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Lucky 7: Seven Years Working as a Photoshop Artist at the Photo Shop

Seven years ago on this date was my first day working as a digital Photoshop artist at the actual photo shop. What can I say about seven years? What can I not say? ☺

When I started what I thought was to be a temp position for the summer restoring photos and scanning prints/ negatives, I never imagined I would still be there seven years later, doing ALL I do now. My second job that was to be the "fun, get some photography experience, one-day-a-week commuter" position today encompasses all of my multimedia degree. Yes, we do a lot of different stuff, but that is so me with my many interests. I didn't have to decide on concentrating on my artistic or technical side, both are incorporated here, so it rarely gets boring.

There have been a lot of changes in seven years. Things have really changed this past year as I have become the head artist, solely responsible for completing and printing all the photo restorations/retouchings, graphic artwork, and digital imaging orders, as well as the audio orders, designing of print and digital signs, and any other computer/Online project that comes up. But, it has gone really good, and some past misconceptions were finally cleared up.  I have enjoyed the growing responsibilities and continued execution of my store improvement ideas.

Many photographers ask how I know what I know. Well, I have been doing it for a long time, almost 17 years. The first thing I ever did with a photo program was photo manipulation. I was never into putting filters on my photos or stuff like that. I put friends in with their favorite celebrities! While I have heard others say they thought they knew Photoshop until they worked on other people's photos, my first job at the photo shop (that I did seven years ago today!) of removing a bride and groom in the center of a photo and putting the grandparents on both ends together to make a picture of just the two of them was what I knew how to do. (It would have totally overwhelmed me if it wasn't!)

I never thought when I started teaching myself during the summer of 1998 that I would ten years later be doing it as a job. I never even thought of it as a potential job possibility, nor did I with photography. There are so any digital imaging and digital photography programs now at colleges, I think maybe I was a little too old for my time.  But I found my way there eventually, where I was supposed to be, or it found me. And, the fact I do my hobbies for a job now is totally awesome! No, it's probably not as glamorous or official as I feel it is, but I look forward to going to my job every day. How many people can truly say that?

Over the past few years, many people, including those in related fields, have complimented my Photoshop skills. There are so many talented artists, I do thank you all for the positive confidence. Due to certain events, the past couple years, I have really analyzed my Photohop talents, including comparing them to others. What I realized was I was indeed wrong about my skill level, but not in the way I feared. I had grown better than I was giving myself credit for. I realized I probably do have the talent now to do retouching work for a ritzy magazine, make more money, and have a fast-paced, big city job while living a hectic rushed schedule. But, that's not just for me at this point...

My heart is in digital imaging, creative retouching, and photo restoration. It's so much more fun than just editing images by spotting glares or fixing color. I get to draw and interpret scenes and make them my own. I get to practice my understanding of photographic lighting by painting shadows and coloring images. I take Photoshop to a level many image editors can't imagine. Plus, I get to use my design, multimedia, and computer/IT skills, as well as play with all the cool vintage photographic, video, and audio mediums that come in. I can't imagine just sitting in front of a PC all day doing nothing BUT editing image after image of the same old thing, nothing new or challenging. (Plus, that's just too hard on my back).

I am so fortunate God has given me the life situation right now where I am able to do the work I want to do. They say to find your career, you should ask yourself what you would do without being paid...this is what I would do. I mean, I do do this! :-D

I look forward to what the future will bring. What new services we will incorporate and skills I will therefore learn. I can't imagine ever not doing all the tasks I do now from image retouching to graphic design, video to audio editing, film processing to photo lab printing. At this point after seven years, I really can see myself doing this work for a lifetime...♥
 
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