Not unusual for me but I have begun to question just how confused I really am!!!!! OK, so have been nursing over here for 2 1/2 years - happily some days, unhappy on others. Have always done photography from the wee age of 11, did my first pro shoot aged 18, but was at uni studying nursing so put it on the back burner. Had children, needed money so continued nursing. Started my own photography company here a year ago, inbetween nursing so had the best of both worlds. However nursing (or rather not nursing just the whole work environment has continually got me down. watching colleagues being bullied by our boss, finding out our super hasn't been paid in over a year then discovering our boss had taken on loans amounting to $240,000 just to pay our wages while she swanned off on holiday, with no concept of how she would ever pay this loan back - saw me walking out!!! God, it felt good!!! until I reached the carpark (all of 4 steps when i suddenly thought "**** what have I done"???? Anyway, no going back etc Husband very supportive, has wanted me to quit nursing from day dot. So I increased the amount of shoots I'm doing, did some research, found out I'm charging way way less than other photographers in the area, so upped the price etc Started to get settled - then received 4 phonecalls, 4 job offers - 3 nursing, and 1 running photographic studios locally?????

Am I tempted with any of them??? Well yes actually! 2 of the nursing ones are perfect, clinical manager for a surgery 2 mins down the road, the other is a temp position getting a med centre through accreditation and the studio one speaks for itself. I now have until Monday to decide what I do??? The longer I take to decide however, means we're only living on Mark's measley coppers wage (ands its a struggle trust me)!!!!

So for anyone thats been in a similar situation, or all you wise people out there - help!!!!!! Do i go back into an employed situation again or do I continue building a business never having that security of knowing if and when the next buck is coming in????

Reminds me of the Alice in Wonderland song....

Decisions Decisions..

I had my financial guy, call on me a few yrs ago, and question me as to the viability of going it alone...

The simple answer is... you have to be 100% committed and be able to motivate yourself, and keep yourself busy.. always looking for angles, and working yourself to the bone.

Its not easy being self employed, and doubally to be succesful at it.

But its dooable, and has its rewards.

However, only you can decide what you want to do, how tenacious you are, and how resilient to the knockbacks you can be.. both physically and emotionally...

It isnt a light decision.

Ste

I've think you've hit it on the head (so to speak) - its about motivation! Am I motivated to go into a place of employment, do my job, get paid and go home - ummm yes. Am I motivated to do all the stuff you've suggested - ummmmm, I'll get back to you on that! I understand that work doesn't fall at your feet - its a compettitive market, I'd have to work 7 days a week, into the early hours of the morning (thats whats happening at the mo) its all very well doing a 4 hr shoot, however trawling through and editing 600+ exposures is something completely different! It often means I'm up until 4am to ensure the pics are ready for the client at 9 am the next day! Ummmmmm - still confused X

I totally agree with Ste too, My OH always had itch to have his company, it got to a point he was really suffering, to go for it or not, we decided to give it go.
It worked for us he was in the same line of business as he was when he was employed, so really the risk was very low, his client knew & trusted him, he always put 100% in the job, that meant we didnt have any holidays for couple of years, but once he was establish we had very good life, so if you think you can do it go for it, if doesnt work out you can always go back to nursing.

Yes hard decision, but is photography your dream job? if so give it a go

I can't say whether its my 'dream' job as its just something I've always done! People have paid me to do something I love - but during that time I've always had a 'regular' job, so if I didn't do a shoot for the week, i wasn't too worried. Now the pressure is on - its something I have to make enough money from in order to keep a family! I find that concept quite overwhelming and daunting. A friend suggested - just get over it! Do your job, take the bookings, don't work until 4am - give clients a 28 day turnover period (rather than saying, yep come and get them the next day - stupid I know)! Set boundaries etc.

The other option is to take up of the offer of still being employed but running someone elses studio - that way its 9-5 and I don't have to concern myself with the book keeping etc

Theres just this incy bitsy little part of me that says - go for it girl!!! Nursing will always be there. If I fall flat on my face, I can just get a reg job again and go back to doing a few shoots a week. That way no pressure. I'm not into this stress thing, can you tell????

I think along the same lines, go on try it you'll never know otherwise You are right you can always go back to nursing, but hopefully you won't have to
Good luck

What is that old saying 'if you do a job that you love then you never need do a days work in your life'.

Some opportunities don't come around very often - as in your photography business.

Your nursing qualification will always be yours and society will always need nurses.

If it were me I would take the plunge and work on your photography business - everyone knows that when you run your own business you have to work your nuts off for very little fincancial reward for the first few years.

But it will be your 'baby', you will be your own boss, setting your own work ethic and if you are brave enough to take that gamble then it could pay off big time.

But you won't know until you try and you do have your 'plan B' - your nursing.

This is your chance to create the perfect job, to make your mark in doing something you enjoy.

Personally, I would give it a go - playing it safe is one thing, but sometimes we need to take a step out of the comfort zone because it could well work out in your favour.

If I had the chance to do what I REALLY wanted then by God I would jump at it.

Oooooo soooo wise! Watch this space I'll keep you updated!!! Its kinda scary but exciting at the same time. Just out of interest, not sure if its a sign, but I've just burnt my thumb and fore finger (camera hand) on the BBQ!!!!! Hurts like hell! All I kept saying (screaming) to the other half was "how will I take pictures????"......

I have spent most of my life being in the wrong job.

For me it feels as though I am a round peg in a square hole, or that I have my shoes on the wrong feet, or that there is a small stone in one shoe - uncomfortable.

My happiest times were when I was freelancing for a veterinary journal and providing veterinary related articles on subjects - I spent one day at the Animal Reception Unit at Heathrow and wrote up about it, another time I spent a day with the Customs sniffer dogs and wrote about that.

I couldn't live on the money and for me, if I have anything to worry about then I find it hard to write - it is a circle, I need to be financially secure to be comfortable to write - and then there is no stopping me.

I started my new job last week - lovely people, a hard but good/varied job description and far more money than I was on in the same industry in the UK.

Yet I still dream of being able to do creative stuff - I love making DVD's - my Facebook has a couple that I have made.

I love writing, designing things, making things, drawing yet have no idea what to do with what I love.

I can't afford to take the plunge and go it alone, and I don't know how to either, wouldn't know where to begin to be honest. We need the regular income so I just limit to what I write to my blog.

Most magazines have their own in-house writers so sending off articles on the off chance wouldn't work.

I can't even narrow it down as to what I want to do, or what I would be best doing, there is no category or job description.

With you, you have a starting point - you already have your business - you just need to seize the chance to make it grow - the rest will come naturally.

And in many ways, I am jealous.

I'm on facebook, add me (Annie Jones) - will seize this opportunity. My uncle is a photographer in Sydney, he owns a design and consultancy business that do a lot of the aussie tv ads (the nice ones I hasten to add) - he cannot believe after 17 years I STILL haven't made a 'go of it' as he puts it!!! I explained that for him, it was fairly easy, he was young single, came here in the 70's when there weren't many photographers in sydney. To me, I have a hubby, 3 kids, overheads to pay - I can't take 'chances' - I need security for my boys. At the same time i need to be happy. All i can do is give it a go, if it works great, if it doesn't - well hey ho i tried! Thanks guys - now off to wash feet after paddling in the sea for the last hour!

Ive added you to facebook, you can see my videos now

on reading this thread and your last paragraph in this post, it seems inadvertantly you answered your own question.

Go for it like you have said nursing will always be there!

Good luck and K sent

oooo i shall take a peek X

The ones to look at are Namibia and Race for Life.