1. Do you honestly think it's "fun" to shoot for today's clients? Really? Back in the day I used to say that my goal was to shoot "really neat stuff" for an "obscene amount of money" and for "really talented art directors"...any two of the proceeding three criteria would be sufficient. Today, it's really boring stuff for little money with people who don't know shyte. Heck, I would still be working of I could get one of the three criteria...but it just ain't worth the hassle...I much prefer going out to shoot, whatever....with no idiots, a$$holes nor tiny payments involved.
2. I got into photography for the love of the art...was willing to work in the field for lots of money and now I'm back to shooting for the love of the art. Over the years, I've learned a lot...I'm happy to pass it long–for compensation of course :~)
Well, taking your (1) first: I have no idea about today's clients; I'm retired and I imagine clients were ever the same - the good, the bad and the downright ugly. But they
needed what I could provide, and that mattered.
Moving on to (2): same reason to start as mine, but once I realised that I had a moneymaker too, I didn't like giving it away. Probably became a hooker by trade... but expensive enough to cut the clients down a fair bit, which might have been great for the ego but questionable for the bank.
But we do what we do, and there's no second chance.
Now, I would rather do nothing than spend it doing classes and demos. Frankly, I don't think I could. It was either for real or not at all. Just like love.
;-)
Rob C