I must leave my photography hobby behind ...

[ddt0725]

Hi all -


About an hour ago, I lost my job and I will need to put photography behind me and figure out what I am going to do.


First off, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all the advice, guidance, support and friendship you have shown me over the past year and a half. I never would have been able to learn so much anywhere else. Nor have I ever seen an online community so generous with their time, knowledge & support as this one! Every day I am in awe by your superior knowledge and skills!


Secondly, I would like to give everyone a heads up that ALL of my photography gear will be up for sale soon! My mind is in complete turmoil right now so I have not begun to go thru everything and set any prices but if you are looking for something that I may have, please feel free to shoot me a message so we can talk! I will be honest, I

[Steve U]

Holy crap, this sounds serious. I hope you take some time to assess what really is important Denise. You are an itelligent, caring, passionate woman and employers spot that quickly, so take heart and I hope something works out quickly in your favour.


All the best, my thoughts are with you.


Steve

[ddt0725]

Thank you to both of you! I wish I could make a living at this (that would be a dream) but my skills haven

[Gian Luca]

Denise I wish you to find a job immediately. I hope to read your message tomorrow with a good news.


Good luck

[Kayaker72]

Denise,


I am very sorry to hear that you have lost your job. That is an absolutely horrible thing to have to go through. And, unfortunately, there is far too much of it happening in the last few years. I hope that you will be able to find another job as soon as possible.


Right now, I truly hope that you take some time and don

[freelanceshots]

Your photo contributions will be missed! Really sorry to hear about you job situation. Hopefully you can replace that old job with a better job.

[bouwy]

Hi Denise


Read the news. I understand that you are very upset and I sincerely hope that you will find something very soon.


Brant is correct in saying that you shouldn

[andnowimbroke]

I hate when bad things happen to good people:[

[Raid]

Denise


Excellent advise from Brant (Kayaker72).


You must be confident and keep positive, no employer wants a wimp.


Good Luck

[neuroanatomist]

Denise, I'll echo some sentiments above - I'm very sorry to hear about your employment situation, and wish you the best for a speedy re-hire.


We've all seen your growth as a photographer, in pictures that inspire many members of this forum - myself included.


I agree with Brant about not doing anything rash. In addition to the skill displayed in your images, your passion shines through, as does the joy you obviously experience through photography.


These are hard decisions to face, and you certainly need to prioritize. Consider reducing before eliminating. Look over your photos - consider the ones you like best, or give you the most pleasure. Pick one lens to keep. From a practical standpoint, having been unemployed myself in the past, I know that despite what the EDD/DWD/other state acronym seems to think, you cannot spend 100% of your time looking for work. Having something to give you pleasure while you search is important - keeping your spirits up will keep your motivation up, and that will show through in interviews (as will the opposite, not in a good way). One of the great things about digital photography compared to other hobbies is that aside from the equipment investment, it can be done with no ongoing costs.


One other thing to bear in mind, in the worst case, is something often mentioned on this forum - you don't need expensive gear to take great pictures. The skills you've developed will translate to cameras that cost less than you paid for a lens or your tripod.


Here are a few images from my S95, from nature to portrait to action:


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[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/500x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-35-15/S95_2D00_2.jpg[/img]


[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/500x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-35-15/S95_2D00_3.jpg[/img]


[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/500x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-35-15/S95_2D00_4.jpg[/img]


I wish you all the best, and I have every confidence that your situation will improve soon!


--John