As with so much of non-commissioned photography, my own very much included, one has to ask if the photographer ever asks himself why he bothers?
I do ask myself that question, and the most acceptable answer I can give myself is that it fills the time, and prevents me having to do other, more sensible but boring things that I’d rather put off for later. For example: this morning I found myself hoovering the apartment straight after breakfast, something that should have been done ages ago.
I wonder if a professional maid/housekeeper finds that kind of work to be different when done for payment, compared with when done for herself, or if the mindset is the same in both cases?
Photography done for payment was always more interesting for me. It made me very reluctant to do model tests, which was a mistake, a known mistake at the time. But then again, that was before the advent of digital, and it meant using up materials I’d have to replace for work. It also meant devoting some considerable time to the effort if it was to be worth anything at all. At a certain point in any career, things and perspectives change. I can still remember a time when no model would have spent time coming to do tests, and then suddenly, the shoe was on the other foot; now, I find it ironic and funny how some things end up where they started… Merry Christmas.
