Stay at home mums (and others) and photography as a profession

[ricktas]

Owning a forum, I get to see some repeating patterns in the way people post. One that always intrigues me is the stay at home mum’s who join up and announce they are planning on becoming a professional photographer.

I often wonder what makes photography appear as a good profession for them to pursue when they have a young family. Those of us that know what goes into being a professional photographer, are very aware that it is demanding, time consuming, and hard enough when you don’t have children to attend to.

The market is over-saturated with photographers and it can be damn hard work, yet for some reason the ‘public’ perception is far removed from reality.

What makes the stay at home mum (and others) believe that a course and a DSLR will turn them into a professional photographer? We so often see these introduction posts and then within a week or two, they stop posting and we never hear from them again. Is that cause they have succeeded in setting up their business or is it that they have realised that being a professional photographer is not as easy as they thought it would be, and have moved onto another idea?

Is it AP's role to educate people in this regard? Is it a lack of research by the person seeking to take up photography as a career?

I am always happy to see someone succeed with the career choice they have chosen, but I find it concerning that photography obviously appeals as an easy career option, when the reality is far removed from that.

[Kym]

There is a huge gulf between 'nice photos' on Flickr or from relatives and Becoming a Professional Photographer.
(BTW the thread quoted covers some basic but major issues)

And even if you have decent skills and talent there is still the big jump into business.

AP can help educate, but in the end every adult is responsible for their own destiny.

[CherylB]

Without wishing to be disparaging of mothers of young children in general, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact their children are at the "cute" age, and every snapshot a mother takes is drooled over by other family members and friends. Perhaps these mothers get the idea from this that taking photos in general is just an extension of what they are already doing?

Obviously, for those of us "in the know", nothing could be further from the truth! Learning to photograph really well is a skill. Yes, it can be learned, and some people take to it like a duck to water. Others struggle, and many of these people refuse to accept that they just don't have the aptitude for it but will "soldier on" because someone sometime said we had taken a really "fantastic" picture of little Jimmy! Yeah .... guess what? We all get lucky sometimes!

Then there's the business side! Why, oh why, do people think it is "so easy" to go into business? If it was so easy, then why do so many businesses fail in their first year? Answer - because they haven't done their homework!

FWIW - I'm not planning on setting up my own photography business any time soon - and then some! For me, photography is a hobby.

[Jorge Arguello]

That is true, Rick. The Photography as a profession is not recognized for all until we acquire a professional work of one. It is then when we realize that DSLR and it’s use is not enough to call someone (or ourselves) a good Photographer.

I guess you have seen posts of people thinking on getting an expensive DSLR and join AP to ask for advice, then no more posts.

Sometimes it looks that AP is educating not only the people who likes photography (like me) but also those who does not have a clear idea on what a good photography needs behind.

[dbax]

yep, in today's environment with digital cameras everywhere people see images and presume they are all "snaps" making a living from photography is a very different situation indeed.

[kiwi]

I think there's no problem, there are a few mums with cams here (prob a few dads too) who I've seen go from nowhere to starting to earn some pocket money.

I'm more annoyed at first time posters that want a shortcut by asking everything here and giving nothing back in turn

[ricktas]

I think there's no problem, there are a few mums with cams here (prob a few dads too) who I've seen go from nowhere to starting to earn some pocket money.

I'm more annoyed at first time posters that want a shortcut by asking everything here and giving nothing back in turn

I agree, that mums and dads can make great professional photographer, but what I wanted to know is why their is a perception that it is an 'easy' career choice, when reality is so different to that? How has this perception come to be, that its as simple as buying a DSLR and doing a course?

[jazzyjane1970]

I agree, that mums and dads can make great professional photographer, but what I wanted to know is why their is a perception that it is an 'easy' career choice, when reality is so different to that? How has this perception come to be, that its as simple as buying a DSLR and doing a course?

Rick, I don't see this perception out there. I'm a mum with a DSLR and I didn't buy the camera to be a professional photographer, more to improve the pics we were taking of our kids. I started to look into learning more about photography, granted, as a result of falling in love with photography and being told that my pictures were okay, but I'm not deluded into thinking it would be easy to go into business in this regard. As you have mentioned, there are a huge number of photographers out there. I think anyone who can't see that and still gets into it, is being a little shortsighted, and maybe it is this person who gives it a go and doesn't make it beyond the first year?
Would I love to be a professional photographer? Absolutely. Do I really have the talent? Not nearly so certain about this, despite people telling me that my pictures are good.

[ricktas]

Rick, I don't see this perception out there. I'm a mum with a DSLR and I didn't buy the camera to be a professional photographer, more to improve the pics we were taking of our kids. I started to look into learning more about photography, granted, as a result of falling in love with photography and being told that my pictures were okay, but I'm not deluded into thinking it would be easy to go into business in this regard. As you have mentioned, there are a huge number of photographers out there. I think anyone who can't see that and still gets into it, is being a little shortsighted, and maybe it is this person who gives it a go and doesn't make it beyond the first year?
Would I love to be a professional photographer? Absolutely. Do I really have the talent? Not nearly so certain about this, despite people telling me that my pictures are good.

