Bayside Illumination

The quiet nights like this one on the bay, give a person a good opportunity to reflect.    On this particular night I was thinking alot about my career and the industries that I'm part of.

I thought alot about how I use photography as an escape from software development / IT work.   It isn't that I don't enjoy that work but I think it is a way to prevent or delay my inevitable burn out.    

For instance, I'd like to have been in a position to lead a small team of developers, by now.  Either as part of my own company or as an IT department. That hasn't panned out; but when I really dig deep and think about it:

 I'm way happier than all of the managers I know.  

So, maybe being the awkward, technical dba, programmer, mobile developer guy that is a 'doer for hire' isn't so bad so long as it affords me the ability to be a good dad and husband along the way.

...Then I think about photography...If I were to quit IT work tomorrow, could I make a full time go of photography? (And what would THAT look like?)   Would it be portraiture?  Continued adventures in "photography art"?  

... It seems in photography, the really-super-successful folks on the national stage are making their piles of cash from photography education.  Trey Ratcliff, Scott Kelby and his team, there are dozens of others.    All great / no / world-class photographers who found more of a market in selling the secrets of their trade than the fruit from the trade itself...

So maybe this imagined Bill Photography Inc would be something along those lines.  Training of some sort.

Which let me to this revelation..  Don't sweat posting a photo-a-day like those guys.   Post a photo when you have one.   365-projects are all well and good and fun and challenging.   But, the 24 hour "keep viewers engaged" shouldn't weigh more than "creating images you're happy with."

I look back in my own body of work and I've seen so many examples of things I've put out that I'm not happy with today, in terms of finished quality.    Some, because my skill has grown or my tastes have changed.   Some, because I felt the invisible pressure of the clock.   

"Gotta get a post up today! umm.. Here's a rock. Click.   Add a filter.  Save.  Upload!!"

Screw the clock.   Post as many or as little as your work calls for and as fits your desired sharing exposure!