I have the world's greatest, but most difficult to explain job. I travel the world filming episodes for my underwater science/adventure series Jonathan Bird's Blue World which airs on public television. I am both the director of photography and host, as well as one of the writers and editors. But in spite of my exciting-sounding job description, I actually spend more time in a dark room writing and editing than I do out in the field having adventures.
I spent a few years working as an engineer in a cubicle at a defense contractor and decided that was not the life for me. My hobbies in photography and scuba diving beckoned.
Being able to see my kids a lot because I work from home when I'm not on the road. I also love the freedom of being my own boss and sending myself on adventures to make fun television segments.
Being away from home on longer assignments. I get homesick. Not having a regular paycheck.
I'm an amateur winemaker and I have a vineyard in my yard. It's a lot of work but I love to go outside and tend the vines. Even in the winter, there is pruning to be done and stuff to keep me busy. I also play guitar and drums with a couple of informal jam bands, which is super fun.
As an underwater cinematographer my hero is Howard Hall, the single greatest underwater cinematographer of all time. As an underwater photographer, David Doubilet has had the greatest influence on me. The real heroine of my life is my wife Christine for reasons too numerous to name.
Go to business school! No, seriously! One of the reasons it took me so long to become successful is because it's so hard to make money in this field. A business degree would have been more useful than an engineering degree!
Decreasing. More and more people are trying to make a living in a field with a very limited number of potential jobs. One of the reasons I created my own TV program was to create a job for myself! Making a living doing what I do is enormously difficult.
With any luck, the same thing!
