How important is a website?

[Paulstw]

Without quoting everyone directly and clogging up the reply, I'd like to say thanks for the input. I can draw from this that yes you mostly believe a website is important, and it can hinge on what end of the spectrum you are at. 

 

I can echo Joe (foxphoto) with regards to giving it your 110% and other photogs giving more respect and help to those with the hours down. I appreciate that, as I've worked as an IT admin for 6 years now, and no -one could walk in and do my job. I'd need to train them. Not even another IT person could do my job. I couldn't do another IT persons job at another school either right away. It would take a while to learn their set up. So with that said I do now understand what you meant. 

 

I've come to the world of photography very late. I'm 36 now, I've had my kids (14&12) and set in a career that suited me at the time, but it's not what I want to do. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I can't leave the security of this job because everyone keeps telling me that going Full Time in photography is suicide, and I can't earn my stripes and gain experience if I'm in a profession that simply doesn't sit next to photography or any aspect of it. 

 

I think I'm going to have a serious think about whether I just want to be a happy snapper or go all out and take the risk. No one can answer that question for me. 

 

It's pretty hard to do this on your own, learning it all all your own, and feeling your way about trying not to step on folks toes. 

 

Yesterday, heading home, I saw emergency services vehicles clustered in the road. The traffic was all stopped. I went into a lay by, parked the car and got out with my camera. I walked down and there was a car on it's side and emergency services crew were fighting to get something out of the car. I just instantly started taking pics all around the scene to try and capture the essence of what was going on. I came back and had the pics uploded to Alamy News within 15 mins. A fire chief turned up at the scene just as I was leaving. He asked if I was with the papers, I just said yes, and he walked on shaking his head. 

 

At that point I was happy I got the pictures. Sure it wasn't anything people cared about, it didn't hold up 6 lanes of traffic on a major motorway or cause serious risk to public health, but it was how I felt after it that was more important than the event. 

 

http://www.alamy.com/image-details-popup.asp?pv=1&stamp=2&liveData=1&imageid={E31C7DEC-A1EC-4CEA-9F31-E7DA97612B57}&p=undefined&n=undefined&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&srch=foo%3dbar%26qt%3d%26aoa%3d%26news%3d1%26sports%3d%26entmt%3d%26Videos%3d%26bb%3d1%26md%3dOL2354653%26dt%3d%26gid%3d%7bDF737CA8-3A4D-488A-8075-79419FE2D96B%7d%26destxml%3d%26imglst%3d%26orderby%3dDT%26newsseq%3d%26userid%3d%257B793281D9%252DAA6A%252D454F%252D9035%252D2C29BD3A1EB0%257D%26rand%3d1378971620702

 

A year ago a major crash held up the motorway at rush hour in Glasgow for 3 hours. I was literally 5 mins walk from it and didn't take any pictures of it, because morality got the better of me. I was alarmed at how much I had changed in a year. I went for the pics first this time with no concerns. I guess something is changed. 

[Mark]

Paul, 

 

re: "didn't take any pictures of it, because morality got the better of me"

 

photographs bring the world to our doorsteps. They inform us. They help us understand. Whether they are pictures of famine, war, death, life, great achievements, small achievements,........ There is nothing immoral about photographing life and events. Perhaps your picture underlines a message about drunk driving or road safety that helps to save lives. Not all photographs of life and events are intended to sensationalize. Getting in the way of rescue services, or not helping if you are first on the scene is a different story.

 

Mark