Artist is the smartest of the deadbeat careers...

The "easier" a job is perceived, the "less" respect it will get.

Ever hear anyone talk about those "lazy farmers"?

What's really wild is the jobs where they find out you're a photographer on the side and you get asked to shoot everything and anything from then on. At your current salary of course.

I am in the process of getting my real estate license.

In this case, I think being a photographer will be a big help. I see some images on real estate sites and they look like they were taken by a drunk child on their cell phone.

Attitudes vary....those who are intrigued...their eyes light up...they say they wish they could draw,etc.....give 'em my card.....nada. And I don't need the income, but it think they feel obliged to buy.....
Probably the most misunderstood life choice....it's a 'calling', like Nursing....but self-indulgent, in comparison.

And yet, known or unbeknown, Art plays a huge part in society....

I've met many a successful Artist.....but is success in Art only measured by the bottom line?....

Artist means freedom so people are often resentful. Other's want you to succeed but only to a certain a point otherwise it threatens their concept of work and how one must hate what they do.

I'm a sea captain, art is an avocation.

I get mixed messages from people close to me, all I know is what makes me happy.

I've learned to trust my compass as long as I keep ferrous metals away from it.

I used to be an active A&P and worked for several commuter airlines.

Of course, if you haven't actually TRIED to make a living doing something all you have is your notions and many of those are wrong.

There is a show called "River Monsters" on TV. The guy goes all over the world catching HUGE fish.

Seems like an awesome job to those of us that like to fish. But I bet a lot of it bad.

Traveling to places like the Congo to catch a Goliath Tiger fish (if you don't know what that is, google it!)

That sounds fun but you have 1. countless hours of travel in very difficult conditions. 2. Bugs that will drink all your blood and leave you with some "fun" tropical disease. 3. locals that may, or may not, want to kill or kidnap you. 4. Heat with humidity that is so high you can probably wring the moisture out of the air. 5. TV stuff to worry about. Getting "the shot", the lighting, etc.

So even though fishing for a living sounds fun, I bet a lot of it is a major pain in the butt.

Well, it's certainly not a career for me. I've already had two of those, and am now retired. My wife works for a property management company, and I've taken some images of properties (interior and exterior) on 3 occasions and provided the low-res images to them. Not a big deal, and I didn't ask to be paid....and wasn't, lol.

Funny you should ask, JC, I was thinking about that very thing this weekend .....

When I got started professionally as a photojournalist over 20 years ago the word Freelance = starving artist. Since then it's been savvy to use the phrase "Professional Photographer or Visual Communicator".

Now I see, since the digital camera and internet changed the photography business, photographers ( some artists here on FAA ) use the title "Freelance Photographer". Why???

My buyers, collectors, and 8-year-old niece respect it -- they think I'm their own equivalent of a rock star.

My doctors agree that my career change extended my life expectancy.

The majority of my relatives, friends, and ex-colleagues think it's a sad joke; especially as compared to my old 50-to-60 hour a week corporate paycheck, and accompanying lifestyle.

EDIT
Deleting my momentary Monday-induced madness. Already back on solid ground -- all is well. ;-)

Way back in the stone age when I was in high school, I wanted to major in Art in college. My parents immediately shot that down saying "there's no money in art". My father, whom I have always called "the greatest artist no one knows" was told that and he had mediocre sales jobs all his life, with art being a hobby.

Fast forward about 30 years and, having been mentored by 2 people, I was encouraged to go to school, which I did. I'd finally found my "place", started showing work at galleries (which my parents attended) and art shows (which they also always attended) and winning awards along the way. I also had a job at a portrait studio for over 4 years as a graphic designer and retoucher, so at for that amount of time, I actually did make a living at it. Two years ago, I turned down a job offer at my aunt's model agency to be a graphic designer and I do kind of regret that now since I'm barely making gas money.

My parents, especially my mom, I think, were very proud of how I ignored their advice.

Rather than the occupation getting dour looks, saying you're a graphic designer to people makes them suspect you're not playing with a full deck. Like you can't be intelligent and design stuff too.

You will feel iffy about any career you're in until you stop being concerned with what others might think and OWN your choice.

Stating that you are an artist (or whatever it is that you are) has power, both for the listener and for you.

Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

I'm a professional artist and recently, while house hunting with my husband, the fact that I was an artist was a major selling feature to prospective renters. At two separate houses, when I mentioned what I do, their eyes lit up as if thought that having an artist in their house would be just awesome.
I embrace what I do and I think my confidence stops anyone poopooing what I do.
(Plus, I make damn close to an airline captain's median pay... :D )

Dan's the man :-)

I don't think a lot of people understand that a photographer can be a professional business person. Unless you have an actual studio they must think we have fun all day. Most of my close friends and even some family members never even looked at my website.
I came to the conclusion that people get jealous of others that pursue an art passion, and are good at it.

