Family gripe!

[candidrachel]

Sorry in advance for starting one of THOSE family rants but here goes....

My inlaws especially my mother in law just don't get photography! At Christmas I was sitting in the conservatory with my mother in law flicking through my lcd screen and made a passing comment about how my lens was just not fast enough in low light conditions. I was really talking out loud to myself. She then says well why don't I just go out and buy one (she was thinking like £20 ). I said "They cost over £1000 Wendy! She was horrified and said she's never in a million years spend that much on a lens. Then came the lecture that it wouldn't be wise under the current climate to invest in more gear because she knows some pro where she lives that's struggling and only had a handful of clients all last year and that I should just be grateful for the gear that I have....

Grrrrrr it bothers me so much! My husband joined the convvo and said "Mum's right, wait until after the recession when people have more money to spend afterall photography right now is a luxury".

They way I see things is by spending the most money I can afford on top quality gear I'll get sharper images thus enhancing my photography.

I want to move from where I am now to where I want to be in the future. If everyone in the recession just sits around "waiting for the right time" then nothing will change and the recession may take even longer because no-one is willing to take any risks or commit themselves to change.

I'm very selective to who I tell my plans to in real life because most of the time I just get blank stares, silence or discouraging remarks by "well meaning" people.

All I want for once is for someone to tell me its a great idea, I'll do great and to keep working towards that goal. To find a mentor almost. In the meantime I quietly mentor myself and tune anything comments included out of earshot that aren't helpful to me.

Thanks for "listening".

[NgaiHill]

And did you "thank" hubby for supporting you in that discussion? How long will the recession last if we all sit back waiting for other people to have the extra money for discretionary spending?
I tend not to discuss my photography hobby too much with family as I don't think they "get it" either. They just know I have a nice camera and like taking photos. My mother once adjusted the contrast on a set of 30 shots I'd taken for her, because they didn't look right on her old monitor. Then couldn't understand when I wasn't happy about it!

[Sime]

Sadly though, they're mostly right... I have loads of photographer friends, very very good photographers, mostly out of work... thousands of pounds of kit sitting around gathering dust... Me, I'm mostly in the same boat...

We never want to hear it, and we only ever want to get that F/1.0 Noctilux, but sometimes it's best to do the best with what you have... right?... hmmm

[Sloseph]

I think you are completely in the right here, if you have the money to buy your nice new lenses then why not

Just because the country is in debt doesn't mean everyone should stop spending, that’s part of the problem

You going out and buying a £1000 lens would help everyone by getting money back into the economy, it’s the people at home clutching there pennies that are part of the problem

People need to stop being scared of the big bad recession and just buy the things you want when you want them

Unless you are saving up for something I particular then use the money you have and enjoy yourself, having money is great but if you just sit at home watching your bank balance rise you might aswell not have it

[andrewdt]

I often joke with my wife that since she knows nothing about motorbikes, as long as I stick to Yamaha (which are blue and white) I can keep on trading in and buying newer offroad enduro bikes and she will not be the wiser......

Not saying be sly or underhanded - if you have the means to put a little away in your own kitty every now and then do, and when you upgrade - just do it. Unless you end up with a Canon L white lens which is obviously different, they (family etc) won't even notice the new lens. They will just oooh and aaah about your photography getting better and that will be that.

You want to help in this economy - get to the aid of struggling pro photographers and buy one of their lenses catching dust. Down the line you can tell your husband about how you saved and waited for a real bargain, and everyone wins hopefully.

[Photologyst]

I have to agree with your MIL, Rachel. In our consumer culture the marketing people often make one want “everything.” Then when something new comes out, which is all the time, we are driven to want that. Wanting vs. needing are different things.

Photographers of the past took great shots, often with minimal gear.

What I did was to sell some unused things and then purchased my lens. Now I am wresting with the guilt. Did I really, really “need” it? The answer is, probably not.

[BEGM83]

in all fairness with the cost of living rising at the rate it is here in the UK people aren't going to have the spare cash for portraits of their family/kids/dog/gerbil/ant farm so at the moment id argue that it's really not worth investing anything more than time into your photography.

Ask yourself; are you as good as you can possibly ever be with the kit you've got?

[Niresangwa]

I'm not trying to get you riled up Rachel, but as a casual observer of your posts over the last year or so, you seem to find a lot of different obstacles as to why you're never able to progress with photography.

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

I'm not trying to get you riled up Rachel, but as a casual observer of your posts over the last year or so, you seem to find a lot of different obstacles as to why you're never able to progress with photography.

It's a basket that only gets heavier and heavier with time.

[theosus]

Originally Posted by andrewdt

I often joke with my wife that since she knows nothing about motorbikes, as long as I stick to Yamaha (which are blue and white) I can keep on trading in and buying newer offroad enduro bikes and she will not be the wiser......

Not saying be sly or underhanded - if you have the means to put a little away in your own kitty every now and then do, and when you upgrade - just do it.

Been there done that. Around my workplace we do odd second jobs that usually have us getting paid in cash, or checks that come in to work. We refer to it as "She-Money", i.e. - She doesn't know you have it.

My biggest piece of advice is: Don't go into debt buying stuff. If you can afford it, great, but if you have to buy it on credit, avoid it. No matter how nice the equipment, not getting a bill in the mail feels a lot better.