Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Done and Dusted!

Tonight I officially became a professional photographer!

Having my first ever photo showing at a very cool local coffeehouse. Very excited to have finally accomplished this goal which I orginally set back about 4 years ago but which has been a dream for about 20 years.

I'm really happy with how the images looked in their matching black metal frames mostly white mats. Had a pretty good variety of images of what my friend Bob called my "coffeetable book travel of stuff and my 'I'm baring my soul' stuff" Think I had too many images but I really didn't know how much space I was going to have nor how many images would fit in that space. I'll know more tomorrow about which images they chose to hang first. Really, the important thing was taking the risk of putting myself out there for others to see and judge my work. That's what payments are after all, judging your work to see if it's worth exchanging their hard won income on. Because taking the risk and following through on the dream was the goal, it doesn't matter to me where they hang them, just that they hang them.

My next goal is to sell just 1 image to someone that doesn't know me. ;-) Although...if you know me and you still want to buy something, please feel free!

This was a much more time and money consuming project than I had anticipated at the outset. Definately need to buy my own mat cutting equipment for the next go round! Spent about 3x as much as I would have if I didn't dislike cutting my own mats so much that I'd rather pay through the nose than do it myself. Need to get over that or be skint (broke).

The number and intensity of emotions I experienced during this time has been quite surprising. All the books about "living the dream" make it sound like following your passion leads only to sheer bliss. Well...that's not exactly true. On the way to bliss, some times it leads to sheer terror. Will people laugh at me for thinking I'm any good at this? Will they just think "oh man, those suck"? Will they think I charged too much and I think too highly of myself? Is it merchandise or is it art? What if NONE of them sell? What if I'm really not that good at this after all? What if, what if, what if....

Well...what if? What if all that happens? Then what? The worse thing would be that I've spent an inordinate amount of time and money to create something that made me very happy. That's a good thing in and of itself so who cares? It's the process of creativity and the process of risk taking that matters here. Not the outcome of making money. I can make money at my "regular" occupation, this is about something else all together.

The thing I'm most proud of, the fact that I actually had everything completed and turned in to meet the deadline I'd arranged with the owners. Any of you that know me in "real life" know what a MAJOR accomplishment that was! ;-)

This has pretty much taken up all my time, energy and concentration for weeks and weeks and I'm happy with the effot, the process and the outcome and I am proud of myself for taking the risk and "baring my soul"

Now....on to the next thing.

If only I knew what that was....

12 comments:

  1. exactly!!

    YOU TOOK THE RISK, that is awesome.

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  2. Yes, it's exciting! As in, "now I truly understand what anxious means", and also, "this is what joy is!" Congratulations!

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  3. So MS. Professional Photographer, where can we see your display. I've seen some of your work and I was impressed, but that was on-line. By the way, congratulations, I know you have been dreaming of this.

    Dan

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  4. I am so proud of you. I want to find the excitement and happiness you have. You have inspired me and and I just can't say it enough..... I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.

    When to the photos hang and where?

    Lisa W

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  5. reading your blog entries lately has been a window into what you've been going through in preparation for this...I hope you're experiencing rest, satisfaction, pride, and an itch to keep going and do even better "next time." Congratuations and 'well done!'

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  6. Hi Cathy
    Thanks!
    It's been a pretty exciting ride!

    Went down and helped hang stuff today. Got some really postive comments from the folks eating in the resturant. One woman who is a regular said she was going to buy 3 images but that she'd go ahead and let them continue hanging as long as we put a "sold" sign on them. That was very kind of her as it will allow me to take "orders" from other folks that may want copies.

    Hope to see you around again soon!!

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  7. Marianne!
    You nailed it. Exactly the thoughts, ideas I was having. Still doesn't seem real.

    Saw the stuff you're doing on your website. Looks like you're really starting to take off! Good for you!!

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  8. Dan,
    Thanks SO much for the help with the pricing yesterday. Feeling much better about it now!

    Coffee's on me next time.

    L

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  9. Wow! Thanks Lisa!!!
    The show is at the place where drumming lessons happen. I sent you an email.

    Best thing is that they will be hanging during the Balloon Fiesta when lots of tourists are around!

    See ya soon!

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  10. Thanks Phil!
    Wriiting stuff out helps me process my thoughts and emotions. Definately going to keep going even when I go back to more regular employment.

    Already working on a couple images for next time and putting something together for the COTA (Children of The Americas) benefit gala banquet silent auction and brewing up some ideas about printmaking some images.

    Fun stuff!!

    See ya here or there soon!!

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  11. DEWD!! I am soo proud of you, thats awesome you stepped out in faith like that

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