What do you do for a living? AKA, how do you finance your gear? :)

[Armanius]

I am an attorney doing trial work primarily in the oil & gas and construction sectors all over Texas and neighboring states.

I wish I was retired (or a lottery winner) and traveling all around the world taking photos. And crashing at other members of this forum's houses -- especially if they live in Europe! East coast will do too. Northern Cal too. Volunteers?

 

[AzPete]

I was in sales for thirty years, and got burnt out dealing with ego driven punks who only cared about their wallets. For last ten years I have been a videographer in a PR dept of a school district. I loved that job but lack of school funds made my job vanish...
I am almost 62years and will probably start to collect social security while we have it. So I guess this ranger will take it easy. Although wife has wonderful job, which helps
Cheers... Pete

 

[Djarum]

I am an embedded engineer. I write software and firmware for embedded devices. The company I work for makes audio a video routers used in live production events and broadcast. If anyone watches NASCAR, NFL or even college football, chances are, the video stream is going through one of my company's products. However, we are a small company and the recession has not been nice to us.

 

[Grant]

I am retired! I did put a bit of money aside for my photography but I feel funny, my wife says 'cheep', about using money frivolously, not that photography is frivolous but is it my feelings that are. I decided to do some teaching and lecturing, both on photography and graphics and use the money to take away my guilt in acquiring camera equipment. At this point I'm making more from my photography than I am spending on equipment. While certainly not enough to live on, as that was never the intention, it is more than enough to support my habit. The funny thing is if I accepted every offer and just pushed a bit more I could live off of my photography. But this is retirement and not work so I will leave that plan for another life.

Oh Armanius I have the north-east coast location covered.

 

[digitalsafari]

Movie business, I supervise digital cameras and workflow.
Jonathan Smiles - Filmography by year

 

[deirdre]

There's a chance that you are viewing this page through some aspect of my work.

 

[Ray Sachs]

I'm all but retired. I was an urban planner (although that's a misleading term - plenty of suburban and rural planning as well) for my whole career. Quit my County job almost six years ago and went out on my own as a consultant. Did quite well until the economy tanked at the end of 2008. Then did nothing for a year and when the phone started ringing again, I've been answering it VERY infrequently. I'm taking only the jobs that still really interest me (not many) or for folks I've worked for/with for a long time. So I'm not working much, sort of a hobby farm level. But we invested well and did better there when the economy tanked that I did professionally (lost a very small amount and have made it back a few times over since), my wife is a teacher and loves it (and has great benefits), so I work a bit, but not much anymore. And find I don't miss it. I'm very very very lucky and have plenty of time on my hands for the stuff I enjoy and work just enough to keep my hands in it. And its all been out of a home office since early 2005 so I don't have to move very far very often... Cameras aren't cheap but I used to spend a lot more on bike related stuff, so unless I get into really pro level gear, this is cheap crack...

-Ray

 

[summerkl]

Chartered Accountant or CPA for the Ah-mericans Life is cruel, just as I'm ready to burn my mortgage papers and spend on photo equipment without guilt, I have to start paying for my kids' university! Fortunately, I have discovered craigslist and am able to relieve my GAS problems without much pain.

 

[Grant]

I have to start paying for my kids' university! Fortunately, I have discovered craigslist …

Wow, is there a market for second hand kids?

 

[Armanius]

Oh Armanius I have the north-east coast location covered.

Thanks Grant!! If you are ever in Houston ...

 

[Mal]

35 years as a Plumber & Heating Engineer.... and now Lecturing in Plumbing, Heating, Gas & Oil in a vocational college. Our mortgage has ended and our daughter, has finished her education including University so I was hoping for a bit more cash by now... but somehow we keep handing cash over to our daughter for rent on her flat, phone, fares etc... My wife reassures me that it will get better.... but I seem to have heard that one before.....

 

[summerkl]

Wow, is there a market for second hand kids?

Of course there is, you can have my first as he is actually thinking of Dalhousie University. I will throw in a free camera if you purchase within the next week!

 

[summerkl]

... but somehow we keep handing cash over to our daughter for rent on her flat, phone, fares etc... My wife reassures me that it will get better.... but I seem to have heard that one before.....

I am hearing this lament far too often and I need to do something before it happens to me! Is there a program like Witness Protection for parents so that we can start with new identities

 

[stratokaster]

I am a 27-year old journalist, mostly writing about technology and gadgets. 3 years ago I started my own website that has grown constantly ever since and is now 2-nd largest website about gadgets in Ukraine.

 

[Armanius]

I am a 27-year old journalist, mostly writing about technology and gadgets. 3 years ago I started my own website that has grown constantly ever since and is now 2-nd largest website about gadgets in Ukraine.

Sounds pretty cool! What's the link to your site? Not that I'd be able to read it, but I'd like to see it!

 

[Herman]

By profession I'm an electrical engineer now looking forward to a new challenge.

 

[BillN]

Another FCA, (UK Chartered Accountant), I never practiced as I moved into industry as soon as I qualified over 40 years ago. Worked my way up and became a director/CEO/Chairman, etc of a few companies. Travelled parts of the world, (Europe, Finland, Japan, Iran and New York etc.,), quite a lot and then semi retired about 10 years ago after years on the corporate treadmill.
Now fully retired and "old" - couldn't get a job these days if I tried as they now "put you out to pasture" in Europe once you hit 60.
Seen both kids thru University and into work - so they are now both "off the payroll" officially, but not really these days.
Sold up in the UK last year and retired to SW France after spending lots of time there over the past 20 years - now working very hard trying to enjoy myself, but it's tough as bits keep breaking down and falling off, it's called physical "old age" - I keep taking the pills, the red, the white and the rosé and my wife tries to keep me young by giving me all the tough gardening jobs

I have been very fortunate in my working life, I worked hard but was well rewarded and it does upset me to see so many talented young people unable to get work - such a waste.

UK OAP, (old aged pension) is coming next year - it's not much, enough to almost buy me a new M9 annually, but it will be nice to get something back from the UK State after years of paying their taxes.

It is time for us "retired lot" to tighten our belts - inflation is coming and when you are on a "fixed income" it's real value falls every year - "they" also reckon that we are all going to live until we are 100 years old - only "God knows" how we can afford it.

A few very greedy Bankers had a good try at destroying the western world, they were aided and abetted by our governments - they are still there taking as much as they did before - so beware if you have any investments or savings BUT maybe if I invest in Leica lenses they will increase in value and fund my life a few years down the line.

 

[BBW]

jack of all trades

I've been and done many different things from working on farms, to banking/investments (don't throw any :banned: cards, Bill!), to being a head hunter (I did not eat my clients, but rather helped them find jobs or helped them fill their openings), to fundraising and development (think non profit organizations)...and now I work as CFO of my family and do some work at overseeing people's homes, etc., who have the luxury of being off traveling or living in their second or third homes.

 

[BillN]

I've been and done many different things from working on farms, to banking/investments (don't throw any :banned: cards, Bill!), to being a head hunter (I did not eat my clients, but rather helped them find jobs or helped them fill their openings), to fundraising and development (think non profit organizations)...and now I work as CFO of my family and do some work at overseeing people's homes, etc., who have the luxury of being off traveling or living in their second or third homes.

I did say "few" - and these days they don't work just for banks

 

[BBW]

True, and I was not a decision maker...I was in training and jumped ship, instead.