christopher anderson's advice on the magnum blog

Alec Soth asked magnum photographer's why they got into photography and what advice they have for young photographers here. I liked Christopher Anderson's advice best.

"Forget about the profession of being a photographer. First be a photographer and maybe the profession will come after. Don't be in a rush to make pay your rent with your camera. Jimi Hendrix didn't decide on the career of professional musician before he learned to play guitar. No, he loved music and and created something beautiful and that THEN became a profession. Larry Towell, for instance, was not a "professional" photographer until he was already a "famous" photographer. Make the pictures you feel compelled to make and perhaps that will lead to a career. But if you try to make the career first, you will just make shitty pictures that you don't care about."

I think that sometimes I've done things the wrong way around. I need to focus more on what I care about photographically, not try to make all my money with my camera and really just make what I consider to be beautiful pieces of art. Thanks Christopher, I was feeling this and just needed to hear it. Funny how that happens sometimes. Now just to figure out how to make the apple store hire me in the next week or so...