I mentioned in another thread recently, I was always "good" at art, but I was so darn shy when I was young I was intimidated by the guy in art class that drew like Leonardo right out of the gate without any training. When you're shy, you don't like to look stupid or incompetent in front of others, it's just too painful. So I went into a field where I was better than anyone in the class...found out I had a knack for learning foreign languages.

Fast forward (as Louise says) after years and years of proofreading technical service manuals in English, French and Spanish every weekend all summer....well, that got kinda old. I still have the same job, but the work has shifted, so I go out with my camera every single chance I get, and when people ask me "oh, are you a photographer?" I just say "yes!"

I wasted many a year promoting another artist whose work I respected. I took on the business side of the operation. Was never appreciated any of my input on the creative side of the business. Glad to have that behind me now so I can concentrate my own work.

Hi Edward, I hear you, and good choice! I moved around in the creative field a bit before landing good. However, every person I worked for had something great to offer me in terms of training and experience, but eventually I had to recognize the signs that were showing me it was time to move on, in search for more. Settling can be a problem...

At a family gathering, a long lost cousin asked me what I did for a living. I told her I was an artist. She replied, " I know, but what do you do to make money?"
most are just ignorant.
Now, ask me if I care? lol

I have been a Commercial Photographer/Video Producer/ARTIST for the past 28 years. It has been a roller-coaster ride that has been anything but boring!

Before digital came into being, this was a somewhat specialized industry. I was and assistant for a professional for a year, went to school for 3 years to get a degree, started working for corporate america as the 3rd shooter in the "Photo Bullpen", then got laid off! I started my own business, and did pretty well for about 5 years. The 90's were pretty good to me. I have been Studio Manager's/Director of Photography, and Ecommerce shooters for others.

Although, I have always had to fight the opinion of "You just take pictures all day long?". What they don't understand, is that clicking the shutter is one very small instant of what the profession requires to create great ART! I have ALWAYS had to wear multiple hats. Photographer, Videographer, Lab Technician(When I was in the Darkroom), Video Editor, Sales/Marketing Rep, Accountant, Customer Service, Photo Editor, Coordinating shooting locations and times for the best light, Scheduling Models, Prop Hunter, and all around Gopher! Ahhh, the life of a Sole Proprietor!

All the while creating ART. Whether it gets used for a glossy double page spread, or blown up 40x60 on someone's wall, it's all a degree of art to me, and the end buyer!

FAA has been a good outlet for me to get images up. Sales have been decent, but could always be better! I enjoy being able to set me pricing, and post images as little or as much as I can.

I am at the edge of turning my business into a hobby, and getting a more corporate friendly job. Anybody who has an iPhone or a tablet, now calls themselves a Professional! With the advent of basic photo & video editing software, this career path has been greatly diluted. I can't provide for my family with all the Weekend Warriors giving away their images because they think it will help their careers. All that basically does, is give somebody a great deal on an image. When the client has to pay for the image, they back off. It amazes me how there is never a budget for imagery, but everybody always wants some sort of "Dressing" for their materials!

Enough said. Stepping off the Soap Box!

I get mixed.

My family appreciated my art - well - at least half of them did. And I am an artist - not a great photographer - just a guy with a camera that manages to take a "few" fairly good photographs. Anything else I ever did in life was to make money - but I've been an artist most of my life. My one 'claim to fame' - I"ve sold more paintings in my life that van Gogh did in his - after I'm dead - one of his will still be worth more than all of mine put together.

I've never had anything but a positive response. If I got one that was negative, I'd most likely ask where it was coming from, from the person who made it.

Many people have said I should put it on my resume. Maybe your sister-in-law's brother is biased against what he doesn't know. I can see that sort of remark coming from "a VP at a big fortune 100 power company ..." I can see where it may go against the grain of what it means, to a VP in a big fortune 100 power company... Just sayin'

--Donna Proctor

Dear Gary GG, I loved the dark room, and became really good at B/W printing. However, I sucked at spooling film in the dark, thank goodness for the digital era! (kinda…)

Don't you just love that some "outsiders" believe that photography is "easy"?

I dont share those close to me that are unfamiliar to my art. I always get the "are you any good?" and then it moves on to "can you do one for me?" all for free of course.

It is very sad when others do not respect the arts. A lot of art is who the artist is and when someone does not acknowledge the hard work or creativity and wonder that is created, it is hard to not take it personally. Because your art is you! Belief is something that all artists desire! You wish for confirmation sometimes that you got something! Not everyone will see it! You have to be strong and believe in yourself and hope that someday others will get it! I have been in numerous situations where the conversation will be about careers. The conversation seems to take a pause when you say you are an artist and then the conversation moves to the next career all too quickly. lol Careers are jobs to people but art is you! :)

Most of the time I feel like Rodney Dangerfield.......Don't get no respect!

I was reading Louise Reeves' (no relation to me) comment. I have actually had the opposite experience--I went to college and got my degree in graphic design. I wanted to be a fine artist, but my parents dissuaded me (my dad wanted me to be a sign painter because then I would "always have a job."). Graphic designer (commercial artist in those days) was the only aspect of art that they accepted as a "real" job. I was a designer, art director and illustrator in advertising for 15 years. I then became a stay-at-home mom and my priorities shifted. having a breadwinner husband allows me to just create the art I WANT to, but it is way, WAY harder to make any kind of living. I felt like I was taken MUCH more seriously in my design days. Now I feel like I am "just" a mom who dabbles in art on the side.

Good message, Dan! I think I'll have a scarlet "A" painted on my chest and rip open my shirt when someone asks what I do.
oh wait.....

What career as an artist? I wish I had a career as an artist to be criticized.

Valerie,
After all is said and done, you are doing the most important work right now raising your family. There is nothing more important than being "just" a mom...and don't use those two words together , ever!!!
YA hear me??!?!?!?!?!

"Mom" is the hardest job on the planet!! Just a Mom, is like Just taking pictures all day!
Walk a day in any mom's shoes, and then say "Just a Mom"
I have been Mr. Mom to my boys at stages. My wife and I have traded many times. Tough Job! Poor Pay! Long Hours! No Respect from others!

I was too chicken to have kids, but I have spent my life wanting to forgive my parents for being human, and disappointing me. Hopefully I'll end up flush...

It not a career in the sense of paying the bills at this point, well might cover health insurance this year.

When I was 36 and said I was going to quit my job and did, people around my age tended to think I was crazy. Once I got on the road and people loved to hear about the trip. Their eyes pop when I tell them its been 4 years on the road.

Retired folks and those close to retirement almost always say they wish they had done this or they show off a huge grin and start talking about the cross country road trip or European backpacking trip they did at some point.

I'm not sure if anyone thinks ill make it as a photographer I can't let that bother me. It'll be a big chunk of the resume if it comes to that. If someone can't see value in it then its probably not a place I'd want to be.

Back in the corporate world success was as much about passion, grit and the desire to succeed as it was about past job titles and school or grades.

Facebook friends see every gory detail of the trip, the photos, what its like go for up to 2 weeks dry camping and/or living in the car to get grizzly shots or some unique geologic thing and are at least amused.

One person unfriended me because she didn't like all that stuff. Another college buddy said, "ya know, I'm married, have a good job and a kid but sometimes I'd love to go do what you are doing".

It's an interesting mix of people from those I took reflexology and martial arts classes with to big consultants in the online marketing world, college and high school friends. They are all seeing stuff they've never seen before and probably never knew existed

Adam!!! You're living your life, it doesn't get more successful than that. Good for you!!! Very very cool….

My mom was pretty supportive when I quit my job because I was miserable and it was just going to be a 2-month ski trip. I'd never driven outside of Pennsylvania before so driving all the way to Utah was exciting/terrifying.

When I decided the trip was going to go until I got to all the national parks in the lower 48 and then some, I think that was a little hard to take and it may be again when I say I'm not done yet. She does love the eye candy and at this point would be delighted to see it become a career.

My dad has always said 'I don't know how many more years you can stand to sleep in your car but your trip is the best vacation I ever had' as he sees all the photo stream and lives the ups and downs through the stream of posts on Facebook.

To me,

There is a distinct difference of being an "Artist" and creating "Art"

Very interesting replies.

Personally, it doesn’t bother me one way or the other but I do find it interesting how varied the views really are.

The one interview in NJ I had they wanted me to do a 15 minute power point class and said it could be on anything but since they were all pilots and lived aviation every day it was recommended I do it on something besides aviation as they had seen it all before and tended to get bored with those. So, I did my presentation on selling art online. It actually generated more discussion than my aviation background (which is rather extensive.)

The other one was a phone interview and one of the two bosses said, OK, so this isn’t part of the “official” interview but Canon or Nikon? Spent another ten minutes talking about photography with him.

Gary, I think you have one of the tougher paths as it must be extremely hard dealing with everyone that gets a DSLR for Christmas and is suddenly a pro and is shooting senior portraits and weddings. It is not that they are at your level but just having the market flooded that way changes the expectations of the buying public. It is that way to an extent in the art world as well but when it comes down to it here large prints are expensive even if the artist charges a buck which makes it somewhat easier to compete. If you have 600 bucks to spend on a large print, frame and shipping then you are going to get what you want and a couple hundred more isn’t that big a deal to get exactly what you want.

