It has been a funny week. I know a few of you caught on last week that I wasn’t feeling great. Thankfully I am very good at getting myself out of down moods, and I do feel better now. I wish I could say that I feeling fantastic, but not far from it. Anyway, the best thing I can do is move on, so let’s see what I can do.
No Deal
So last week I thought I was going to get an amazing offer. Something that I had been working towards for a long time. As you can gather it didn’t happen.
I have been working so hard on photography for so long, and I keep seeing others get things, but not me. I have been lucky with some things, but I want something major. It seems it is time to try something else, again.
Reinventing Myself
It is something I do a lot, or seem too. As one project fails, I find another to start working on. Though I am starting to find it harder and harder to do that. I keep hoping that something will be successful.
I’m also starting to think that I may need to get a real job, but will see how things go.
Dynamic Range Magazine
We are still preparing our last issue. It has been hard to get it together this time. I’m keen to get it done, but I am also keen to get onto other projects. That makes it hard, but hopefully you won’t have to wait too much longer for it.
Teaching
It seems my future lies in teaching and now it is up to me to work out what is the best way of doing that. Through physical classes or through video and skype. Do I look at group workshops, or individual ones? Perhaps both.
I know I have a wealth of experience, and I am fairly certain there are people out there who are interested in what I teach. Now I just need to find them.
I have to think that my fine arts degree gives me some qualification to do that.
The Future
I will continue to strive for greatness, or strive to earn money. I do have some plans, but for now I will keep them to myself.
Photos
Today I have some from Point Lonsdale. It does seem like a very long time since I was there. I must get back, I feel like I am always saying that. It is a lovely place. I once dreamed of taking people to places like this for workshops, perhaps I can continue that dream.
Your strive for greatness is apparent in everything you do! I admire you so much .. you work so hard and give so much! I don’t know how do you it! I think you are amazing 😄 Thank you
thank you Julie, that is lovely of you to say. Yeah, I think I need to rethink some things. You are so kind.
Stunning photos. I love the way the waves are coming through under the pier.
I’m glad you are finding your way.
Thank you Nicci, I love the waves under piers too, it is so good when you can get underneath them.
Thank you, Leanne for sharing your thoughts and experience with us. You have shared so many exquisite photos with thousands of viewer via your site and have inspired so many bloggers, that is a great achievement.
YOu’re welcome Amy, a bit of whinge really, but sometimes you have to do that. Thank you, it has been, it is looking for the next step now.
I hope a big break comes for you, Leanne. Your work is so beautiful and you are willing to try different ways to market. I hope one takes off soon. I understand being a bit discouraged over a recent disappointment, but I think you are resilient. Maybe the cool breezes of fall will make you feel better.
Thank you Pam, I hope so too, it would be nice, but I am working towards some other stuff, so maybe it is going to be slow. Will see what happens.
A degree in fine arts is a special thing that you have. It is a good credential for your teaching as well as showing your work. You are so fluid in talking about photography as an art.
I hope so Pam, I hope people see that. I think it is too, there are a lot of people out there teachign with nothing. Thank you, that is a lovely think to say, appreciate that.
I recently read a fantastic book on marketing fine art photography. I have started implementing some of the ideas and sort of have a one-year plan going. I have a long checklist on my iPad. I’m making a little progress day by day. One of the to-do’s is a bio, which for me will be very light on fine arts! But I did have a few interesting careers.
You might have to give me the name of that book Pam, haha, I seem to be so hopeless at marketing myself. I’m looking forward to talking to you about it.
Fantastic images, especially the ones with the lighthouse! The sea appears rough and the dark clouds hint at the coming of the fall season.
Thank you Peter, that lighthouse is great and I like that there is a pier right there as well. I can’t remember when I took them, hard to know here.
Hi Leanne, I hope you can get out of the low you are in. You certainly are an inspiration to me. I have followed your blog for quite some time. The one thing I would like to pursue would be to engage you as a mentor.(apart from having personal one-to-one sessions with you in Melbourne – which I don’t think will be happening for quite some time.) You haven’t mentioned mentoring for a while. Are you still offering this service? I am not a spontaneous person, so I don’t think Skype would be beneficial to me. Email is an easier medium for me – I can think about what you are saying before I have to respond. Of course money is always an issue, especially for a pensioner. But I appreciate you need to make a living and therefore I accept that this kind of service needs to suit you and me. If you still offer your services as a mentor, I would be interested in it. Perhaps an arrangement with an initial fee for mentoring for let’s say 8 weeks giving feedback on my photos and guiding me in my future as a photographer in exchange for a lump sum and then perhaps extending that with a monthly fee indefinitely would be beneficial for you and me (and other potential clients). I don’t aspire to earn a living as a photographer, but I would like to reach the competency as a photographer that results in photos that I think are good enough to share. I appreciate your take on photography – it doesn’t need to be an accurate representation of the scene – using lightroom/photoshop/nick collection to alter the photo to create a pleasing picture would be my aim. Feel free to respond to me publicly or via email on en@nussbaumerweb.com
Thank you so much Erich, that is so nice of you to say. I do still do mentoring, though I don’t get many takers for it. I will send you an email, or you can send me one, leanne@leannecole.com.au
I got a job. I didn’t WANT a job, but I got one. And it wasn’t so bad, actually. It was writing. Not what I planned on, but still writing. Having a real job isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the world. Sometimes, you can get something you might actually enjoy. It’s just a thought.
