Expert: Don Wood - 2/26/2003

Question
These questions are for a research paper on photography as a career,and I would appreciate it very much if you could answer them as best as you can.Thank you.

1. Why did you choose to be a photographer?
2. How did you get a job as a photographer?
(Did you go through any schooling or have any apprenticeships?)
3. How many hours do you work a week?
  (Do you work on weekends?)
4. What are youur responsibilities as a photographer?(at the studio)
5. Could you describe a normal day at your place of work?
6. What type of photography do you do or specialize in?

Answer
One chooses a career for many reasons, some are related to your desires, some aren't. If you are creative and like to help people then you will gravitate to the field. I did spend some time in a Commercial Photography Studio after I had done some basic learning of the craft. I started my own studio in 1968 so I've been the sole photographer and employee that long.
In this field, you work when other people are playing unless you are in a specialized field such as landscape, wildlife. My work in a small town has to be a general practitioner, a little bit of portraits, weddings, reunions, commercial. This means that for weddings I am working on the weekend. For reunions, I work on the weekend, the rest of the time I work during normal working hours. My responsibilities are doing it all, taking pictures, taking orders, filling orders, taking film to developer. Waiting for customers to come. It's a feast of work or a famine of work, too much to do or not enough to do. 90% of my time is spent waiting for customers, 5% spent shooting, %5 doing everything else.
I think I've responded to each of your questions above. If you need more, please ask. Thanks for asking.
Don