OT: Work

[rommelgin]

Just wondering........Like everyone here, I have loved this hobby from the first time I've done my first set up in 2005. I am currently setting up my 150 gallon but i have been really restricted on progress due to work schedule and financial responsibilities. Work has been driving me nuts. Not so much the task at hand but more the time that i put into it. Sad part is, I am considering a career change from my field but going about what to do next is the problem......

So, I started thinking.........what is it that i enjoy doing that i wouldnt mind doing for the rest of my working years.......well you guessed it......working with marine life. I started thinking about taking courses in marine biology but in order to do that i will have to stop working 2 jobs.

Just wanted to run this by some fellow reefers to get some info.

1. What type of requirements (experience, education etc) would one need to start a career (like working at the steinhart aquarium or montery bay). I know there will be alot to it but wanted to see a forcast of whats expected. I Think I can say I have exceptional knowledge but definately need to learn more.

2. Would this work out or should I keep it as a hobby?? I know we should do what makes us happy but i just want to get some opinions from you wiser, more experienced reefers.

I have more questions but Im at work right now.

Thank you all in advance!

[Kinetic]

I have an example that may help you out mel.

I really love photography, and picked up while I was in college. At the time I was going all out for Computer Science and didn't think about making a career out of my photography.

It's something I wouldn't mind doing as a career, and I definitely thought about it as an option given I could get to a pro level.

But as I started shooting photos more and more to please others, to get better exposure, to gain more popularity in places like Flickr, I became a little anxious and photography became less of a fun thing to do.

I picked up a few freelance jobs for friends, and realized how difficult it was to get EXACTLY what they wanted, and it was tough to try not to dissapoint them.

I was asked to do a wedding, or engagement event. But the pressure was ridiculous. What if I totally ruined the photos at a wedding? That moment would be lost forever.

I started realizing that once a hobby becomes a job, you'll be hit with A LOT of things that you might not love about it. The pressure, worrying about sales, satisfying customers, etc. made photography plainly, not fun. Which is why I refuse to do freelance jobs etc. I would much rather do them for fun, for free, without expectations.

I also like taking photos, because I like them. I do care, of course, what other people think, but keeping it as a hobby, i'm happy with all the photos I take, and I love doing it. Making it into a career may have been a bad idea.

If you do love your tank and marine live, you might not like the aspects of working at a place like Monterey Bay Aquarium. You might love taking care of your tank and arranging it how you like, but hate how you have to work all day (for example) cleaning the gigantic skimmers for months and never really get to see the tank itself.

Just some examples of what you must consider. Given you can live with the aspects you might not like so much, and the rewards are worth it, then go for it =)

For me, I think the things I love will always be in my hobbies =) But to fund them, I gotta slave away a little in my damn cubical.

[rommelgin]

Thank for the feed back Kinetic! I did think about how it would be once the hobby turns into a job....the pressure of the demand and everything. Especially since I still consider myself a novice in this. You make a good point too about doing the equipment maintanace not being able to see what your doing.........I know after ive done maintanance on my tanks i like to sit back for hours just watching it......i guess i cant do that when im on someone else's time .


Btw, you do take some sick pics!

[-=Zepplock=-]

becoming professional photographer is way harder than engineer or biologist ;-)

[Kinetic]

Originally posted by -=Zepplock=-
becoming professional photographer is way harder than engineer or biologist ;-)

well that all depends... if you have an amazing talent taking photos, but can't do math for the life of you... then it's the other way around.

for people like you and I, it's probably a very fair statement

[-=Zepplock=-]

I was saying 1 in 10 can become software engineer and 1 in 100000 a photographer ;-)

[Kinetic]

maybe it's due to the opportunities. you have to make yourself a photographer, while there's a demand for engineers, thus in life we concentrate on maths / sciences in school rather than extensive art courses.

Since from childhood we aren't constantly taking photos, but instead practicing time tables, I think that's why there are fewer people who can become photographers.

Look at Venezuela, the government has bought every child a musical instrument. Before this, 1 in 3 would become a gangster, and 1 in 100000 a musician. But now, it's much easier for kids to become mucisians in venezuela and less kids being gangsters. In fact, THE best symphony orchestra in that country is not a professional orchestra, but a high school youth symphony orchestra. Look it up, Simon Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Instead of math courses and biology courses throughout school, why not photography, art, etc.? Then I think we'd see a lot more artists and photographers.

but it's mostly because of the demand we have in our world today that shapes what kids tend to turn out to be.

So I think ANYBODY can be a photographer, and ANYBODY can be a software engineer, you just have to put your heart to it. It's also never too late to start.

[-=Zepplock=-]

I thought that you can CHOOSE any classes you want in US education system. Or concentrate on the ones you like.

Not like is Russia for example - ALL students have same classes.

p.s. the difference is "ANYBODY can be a photographer" and become a professional.

[Kinetic]

haha I've seen some REALLY crappy "professional" photographers.

but in the US education system, there are only like 1 or 2 art classes, while REQUIRED courses are math and science, way more than any art or photography course.

I wasn't offered a photography course until my senior year in high school, and it conflicted with my required math course, such that I had to take the required math course.

I think a Photographer can be much better than a Professional.

[-=Zepplock=-]

I see. i never had ANY classes, maybe that's why my pics are only so-so. i guess it all boils down to athe amount of time you want to spend on a "hobby"

For example if I would spend my time on photography only - I'd get much better. Instead I'm doing fishtanks, music, build audio equipment and speakers, play computer games, do fishtank simulation application and so on ;-)

[Kinetic]

yeah I've never had any classes either...

I make up for it by going out shooting a lot, and shooting with people who are really good. also browsing pictures and going to photo galleries really helps.

in terms of learning equipment, that's just a little fiddling.

I kind of want to take one of those Nikon Master class series things one day... sounds interesting.

[TikiDan]

Maybe you should make friends with somebody that works in the field your interested in. I to am a photographer And it is true, it is hard as hell to make it a professional in this field. So what did I do? I made friends with an established pro and work as his assistant for his shoots. Doing it this way, I get all the experience and fun of the hobby, without all the pressure and B.S. ! I still do my own work on the side and my friend pays me to do some of his Photoshop editing when he is running behind schedule. I find that I enjoy my hobby so much more as a quasi pro then dealing with the stress of actually being one.

I hope this helps.