Hi Jane, thanks for the post. Certainly if you ask me or any other photographers who have been around this forum (and others) for some time, it is a repeated concept. People posting saying they have JUST got a DSLR and are about to set up their photography business. It is this observation that I was referring to when I wanted to know why Photography is seen as an easy career choice. What makes people think buying a DSLR will allow them to start a photography business, with very little experience at taking photos.

My thread/post was not about those that venture into being paid once they have experience, rather it was about those with little or no experience, and they obviously perceive photography as an easy career path, or we wouldn't see these types of posts on this site, and others, so often.

[nicolef]

So??

I would say this is common in most fields. As a musician I always have people telling me they want to be able to play like *** and last a week until they realise it was harder than they thought. At the end of the day, if you persist and become good at it, you succeed.. if you are not prepared to put in the work and have a certain amount of natural talent, you fail. I would welcome as many people as possible to try the art and gain an appreciation of the challenges of the profession.

I also don't think it's a surprise that SAHMs are more regular offenders --> they are at a time in their life when they are taking a lot of photos AND they are at a time in their life when their regular careers are on a pause and there is an opportunity to explore other interests.

PS I've barely posted since joining - it's not that I don't want to, I just feel quite intimidated by threads such as these!! (and I've just been reading one on etiquette - golly gosh!!!) Will be making a bit more of an effort from now on and looking forward to getting to know you all

[alextdel]

... what I wanted to know is why their is a perception that it is an 'easy' career choice, when reality is so different to that? ...

Its partly a tribute to the fabulous photographs that pro photographers take and share that it seems so easy. Obviously even the best photo can't portray the years of practice and the days of thinking, planning, set up, exposure, selection and processing that you pro guys put into your work. I particularly found inspiration in ricktas ANZAC day shots (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...ighlight=anzac) these capture more than just a person on a day, more like an emotion. However, my struggles with playing guitar for years has taught me that it is never as simple as it seems.

[jazzyjane1970]

I agree, but as someone new to this forum, I am using it to learn more about photography (through the learning plan). As a stay at home mum, I struggle to fit the time in to read the learning plan and work through that, let alone contribute to the forums also. I've been deactivated twice through inactivity, and try really hard to be active, but sometimes time gets the better of us all.

[kiwi]

I think you're confusing a career with two or three portrait sessions a $100 each and a $500 wedding every couple of months. That's hardly a career, it's a hobby, it's akin to selling Tupperware.

To bridge from that to a career is a huge difference

I don't see too many here, or elsewhere, creating a career, but I see plenty making a few thousand a year. Some of them good photographers, some of them not.

[ricktas]

I think you're confusing a career with two or three portrait sessions a $100 each and a $500 wedding every couple of months. That's hardly a career, it's a hobby, it's akin to selling Tupperware.

To bridge from that to a career is a huge difference

I don't see too many here, or elsewhere, creating a career, but I see plenty making a few thousand a year. Some of them good photographers, some of them not.

Again, no. They post saying "Hi, I am a stay at home mum to 3 boys, and I am going to setup and become a professional photographer" It is not what I confuse between hobby and career, I am just reflecting on the incidences of this type of post, and how THEY perceive becoming a professional photographer as being easy. It isn't about what I am confused about, or not. It is about WHY is photography perceived as being an easy career choice.

[MarkChap]

I would come accross this regularly when selling cameras.

I would have people, ok I will say it, predominantly stay at home mums or mums with kids at school, come in and not only want to buy a camera but would also then go on to ask what they should be charging for their work. Yep that's right, never owned more than a cheap arse point and shoot and would be "going into business" as a photographer.

I think this harks back to the many photographers over the years that have placed the "value" or "more expensive" part of photography on the prints rather than putting the value where it belonged, with the photographer to make the images in the first place.
People no longer "value" photography because they don't want to buy all those expensive prints, just take the photos and drop them an a disc, that's cheap isn't it ??

[fess67]

OH MY WORD!!! Finally someone has come out with it (and the owner no less)!!!

I am a wannabeeee....I have been lucky to take a few good images but to be honest it was due to luck over skill. I would love to do 'this' as a profession but I know that I simply cannot produce the goods consistently to make it. I am sick to death of the 'stay at home mums' who think that all it takes to be a successful photographer is to shoot 'Billy" in his favourite sleep suit and bib and that makes it a good photo. To Mum it is a sweet pic and soooo adorable...but you know what, it ain't gonna make you a pro!!!

That said, we see the posts time and again so it is not going to change. The pattern is....get pregnant....have kid...take pics...family member says 'WOW they are so good, you should be a pro".... rest of the world goes 'crap....another idiot into the fray!!'

Sorry for being so blunt but man it does annoy me so.

[Sezzy]

OH MY WORD!!! Finally someone has come out with it (and the owner no less)!!!

