Since I had a life where my path changed abruptly a couple of times before arriving to photography,i think that it would be great to read other interesting stories about photographers in MM .
My story:
I studied environmental engineering, got a master degree on environmental law, worked 2 yrs in the field and later changed to a totally different one and worked almost 5yrs as an equity trader before starting to get involved in photography and now with retouching too .
pellepiano
Posts: 2,179
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
Thats going from very different fields.
I went from rather normal jobs, like working in stores, to become a musician and synth/sampler programmer for 15 years and then starting with web sites and photoshop and nowadays photography as well.
I became certified as a 1st class machinist in 1974 while shooting weddings and portraits on the side.
I began designing petrochemical piping and offshore platform modules in 1978, while selling enlargements and framed mounts of my photo art. I dabbled in model photography a bit, but never had much luck with it.
I formed an all-original jazz/rock band in Houston in 1980 and played all the live music venues for a few years while shooting portraits, art and live music performances for local bands.
I started a specialty services company in 1985 that included everything from aerial photography... to technical coatings for steam pipe insulation... to commercial metal roof consulting... to specialty lubricants recommendations and applications. This took me to several foreign destinations and I always had a camera with me. Aside from documenting my work, I shot local culture, people, landscapes, etc.
I retired in 2010, and now I do what I've always loved... photography.
I went from retail in college to microprocessor manufacturing to process engineering at the same place to shift management at the same place for a total of 10 years.
B.S. Degree in Industrial Engineering.
Then when I was graciously paid off, I tried actually making a living with photography for about 2 years. I wasn't very good at it.
A friend needed some help with his custom wood and furniture business, so I was a fine carpenter for about 4 years.
Now I'm just a bum with a camera floating around taking photo jobs here and there to pay the mortgage and eat once in a while.
I was photographer, got side tracked by a contract job working for Microsoft. It was just a 3-6 month deal that would get me moved to a better market. Made sense, a couple years later I was still there.
I then spent a decade-ish in sales or marketing. The economy went to crap and I got back into it, slowly that is as the times changed. It took me a good year or more to really transition from film having missed that change when it happened.
Photos by DeanR
Posts: 424
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Started as a welder out of high school, took a steel fabrication apprenticeship soon afterwards. Promised myself that I would get out of steel before I turned 30.
About 2 months before I turned 30, I left steel and tried doing freelance newspaper photos, stock photography, weddings etc. Didnt pay anywhere near what a tradesman makes, so reluctantly went back to steel. Shooting the "bride from hell" sort of soured me as well.
Now I dont chase the money, I just shoot what interests me.
Strangely enough, I now get a few articles published in gun magazines. I wanted a media pass for a closed trade show ( http://www.shotshow.org/ ) so that I could photograph the event.
I got my pass arranged and then began writing articles. I didnt enjoy writing in high school English, but now enjoy punching out an article on subjects that interest me!
From 1974 until 2008, I was in the Forest Products/Building Materials industry. I served in many capacities. Sales, Purchasing, Traffic & etc.
I spent 17 years with my last company in that industry.
When the economic downturn hit in late 2008, my company downsized and I was terminated. Unfortunately, just two years before my planned retirement.
I spent a year doing home improvements. Catching up on my reading. Locating every Coffee Shoppe in town.
In early 2010, my wife asked me if I was getting bored, and if so, what did I plan to do. I told her I was and I didn't know.
She said to me, "Why don't you do something with that nice Camera you have?" "Good idea", said I.
So, I started buying books about portrait and Glamour Photography, went to a couple of workshops, started buying gear and in April of 2010 did my first Photoshoot.
That was the beginning of my nearly three years of pretending to be a Photographer.
I'm still pretending, but think that it will soon come to an end.
before deciding to pursue photography "because it was kinda fun in high school", i was heading down a path of becoming a professional musician. i played the viola, studying with one of the best teachers in the world, but i grew to hate it and dropped out of conservatory.
still arts related, so not that huge a stretch i suppose.
concurrent with photography, i got an art degree and taught high school art and ceramics for two years before taking over the photo classes at my school. kinda want to go back to ceramics.
