are biting your head off and just waiting for that magic pic to happen. Working with your own extreme fear of heights while trying to photograph acrobatic flight or choking with salt water while trying not to miss huge whale swimming by…not to mention all the jumps and other flying objects that are constantly endangering the safety of your own head…wind, sand – whatever you can think of …

2.

You’ll have to carry shit loads of equipment. People travel light. My bag with camera weights at least 10-12 kg depending on equipment I take with me (Sometimes it comes up to 20-25 kg of lightweight). I call it light cause I take it everywhere I go… On my shoulders. Again not to mention the weight of studio lights and other shit you need to make a good pic. Yeah, the good side of it – every day is a good workout, so if you are thinking of becoming a photographer – start exercising 🙂

3.

You’ll have to deal with all that number of failed pictures and different locations that go astray. No big deal you say? Well sometimes you are lucky if you get one pic from a day of photoshoot…no matter what you do, nothing works and you start to doubt if you can make a picture at all. Still, the next day comes and you have to go on with that knowledge hoping that today will be a better photographer. And if you don’t deal with it… well you might never take a camera in your hands again.

4.

Money. I have to touch on that. Because believe me, you’ll have to deal with people who say “why is it so expensive” every day! “You just push the button and that’s it. Everyone can do that”. Explain, don’t explain, tell them to go f*ck themselves…either way, these people who expect you to work for free, get on your nerves – deal with that.

Yesterday, while I was sitting barefoot in that wet ditch, rain pouring on my camera, feeding mosquitos with my own precious blood, waiting for the rider to come downhill and trying to capture the perfect moment, I thought to myself – it’s all worth it. I’m loving every second of it! Because nothing compares to that moment when you look at the pic you’ve made and feel it’s a perfection! Nothing compares to the feeling that your job teaches you something new and exciting every day, something you didn’t know about yourself…nothing compares to that feeling of growth when each time you overcome your fear and come closer to the track, lean below from the plane or dive deeper…Each time you surpass your limit, your pictures improve. So, bring it on my dear beloved mister Photography, I can do it! I want to experience more of you 🙂