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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · A first attempt at the night sky + a question for the landscape photogs... | |
Keaty wrote:
I typically tend to stick with landscape photography, but I decided it was time to give shooting the Milky Way a try. I recently celebrated my 30th Birthday by spending a weekend camping at Mt. Laguna. I took the opportunity to set up my camera, aiming straight up through the trees at my camp site to get this image. Aside from composition, the biggest hurtle that I had with this was the noise issue. I'm sure there isn't much I can do about that short of purchasing better equipment (I'm still shooting on a used Canon 550d that I bought a couple of years back, with cheap glass). ISO 3200, f/2.8, 20 sec, 24mm. However, I thought maybe some of you would have some tips to point me in the right direction?
And for a more serious question for the professional landscape photographers...I've been studying geology in college since last fall. I took two of my geology classes in my first semester and absolutely loved them and got 100% on all assignments and exams. Lately, however, school has been more of a struggle. I'm in my second semester of chemistry, third semester of maths, and frankly I'm completely bored with it, and the grades show. I went from a straight A student, to barely getting Cs this semester. There is more to the story than just "being bored," however, I'll save the details and just say that my motivation to continue in a STEM field is fading, although I still enjoy geology and study the subject in my free time quite often. Lately, though, I've been considering alternative majors in case I wash out from the STEM fields. I never considered majoring in photography since it has always been one of my hobbies, and I tend to try and keep work and leisure separate, but I'm beginning to reconsider the possibilities. I let my twenties slip away when I spent 5 years in the Marine Corps...which was fine, it was a duty that I wanted to serve and I figured there was plenty of time to enjoy life when I get out of the military and go to college. A year into college and I'm realizing that all of my time is consumed by sitting inside studying (which is why I haven't been on this forum much lately ). So, my question is, at what point is it okay to stop going for the thing you would like to do as a career, and start going for the thing you just like to do? Is a career as a professional landscape photographer plausible? I know there are several successful landscape shooters out there (many on the forum), but is it likely for one to make this into a legitimate living? Or, should I just suck it up and quit my damn whinnin'? All thoughts and opinions welcome.
http://www.dlwphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/The-View-Above-the-Campsite-Med-Res.jpg
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I am not a professional photographer or a very good night photographer yet, so I will just give you advice on your education.
I graduated from electrical engineering tried it for a year and was bored. The projects happened too slowly for me.However, I found that I liked financial/economics/statistics and that the math was easy but fun. Now after more than 3 decades I am VP of finance/regulatory/communications at a large company - way different than my education. Its challenging and fun at work and on the weekends I have the money to pay for my chidrens education/houses etc and -- most improtantly travel lots and spend lots of time taking lanscapses and wildlife.
There is two ways to enjoy photography - being a professional photographer or being a really good hobbiest photographers. You will be surprised based on what I have seen that a really good photographer is first and foremost a really good marketer (most money is now made on workshops), a really good photoshop guy, and determination. If you have to get by on selling pictures - good luck if you don't like marketing/selling.
My point is - it does not matter what you graduate from - but it matters that you graduate. The people you meet and rigor in thinking is what your achieve. And you will change directions throughout your career.
Finish you school and then do photography on the side. It takes a long time to be a good photographer. You might find you love geology. Or after a couple of years you might find computers related to geology links you into comptuers, links you into... But geology gets you out to remote locations where you take pictures and will allow you to have a wife and children. What a job is like and what school is like are significantly different.
Good luck.
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