Stu Jenks: "I Quit"

Ever since I first ventured into night photography nine years ago, Stu Jenks has been one of the biggest influences on me. To me, Stu's work captures the spiritual world of night photography: ghosts of Native Americans dancing fire circles in the south-west American desert. That may not be what Stu is trying to capture, but that's what it says to me.

A few days ago, Stu announced quite unambiguously on his blog, "I quit".

(Owls Head, Arizona by Stu Jenks)

There's no doubt that he's really pissed off. He says he's giving up trying to make a living selling fine art prints and selling the rights to his work (at least, I think that's what he's saying). He explains his disappointment with the art market and the photography profession, among other things. I told Stu that, in some ways, I agree with him. I understand how difficult it can be to make a living from photography these days. I've seen some very good professional photographers struggle to continue getting work. But I don't want Stu to quit.

Take a few minutes to read his post. There's a lot to it. He's a gifted photographer, musician and writer. He doesn't ramble. You should also read his follow-up post, "I'm Not Suicidal"