Granted, I was one of those that started selling work because my friends liked my images on FB and said I should. BTW, those early images rarely sell but I adapted and figured out what would sell and how to produce work that would stand out in the genres that sell.

When it comes down to it, I tend to tell people I am an artist even though I now have a full time job as an instructor pilot. Back when I got laid off and decided to try putting 40 plus hours a week into the art it was a gamble. I had unemployment for a bit which covered me for a short time until I had enough images where the art started covering the bills. I still put 40 plus hours a week into the art which means I have two full time jobs at the moment. That is OK though as I truly enjoy both and am living the dream for the moment.

I believe this statement by, Kevin has at least some merit.

“I came to the conclusion that people get jealous of others that pursue an art passion, and are good at it.”

Painting, drawing, photography...eta all, are certainly very interesting, and “fun”.

Yet, like all professional endeavors it is work.

I remember an analogy regarding the Bee. The bee makes his work his recreation...or something to that effect.

I know of many people that are jealous of professional athletes. Yet that too is work! (Of course this is speculation. I have never been a professional athlete)

Nevertheless, I know carpenters, stone masons, sales clerks, and myriad of other occupations whereby the members of these vocations make their work both work, and at least one of their favorite things to do.

Of course it is all in the mindset.

As for how others feel about my career? That is strictly up to them.

As Popeye put it, “I yam what I yam!”

“I sucked at spooling film in the dark...”

LOL, Kelly! That was one of the most difficult things to learn as far as old school photography.

I got a couple of rolls of “burnt” film, and practiced, practiced, and practiced! Both with 35 mm, and 120 and 220 roll film. I became an expert! LOL.

While I do miss my darkroom work, I don't miss the cost!

One of the things on my bucket list is to be able to have the time, and wherewithal to take this up as a “hobby”.

Walter, I know! So much equipment! Costs and more costs, but it was kinda fun playing with all that stuff at 3:00 in the morning! :-)

I can't tell you how many "All-Nighters" were spent in the darkroom. I kinda miss the smell of Fixer!
I loved the traditional darkroom, but realized the shift to desktop was inevitable, and more efficient.
I liberated myself from my darkroom equipment in 2005. Instead of enlargers, trays, film tanks and reels, I have multiple computers (Mac & Windows), scanners, & printers!
The learning curve never stops!
I had an Aunt (who is an artist herself) say to me early on in my career "I am proud of you pursuing something you love, even if it's not the most respected or financially beneficial path!"
There are volumes to be said for doing what you love!
If others don't appreciate or respect what you're doing, Kick them off YOUR Bus!
Be Happy!

JC, your question made me laugh,”how does the rest of the world feel about your “career” as an artist? ?”
I have no idea what the world population is. It must be more than 7 billions out there! I don’t think the rest of the world even knows I exist. the neighbor wait with me for the bus every morning had no idea of what I do for a living. Although we made small talk each morning but we never knew each others' name.
Being as full time artist for the last 25 years, my guess is there must be a few hundred people had brought and owned my paintings. Most I don’t even know their names; surely I hope they like it enough to have brought it. There are only handful have regular contact with.
I been in the same downtown studio for the last 23 years and seen many artists and business came and gone and most moved out because they couldn’t make it in what they did. One day, the CEO of this small adventuring company walked by my door, she stopped and said to me “Alfred, I so envy of you!” without any explanation I knew what she meant.
My mother just turns 82; although I have three brother and sisters but I am the only one can accompany her to all her medical appointments or emergency with last minutes notice.
So it doesn’t matter what the rest of the world think of my art career I don’t care and just do it!

Hiya JC,

This is or should be a very interesting topic. The most popular question I get about my career as an artist is, "How have I managed to have such a long professional career as an artist?" My answer to them is very simple, diversity, I never specialized. It's not that I am a "Jack of all Trades." On the contrary, I am an individual who loves challenges and throwing in the towel is not part of my character. I believe in a thorough and complete investigation of whatever field I have tried to participate in. The first time I tried portraiture, I did a thorough investigation of of the artists that I felt were the best at portraiture such as; John Singer Sargent, Daniel Greene, Norman Rockwell, Diego Velazquez, and Everett Raymond Kinstler. When I was hired as a political and sports cartoonist by the Baltimore News American, I studied Nast, Mort Drucker and many others till the alarm clock went off. As a graphic designer, I got subscriptions to all the Art Director and Graphic Design magazines I could get my hands on.

Most of my paintings pictured here at FAA were projects that I created for learning how to paint. My house is full of paintings that I practiced my craft at.