Currently aware this is going to sound like a rant and bit of a ramble but if you can read to the end and offer some advice I’d be super grateful. but here are the musings of Veterinary Nurse meets Equine Photographer

Veterinary Nurse meets Equine Photographer: The background

So I am an Equine Photographer who started out a couple of years ago, 2017 would have been my first full year as a professional photographer. I finally feel comfortable calling myself that and I’m pleased with the work I do. I also own and run Pferd Images a stock image website.

Also I am  a Veterinary Nurse who works in a busy referral hospital in a senior role, I have a number of qualifications including my Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Nursing and also my teaching qualification. I have a great role where I’ve really found my niche and hand on heart actually love where I work and what I do.

There lies the problem. Now it may not seem like a problem to many but I’m an all or nothing kind of person. I either do it to the best of my capabilities or not at all. This is where I am struggling. I cannot give up the financial security of my Vet Nurse job-and nor do I want to. However, all the time I have an income I don’t feel fully committed to Frog and Field.

Veterinary Nurse meets Equine Photographer: Daily Struggle

Also, the logistics of running two Facebook pages, an Instagram account and also the blog is draining me. I’m struggling to find the mojo to cram lots of shoots in and in all honestly, I’m not that busy. There I said it. I really feel Photographers are fighting a losing battle against image theft and the quality of phone cameras. In the old days before phone cameras the only way to get some pictures was to get in touch with the tog and buy some. You couldn’t even really pinch them because this was before Facebook. God so much has changed in such a short space of time!

I find this daily battle demoralising and quite frankly I can’t be arsed with it. I started the photography when I was lost and unsure of where my career was going and hand on heart I love it. Hand on heart I love the people, the yards and the fully immersing myself in the equine world. Something I’ve missed since selling my horse. Sadly, though when running your own business, you have to run the social media gauntlet. Something else that when you battle with anxiety is quite stressful. There’s always some level of Facebook envy and I’m really bad at ignoring it and letting things pass.

Veterinary Nurse meets Equine Photographer: One step at a time

I feel like writing this has probably shown me that for now I want to focus on Vet Nursing and keep the photography as a hobby. Which is a bit stressful as I’ve invested so much time and money into it. Whilst I could leave all the pages up and running like I’ve already said if I’m doing it properly I don’t want to do it all- my own personal demon and trust me it drives me mad but it also is what makes me good in my nursing role. 1 100% love doing the photography but I think it needs to go on hold or be wound down for a year or so…..

So this is my way of saying that 2018 will be all about building the stock images up and focusing on my Veterinary Nursing Role. Hey I may even write a book 😉

Questions to you lovely lot are:

  1. Would you want to read about the veterinary nurse life or not (I’ll try not to be offended)
  2. If you wrote an Equine blog and didn’t take your own pictures would you know where to buy some from
  3. Am I wrong about the camera phone devaluing what photgraphers do?

 

Veterinary Nurse meets Equine Photographer