Photographing For Fun

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We went away for a few days over the Easter weekend. I had no photography bookings during this time, but I took my camera and thoroughly enjoyed photographing for fun.

Walking around Lake Semerwater with the dogs, there were many photo opportunities. From pictures of the hounds enjoying the adventure, to images of the many birds around the edge of the lake, to photos of the ruined church which we visited, the camera worked hard.

The dogs having fun exploring

A question I come across during the course of my work, is where photographing for pleasure ends, and photographing to make a living begins. It can be hard to distinguish between the two.

If I’m away on holiday, on a day trip, or visiting my family, I generally expect to photograph for pleasure. The pictures I take are those which I choose to take, with no expectations from others that I will photograph, process, and provide digital or hard copy images. I control what happens with the files.

Spending time outside, I can combine my passion for nature watching with my love of recording what I see. It’s my ‘down time’, the life of my work-life balance.

Male pheasant
Male greater spotted woodpecker (identified by the red patch on the back of his head)

Photographs which are pre-booked, with a stated outcome, whether for family, friends, or other customers, are treated as work. These are the sessions which are paid for and which include the whole service of photo session, processing, and final images. These sessions attract the prices set out through my website.

I am incredibly fortunate that my career is something which I also enjoy as a hobby. As with all work though, it’s important to differentiate between being at work and having rest time. This keeps the boundaries clear both for my own benefit, and that of customers. My camera sits on both sides of my work-life seesaw and part of my role is to maintain the balance.