Evan Hiltunen
Posts: 2,892
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Started working as a dishwasher when I was 13, embarked on an apprenticeship with various chefs (French and Italian), eventually became a chef.
Managed to travel the U.S. extensively during this period. Last chunk of my chef career was spent revamping restaurants (menu, ordering systems, training people to work in the restructured business, etc. ... basically, trouble shooting and rebuilding).
Left the business and went to work for the elections division, secretary of state, MN as an information specialist. Tore apart and rebuilt data structures to have some semblance of organization and rules. Many other things related to info structure and research.
Got laid off.
Was rehired to analyze, codify, and develop rules and procedures for the same office. I seem to do well with that type of work.
Laid off.
Went to Alaska for four months with a little pocket camera. Had never taken a picture before.
Became obsessed with photography and art. A lot more travel around the U.S. Managed to make some decent money with it, have shot for some major companies, have had my work in museums, am seriously questioning if I want to continue this path, business-wise, in a changing market.
Might not have the chops to grow in the direction I want to and may not want to pursue a business track shooting what I don't want to.
I am extremely ADD. When I got out of High School, I just knew I was going to build and race dragsters. I went to Tech school, graduated, and started in the automotive field. This is where I learned that I am to easily angered to violence with stupid people. Got bored with that, and didn't want to go back to jail, so learned to weld in 1999 from my Father-in-Law. In 2000, I got my first job repairing/rebuilding/refurbishing rail cars at the shops in town. Since then, I've worked repairing big rigs, worked in the oil field, and latest as of 2005-2008, I was a Pipe Welder/Fitter working on Outages and Shutdowns. All of which, against doctors advice to never do manual labor. I have had a bum knee since the age of 8.
Because of all of that, plus 10 years when I was a kid playing soccer, I have re-injured that old injury, rendering it pretty much useless for anything other than walking on. It's so bad now, that the bones are doing weird things, like one is wearing away, and the other building up, so I needed a desk job. I figured I'd become a writer! Photography kind of went hand in hand with that endevour, and it turned out that more people wanted to pay me to take their picture, than to tell them a story. So, since about 2010, I beg money off of people and give them photos in return. I'm not rich yet, but I get to eat every now and then. As a matter of fact, I just paid every bill for the month of January, and February, and had $75 left over to replace two umbrellas that have been destroyed! WINNING! lol
My second phase began in 1978, staring with the above-mentioned Instamatic and stepping up to a Minolta XG-7 in 1979. Nature photography and college life were my primary interests:
By 1984, other aspects of life pushed photography aside, and it was to be that way for 20 years. I refer to the 90's as my photographic lost decade since I did not take a single serious image during that time.
In 2004, the passion abruptly returned in large part over the realization of how much digital technology and the Internet had revolutionized things, especially various forums that made sharing work and getting together easier than ever. I used the XG-7 at first but went DSLR at the end of 2005. Work from this entire period is viewable in my MM port and profile.
such many people with drastic changes in their life paths. Maybe that adds to the explanation of why there are so many different styles and definition of photography out there.
People that used to look life trough microscopes now capturing the beauty of a human body, people who worked with forms and natural forces now trying to transform the world through their photography.
Before photography, I used to work at a TV channel, making documentations. Then I have worked as graphic designer and retouches for few years. And bought a DSLR just for fun mostly, and kinda fall in love with photography!
Spent 23 years in the Army (Armor) and shot film all over the world. Retired in 93 and spent 6 years running a battle simulation center for the Army at Ft. McClellan Alabama. When that post was closed I got a job at the other installation in town and have spent the past 14 years disposing of obsolete chemical weapons from the 1940's - 1960's (nerve agents GB and VX and blister agents HD and HT). Come this August I'll be fully retired and as someone else here said, I'll be just a bum with a camera working on improving my skills every day.
RenatoJr - RJ
Posts: 240
San Francisco, California, US
Photography was always a hobby since the age of 7, when my dad gave me my first camera.
