Good news x2
We got our tax return, I found out today, to the joyous tune of kr. 9200 (~$1500). Most of that is heading for savings, cause we need to have a little backup around, but it was certainly a nice surprise.
And the reason I was in the bank? I had an appointment to show the lady in charge of their running exhibits to show her my photo portfolio. She really liked it, and I'm on from July 10th to July 28th in the Lån & Spar branch on Strøget in Århus. Yes, that's right, smack on the busiest shopping street in town, one block down from the train station towards center of town. Hard to imagine a better place. I'm now slated for a full 7 weeks of exhibition in two different places! It's very exciting, and I'm glad of course that people like my photos enough to want them in their businesses. We'll see if anybody likes them well enough to buy any.
Curiously, the lady mentioned that they've had almost only paintings for their display so far, and I was actually the first photographer ever to approach them, so they're quite happy for the variation. Given the number of good photographers I'm seeing on the Danish photo newsgroups, I guess a lot of them just don't get around to making a portfolio and going out there looking for exhibits.
I'm glad now that we agreed that I only spend money on equipment (apart from minor necessities) from what I make with my photography. While it's been difficult to look at all manner of lenses that would be nifty to have, it has forced me to focus on actually bringing out the end-product: Pictures that people like well enough to actually pay for them. The whole process, going through my vast collection of previous pictures (all my portfolio pictures are taken with my Coolpix cameras), picking the best 200 pictures, weeding that down to about 50 good enough to present, getting them ready to print, picking themes, considering display options, getting frames, and soon putting the pictures up, has taught me a lot about composition, lighting, the importance of backgrounds, and what it means for a photo to be good. Not just in a technical sense, but in the more important sense of being enjoyable, of conveying emotion, of making people pause and reflect. A technically good picture with sharpness and clear colors makes it easier, just like a good camera makes it easier to take the pictures, but I'm agreeing more and more with those who say that a camera records what you are seeing, but first you have to SEE.
Not that this will stop me from getting better equipment if I get the money, though. There are L lenses that look interesting at only about $500 each for a 17-40 and a 70-200, or a macro lens, or to be freaky a tilt/shift lens or or or... But right now it don't have to worry if I can afford them. I have agree to not spend the money, and that (mostly) keeps the issue irrelevant (I did get a 50mm f/1.8 for kr 1100 (about $110 in buying power, more like $200 in direct conversion) for low-light and portrait pictures, and almost got a telelens, but cancelled the order and got my money back). Knowing that I have two exhibits that are likely to bring in money and that will take some time and thought to set up makes it easier to wait on getting lenses. Especially the thought that if I wait, I may be able to get something better than the cheapest glass possible. I will be strong!
So why am I depressed? Must be the shitty weather. Gray and rainy all day, has been for the last several days after two weeks of glorious sunshine. Danish spring weather is back:(
And the reason I was in the bank? I had an appointment to show the lady in charge of their running exhibits to show her my photo portfolio. She really liked it, and I'm on from July 10th to July 28th in the Lån & Spar branch on Strøget in Århus. Yes, that's right, smack on the busiest shopping street in town, one block down from the train station towards center of town. Hard to imagine a better place. I'm now slated for a full 7 weeks of exhibition in two different places! It's very exciting, and I'm glad of course that people like my photos enough to want them in their businesses. We'll see if anybody likes them well enough to buy any.
Curiously, the lady mentioned that they've had almost only paintings for their display so far, and I was actually the first photographer ever to approach them, so they're quite happy for the variation. Given the number of good photographers I'm seeing on the Danish photo newsgroups, I guess a lot of them just don't get around to making a portfolio and going out there looking for exhibits.
I'm glad now that we agreed that I only spend money on equipment (apart from minor necessities) from what I make with my photography. While it's been difficult to look at all manner of lenses that would be nifty to have, it has forced me to focus on actually bringing out the end-product: Pictures that people like well enough to actually pay for them. The whole process, going through my vast collection of previous pictures (all my portfolio pictures are taken with my Coolpix cameras), picking the best 200 pictures, weeding that down to about 50 good enough to present, getting them ready to print, picking themes, considering display options, getting frames, and soon putting the pictures up, has taught me a lot about composition, lighting, the importance of backgrounds, and what it means for a photo to be good. Not just in a technical sense, but in the more important sense of being enjoyable, of conveying emotion, of making people pause and reflect. A technically good picture with sharpness and clear colors makes it easier, just like a good camera makes it easier to take the pictures, but I'm agreeing more and more with those who say that a camera records what you are seeing, but first you have to SEE.
Not that this will stop me from getting better equipment if I get the money, though. There are L lenses that look interesting at only about $500 each for a 17-40 and a 70-200, or a macro lens, or to be freaky a tilt/shift lens or or or... But right now it don't have to worry if I can afford them. I have agree to not spend the money, and that (mostly) keeps the issue irrelevant (I did get a 50mm f/1.8 for kr 1100 (about $110 in buying power, more like $200 in direct conversion) for low-light and portrait pictures, and almost got a telelens, but cancelled the order and got my money back). Knowing that I have two exhibits that are likely to bring in money and that will take some time and thought to set up makes it easier to wait on getting lenses. Especially the thought that if I wait, I may be able to get something better than the cheapest glass possible. I will be strong!
So why am I depressed? Must be the shitty weather. Gray and rainy all day, has been for the last several days after two weeks of glorious sunshine. Danish spring weather is back:(