On Going ‘Pro’

Or, doing things just for fun.

David Lawrence
January 24, 2025 • Reading Time: 5 minutes

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Hey team,

Jorge Quinteros is a photographer I’ve followed for almost as long as I started taking photography seriously as a hobby. I appreciate his travel and fitness photography, and he has a great eye for good stories.

His recent blog post on becoming a “professional” photographer really hit home:

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We live in a world where passions are expected to justify themselves through profit, as if value is depended on whether you can make it into a business.

For me, photography is about noticing: stepping out with a camera, no agenda, just the hope of capturing something intriguing. It’s the process of seeing patterns, textures, and light. I didn’t start to prove anything, I started because it pulled me out of my head and into the moment.

I used to get the question, “Do you do weddings, portraits, or paid work?”

“A little,” I’d always say, “but photography is more of a hobby for me.” And that’s the way - apart from a few weddings of people I know here and there - it has always been.

One day, I met a professional photographer who specialized in greeting card images. If you bought a “Happy retirement!” card featuring a couple strolling down a beach, there was a good chance he took that image.

On the day I met him, he brought a suitcase full of Nikon gear: cameras, lenses, all the pro stuff. As I looked through his equipment, I asked him, “Do you take photos for fun?”

“No, never,” he said, his shoulder slumped. He was all pro. There was no energy left for the fun of photography.

That was 14 years ago, and I still think about his reaction all the time. “Not me,” I told myself then, and I tell myself now.

In this world of hustle and commerce, it’s important for me to keep the fun and “hobbyist” aspect of photography. Maybe you rebuild old hot rods, or sing karaoke on the weekends. Maybe you build model train sets with your buddies in downtown Jackson. And if that’s all it is? Great.

“Sometimes, it’s enough to have something that’s just yours,” Jorge writes.

What do you call yours?

Recent Blog Posts

Austin, Texas at Night: I had a chance to tour around a decent-sized city to capture light, shadow, and color in the dark.
Work to Do: Sharing a quote from artist Joan Miro.
The Coldest Day: Arctic blast? Sounds like a great opportunity to go outside and take some photos.

Work to do.

Things I’m Into Lately

I received a great gift for Christmas (thanks Jaime!): Two Years On a Bike, a book by Martijn Doolaard chronicling his bike trip from Vancouver to the tip of South America. It’s a beautiful book (if you can find it), and a great video series.
Speaking of books: I’m enjoying Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being - even if it’s a little more woo and philosophical than I had imagined. Still, Rick starts with the Universe and works right on down to us as people who make things - all via two-page essays on topics.
“So here's my antidote for what's likely to be the insanity of 2025: I intend to learn about the life that surrounds us. Here, in our immediate vicinity.” - Patrick LaRoque
How does your coffee rate? James Hoffmann does a grocery store coffee tasting tournament. I’m bummed my favorite, Cafe Bustelo, didn’t make it far.

One of my favorite things to do is to talk to and photograph people with interesting hobbies. Know someone? Or know an interesting artist, musician, or maker? Please let me know.

Write back and let me know how you are.

Take care,

Dave Lawrence