Greetings Les, Some risks are much more serious of a family disaster than those you pose, and may not even show up for years. For example, health professionals take risks all day and every day. Some make 50 bucks a day, others make 1,000. Who do you think jumps in the line of fire most often? Not to mention the full scope and effects of each days' risks in other avenues of photography........are simply--unknown, and hardly ever spoken of. There is no glory of a war, or disaster, to bring things to light. You can count the times you have taken your risks, you were prepared for and aware of the risk. Not always the case for some avenues. Most folks (in the states) will lose the benefits you may enjoy, when they retire. This is not unique, this is how things are these days. Firefighters have risked their lives, they have worked in the public sector-expecting certain benefits at retirement over the next few years. News flash this past few months- the 33 dollar medical 'insurance' premium is closer to 400 dollars. We really do not have any guarantees that all we work (ed) for is going to take care of our needs. The alga eaters will give us the lifetime guarantee for some of those dollars of ours though. Not all of us have spouses that do not work, or spouses for that matter. The days of most of us being able to carry the whole family financial load, well now-they have been gone for years. I live and work in today's world. If you knew me you might well view my life as "between a rock and a hard place", the difference is - I do not. Would any of you have really lived the entire part of your life as a professional photographer differently, because of less dollars? You would not have accepted the work? Top feeder, Bobbie : ) _______________________________________ "Hi Bobbie and all I understand completely. However, I have risked my neck and my life more times than I can count for God and country, my photography and sometimes just for the fun of it. I have been shot at, jumped from airplanes (yes perfectly good ones <vbg>) and worked more fires than I care to count. Not really giving a darn nor a thought about what "may" happen. I have had friends die in a plane, 5 in one shot. ........................................................................"