1. Aeronautical Operations Degree - Commercial License.
2. Pilot for 7 years
3. MBA
4. Law School.
5. Attorney at Law for 6 years
6. Photography still was what made me happy.
7. Decided to go into photography full time.
8. Have been doing it now for over 10 years.
Veit Photo
Posts: 563
London, England, United Kingdom
My life has been a constant struggle to have the freedom to make my own decisions and not be determined, be it by bosses, parents or inborn ineptitude.
As a teenager I loved to paint but my parents wanted me to have a career in science. I got a place on a food technology degree at Nottingham but at the last minute I rebelled and dropped out, took a year out and ended up studying art history.
While at University I made friends with students at the photography department and bought a basic Praktika SLR. I wasn't very happy with the results. I didn't like the colours I was getting because nobody told me about filters. When I moved to black and white I took a few portraits that people liked but it was all too inconsistent. Compared to the stuff I was seeing at degree shows I didn't feel I had any talent whatsoever. But the photography tumour didn't die, it just went into remission.
After art history I got a scholarship to study philosophy which took me very far from visual art. I then worked for a decade as a translator and teacher.
My flatmate asked me to fill in at his newspaper for a couple of days and that started a ten year flirtation with journalism, an industry that has treated me worse than any other I've worked in. The best thing I did was to get a little Canon Ixus as soon as I could afford one and learn about shooting digital.
As I worked my way to being a full editor I started to get assignments where it was worth taking photos - Angola, Russia, the Texas refinery belt! I bought a DSLR and started to learn how to use it. Often my pictures were the only ones available to run with the story and this encouraged me to improve. I began to regularly photograph for my magazine.
When I was laid off I had enough confidence in my craft and business knowledge to try and go freelance. It was abysmal at first, then good, then bad again and now it's starting to feel like a proper job.
Except, compared to everything else that I've done, this is a job that I love and probably my biggest fear is that I won't make enough to live on and will have to do something else!
My hobby has always been photography, ever since I bought my first camera, back in the 70s;
Worked in stores and distribution for a soft drinks company,
bar and nightclub in local hotel,
civil service,
accounting,
telecoms tech,
radio presenter,
theatre light and sound tech,
telecoms tech,
photography.
During this time I have always taken photos, wrote stories and articles (many were published) and been an amateur actor.
Firefighter/ Paramedic........back injury took me out and into photography, also did a 2 year degree in media studies (radio/tv-sound) worked one year in radio production, always wanted to do sound mixing for major band on tour (live)
Like so many others, I have been a man of many faces: music teacher, 'ham' radio operator, railroad employee, calligrapher, photographer, and shuttle bus driver.
Senior estimator at a large home building company for 15 years, until the recession came along and people stopped buying houses. Designed yacht interiors for a year, worked in retail for 2 years (the worst 2 years of my life), wasn't able to make a living with my camera during any of that time. Now I'm back where I started, estimating for an even larger home builder.
Before photography… I was a fifth grader. (I started seriously making photos at age 13.)
Between high school and undergrad (let's say, 8 months), I was a professional photographer.
After college, I worked counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation of WMDs and missile technology control regimes (amongst other topics), for about a decade.
After that, I landed a position at a top-10 research university, in Durham, NC.
Like most I started as high school photo student, I shot my first wedding at 16. By age 19 was a part time photo labtech at one newspaper, stringing for another paper, shooting for college information department and still shooting weddings, to put myself through college (Majoring in Photojournalism & Minoring in Photography). At 19 I shot my first NFL Game. Started working for a Daily paper by 21. I worked for Scripps League, Pulitzer Publications, Lee Enterprises and Freelanced for Associated Press. I have over twenty years of experience.
CNA in a locked psychiatric/geriatric facility
Reserve Deputy Sheriff
EMT on an ambulance
Mental Health Worker II for county mental health.
Correctional officer
Computer technician
Gun shop clerk
Armored courier / Hobbyist Photographer
With one of my first months wages, back in the late 1970's, I bought my first 'serious' SLR..
During the late 1980's, during one of the many recessions that we seem to cycle through, I put myself through a Photography course at the local College and worked for a time behind the the counter of a camera shop.
Now I'm retired from Architecture and spend my time dedicating my 'art' eye to the female form..
