A Portrait of a Photographer as an Artist
Our internet got disconnected because Mom hasn't received her paycheck from her lawyer boss yet (From what I hear, her boss is a nice but temperamental employer, and my strongwilled Mom and her don't usually go together well). I get my paychecks every 2 weeks so my first paycheck won't be until next week, so I'm here surfing at the Lincolnwood Library for now.
Today, I found, lying around at home, a prayer card for a Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, a saint I was not aware of until today. I researched more about her, and it turns out that she is the Patron Saint of Immigrants. Apparently, she is the first US citizen to become a saint. She was originally from Italy, though, and when she went to the US she took care primarily of the italian immigrants in New York. Eventually she travelled westward, finally dying somewhere in Chicago. nevertheless, she had a fulfilling life, travelling everywhere, helping god's immigrant children.
Work has been, well, work. Home Depot is still manual labor, shelving products, returning them to their right aisles, watering the plants, and helping carry sacks of soil for my customers. My job at the photography studio is more laid back. I would say I prefer it, as the people I work with are nicer and I get to play with the kids, but at the same time there's more pressure to sell well.
They started training me at the Children's Photography Studios a couple of days ago. Think the photo studios in malls, but fancier. There are four differently-themed mini-studios, where you can place your infant or child to be photographed. One has a fairy pond theme (this one is very popular with the little girls. There's also this teddy bear log cabin, a cowboy barn, and tea-time victorian room.
The manager of the store, Kelly, showed me around, and handed me over the the assistant manager, Meg, Who showed me the fine art of upselling. Turns out this job was also about selling the photos you make. They expect you to be good at taking photos, but they also expect you to be a smooth talker and good seller. Wow, that's a lot of expectations.
I also met Mark, who the senior photographer here. He is a true artist and photographer, not to mention a Vietnam War vet. I admire his wisdom, pragmatism, and patience in staying with this job. This is not a kind world for artists.