I like the idea of writing, and it is something I want to pursue. I am trying to explore more options for writing, it has proven fairly successful for me so far. Thank you Marilyn.
I’m so glad you’re feeling more positive. The more I get into photography, the more I wonder how people manage to make money out of it, unless you’re a portrait photographer or doing real estate packages. You would do well with teaching. Your explanations are very easy to understand and I have learned a lot from your posts. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for you.
Thank you Deborah, I am getting quite good at picking myself up. It is a hard one to work out, I know there are ways, it’s not like I want to earn millions, but enough to help out at home would be good. That is so good to hear, and it is an area I want to explore more, so watch this space, as they say. Thanks again.
HI, I can sympathise with you greatly. I am like you about to embark on something new, including moving, and a project I have been working on [and spending a lot of money on too] has died in quite a dramatic way, emotionally and with not too nice words from one of the parties. But Like you I want to move on quickly. You have too, but one thing I would say, is try not to get a job, in many ways this is going back and I am sure you can diversify to keep yourself on track and be independent. Teaching is always welcome and also something I love, downloading tutorials – not for free but affordable, That gives you regular income and will enable to reach out to a lot of new customers. I hope you regroup and make your dreams reality.
I’m so sorry to hear that has happened for you Judi, but yes, no point sitting around, I am very used to get over things quickly, I feel I have to. Thank you so much Judi, I am hoping to do that. I am trying to find ways around it, and find an income doing this, I will keep working on it all. New things are coming.
Hi Leanne , your work is so beautiful and inspirational… that ship 🚢 is out there … patience is a pain but I know it will happen for you 📷❤ liz
Thank you so much Liz, I really hope so, it is a pain, but I do seem to be getting used to it now. I really hope so, time will tell.
Sorry to hear that you missed out on the opportunity, and I hope a better one comes along soon. As your many readers know, you have a wide range of talents and an incredible amount of energy and perseverance. Keep at it, we are all pulling for you.
Thank you Robin, I guess getting your hopes up can be devastating at times. I will keep going, I’m convinced there is something out there for me. I am thinking of trying more writing, I do enjoy that.
Don’t despair! I trust with time something will develop that will not only give you joy, but an income!
Thank you, that is so nice of you to say. I really hope so.
You’re welcome!
😀
It sounds like a bit of a challenging time for you, Leanne. But good to hear you can pull yourself out of the times you feel down. Sorry to hear the offer didn’t work out. I am sure you deserved it. I have enjoyed watching your photography evolve over the years and your images have gotten so much more strong, sharp and definitive over the years.
With many projects under your belt, it shows how diverse you can be – you literally can do anything and it is great to add to the resume. You bring up a very important point, the one on making money. It is a touchy subject, but of course, if art is something we invest so much time in, why not make money from it. It is a respected art and job as working in an office all day. Good luck with teaching. While self-taught is common today, we can all learn from each other and it is so much easier a lot of the time when we can have someone experienced explain things to us and ask questions on the spot.
I do feel you on making things work. For a long time I resisted being tied down to one particular job but last year, well, I found a 9-5 job. Time has been tight for writing, my blog and photography. At some point I think something will have to give. Weekends are so much more precious now 😀
Thank you Mabel, it isn’t something that is a stranger to me. That is so nice of you to say, I have liked being given the change to explore my photography.
It is, I don’t know why, artists have to eat as well, and live. It seems to be something that people forget. Yes, teaching can come in many forms, I have the gear to do videos, so I would like to try that.
Glad to hear that seem to like your job, but it is hard then to have the time to do what you want to do. Good luck with it. I’m looking forward to winter arriving, I have to say, I’m over summer and the heat.
I am so sorry you haven’t been feeling great! I know the feeling well! Your images are wonderful! Something is close for you I know. Hang in there! People love your work.
Thank you Cybele, it is horrible, but I can usually bring myself out of it. I will and hopefully something great will happen.
It’s a difficult field to break into. I hope things eventually fall into place.
Yes it is, I keep thinking I’m almost there and then something happens to bring me back to reality, haha, thank you Disperser, I do hope so.