Scheme away, then...don't talk about it, scheme. If you are so convinced of the importantance of creating the almighty "buzz" then get to it.(posted 8685 days ago)The thing about it, John, is that I think you have given us lousy examples of success. People like Liebowitz have fame and fortune -- I'll grant you that, but unlike you I would NOT trade places with Liebowitz even if the opportunity came up (which it will not) simply because I have no interest in living her life -- I have no interest in being famous for photographing celebrities. If that makes HER happy, fine -- I have no argument with that, but to compare her life to mine is to compare apples to oranges. I WANT to work hard in my field and don't care if I never get the public accolades - I don't think product photographers get the recognition that celebrity portraitists get anyway -- and I see no shame in that.
I think it is seven years years ago that I had graduated from school, I had no prospects and no hopes of prospects, I had just recovered from a life threatening illness that had wiped out whatever money I had and was living in my parents house, dependent upon their generosity. Now I'm saving up for the down payment on my first house...pretty good for a guy who, seven years ago, couldn't get the jobs at camera shops and labs that he desperately applied for as a stopgap measure against bankruptcy. Score one for the workerbee.
My definition of success? Satisfaction in what I do, for starters. Getting the kind of the life that I want for myself --- having a good time, doing no harm to others and enjoying the world. I enjoy (in no particular order) art, good food, good beer, hiking and camping, challenging and interesting work, mental stimulation, travel, the company of a certain woman --- and I get regular doses of most of these. My definition of success? More of the same. I want the house only because the woman I love loves gardening, my apartment manager does not allow dogs and I want dogs, some more room for my art projects, more privacy, and a darkroom. My plan for the next 70+ years? More travel (I'd like to see Asia), more photography, my brother wants to teach me how to brew beer, my woman friend and I talk about children...life looks good. Do I want to worry about "how to get to the top in my field?" Hell no -- I've got MUCH more important things to do.
To bring this back to THIS Lusenet forum, I suspect that photography, in one form or another, will always be a part of my life but the form it has may change -- especially in terms of the work I do to earn a living. It already has -- I had very different ideas about job and career seven years ago - I learned, changed, adapted. If tommorow I decide that I want to do something else to earn my keep, I will change. In the past two years I have learned a great deal about digital imaging systems and suspect that will have something to do with the way in which I make my living over the next 40+ years.
Now - what was the question?