Single Dad Fleeing Tampa for Seattle

[Cinebar]

You know - if you don't necessarily have your heart set on Seattle, but would like to live in Washington, you can find other cities/towns that aren't as expensive to live in.

Maybe Olympia?

I live in Lewis County, where the unemployment rate is supposed to be the second highest in the state, and one of my sons told me they're having a hard time filling positions where he works - not enough applicants.

Another son was telling me that some of his friends who have been slacking since they all got out of high school almost four years ago (not my son - he's been at the same job or 3 1/2 years) have all finally decided to get off their butts and go to work and they're all finding jobs.

I believe you can rent a decent two-bedroom apartment in the Centralia/Chehalis area for $600.00 - $700.00 a month. My son and daughter-in-law pay, I believe, $550.00 for a nice one bedroom.

Using your wedding photography skills to take advantage of our wonderful marriage equality law is a great idea! I don't know if you'd find a lot of work in Lewis County (very conservative) but I would think Olympia could be a gold mine - and it's only about 25-30 miles north of Centralia.

Good luck.

[Nicomis]

Originally Posted by BellevueNative

Are you a talented photographer? Be honest with yourself. We have a lot of very skilled photographers in Seattle, and they do well. But you'll need to be good to compete. You might want to think about doing family/children photography, too, as I've noticed that's a big thing here.

For reference (my photog).

I took my website down because I am moving, but I still have some stuff up. Photographers like all other artists have their own style, so I won't say that one "professional" is better than another, but I am a PPA member, and I understand composition, texture, form, and lighting. I have sold fine art prints, I interned with one of the regular Playboy photographers, and I hold a degree in commercial photography. But I will say that I can hang with Libby any day. I actually do photograph a lot of kids, but it just doesn't end up paying well enough. Those jobs are usually taken by female photographers. Moms tend to hire their friends, and there are a plethora of housewives with rich hubbies that are calling themselves "professionals" A few actually have talent, and their hubby can by them the nicest equipment.

[bxtx]

It seems like everybody in Seattle is a photographer...or at least thinks they are one!

[BellevueNative]

A lot of people here are willing to pay the price for great photography of special occasions. If you know you're going to be trying to make it as a photographer in Seattle, why not research your competition, get recommendations from clients where you are now, and put your website back up... but geared toward your Seattle business?

I love Libby for her editorial style, but there are many others similar to her and many others that are more formal (less formal ones, too). Here is the arguably best wedding photography studio in the Seattle area: http://www.azzuraphotography.com/Wed...ngGallery.html

[Nicomis]

Originally Posted by BellevueNative

A lot of people here are willing to pay the price for great photography of special occasions. If you know you're going to be trying to make it as a photographer in Seattle, why not research your competition, get recommendations from clients where you are now, and put your website back up... but geared toward your Seattle business?

I love Libby for her editorial style, but there are many others similar to her and many others that are more formal (less formal ones, too). Here is the arguably best wedding photography studio in the Seattle area: Azzura | Portfolio

I will re-launch my website once I'm settled, and I will gear it more toward relevant clientele. I actually have done research, and I do plan to throw my hat into the ring, but I am handicapped by finances. I have the skills and equipment, but I know I'm going to have to get a job too. Tried to post pics, but it doesn't seem to work for me.http://www.i-shot-it.com/competition...=512aa36928937 I posted a few in this contest.

[Maijakarin]

I like your post .As your experience you got lot knowledge and talents so it is important that you must have the right decisson for your.

[MafHoney]

Originally Posted by Nicomis

Thanks for your input. I guess what I am looking to find is opportunity. The telemarketing thing amounts to about $280 (some weeks are better) take home each week. My rent here is $675 for a small 3 bedroom house (built in 1960's). Cable, internet, electricity, and water, probably amount to another $200. I can make about $1,000 for a wedding after expenses, but I'm only getting 3 or four a year down here, and that money has gone to my daughters tuition. So you figure food, gas, phone and car insurance, and that's it. A two bedroom apartment in Seattle appears to run around $1300 to $1600, whereas a four bedroom house/townhouse can be had for $1800 to $2400. Between my friend, my brother, and I, if we only made $11 an hour each, and shared a house my quality of life would greatly improve.I should be able to charge more for weddings as well. I plan to send my daughter to my moms for the summer while I get situated, and fly her out before school starts. If we had about $6k collectively, do you think that would get it done?

Ok, I'm guessing you aren't talking about Seattle proper with those rent prices, right? Cause that's virtually impossible now unless you're talking about places like Shoreline which is further north, or Federal Way which is further south. I have a 1 bedroom apartment in West Seattle which is just under $1600 a month. Granted, I have a bunch of amenities, but even without that, places here are EXPENSIVE. $11 an hour is also not going to go far. Electric tends to be pretty cheap, but water, internet/cable, food, and gas are really expensive.

I have two friends who are moving in together with one of their siblings and a spouse.. they've been looking for a 4-5 bedroom place in Shoreline and haven't found anything under $2k a month. Things aren't cheap here and rentals go before you can even blink. It's totally different from Florida. We lived in Ft. Myers/Naples and rented a 4 bedroom, 3000sqft house for $1800 there... You may be able to find that if you lived out in the middle of absolutely nowhere here.

And I will reiterate what others have said... everyone and their mother is a photographer out here. I did it when we were in Florida, but I stopped when we came out here. It's pretty saturated here. I'm sure you can find some work, but you'll never get away from people wanting a deal and something for almost nothing.

Don't get me wrong.. I absolutely LOVE it out here and there's nowhere else I'd rather be, but nothing out here is cheap. I had a job offer and that's the only reason we moved. Otherwise we would have saved for another year before trying to come out.

[BATCAT]

Originally Posted by MafHoney

Ok, I'm guessing you aren't talking about Seattle proper with those rent prices, right? Cause that's virtually impossible now unless you're talking about places like Shoreline which is further north, or Federal Way which is further south. I have a 1 bedroom apartment in West Seattle which is just under $1600 a month. Granted, I have a bunch of amenities, but even without that, places here are EXPENSIVE. $11 an hour is also not going to go far. Electric tends to be pretty cheap, but water, internet/cable, food, and gas are really expensive.

I do agree with your general point regarding housing costs in Seattle, and the OP needs to really take that into account, however, there are absolutely two-bedroom apartments available for under 1600, even in areas near downtown. Modest ones, yes, but they're there.

Seattle is expensive and getting more so, but I feel like folks on this board tend to exaggerate rental costs a bit... it's not quite as bad as the impression someone might get from browsing here.

[Blondebaerde]

Note: this thread is grave-digging, OP last posted to C-D July 2013. Disappointing, as many bound-to-Seattle hopefuls do that: make some sort of decision then never turn up again to remark on the outcomes.

Guessing that one, he arrived to Seattle metro, found out it was a very tough row to hoe, and went right back to the Devil You Know in Tampa.

Or two, realized it was too far outside his own personal risk/comfort zone, and blew it off never to be seen again, returning to (whatever) in Tampa and toughing it out.

Or, rose-colored-glasses, three: he's here in Seattle metro, working to put it together, and has little further use for "counsel" from C-D. I really hope it's three.