The simple, yet complex, question of “What do you do” can generate a certain amount of anxiety for me. Though I’ve been mostly pursuing photography for the last 7-8 years whenever I answer that question with “I’m a photographer” the collar of my shirt would suddenly tighten up and next thing I know I’m feeling out of breath. In that moment it seems like I’m closing off the opportunity to be anything else and simultaneously boxed into whatever stereotypical idea the person asking has of photographers. Seems uncertain. And limiting. It isn’t because I don’t feel I am a photographer I reckon, but the feeling that everything else I do no longer matter that drives my panic.
So it got me thinking that perhaps “What else do you do?” should be an automatic follow up question in any conversation. Because we’re never really just one thing, are we? I’m a dad. I write. I cook sometimes. I play football. I day dream a lot. And I also have a “day job” that pays for the stuff I daydream of creating. I wouldn’t mind being described as any of those things, and truthfully, preferably as all of them.
I asked “What else do you do? (other than Photography)” on my social media accounts this week and got some interesting answers. Some funny ones too. Not surprisingly most of the answers came from photographers because that’s the majority of the people in my social media circle. Some I knew about, some I had no clue, so it was nice to find out what else people did with their time.
Here were the answers from Facebook: (You can also see more answers on Instagram)
“I am a morning person, mom of three, household manager, book publisher, book reader, family cook...and photographer” - Ashly Leonard Stohl
“Love the question and I realize i do nothing but work work work work to make that $$$$....I need to find passion and dream more coz the hustle is real ❤️” - Amit Sehgal
“Mainly look after my family and work. I fish a fair bit too” - Joseph Brazil
“Interesting question. salary man, poor dad, online editor, non-influencer, bill payer 🤔” - Akkara Naktamna
“Retired from my day job 6 years now, so beside photography, I travel (which of course involves photography), mostly by car, as I love to drive. Also, spend quite a bit of time Spring, Summer, and Fall at our family seasonal cottage in northern Michigan. And, try to be in our 5 grandkids lives as much as possible.” - Don Hudson
“After some thought, I decided I can only say "a lot" and leave it go at that.” - Mike Lee
“Id say the main thing I do is refuse to give up. Im not being facetious. But of course being a father is the reason I refuse to give up.” - David Carol
“I’ve been thinking about getting into day dreaming.” - Justin Vogel
“I enjoy daydreaming too much to be a Daydreamer.” - Also Justin Vogel
“Oooh. Photographer here too. But also a Fitness Coach. Pictures pays the bills, working out is my passion.” - Tom William Barrett
“Tradie, I look after all of the air-conditioning and refrigeration at one of the biggest prisons in the southern hemisphere! Outside of that, continual daydreamer and learning to be a husband on the fly!” - Christian Clowes
“Manage a bunch of artists to pay the bills, raising two teenage girls, cook, fixer of broken household things, day and night dreamer.” - David Patrick Valera
“8-12 hr. Surgery , Dad of 3 girls, play guitar a little bit ,watch Netflix,buy books and pay everything for family.“ - Thanakom Laisakul
“Write and look after child and dog.” - Stephen Leslie
“I’m a Graphic designer, play Guitars a lot and ride mountain bike.” - Eric Frot
“Freelance SAP Consultant (ERP Software) , App Developer, instructor.” - Vithaya Matracha
“I used to be in a band (Bass & vocals) - can still play the guitar a little bit, train mixed martial arts, dabbled in theatre & voice acting for a while when I was younger” - Sam Walzade
“Mom, wife, teacher, exercise and food enthusiast, reader, Web browser, traveler, occasional cook, friend, explorer, domestic manager 😂” - Bhavna Singhsachthep
“I play with Excel sheets and Powerpoint slides. So. Much. Fun. 🤢🤮” - Charnkurt Yaoyuenyong
“Sleep. Eat. Day dream.” - Xyza Cruz Bacani
“Astronaut” - Niall McDiarmid
“I'm mostly stick to the kitchen” - Also Niall McDiarmid
“I sell cosmetics :)” - Umesh Phadke
“My day job is in financial services as a strategic policy adviser for a major Australian bank; I make and DJ downtempo electronic music; I've fenced since I was a child (with swords) and have competed at world level; and I photograph.” - Karl Grenet
“I am now having an existential crisis because of you.” - Jeff Larson
“Bicycle Store All Rounder and Intellectual..” - Nathan Larkin
“Playboy to the rich and famous.” - Adam Maizey
“Full time teacher at a refugee camp, haiku-writer, dad, skateboarder, karate.” - Bouwe Brouwer
”I work in the criminal justice system, I’m a father and grandfather, a partner and an aspiring retiree.” - Gerry Orkin
“Skateboarder. Musician. Full-time series/movie/anime binge-watcher.” - Myles Kalus
“Full-time baldie. Rocket League wizard. Teacher (somehow).” - Abraham Dakin
“Before I retired (early) I ran a commercial interior design and construction company working for large companies in London. I have three daughters, seven grandchildren and I’m young enough to enjoy them. Took up photography when I was 25 and I’m as passionate as ever.” - Steve Smith
“9 to 5 Logistic Engineer for a automotive company. We build the interior of vehicles from cockpit to door panels. Full time father of 2. My daughter is 13yo and son 9yo. I’ve got 2 cats and a cat personality 😅” - Stan De Zoysa
“I make books. I’m a calligrapher. I build stuff. I tinker. I make stop motion animations from time to time.” -Paul Treacy
“Last 2 years...dad 70%, marketing 30%, photography…” - David Goldstein
“Full time L&D professional.” - Nimesh Agarwal
“I’m a teacher but I think we (my team) do so much more. I am a friend, We motivate young people, I am a mum, I dance (though not much these days), I am a daughter, a sister, an auntie to many nieces and nephews who bring me so much joy, a day dreamer, a music lover, an ex gym junkie (and dream about going back to being one), a wanderer 🙂” - Prem Ch
“Time traveling.” - Job Jetwichan Chaowadee
What about you? What else do you do you?