Okay, so I just left a job that I've been doing for the past 5 or so years. I ran the print center at 2 different OfficeMax stores, one in Acworth (now closed apparently,) and the other in Athens (which is the one I just left.) The job was heading in directions that I didn't want to go, with more responsibilities being added to the position for no additional pay (and I was already earning less than what I started at 5 years ago, when I had zero experience with the job. But that's another story.)
At any rate, I left to work with a local photo studio, and pursue my dream of a career in photography. I'm not a GREAT photographer at the moment, but it's definitely something I enjoy, and I've been enrolled in the
Complete Course In Professional Photography with the
New York Institute of Photography since the beginning of the year. It's a study-at-home course that teaches you everything from the basics of camera operation, all the way to how to open and run your own photo studio. So far it's been quite informative, and there are all sorts of perks of being a student. If you're interested, check it out, and mention my name if you decide to register for any of the training.
So, back to the job situation. It was hard to give up a set M-F position, with essentially set income, but that job was stifling my creative side and at times it felt like it was crushing my soul. There was nothing wrong with the job as a whole, per se, and I liked the people I worked with, but it was time to move on. So when I was presented with the chance to pursue my dream job, I jumped at the opportunity. The ironic thing is that the studio is run by a guy who used to work at the same OfficeMax in Athens that I worked at. He was the Sales Manager at that store, until the position was eliminated several years ago, and he was laid off. He'd been doing photography on the side, out of his home, and after leaving OM he decided to open his own studio so he'd have somewhere official to work, and so people would stop asking if they could come over to his house and get their picture taken. :-)
He's trying to put together a team to handle all the photography, video, and graphic design services that his business offers, and he's apparently been having trouble finding someone who both had their own equipment, and who had the desire and drive to do the job. That's where I come in, because I have both, and one of them in abundance! (If you've seen my gear, you know it's the "drive and determination" that I'm referring to. *g*)
For months I've driven past the studio on my way home from work (it's about 3 minutes from our house,) and I always said to myself, "I'm going to go in there one of these days, and see what it's like," but I never did. That is until a few weeks ago when I decided to finally drop by and pay them a visit. I should have gone in sooner. If I'd stopped by back in February, he would have put me straight to work! Oh well, I've never been the best at being in the right place at the right time, but this time was different. I'm going to the studio this week to start learning how things are done around there, and I should staring working as one of the studio photographers shortly. I don't want to stop there though. I want to learn how to do EVERYTHING! I want to learn anything that he can teach me, and be able to run that place during the times he has to go out of town to do IT work, which is one of the several things he does on the side. He's trying to put a team of photographers and editors together so he never has to tell anyone, "The studio is closed on such-and-such days, because I'll be out of town." My goal is to become his right hand man, his 2nd in command. Someday I will open my own photo studio, but in the meantime I want to learn how to run this one, and be able to provide any of the services that they offer. I already know how to do a lot of it, and the rest should hopefully come easy, because it will be learning how to do things I actually WANT to do.
One of the best things about the work I'll be doing is that I'll basically set my own salary. The more I work, the more I get paid, but there's no set schedule for the most part. I honestly believe that this freedom from the constraints of a M-F, 8-4, same thing day-in/day-out job will allow my creative side to rise from the ashes like the mythical phoenix, and that I will flourish and prosper in this exciting new line of work. I'll continue to do work on the side as well, and MAY end up getting a part time job, just to have a set pay schedule, but I intend to put everything I have into this new pursuit, and to learn everything I can, and be the best that I can be. A new door has opened, and I'm boldly stepping through, not without a little trepidation, but I have my eyes, mind, and heart set on a new goal, and with a little luck and a lot of hard work, I shall succeed!
