My Day Job

Just thought it seemed like a good time to talk a little bit about what it is I "do".


I'm currently working as a portrait photographer.  I won't name the company, but suffices to say that it's a national chain that specializes in school events.  Basically, I go to graduation or award ceremonies and take 200-500 pictures 2 seconds apart with the constant knowledge that if I miss someone, the boss and the people who have to match photos to names will have my head.  Sounds glamorous, huh?

It's funny that when most people think of a photographer, they think of either National Geographic or fashion.  And sure, there are people who get to travel to exotic places, meet African tribesmen, or do conceptual shoots with beautiful women and 50 pounds of fake hair and makeup.  But for every Nigel Barker there's probably a thousand people like me who travel to the middle of Cow Country, Florida, meet biology teachers, and shoot 17-year-old boys in khaikis against an American flag backdrop.

That may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm definitely not.  I love my job, it's just not "as seen on TV".  I love that my team changes every event, so I get to meet and work with new people all the time.  And sometimes the happy is infectuous.

I went to a ceremony today at a primarily-Black, Christian university.  They had fantastic music.  I'm a jazz lover, and was really impressed by the jazz combo.  As they were playing, I happened to catch a glimpse of the monitor, and when I saw the saxophonist playing his heart out with a background of gospel singers dancing and waving their arms?  I'm a complete sap, and I lost it.  I was grinning like a maniac and tearing up at the same time.  Something about gospel music just does it to me (but that's a story for another time).  You've heard of "making a joyful noise"?  Well they made it.  

Things like that make it impossible for me to not love my job.  Although there are definitely things that try.  Next time I'll tell you about being eight deep in the weeds.

 
 
 
 

Post a Comment 2 comments:

Andy Baker said...

That was lovely. I've always said that about actors (and singers and writers) too. For every big name, there's a couple hundred folks in a theater somewhere eking out a living, or making a decent living but not everyone knows about them. Nigel Barker indeed. Who heard of him before Tyra?

May 15, 2009 at 3:02 AM

Jill said...

Having been involved in a lot of creative fields, it's pretty much the case everywhere! We start out with dreams of fame and riches and end up settling for paying off the student loans.

May 17, 2009 at 12:14 AM

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