MorseBlog

Ian Roberts in his YouTube video  Understanding Your Muse  tells a compelling version of the Greek myths surrounding the Muses. In Greek mythology Mnemosyne is a daughter of Zeus and mother to the muses; all are goddess that preside over the creative arts of mankind. Mnemosyne is also the goddess of memory (where we get the word mnemonic from) and she resides in the underworld near the Pool of Memory.  When one dies, in the ancient Greek understanding, they are taken to the Pool of Memory all bound up with worldly experience, ego, ambition, tragedy and fear. They drink from the pool and remember completely all of their unbound human potential. What a moment that must be! But that we must wait to die to experience it. But there is a related belief that when one is in the creative throes and in touch with one’s muses then there may be a moment where you can drink from the Pool of Memory and experience briefly your full potential. ...

I have watched a few YoutTube videos recently from professional landscape photographers. That is to say those that make a living from activities related to landscape photography. These include Ben Horne, Thomas Heaton, and Mark Denney. In each case these guys have pulled back the curtain on how they make their money and in Mark's case how much they make. I have been curious about this for a few reasons, first I entertained the idea of joining the fray in some form, second I had thought perhaps this could allow me to retire early, and finally I was genuinely curious if one could make a living selling ones art.  If I generalize from these three photographers, the thing I learned is nobody makes all their money selling their art. They all rely on ad or user fees. My guess is that Ben may be the only one who makes more than half his income from selling prints and portfolios. The rest are essentially selling ads or subscriptions.  Let me say this right away, these guys and many oth...