CZ Digital
Posts: 52
Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Interesting thread, nice to put a story behind the avatars
During High School: Buddy and I ran a lawn service, also worked part-time at the local Veteran's Administration hospital in the medical library. First experience with photography as yearbook editor for 3 years during school.
College Daze: Psychology / Criminal Justice major. Worked construction as a journeyman plumber for my father's company during the week (on-campus, had contract for construction of new large animal clinic and lab for veterinary school). Weekends I worked for my job foreman's business building houses around Ft. Hood, Texas. Senior year I started my internship with the Department of Public Safety forensics unit in Austin and after graduation went full time into public safety / law enforcement.
Worked as police officer / deputy for various agencies, started an IT consulting business specializing in public safety. About 10 years later dropped law enforcement and went into IT consulting fulltime. Started up a communications / wireless internet business and ran for several years while doing consulting for various companies.
Deployed to Mississippi / Alabama / Louisiana with FEMA doing disaster relief during hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Established local radio and wireless LAN networks for first responders, consulted for railroads to get transport systems ready to deliver goods to disaster-stricken areas. Got shot at by crackheads in New Orleans...while working disaster relief... :-/
After 6 months on Gulf Coast, decided to move to Europe and took a job as a faceless IT manager and signed my life away into corporate slavery. Picked up a camera for the first time since High School after moving to Prague (loads of architecture and models) and here I sit today 8 years later
I’ve been a shooter, journalist for 35 years! Some of us might remember, film, Guide numbers, and our lab bills averaging thousands on a monthly basis. My photo experience started with my father who was a photographer. But for me, professionally, I started in 1970 after a 2 year Associate of Arts Degree from a southern California Jr. College, I started work as a photographer, for a southern California newspaper, got side tracked by a being drafted into the Army in 1972 and after my induction two years later, got released from the Army. I accepted work as a ski instructor in Mammoth Mountain, CA until 1976. Got offered a job and moved to back to Germany working as a shooter for a professional Ad/ Editorial agency in Munich.
A few years later in 1982, I attended the Technology of Art, at the University of Munich, Germany and graduated in 1984. After college, I returned to my old company but shortly after, accepted a position directing three studios and 35 photographers for a larger photo agency in upper Bavaria producing ads and catalog photography.
In 1987 on a whim, I re-joined the (US) Army (Reserves) in Germany as a news broadcaster and photojournalist. In 1990, for support of the Desert Storm War, I was ordered to report to US Air Force Base at Rhine Main in Frankfurt to be flown to Dhurran, Saudi Arabia. In May of 1991 shortly after the war, I assumed I was going back home, but was ordered to Embassy Duty at the Public Affairs section of the Kuwait American Embassy, Kuwait. In Feb 1992, I returned home and started working as a photographer for several magazines and agencies in Europe. In 1995, I moved back to Southern California and then out to Washington DC., I worked in consulting in strategical marketing sales.
In 2002 until 2011, I was ordered as an Army Reservist to report for Active Duty at the Pentagon with duty in the Iraqi War and later in Afghanistan with duty in Korea Germany, and various stateside locations. After my retirement in 2011 I’ve been busy re-establishing a viable market with old editorial and catalog clients at my studio in Germany and in Fort Lauderdale, FL and noticed the economy has killed most of it.
The only issue now is, that I pay models nowadays, instead of them paying me?
Robert Jewett
Posts: 2,266
al-MarsÄ, Tunis, Tunisia
Worked as a PI, did some Personal Protection (A level), owned a couple companies, got an MBA, marketing/project management consultant for 7 years. Learned that $100K /year + BMW doesn't make you happy.
Erlinda
Posts: 5,828
London, England, United Kingdom
From the age of 16-18 I took photography class in high school (only dealing with film) Lots of fun and loved the dark room.
Once I finished high school I started modelling, did it for a year got bored. Moved into make-up, I enjoyed it a lot but didn't get to have a lot of say in shoots. So I stopped after a year and moved my way back to photography.
I never parted ways with it fully, was always in the artistic side.
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As a matter of fact, I just paid every bill for the month of January, and February, and had $75 left over to replace two umbrellas that have been destroyed! WINNING! lol
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