a fork in the road and a rat in the attic
March 5, 2009
I have a dilemma. I have just been offered a job that is as unrelated to photography as it gets. In a past life I used to install sprinkler systems in people’s lawns and gardens. It was a summer job that helped put me through college. It was really great as far as summer jobs go. I got a sweet tan, stayed in shape, and after the first couple years, I got a handful of labourers I got to harass and boss around. Life was good. I haven’t really done it for almost 2 years now, but my old boss called me in for a meeting and made me an offer. A good offer. Good money kind of offer. The kind that puts me in a…
FORK IN THE ROAD!!!
I just got my website up and have been gearing up to go full tilt with the photography. Not to mention my new found love affair with blogging. I don’t even care if no one is reading, I just can’t get enough of this! Anyway, If I took said job, it would throw a serious wrench in the spokes of my photographic endeavors. On the other hand, it would provide me with enough money to live (I’m sold!), plus pay off some looming debt, AND I could finally get that D700/new iMac I’ve been dreaming of. In other words, It could create the capital one would want to have when starting out a business.
So what’s better? Take the job and push pause on photography for a year while acquiring all the gear I could ever want? Or say no to the man and continue with photography while waving goodbye to my immaculate credit? I have decided to do whatever my readers (or reader… hi Mom) tells me to do. So please… what do I do?
Oh ya, and the rat (or Rat King for all you 30 Rock watchers out there) that lives in my attic sometimes is back. I hear him while grilling steaks and listening to Indie music. Ok, I was making a pasta and listening to Coldplay…. farmer sausage, stale bread, and Sarah McLachlan. And yes, I ate it while watching the latest Futurama Movie for the third time!
A couple shots from my trip to Europe.
adamloewen photography's Blog 
take the job already, how can you become the photographer you want to become if you dont have the money. if you take the job yeah its a 1yr of your life gone from photography but its a lot of money and youve got bills and car payments.
You should take the job.
Why? Well, in the long run you will be far better off if you pay off all of your debt as soon as possible. Also, you’re getting married soon; that step will incur many unforeseen expenses and if you can have financial security it will remove a lot of stress and anxiety for you guys as newlyweds. During these times of economic uncertainty, for a young unemployed guy with future ambitions of photography to be offered a solid job with more than adequate pay, you are VERY fortunate. Also, like you said earlier, you will be able to buy your camera and iMac and still continue with photography in your spare time.
I say that you make the smart choice now, allowing you to follow your passion in the future.
I wouldn’t blame you for taking the job. Financial strain is a harsh reality. However, I vote for the photography because you have an amazing talent and I believe you can make it happen if you work hard enough at it.
If you take the job, set a date that you will quit so that you know you’ll get back to the photography when you’re financially stable. All the best.
i agree with jeff. set a date when you’re going to quit and stick to it. i think with the situations that you’re in right now (getting married, needing photo equitment) that you should take the job. it’s going to help a lot for the marriage finances and making your first year of marriage more enjoyable by not having to worry about money. it’s also a good motivator that you are working towards something – “just one more week and i’ll have enough money for that laptop!”.
i think as artists we all have to take hits for our art, and if this job is going to help you get to where you want to go in the future, you should take it. it’s not like you have to stay abstintent from photography while you work; you better not anyway, matt and i are counting on you to do our wedding pictures when the time comes.
If you take the irrigation job, it’ll be just one more step backwards. You want to do photography, there’s just always been something in the way. Time, money, equipment, whatever. If you take the job, you’ll just be relegating yourself to six more months of wishing that you hadn’t.
Yeah you could use the money. You’ll always need money. Yeah, money will be a concern because you’re getting married. It will be a concern regardless. Stop compromising your life goals and desires because you should “do the smart thing”. Screw that. Sometimes, the smart thing sucks the life out of you. Don’t let it.
DON”T TAKE THE JOB!!!! You are gifted Adam, this has been your dream for so long and you are taking strides in the right direction. Don’t give up on that.
Take the job.
1. Photography can be improved upon alongside another job – many people do this as a neccisity. Heck, I’ve improved a lot the past two years while taking school full time. I know I would have more free time if I had a full time job than I do now.
2. Unless something has changed since last time I talked to you, you need a new camera, and they don’t grow on trees. your current one can only take you so far.
3. You’re getting married. This means your first and primary responsibility, as I see it, is to provide for your family. Yes, photography could do this in the long run, and yes, you may never know if it could in the short run, but having a year of financial stability will not hurt anything. Maybe as Alan says you’ll be a year behind, but so frigging what? A year behind what? Who’s keeping score on where youy need to be in a particular year?
4. Work is hard to find, and getting harder. Take the opportunity while you’ve got it, because in six months from now, there might not be another opportunity.
My four cents.
PS, I think you’re winning.
I think my vote counts for 100 normal votes, the only problem is….I don’t know what to vote for!!!
P.S. Last night the rat king told me there’s an opening career as second in command of the sea rat colony. Not much pay, but all the garbage you can eat!
Does the rat king have a forwarding address?
I think the bottom line is whether or not you’ll be happy. I think I would rather live with financial instability than with misery. So if you’re not going to be happy doing irrigation, don’t do it.
But yeah, I change my vote to making Alicia happy, so whatever that is, do it.
For what it’s worth,I think it would be wise to take the job.Being poor is not romantic nor does it feed the artistic soul.Besides,can’t you pursue your passion for photography whilst working another job?Most artists that I know either a) work a full time job while pursuing their dreams or b) USED to work a full time job until they were able to support themselves by doing what they love to do.
I think you already know you should accept the job you just want your friends to reassure you that you’re not selling out. You’re not.
Thanks for all the input, friends, family… and ANONYMOUS! Any guess on who that is? I have a couple…
I’m going to be making my choice in the next couple days, and I’ll be sure to post all about it. Until then…
I’m making a vote for a happy husband. The truth is that Adam would really be shooting his photography career in the foot if he had to put it on hold for a year and it would be a lot harder to start it up then. I think at this point pursuing his dreams and trying to make a living at it will be a lot better than having money and being miserable. There will always be obstacles in the way and right now it seems like it’s just getting off to a good start! I believe in you Adam and I don’t say it enough. Plus, if I ever do feel poor I have this giant sparkly diamond on my finger to cheer me up!
Don’t take the job. You are a talented photographer and it irks me how society is centered around money as opposed to passions.
You can do it! Go Adam, go!
Ooooo…Anonymous II!! How mysterious…