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Author:
Rachel Renée Russell

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Tales from a Not-So Happy Birthday

Dork Diaries

#1 New York Times Bestselling Series

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Ask Brandon

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Get the BOY side of things!
Special Ed
Grumpy Girl!

April 15, 2018

SHOULD I GIVE UP MY DREAM?

What’s up, Brandon? I really want to be a photographer when I grow up. But, my friends think it’s weird and I wouldn’t be able to make a living out of it. That makes me question if I should give up on my dream this early. Since you’re a photographer, I thought I should get your side on things.

Picture This

Hey Picture This,

Okay, so the first thing to address is your main question: Should you give up your dreams?

No.

Moving on…

Okay, hang on, I’ll back up a little. But just a little.

Dude, first of all, you’re what? 12? 13? Even if you’re 16…there’s time! You don’t have to decide what you want to do right now. But if you KNOW you have a passion for photography, then you should be having fun with photography right now, like building skills, trying new things, and learning how to edit stuff. 

Even if you don’t end up with a career in photography, you’ll have learned a super useful skill you can use in your life. But if you’re still really into photography as an adult, there are lots of career options!

I’ve listed some below:

  1. Journalism: Photography for newspapers, websites, etc. Photojournalists might cover local, national, or world events, sports, politics, or court proceedings.
  2. Commercial photography: Taking photos for companies of products and services, like for advertisements, catalogs, websites, etc.
  3. Portrait photography: School/family photos, weddings, graduations, and other special events.
  4. Fashion photography: This includes shooting fashion spreads for a magazines and websites, and shooting live fashion shows.
  5. Scientific photography: This one’s really cool—these photographers record experiments, illustrate technical information, and use special cameras to photograph microscopic images! Scientific photographers work for government agencies, research facilities or universities.
  6. Military photography: You can even make a career as a photographer in the military! Photographers in the U.S. Army take images of Army life and operations, which are used in news stories or press releases.

So, there are a lot of great career options. But I don’t think that’s even the important part. The important part is that you keep doing what you enjoy (like photography) and get better at it. And if you keep enjoying it, you can figure out the best way to make it a permanent part of your life, whether it’s your career or not.

And this is true for lots of dreams. Not everyone who loves singing is going to become a pop star and win a Grammy. But they can join choirs for fun, rock karaoke, do community theater, or sing with their family and friends. Developing their singing skills when they were younger wasn’t a waste, even if they didn’t end up topping the charts.

Same for sports. Not everyone who loves baseball will make the major leagues. They won’t all even be able to play on a college team. But anyone can join a neighborhood softball league, coach Little League or spend weekends at the batting cages. Plus they’ll be having fun and doing what they love.  They’ll also get some exercise, too.

So no, don’t give up on your dream. Have fun, learn and improve. Then see where it takes you!

Do you have a dream your friends or family think is crazy? How does that make you feel? How do you pursue your dream?

Category: Ask Brandon nikki

Comments

  1. 100
    Selfies are art says:
    April 27, 2018 at 5:46 pm

    Yo you shouldn’t give up your dreams just because your friends think it’s weird if anybody does anything and they think you are weird just compare to me i’m a tweenage actress/photographer/fifthgrader if they think being a photographer is weird look at me!

  2. 99
    Anonymous says:
    April 26, 2018 at 10:20 pm

    OKAY…
    Being a photographer is SO cool!
    But I hope you don’t mean your taking pictures of people without asking or being that one selfie diva, because if you were my friend and like that, I would say to give up on your dream too!
    Being a photographer is still cool though!

  3. 98
    Emoji Dork says:
    April 26, 2018 at 9:36 pm

    Never give up!

  4. 97
    Scotch Eggs says:
    April 25, 2018 at 11:12 am

    My BFF wants to be a photographer and she always takes pictures on her phone and they’re really good!!! XD

    Go for it girl or guy!!!!! I believe in you even if your friends don’t!!!!

