What tickles your fancy? Floats your boat? What’s your cup of tea?

I mean photographically. What brought you into this into the first place?

I was reading my buddy’s Corwin Hiebert’s ebook “Your Creative Mix” and I have to admit it got me thinking more than anything I’ve seen or read lately. I don’t really want to go through the actual ebook (and suggest you check it for yourselves, it’s really worth it), but one of the big eye-openers for me was Corwin’s discussion about “going pro”.

I am sure many of you have asked themselves this question before (do I/should I/I gotta go pro?). It certainly has been THE question at the centre of my life for the last few years. Corwin’s provocative approach to this question really got me thinking, though.

“”How do I go pro?” I’m willing to confess that it’s probably a semantics issue, but I’ve seen this question torment inspired and talented photographers and I feel that it’s a reflection of a dangerous mindset of “not quite having arrived[emphasis added].”…“I’ve never heard a Web designer or a stylist ask that question! They do what they do because they love it and they eventually start charging money for their services—it’s not some giant chasm they have to cross.”  —Corwin Hiebert

What I realized is that I (and possibly some of you) got it completely wrong…It’s never been about going pro when you think about it. (I know this is sounding more and more like a rant but bear with me, I am going somewhere, really). When you dig deep down, it’s not about putting the label “pro photographer” on your business card, it’s not about making a living at it. In fact it’s not about taking pictures for a living.  I got so caught up in this “going pro” thing that I think I was heading towards the very thing I was trying to escape from. You see, I already have a job that pays well and that I don’t like too too much. Got that covered, thank you. So, really, do I want *any* job as a photographer, just so I can say I am making a living as a photographer? Think about it. Is it why you got into it?

So, why am *I* into it? It’s for the love of mountains and nature. It’s for the love of travel. Most importantly, it is for the creative outlet it provides me. Whether it is finding patterns in nature or the curves of an exciting new building, setting up a lighting scheme for a shoot or discovering a new culture, photography is a constant challenge for my senses and my imagination (and I mean the fun kind of challenge). This is what I love, this is what I live for. Nothing gives me anything that comes close to the thrill of photography.

However, in “trying to go pro” at all cost, I have to admit, that the notion of “making a living” started taking precedence over the “having fun” part. I found myself slowly heading towards the path of getting a job that didn’t pay well AND that I didn’t like that much. That wasn’t the plan, was it? That’s what I am thinking at least. If I am going to live the dream I want it to be the right dream.

So for now, I am going to take a deep breath. It means going back to basics, enjoying what I do, having a blast doing it!

How about you, what’s making *you* tick?