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It is amazing that from October until the end of March I was able to make a run at being a professional photographer. I got to live the dream, and then watch it die a quick death. I was on the brink of several huge opportunities, but because nothing was guaranteed and I was forced to a make a decision that affected my families homeless status. I was had to take a job, temporary or not. I did the right thing, but that doesn't prevent me from being deeply saddened by the loss of my dream.

As I make the transition from career to hobby, I would like to look at what I accomplished during my six months as a professional photographer as well as what went wrong. So let's start with the negative and document what went wrong:

• I failed at marketing myself and getting my pricing in order early on. This is my failure. I own this. By not executing, following through and pushing myself further, I failed myself.
• I couldn't focus. All of the professional seminars I watched and attended stated one thing in common; "Pick one field, be it wedding, portrait, food, pet, senior or other, but pick one and push it. If you can't focus yourself into one field, you stretch yourself too thin and will never be successful." This is another one I own. I get bored easy so I pushed myself to defy what everyone was saying, and I paid the price.
• Salem is full of people who want everything for free. Call it the economy, culture or something else, but everyone wants everything for free. You can see it in Craigslist ads, I want a professional photographer for my wedding, but I don't want to pay a dime. You see this in ads like "We want professional photos from someone who wants to build their portfolio." This translates to I want it free. This is not me complaining about the jobs I did for free. I did the work I did for free because I was building a small portfolio of photos to help market myself. But then when it came time to book paying gigs, the people never came through with the payments or backed out. I own part of this as well, I should have required half down up front. This is a lesson learned and will not pose an issue moving forward.
• My life as it sits now is not condusive to running my own business. Child support, visitation schedule, sharing a car with my wife and Fibromyalgia, while alone are not completely hindering, but combined are far too restrictive to do what is needed to become successful. So unless I can find a way to correct these situations I won't be successful in any endevor.

Now on to the positive. What did I accomplish during the last six months? I made some amazing friends. I tested a concept that I might be able to work I became connected with creative self. I worked with some amazing people and I created some amazing art.

People

 

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Art

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And finally I learned a lot about myself. This is attributed to my experience with the Artist Way. I found in that group a new family of caring and giving people who although undeniably different than I am, a so similiar in their fears and frustrations. There was a lot growth and healing that happened to me through the artist way and through the relationships developed. This is possibly the most important experience I had over the last six months, and while I have light years to travel still, this was the start of an important journey for me.

 

So while my professional photography career appears to be cut cut short, it is a short termed delay. I have bigger plans for Salem and I will soon be in the face of those that have ignored me recently. Get ready Salem cause here I come.