Bowing out gracefully

I wrote this in January of this year and did not want to post it until now. Today was my last weeding.

Bowing out gracefully.

I wanted to write this to prove that the events of the next 12months were all in my control and that I’m not one of those jokers who say “well that’s what I planned” after the event has transpired. In the past 12months my love of photography has faded to a mere interest due to the fact that it’s turned into a slog.

The market within the lower end of photography is overcrowded by people who jump in with no sense of the task involved. As these newbies do not understand what is required in providing a quality service they quote very low prices and scratch there head as to why other Pros charge so much. Once the enormity of task dawns on them they soon find themselves unable to cope and get out of the business, hopefully before they have done any damage but normally after they have made a huge mistake. Whilst you can look at this and think that there is some Darwin rule of natural selection going on and that the best rise to the top and are rewarded, the truth is that it is wrecking the whole industry.

Those photographers who operate within the lower end of the market (me being one) and who have spent thousands on equipment, insurance, do our taxes and invest our time in training are always brought down by this. Some would say “well what you need to do is moved into the higher end of the market” this is great advise, but don’t you think that every legitimate photographer from the lower end is trying to do the same thing and the mid/high end are have the same problem with have photographers who are punching above their weight.

The truth of the matter is that I pushed my paid work because I needed the money and that tainted my love of my hobby. In addition to this my time with the family is now more valuable to me than the amount people are willing to pay for my work.

So over the next year I plan to wind up my business, not to close it, as I may wish to return to it and to be honest I am still very proud of what I have achieved. The work I have booked for 2013 will be completed in the same exceptional standard and then in 2014 I will take a break from it to concentrate on some personal projects. To achieve this I will not be taking any bookings for 2014.  I  will also not engaged in social media as much and limit my networking.

This decision has not been made to cover the fact that I have failed or even that I have got bored but, merely that I want to love photography again and I cannot work at it and love it in this current market.

I cannot make it a chore and then covet my time with it.

Please note I have a good day job so can afford to make this decision, to those who have to do this to pay the bills, I have the utmost respect.

Good luck to you all.