What is your occupation?

[seenew]

Might not seem entirely photographically related at first glance, but I'd like to know what everyone does for a living around here, especially the more regular posters. I thought it might give some insight as to where people are coming from, both with their advice and with their photos.
This is not to add more value to certain people's critiques, just because their job is photographically related, because I'm sure there are unpaid amateurs out there who have been shooting for years that are just as good or better than some paid pros.
So, I just thought this might be an interesting thread topic.
Feel free to talk about your current occupation, and any past experience.

I'll start it off;
I just graduated high school (May 20), and I'll be attending the Savannah College of Art and Design this September, planning to major in digital photography and minor in "new media art." I've been shooting photos since about 2002, when I got my first Kodak P&S, and have since upgraded several times, trying out a new band each time. Right now, I'm using my first dSLR, a Canon 350D (and loving it). I think I've had a pretty easy time getting into photography because it felt like such an extension to my drawing or painting-- composition comes first in all art, and I feel like I've had an eye for composition for a long while now. I guess if there's one thing I'd like you to know about me is that I'm an artist first and foremost, my camera and lenses are just some of my tools for one of my several outlets.

You don't have to go into as much detail as I did, I just said all that because I don't really have an occupation yet. I guess I should mention I work part time in a photo studio, heading up their "artist retouching" since I've been working in Photoshop for probably seven or eight years now.

So what is it you do?

 

[gauchogolfer]

I know that your thread is well meant, and perhaps putting it in the Digital Photography section helps differentiate it, but there is already a very comprehensive thread about MR users' jobs here.

Maybe this one should stay around for the reasons you mentioned, i.e. to help with critique of images, or to get ideas/network a bit. Anyhow, just my input.

BTW, I'm a research scientist with absolutely no photographic training, a modicum of ability, and great appreciation for those with the 'eye'.

 

[tonyeck]

I am a designer in a great 'boutique' style multimedia studio in the DC metropolitan area.

We work about 45/45 print and web and 10% video/sound/motion (not inc flash).

As designer here, I design for all kinds of print from tri folds and business cards to brochures. I also desgin web and also do my bit coding, but we have a specialized person to build our web apps, such as calendars etc

I also work as the main photographer here, from either portraits of clients, to building shots to landscape shots seen on some of our print work.

Our clients range from many non-profits here in DC to High-tech organizations to the military

 

[extraextra]

I am a student, I bought a new DSLR (350D) too! But I'm in my second year of college and majoring in English (so far, it might change completely by next year).

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

My official job is master control at a television station. But I also do print and web work for the station, plus the occasional production jobs, as well as my own freelance web design clients. I've also started picking up freelance photography gigs lately. And I'm also a grad student in photography... that's a job unto itself, I think.

 

[-hh]

I'm probably going to be one of the 'old farts' here...my 10 year High School reunion was the year that seenew was born.

BTW, my apologies for the whole Milky Way bit stepping on your stitch photo of the St. Louis Arch - that's a really nice shot that obviously took a lot of setup work & effort


Occupationally, I'm a Mechanical Engineer, and for the past several years I've been working for the DoD and doing an "eclectic variety" of technology research topics in order to determine how/if it could be applied to solve a particular problem / create a new capability. This work gets very multi-disciplinary very quickly, so I get the opportunity to learn stuff about all sorts of often very diverse subjects.

Insfoar as photography, my father was an Art Teacher and biologically, it turns out that I'm left eye dominent which is interesting given my mechanical aptitude, but explains my photography interest. My first camera was a brand new Polariod 'Square Shooter' when I was 11 or 12.


-hh

 

[shieldyoureyes]

I sell frozen yogurt.


and I'm a third year social science student.

 

[Mike Teezie]

Unofficial gigs - Vampire hunter and Ferrari test driver.
Official - Photographer and tshirt designer at a small independent boutique. Also, a student trying to get two degrees.

I'm at work less and less as my Photography business grows, hopefully within a year I'll be shooting full time.

With the vampire hunting, blowing up exotic cars, work, school, and trying to grow a business all by myself, it's a wonder I have any time to spend with the girlfriend.

 

[yellow]

"Fluffer"...

And there's alrady an "official" thread on this very topic.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/176054/

 

[skunk]

Bespoke windscreen/shield fitter: