After paying everything off this month (we like to keep up to date) Our Favorite DJ cleared rent with $1.38 to spare.
Time to face certain unhappy truths.
After quitting landscaping for the winter I briefly had two nights at the UC, which paid the bills with enough left over to buy the occasional treat. I spent the rest of my time on photography and a hundred other things most people never have time to do.
Now I’m down to one night, and weekends I bar-back with some vague notion of bartending somewhere down the line. But seriously now- we have the best staff in town at the most popular club in town. Why would anyone leave? I won’t be advancing anytime soon. So right now my income is unstable and too close to the bone to really be comfortable.
Something’s gotta give.
If I pushed I’m sure I could pick up another night or two spinning at another club. If you’re interested in picking up the mighty mischiff please do get in touch. I love what I do and I do not suck at it. Here’s my resume.
But between you & me more nights spinning isn’t going to solve the essential problem, as much as I would love it. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to continue counting on Victoria’s unstable clubbing environment while taking another risk investing in myself as a photographer. Two large bets with no insurance just isn’t smart poker.
Don’t misunderstand- I’m in no hurry to retire and I have no intention of leaving the UC in the lurch. I’m just saying it’s time for me to give serious consideration to a more stable income. Something with regular hours and standard benefits would be very nice, and while it would be a sad day if I had to give up the spinning I would give it a long hard look. Speaking of a good hard look, here’s my resume.
Yes, this is a bit of a turnaround for Our DJ. I’ve always said I need to be inspired first and stable a distant second. Life is for the living, to bend a phrase to my will. I have never wanted to be a corporate drone. I’ve never wanted to covet my red swingline stapler. When I worked for wondermill I was inspired. We were young and vital and blazing with potential. I loved being part of that team and I was willing to tackle all sorts of suprisingly mundane tasks in the name of carrying that team forward. I loved my job. Even if I was piloting a desk. I was handling $30,000 international transactions like they weren’t no thang, talking to internet hojillionaires like drinking buddies, and zipping off to Minnesota to play golf for the weekend.
I would love to be a part of a team like that again. Granted, this time I’d like it to be as an integral part of a slightly more proven business strategy. Longevity and stability are what I’m looking for now. I’m sure some will nod their heads sagely and say he’s growing up, but I will handily deny them satisfaction by asserting that it’s a means to an end. I want to have the freedom to create visual art, and the only way I’m going to be able to do that is with a solid foundation under me. Insurance. I will kick ass at this theoretical day job because I want to be essential and thereby indispensible and thusly… secure. Free to create.
I look at Noah Grey and I see what I want to be doing. I’m so close to being able to do it, too. I just need capital. If this were the Renaissance I’d be toadying up to the Medicis. If you’re reading this, are ridiculously wealthy and looking to attach your name to a driven visual artist I promise to mention you at all the gallery shows. =)
Buy my pictures.
Honestly I don’t know if I can make it. Photography has exploded on a scale unequaled in communication since the printing press. Suddenly visual communication is pedestrian. Anyone can do it. My only hook is my own personal style- you’re buying my eye. Hopefully that’s a marketable commodity.
So it’s a bet. And I need insurance. Adrian needs a stable, for real, all grown up day job. Here’s that resume again.
Maybe if you moved to a real town you might be more successful doing what you love? ie Vancouver, Calgary? Go East?
COMMENT:
I know you will get that stable job, and excel at it, and you will be so free to create. You can’t be doing your best work while worrying about funds anyway.
Oh Victoria is a real town. It’s actually an awesome place to be if you want to specialize in something, because around here it really holds true that it isn’t what you know but who you know. Once you’ve got your foot in the door you can really get ahead. It’s just not easy to get your foot in the door, because everyone is hiring the people they know.
So yeah, moving has certainly crossed my mind. Ironically of course the best reason to move is also the best reason to stay.
what wouldn’t we all do if we didn’t have to worry about paying the rent, buying food… all that stuff?
when i rule the world…..
I don’t really know what to say here. I read the post wholeheartedly agreeing, yet it was certainly no revelation to me. I respected your decision to make the leap to full time photographer, picking up an enviable fancy new toy along the way yet it wasn’t something I would be willing to try. Perhaps it is the lack of insurance you speak of.
Even among the millions of new born photographers I feel you and I, and fellow photogroffeers have some legitimate talent. I have been asked on more than one occasion “why don’t you do it seriously?”
What does that mean? Does seriously mean exclusively? I don’t think so. I think you (and I and friends) could do a hell of a job while still holding a job. It shouldn’t be a this instead of that thing.
Exposure, marketing, and dumb luck hold at least an equal share to talent. Just look at the music industry.
Here’s hoping for any or all of the above. I ain’t to proud.
i have no data to back up this opinion, but i would guess that the percentage of artists making there living with a day job is pretty high.
On that note, the only artists i know who are making aliving through it are trained, have you given this a thought at all? and i know that art comes from inside and is not something that can be taught, but use of the tools certainly can be taught. Along with the connections, credibility, the business etc etc etc
You can do anything, but loosing sight of the big picture can bring on the unexpected.
as for visual communications, anyone can learn use the tools that produce it, but not everyone can successfully communicate through the visual.
The problem with having a dayjob for stability is that it eats up all the time that you could be spending furthering a photography career.
Photography WILL come second to the dayjob.
Just my opinion, but if you really want to be a photographer, you just have to get out there, hussle, and BE a photographer. Not a guy with a dayjob that also takes good photos on the side. The cash will be tight, but I think that’s fits into the paying your dues thang.
Of course the reality is you’ll have to lower you standard of living, which might mean giving up the slick pad you’ve got now and looking for cheaper digs. It may even mean LESS BEER :(
I’m able to support myself through freelance design because I’ve cut my cost of living to half of what it was in Vic’. But I’m SO MUCH happier supporting myself. I work just as much as I need to to pay the bills, so I have loads time now to devote to improving and promoting my music, learning the bass, throwing events, designing my new website, taking pictures, learning html/css, looking in to pirate radio and on and on. Livin’ like a bohemian yo!
I say play the part of the starving artist for a while till things pick up. You gotta jump right in, sink or swim! Put yourself in a situation wher e you gotta hussle! you know what I’m saying. It’s worth it!
You’ve got talent for photography and the charisma to sell you services, you’ve got the pro gear, and most importantly you don’t have kids, or a car, or house payments. last chance man! take it!
agreed Anton,
the starving artist is another viable solution, i was speaking under the guise that DJ really likes his pad and his beer, and would prefer not to give those up.