I am a wannabeeee....I have been lucky to take a few good images but to be honest it was due to luck over skill. I would love to do 'this' as a profession but I know that I simply cannot produce the goods consistently to make it. I am sick to death of the 'stay at home mums' who think that all it takes to be a successful photographer is to shoot 'Billy" in his favourite sleep suit and bib and that makes it a good photo. To Mum it is a sweet pic and soooo adorable...but you know what, it ain't gonna make you a pro!!!

That said, we see the posts time and again so it is not going to change. The pattern is....get pregnant....have kid...take pics...family member says 'WOW they are so good, you should be a pro".... rest of the world goes 'crap....another idiot into the fray!!'

Sorry for being so blunt but man it does annoy me so.

I'll add to that...and it comes up regularly in my education degree...they start by saying 'Hi, I'm a stay at home mum, and I'm studying childcare, or I'm studying education.' It's not an easy degree by any stretch...but they seem to think it is...and some (unfortunately) believe that having one or two children equates to being good with all children, and understand the psychological concepts behind learning yada yada yada.

It's unfortunate that this is becoming the 'norm'...in the age of digital technology, cameras have the ability now to make people's photographs look 'good'. Note I said 'good', not awesome, not professional, but good. If someone shows you a photo of their baby...I don't know anyone who will say it's an ugly photo, we're all a little bit 'nice' for that honesty that is required sometimes. I think it extends beyond the SAHM and SAHD as well though, it's a psychological thing now, where everyone was taught to be the best they could be, and aspire to achieve more. I guess these people are just aspiring to achieve more, and there's nothing wrong with that.

The problem is they never give themselves any constructive criticism...they're not realists with themselves....

They don't critically judge their work (artistic or otherwise) in the same fashion that a professional (or even semi-professional, semi-serious but not professional) person does. And that's not just SAHM&D, that's becoming the norm...

And when someone 'does' give them constructive criticism, they say 'what would you know?'

I worked in a newspaper taking photo's, I'm by no means a professional, I was simply a work experience student who was good at what she did...I never went and studied about cameras, I was self taught (with some input from Phil Biggs and my dad who taught photography to high school students)...I was out of photography for eight years (I still had my P&S, and some of the photo's were 'good', but nothing that anyone should have to be asked to pay for)...and only now...after twelve months of severe criticism to myself am I getting back to what I used to do...and actually re-learning what I used to know...

[kazdez]

Actually I find that just choosing stay at home mothers as the perpetrators of "i am going to start a business" because I have cute kids, and have nothing else to do, quite sexist. There are many males on AP who claim to have a big camera and now they "can be a professional".
I think that each person can have dreams and aspirations and should not be belittled if they don't come up to the standards of others. All professional photographers had to start somewhere, even if it was at home. How many people here have a small studio to play photographer in? I think everyone should go take photos and stop trying to stir the pot.

[ricktas]

Actually I find that just choosing stay at home mothers as the perpetrators of "i am going to start a business" because I have cute kids, and have nothing else to do, quite sexist.

It isn't sexist, it is an observation of posts that have occurred on the site. The reality is that we see this line time and time again. Now if by raising a comment about the actions of a particular demographic is going to be referred to a sexist, then we are missing the opportunity to discuss a real and valid issue, and I find the sexist defence totally ridiculous. Just cause I raise something about a particular demographic doesn't make it sexist. You want us to stop stirring the pot, yet you try to do so by turning this into a sexist argument? Hmmmm! I am not about to become politically correct, and not raise an issue cause some might find it sexist.

[mechawombat]

Personally I see it as people have alot of smoke blown (you know where) on their pics by people who have an emotional attachment to sets of images and not had any proper CC

I am a stay at home dad of some sorts (I work nights on the weekends) and have time during the week to spend with my Son. I know I can take a good shot but for every ONE shot there is a trail of 100's that do not even see the light of day to family and friends. now this week we went into the Royal National park to see what bucket loads of water dumped on Sydney looks like and I honestly found it SO HARD to even focus on taking a pic let alone the 100's I need for that ONE image!

I got the photography bug purely from the birth of my son, I wanted to make sure I can document his life because it is a one shot deal, and when number two comes along it will be the same thing (hopefully with an a900... YES PLEASE)
And I think that many people see it as something that is instant and very easy to do because of the nature of DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

ATM I am studying Graphic design and it is alot harder than I imagined but I knew what I was getting myself into as I researched what I need to do and the outcomes. Its just too bad I actually, since joining AP have well and truly wanted to take my photography to the next level. (my studies have faltered a little)

So in summary I think people get really deflated after realising what is actually involved in becoming a photographer, and that their really great pics are not really that great in comparison to what is being viewed on these forums.
Well thats what I felt cause I am BLOWN AWAY with the quality of the images posted by the AP community
when I was dumped with the photography job of the MIL wedding (and I admitted that indoor night pics are not my bag) I honestly was really deflated to the point I dont look at the wedding pics forum


I don't think that it is AP's fault, as you have the most AWESOME community here By far the most proactive and fantastic admin and moderation team ( mistakes, I think I made them all)
but once the sparkle fades and reality sets in "POOF! the dream is gone"