This year's "I give up" speech

[eselby]

I love taking good pictures of pretty women. It is a shame that I don't get enough opportunity to do it. Not only that, I haven't seen my talent grow. When I do get an opportunity to shoot, I churn out the same stuff. As Christian once said, "If you keep doing what you do, you'll keep getting what you get."

In the past year or so, I have seen new talents come into the GG fold with a basic understanding of how to work their cameras, but no real vision, and in less than a year they have created works that I would happily hang on my wall (Dwayne Hill's work comes immediately to mind). Me, I've been spinning my wheels.

I've contacted just about every new face that caught my interest on MM, 0MP, and GG, only to have my inquiries ignored while other photographers are getting immediate phone calls from the very same girls. Even new models in my area ignore me in favor of shooting with someone more than an hour away (good thing I like the guy and his work!).

My wife told me that she misses my more artistic work - the b+w figure work, the unusual views of North Georgia I'd come home with after spending a day just driving around the mountains, the portraits and cataloging of family and family events.

This month, I made $800 off the sale of one image - 2 prints and licensing its use on businsess cards and letterhead - and not a single pretty girl in the image.

I have decided (once again) to not go persuing models - to shoot what's around me at the time I am shooting - whether that be a pretty girl, a rambunctious nephew, or an old store-front.

It is my annual end-of-year burn-out. And I'm sure I'll change my mind again soon...

[BGPhoto]

Well, this is the first of your year-end burn-outs I've witnessed, but I'm sure you'll bounce back. You do great work...and let's face it. You've got a studio in your basement, and to let that go to waste would be downright criminal. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Maybe what you need to do is host another Play Day and feed off the collective creative energy. Just let me know when to come over again.

Merry Christmas!

-Brian

[glennusdin]

you are better than that. and thats a good thing. and quite honestly, you have reached the place where many of us go...if you didn't I'd be worried about you.

Bottom line, you (and I and most on here) are ole farts and the young girls are more interested in the younger dudes shooting them..and I realize often that most of the gals I shoot are young enough to be my daughter, and they look at me as the old man, so its not a big deal when they select younger hipper dudes to shoot with, until I have a paid project, and then I am the hippest cooleset dude in the world.

So we make 95% of our money doing commercial stock and lifetsyle images and thats the way it is......seeya next week and next year and whenever.

i havent made that much in the last five years selling or TRYing to sell my prints. i've made not one-tenth of that in making fotos working with models over the past (close to a) decade.

must be nice... if not for bad luck i wouldn't have any luck at all

[jimtraywick]

Singing the christmas blues… we all go through it sometimes and the opportunity to shoot with new talent is so hard. These women have been flooded with photo offers and pickup lines all of their lives and it tends to make it harder and harder to find a truly mature professional attitude to create something wonderful.
Your work has changed, or should you say, improved and in time will change again. Your love for the art shows in family, landscape and architectural images whether you see it or not. Don’t stop now.
My glass is only half full… how about yours? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Merry Christmas

[hipchildreth]

I knew you'd bag a good on the shot, way to go Ed.

On that burnout thing... Maybe if you didn't just shoot pics of pretty girls but instead, shot some different subjects that pretty girls go nicely with. What've you got access to? Just a sort of wide open idea.

Chip

[rephoto1]

I am sure that everyone goes thru it at onetime or another. As far as it being hard to get a response from models I have to agree. Most not all the Models that I have contacted on these various sites generally dont follow thru unless you pay alot for the shoot. It used to be that models looked for photographers to add looks to there books but now there has been a switch to photographers are now looking for models to add to there books. I generally dont shoot models on these sites because I just cant afford them and usually I will find an amature that will do great and will appreciate the work that I do for them on a tfp basis. I am just not used to paying people so I can do a shoot. Just yesterday I emailed a girl on that other site who had cell phone pics on her site and asked if she would like to do a shoot. She replied right back and said that she loved my work and would love to work with me. (BUT) she charges 400 and hour for fashion 500 for swimsuit. I didnt know what to say. Anyway juse keep shooting and look around you there has to be plenty of talent walking by you.

[PhotosByMorganII]

Eselby,

I too go thru lows once in a while. I spend a lot of time working ideas thru my head and then work to get the items needed to do the photo. I then lay out how I might set up my lights and what the results may be. Then I search for a model who might have the look I want for the photo. I do not always get a yes when I contact them but I keep looking and soon I have the model who says yes and I get the photo I have thought about such as the two below.

[Brad]

Ed,


I understand how you feel. I am amazed by how many comments and messages go unanswered on this and other sites. Just keep in mind, the INTERNET is the wrong place to gather self worth. After all, 99% of what is on the INTERNET is bogus and not worth your effort. Fortunately, there are a few great people on here. Concentrate on them and screw the other commie bastards!



Brad, Tampa

[stevenD]

as they said in Animal House, time for a Road Trip...

try Maui...