Professional Photography

I had been working from home for about two years but in December of 2013, that was going to change as I was asked to work from the office again. This is in part the reason I haven't blogged as much. I was heavy on the job hunt as you'd known by my style post. One of the options I looked into was professional photography. I can't make as much as I do at my current job as a photographer, not at first at least. I found a few photography opportunities but none panned out because they were full time or some other reasons.

I thought about the races I run and bike and thought of Speedy Banana. I couldn't find any photographer opportunities on their website so I wrote them an email. Within a few hours, I get a call from one of the owners, Lori. She questioned me about my experience and gear. She offered a gig a few days later to shoot the Subaru Distance Classic half marathon. As a trial, I'd be paid half the usual photographer rate. I was willing to do it for free as a trial but welcomed the pay.

I don't want to post many photos since they are being sold but I'll show you this one. I like that it's tack sharp and the pain face is my favorite. Yeah, the smiles are great when they happen and probably sell more but as a runner, I appreciate this effort the most.

It was tough, I won't lie. Standing around in the cold and long hours wasn't easy. I shot 4660 images in about 4.5 hours. Most of the photos were in portrait mode and my arms were sore for a few days. I realized the need for a battery grip just for shooting more comfortably. Even though it was tough, I enjoyed being out there enjoying two of my favorite things, running and photography. It felt great to get paid to do something I enjoy given how my day/full time job has grown tired on me.

Obviously, this is from a few months back. I've since done a few more races with Speedy Banana and will post my experiences in those shortly. Including a rain soaked race that tested my will, gear, and skills. Did I succeed?