  5. 96
    Katy Perry says:
    April 24, 2018 at 8:44 am

    Don’t give up on you’re dream! No one has the right to tell you you’re dream about being a photographer is so lame. It’s you’re life, not their’s. So don’t give up. It’s up to you

  6. 95
    GentleComputerObsession says:
    April 23, 2018 at 10:16 pm

    Your hobby is what counts most in life! I think!

  7. 94
    Lottie says:
    April 23, 2018 at 2:11 pm

    I love photography so I hope u will do it as your job

  8. 93
    charmingdork:P says:
    April 22, 2018 at 2:20 pm

    Go for it!
    BTW it’s a really cool hobby!
    I’m like,into a lot of things myself! 🙂

  9. 92
    CuteCreativegirl says:
    April 22, 2018 at 10:54 am

    Picture This, don’t give up ur dream just because your friends think it’s weird.

  10. 91
    sweet mackenzie says:
    April 22, 2018 at 7:10 am

    My family always supports me no matter how crazy my dream is hon !! I feel bad for u

  11. 90
    Passerby says:
    April 22, 2018 at 12:09 am

    Same situation but just art this time

  12. 89
    Kitty kat says:
    April 21, 2018 at 3:13 am

    Go with ur hobby dont listen to ur friends listen to ur mind☺

  13. 88
    CCP Princess says:
    April 20, 2018 at 7:56 pm

    I am not a photographer but I want to be a journalist DONT give up yet

    • 88.1
      Whale says:
      April 25, 2018 at 11:11 am

      OMG SAME!!! I REALLY WANNA BE A JOURNALIST!!!!!!!!!!

  14. 87
    Superdork! says:
    April 20, 2018 at 6:56 pm

    Don´t give uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YOU GO BRO!!!

  15. 86
    Writing Dork says:
    April 20, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Don’t give up on your dream! I want to be an author, and, yeah, people (including my mom) have told me to figure out something else. And I have, but I’m not giving up on my dream and you shouldn’t either!

  16. 85
    Lilly says:
    April 19, 2018 at 11:05 pm

    Hi Nikki i wont to be a teacher but i also wont to be a soccer player so what do i do pleas help me.

    xoxo Lilly

  17. 84
    Bendy says:
    April 19, 2018 at 10:13 pm

    Brandon, if you are reading this, you are my favorite

  18. 83
    Ashley says:
    April 19, 2018 at 9:29 pm

    Sams things is happening to me!!!

  19. 82
    Dream Hearted says:
    April 19, 2018 at 8:49 pm

    I still have a dream, and I haven’t given up! Never give up until the end.

  20. 81
    Glitter Bomb says:
    April 19, 2018 at 8:42 pm

    I LOVE painting and making random art and one day I want to go into the art industry
    Maybe as a photographer like you or as an artist

  21. 80
    Nikki Maxwell says:
    April 19, 2018 at 8:34 pm

    Yeah I totally Agree with you :3:3:3:3:3:3

  22. 79
    Nikki Maxwell says:
    April 19, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    Yeah I totally Agree with you :3:3

  23. 78
    Dorkalicious says:
    April 19, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    I don’t think your ‘friends’ are real friends if they think that photography is weird. My brother is getting married, and for a photographer, they’re paying up to $1000! Photography is a great way to make a living!
    I know this sounds cheesy, but, don’t give up on your dream!

    • 78.1
      Chloe Garcia says:
      April 24, 2018 at 8:45 am

      Yep! Woo-hoo Dorkalicious

  24. 77
    Piano Head says:
    April 19, 2018 at 5:47 pm

    I think that if you want to be something, be it!! Don’t let you friends stop you!

  25. 76
    HEYO says:
    April 19, 2018 at 5:15 am

    OMIGOSH I AM TAKING PHOTOGRAPHYYYYY

    • 76.1
      ALANA MOORE says:
      April 20, 2018 at 6:22 pm

      ME AGAIN

    • 76.2
      :D says:
      April 20, 2018 at 10:00 pm

      THAT’S NICE

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