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Dave Clifford
15-08-2011, 2:22pm
I think there comes a time where one must evaluate and rethink the choices they have made. This is one of those times, for the past decade (approximately) I have spent a great deal of time and money in the persuit of sports photography, especially Motorsports photography.

I am of the opinion that I have achieved all I am going to achieve and that it's time to pack up stumps and find another challenge, one that involves a lot less money but equal in satisfaction. So hence I have embarked on a journey of learning and finally got around to enrolling in University and a Bachelor of Communication - Journalism.

Where this new direction will lead is anybodies guess, but so far it has opened my eyes to some topics that I have tried to avoid like the plague i.e. Politics, what's with that? Do we really have a true understanding of this topic or are our decissions made on emotions?

I am very appreciative and grateful to those that I have met, worked along side, told to bugger off and generally had the great plaesure of taking the piss out of over this time. One of these people amazed the crap out of me last year by offering an opportunity to photograph what I class as the pinicle of an Australian motorsports photographers wish list, that being a V8 Supercar event.

Some of the other highlights have been, the inaugural (and only) year of the Australian Rugby Union CHampionships in Melbourne, The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and who could forget six years of the Moorilla Hobart Tennis International. But, the biggest highlight would have to be when I got a phone call from John Bowe himself to ask if I would mind taking a few snaps at Historic Baskerville last year.

The future will now see photography and myself going back to the beginning and attending the local grassroots events here in Tassie, having fun and working on adding the words to go along with the images I create. With any luck, good grace and the planets aligning I will have a regular feature in the Hobart Sporting Car Club's 'Sporting Motorist' by-monthly newsletter. This will be done in conjunction with my Davo's Yarns website.

There is also the little topic of travel writting, what a better way to come up with excuses for a holiday than to travel around Aus and pen a few words about what you see and experience. Let's face it, there is no reason to die wondering what could have been.

How good would it be to hop aboard Australia's Indian Pacific in Sydney and travel the full width of Aus. and alight in Perth a few days later. Just kicking back and chatting with fellow travellers and listening to their stories etc.

If you thought you were going to find some long winded tirade into why I have decided to pack up stumps, I make no apologies for your dissappointment. I don't feel that a full explanation is in order to anybody except myself, and that I have done.

old dog
15-08-2011, 2:30pm
well good for you David. It takes a lot of guts to do a complete turn around. I changed careers a few times and finished up a happy chappy...now happily retited :th3:
I wish you all the best for the future.

Dave Clifford
15-08-2011, 3:59pm
Cheers Graham, I am looking forward to the new challenges I can set myself. I look forward to being in your position and happily retired :)

Art Vandelay
15-08-2011, 4:11pm
The best thing about changing career paths, is all the experience from different fields you can lean on in the future.

Good luck with it.

geoffsta
15-08-2011, 5:14pm
Good on you David, a change is as good as a holiday. I wish you all the best in what ever field of Journalism that you choose. And I sincerely hope that the path you take will be a joyous one.
And I hope that your career change does not effect your contribution to AP. :th3:

ving
15-08-2011, 10:55pm
I have done the indian pacific... most boring three day in my life. Found the bar and stayed there...

Sent from my TR718D

arthurking83
15-08-2011, 11:21pm
Good luck with it Dave.

Strangely enough, I've been wanting to get out of my current employment slump(transport) for the past few years too, and having got back into photography since '06, I've thought about doing something similar too.
Dunno yet. Can't really afford to take the plunge yet, and I'm tossing up doing a video orientated course(editing/directing/film making of some kind.. whatever).

tcdev
15-08-2011, 11:22pm
Good luck David! I can't tell definitively from your post whether you intend to give away photography altogether, but I suspect not.

There's plenty of things I've like to do in my life, but I don't dislike my job/career enough to take the financial hit. So for now a few select hobbies - photography being one of them - are relegated to my sadly grossly insufficient spare time. Perhaps some time down the track I'll be in a better position to make the leap like you!

If you're toying with travel writing and like trains, you might be interested in checking out the 5-part TV (BBC?) documentary "Gavin Stamp's Oriental Express".

ricktas
16-08-2011, 6:22am
Enjoy your new found direction Dave. Should be some interesting challenges for you over the coming couple of years.