my decision is made.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
I have decided to stop my driving tuition by Christmas 2015 as I will be 65 at the end of October 2015. I don't intend to retire entirely so will concentrate more on part time teaching, thus reducing my workload. I would have been a driving instructor for 11 years by then so it will be time to hang my car keys and just drive for pleasure.
The loss of my mother made me realise that seeing my brothers more often is more important as I have been in the UK for 44 years now and missed out a lot about my family in France. Time to change that.
Anyone else intends to take it easier next year?
 

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
I always intend to take life easier, it's just all them other sods stopping me!
 

TVC

Guest
You have my respect Gavroche. I looked in to being a driving instructor, like many people thought it was an easy life. I now know it's a seven day a week commitment requiring infinite patience, and massive people skills without huge financial returns.
Definitely spend time with your family. I always intended to see more of my sister, but she died at 46, so the maybe next year never came.
 
Last edited:

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
Good for you gavroche - no one ever died saying 'I wish I'd worked longer hours.'

Paradoxically I have increased my teaching contact time by 25% and had my pay reduced by 30% in my winding down process. This is balanced by only working four days per week with zero additional hours over and above the contact time of my choosing and I'm liking it so much I might do it for four or five years instead of the planned two.

I have yet to choose the time slot for growing up.
 

Freds Dad

Veteran
Location
Gawsworth.
I'm doing completely the opposite. After years of being a wage slave I have decided to make my hobby my income.
I'm going to go into the wedding photography market after a few years of taking photos as a hobby. I will keep my current job until I get set up properly but hopefully will be on my own by September
As part of my gaining experience in the wedding market I am offering to do weddings for free if anyone is interested or knows of anyone who wants their wedding doing.
I'm based in Macclesfield and will cover most of South Cheshire and North Staffs as travelling nationwide will leave me out of pocket.
 

TVC

Guest
I'm doing completely the opposite. After years of being a wage slave I have decided to make my hobby my income.
I'm going to go into the wedding photography market after a few years of taking photos as a hobby. I will keep my current job until I get set up properly but hopefully will be on my own by September
As part of my gaining experience in the wedding market I am offering to do weddings for free if anyone is interested or knows of anyone who wants their wedding doing.
I'm based in Macclesfield and will cover most of South Cheshire and North Staffs as travelling nationwide will leave me out of pocket.
Hi FD.
My nephew (in law) started that way, he s now doing commercial work for bands and is getting a reputation as a music videogragher. I guess my advice is get into moving image as well. Good luck.
 

shouldbeinbed

Rollin' along
Location
Manchester way
I'm doing completely the opposite. After years of being a wage slave I have decided to make my hobby my income.
I'm going to go into the wedding photography market after a few years of taking photos as a hobby. I will keep my current job until I get set up properly but hopefully will be on my own by September
As part of my gaining experience in the wedding market I am offering to do weddings for free if anyone is interested or knows of anyone who wants their wedding doing.
I'm based in Macclesfield and will cover most of South Cheshire and North Staffs as travelling nationwide will leave me out of pocket.

check the clickfinity header and get yourself onto the photography forum if you're not already, there's a small but friendly bunch on there and weddings come up in the conversation.

I don't want to pour cold water on the dream & wish you all the best with it but go into it with your eyes wide open: you need to be a charming dictator especially on the day, ideally with a runner with you to fetch and carry, go and find the guests that wander off just as you want them and for little essential jobs; getting the 'happy snappers' out of the edge your shot etc. The margins are pretty low, the work extends way outside the day itself before and after and there is a big difference in peoples tolerances and expectations when they're parting with money for your services.

Whatever price you quote you will likely be told it is far too much and a monkey with a mobile phone and photoshop elements could do the just same for them. Have you got a portfolio of work & reputation as a photographer out there already to draw people in and persuade them to use you?
For all it is a tough gig, there is competition out there from fellow pro's & wedding organisers who will supply their own photographer as part of a more holistic package, quite a few of the venues and even churches will have a few regulars or business cards tucked away in case people ask for recommendations - you'll need to go out now and make friends with the main venues etc.
There's also a number of people like you are now, happy to do it for free as they are keen & good amateurs who will do it because they can or are looking to go (semi) pro & needing to build up a rep.

I don't know who Fred is but assuming a child and by implication you have a family to consider and support, if you're doing it full time as your sole income you will need to be working pretty much every weekend in the wedding season & beyond as much as possible and it'll be all day on the day - are they prepared to be without you on what are, certainly for school, their few days off in the working week, assuming a Mrs FD, if she works in the week is she ready to be the sole parent every weekend too, will they be happy that family holidays (if possible) are going to have to fit around bringing in the work too?

hopefully you're well ahead of this and can ignore the doom and gloom above but just in case....

Frankly I was happy to stop doing weddings although I never committed totally to them as my first love was always the darkroom (YKWIM), they were more just a means to boost my day job income & its been a while now since I picked up a camera for money at all.
 

Freds Dad

Veteran
Location
Gawsworth.
Thanks @shouldbeinbed for your input and suggestions on how gain work. It is something I've always wanted to and the way things are at work I may never get such a good opportunity so I am going for it. If it doesn't work out then I've given it a go and can always go back to being a wage slave.

For some reason best known to yourself you assumes I was a "child" and suggested things that may prevent me from following my dream. I do wish I was a lot younger but as I turned 50 last year a child is one thing I'm not. My kids are grown up and don't want to go on holiday with their dad, my better half has a job that involves Saturday working so I'm the one home alone but do have football to fill the day.

On too many occasions I've not done things that I really wanted to and have regretted it later but this time I'm going to do it.

Once again thanks for the input, advice and tips.
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Thanks @shouldbeinbed for your input ...

For some reason best known to yourself you assumes I was a "child" and suggested things that may prevent me from following my dream.....
Read his post again - he assumed from your name "Freds Dad" that you have a child and family to support, which is a reasonable assumption, and certainly not deserving your sharp reply. Are you sure you have the people skills for professional photography? ;)
 

F70100

Who, me ?
I'm cutting my hours back starting in the spring by going on to an 80% contract. I hope to stop off at all the intervals (65%, 50%) as part of the long goodbye. Have painfully discovered over this winter that the work/life balance is out of kilter.
 
Top Bottom