OPB is broadcasting a very interesting documentary on nature photographer, Joel Sartore who shoots for National Geographic. It was on last night and you can check show times on the OPB website. It's on at various times over the weekend.
http://www.pbs.org/atcloserange/index.html
Posted by Andy Drumer on February 9, 2007 at 1:45 PM
Yeah, I watched it and it was awesome. It does a great job of showing that it really insn't all that great a profession if you are a family man. I only wish it would have focused more on what life in the field is actually like. There was a lot of crying wife where I felt there should have been more shooting!
Posted by Marc Adamus on February 9, 2007 at 1:57 PM
I didn't see the special, but in my personal experience it is not possible to be both a professional landscape photographer (or travel photographer in his case) and raise a family well. It's just not. Some do it much better than others though, I'm sure. But there are always serious sacrifices. I know a lot of people on this forum have families, but few are professionals. If you have children, you must do everything for them that you can IMO. I know I'm gone 180+ days each year and often take risks that I might not if I had kids of my own. I need schedule flexibility that having a family commitment would not afford me. Even with a very understanding girlfriend of several years, it's stressful on a relationship, and we have no plans to marry. We both understand this well. I'd be interested to know if Joel has children or just a crying wife?
I thought the editors comment about how it's becoming increasingly more challenging to find compelling images that nobody has seen before was interesting.
Posted by Marc Adamus on February 9, 2007 at 2:07 PM
Common knowledge there IMO. With interest in photography at an all-time high, travel easier than ever for lots of people, and the information sharing technologies we have now, of course it's more and more challenging to find compelling images that nobody has seen before!
Well, I must watch this...As I have a family, I can atest that it is extremely hard to follow a passion. Although I wouldn't trade my girls in for anything, I do long for the freedom to pursue more of a photographic endeavor. Oh, did I mention a job as well!
Marc, Joel has three children and a loving wife - she does cry I guess ( she did on the documentary when Joel was leaving for Alaska ). From what I saw, managing a family especially kids is extremely difficult for pro photographers - and pretty much that was Joel's opinion too. But the documentary was worth every minute to understand what it takes to be a pro photographer and that too for a demanding magazine like National geographic. Overall it was a great program
Discussion
6 replieshttp://www.pbs.org/atcloserange/index.html
- pradeep