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How Photographers Actually Spend Their Time


Click to make bigger.
Source: www.ispwp.com

by A Photo Editor on December 29, 2011 · 67 comments


{ 46 comments }

1 James Campbell December 29, 2011 at 11:10 am

So true.

2 Liviu December 30, 2011 at 11:59 am

True, true, but where’s “partying like rockstars”? I can see it in the picture from left, but not in the picture from right.

3 Fernando Weberich December 31, 2011 at 5:19 am

I think that the first chart is related to Ashton Kutcher.

4 Roberto December 29, 2011 at 11:11 am

So damn true !!

5 Barney December 29, 2011 at 11:27 am

People only think I party like a rock star 5% of the time? I need a better publicist! Wait, I am my publicist. I definitely need a better publicist!

6 kerry December 29, 2011 at 11:41 am

I think the taking pictures and partying like a rock star numbers need to be reversed,….and then throw in a slice of “shooting hot models”.

7 Leighton December 29, 2011 at 11:56 am

“What people THINK we do”

Don’t forget the dates the photogs get to go on with the hot models

8 tim December 29, 2011 at 1:08 pm

“Dating” is a nice euphemism. That’s not what people think. People think photographers get to bang models right then and there. But then again, most people get their image of what a photographer does from watching “Blow Up”.

9 Grant December 29, 2011 at 12:05 pm

at least you guys have the public knowing your working for that 80%. As an artist (and photographer) they think we whip off a painting in 30min then go back to partying. And that goes to how little they value it when they want to buy… “will you take $50″

10 Heather December 29, 2011 at 12:16 pm

Love it! A Photographer could do real damage if they had more time to increase their networking, meetings, and adding/editing fresh work into their mix? I think I know the perfect people for that!

11 Alan So December 29, 2011 at 12:20 pm

This totally made my day, lmao.

12 Daniel December 29, 2011 at 12:56 pm

I’m confused. Does the time taking pictures also include the time we shoot when we’re also partying?

Or is the pie chart on the left Terry Richardson’s?

13 Robin Whalley December 29, 2011 at 12:57 pm

Now I know hy I’m not succesful. I spend less than 12% of my time taking phots. Great post.

14 Patrizia Corriero December 29, 2011 at 2:13 pm

Yes, it’s true! I never forget that the people think that making picture is an easy job to get in..and they think that you just need a camera to be a photographer. You don’t need to study or taking pictures is a crazy hobby so they don’t have to pay anything for you work done.

15 marlis January 6, 2012 at 11:02 am

This response to my price quote: Oh! but i only need one pitcher!
made me quit being a commercial photographer when I heard that 3 times in 2 weeks working in up state New York.
By the way my answer was: I am not a potter, I am a photographer, call me when you are ready for me!
:)

16 Patrizia Corriero January 6, 2012 at 12:10 pm

I have to say this in Italian, the next time!:)

17 Tom M Johnson December 29, 2011 at 2:25 pm

You notice we don’t sleep or eat.

18 Torunn Momtazi December 29, 2011 at 4:50 pm

:)

19 Jannika January 7, 2012 at 12:36 am

Halluejlah! I needed this-you’re my savior.

20 Kyle December 29, 2011 at 2:54 pm

There’s also the argument that if you shot better, editing wouldn’t take so long.

21 andy batt December 29, 2011 at 3:42 pm

if the “actually” was real, it would probably add up to 120% — somehow we always find time to do the impossible.

22 Helena V. December 29, 2011 at 3:42 pm

Nice! Now we can show folks that question what we do a chart explaining everything. Thanks Rob Haggart. Happy New Year to all!

23 Jay December 29, 2011 at 3:51 pm

lol.. almost true.. rather than travelling to exotic locations, travelling to shoots in general should be added. Also, some partying is involved.. :-)

24 William Anthony December 29, 2011 at 3:53 pm

Andy Batt’s pie chart should also include “Home Depot Runs” and “Drinking Overly Hoppy Beer.”

25 Don Rypka December 29, 2011 at 4:37 pm

I identify with the first chart, the second is too much! If I spent my time like in the second chart, I would never get anything done. When I started in newq phoitography 40 years ago, my life WAS the first chart, the rest was for somebody else!

26 Stephen M. Barrett December 29, 2011 at 4:53 pm

Pretty exotic hey.

27 kannan December 29, 2011 at 8:07 pm

it is very very true

28 JW Purdy December 29, 2011 at 9:02 pm

I would love to live the first graph but it’s not so, LOL.

29 estanbulfoto December 30, 2011 at 3:06 am

realty…:(

30 Kate Benson December 30, 2011 at 9:00 am

The comments on A Photo Editor make the blog half the time. This was an awesome read!!! You guys rock!

31 Michael Foc December 30, 2011 at 10:08 am

What’s all this about parties and hot models? When I was shooting, I think I went to one party (hated it) and did not waste any digital memory on models.

32 gwen December 30, 2011 at 6:19 pm

Do Photographers sleep and eat and maybe daydream, sometimes?????

33 Fernando Weberich December 31, 2011 at 5:18 am

I Think the first chart is related to Ashton Kutcher!

34 Laura Jay December 31, 2011 at 7:48 am

….Even worse!

35 Gordon Moat January 1, 2012 at 3:29 am

Can I count the Houston Ship Channel as an exotic location? … Errrm … no … Well, I’ll go sit down now … with the pie on the right.

36 umanbn January 2, 2012 at 1:49 pm

Ha ha that’s good. I have to do that for fashion designers too. I once had an insurance man tell me that my insurance premium was so high because maybe I might be with a model and she breaks a fingernail and then sues me…..I wish!!

37 Lori H. January 3, 2012 at 6:38 pm

Where is the pie wedge for “gossiping about other photographers and how much they got paid for a job”? (I lived with a photographer for a while. I know how y’all spend your time.)

38 Das jot January 4, 2012 at 2:14 am

Heh. On an iPhone, clicking the image actually makes it smaller…

39 Joel Zwink January 4, 2012 at 2:22 am

No wonder I struggle so much. I can only do 6 of the 10 things and partying isn’t one of them.

40 Robert Wilde January 4, 2012 at 3:08 am

Where’s the percentage for sexual intercourse? According the the movie “Blow-Up” it should be around 30%.

41 mugur January 4, 2012 at 5:13 pm

that’s only true for great photographers, not for amateurs like myself…

on the other hand ‘carrying for his subjects’ didn’t even made the pie…

42 Norja January 5, 2012 at 10:12 am

This is what people think of any self-employed person it seems :) Thanks for pointing out the reality of it! It’s still a lot of fun, regardless.

43 Michael Granacki January 9, 2012 at 11:14 pm

Can you ad moving furniture to that?

44 Anna Schulze-Wenck January 10, 2012 at 9:52 am

Gosh you nailed it! Please include time for thanking clients that they are sending us on a holiday trip…

45 Jim Korpi January 11, 2012 at 12:13 pm

My wife saw this and said, “It’s too bad there isn’t a 3 or 4% in there for friends and family.” It’s sad to say, I’ve often seen this fall within the 5.5% of “networking.”

46 PJ January 24, 2012 at 8:51 am

Bitch Please!

20% editing
10% shooting
20% smoke break
10% food break
40% hair & makeup

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