Sebastion I think Plymouth could be your problem matey. I was having a conversation with somebody about the pluses and minuses of living in capital cities (especially London) as opposed to countryside. I was recently looking to buy a house and was pretty horrified what you get for your money in London, so considered moving into a large house in the countryside with easy transport links.

The idea only lasted two minutes really, as although I could have had a collection of evil dogs, I would be completely out of a creative scene. I think especially at the stage you are at with your work Sebastion, you would benefit from being in a bigger scene like London, or even Paris. At least that way if you give it your best shot and it doesn't pay off, you threw yourself in at the deep end. I would imagine it's hard to get gigs in Plymouth as most of the editorial is London based and most magazines would commission a london based photographer, over having to pay for your travel.

Do you see what I mean matey?

Yeah i was thinking the same thing. I want to make a move soon as theres not really much going in scotland that hasnt all ready been mopped up by the big boys. And when you are not there in the thick of it you really are not going to get people calling you up for work.

Although the whole cost of london is a big issue. Is studio space expensive to rent at the same levels as london housing? Paris sounds excellent, just need to brush up my francais.

Je m'apelle michelle, ca va bien?

maybe london then...

Everyone I've ever dealt with in Paris (bar about 2 people) have been from New York!

Studio rental is cheaper, but I've recently found out the hard way about the extra costs. Currently I live in a live/work studio which is great as it's big and good location but a head fuck when you want to switch off from work as it's almost impossible. I found a great studio just down the road which was about £1000 per month which I thought for Clerkenwell was pretty amazing but the overheads and business rates were a killer.

If you rent a studio you always have the option of part renting it out each day, if it's good you can get £250 pd at least, but then you have to do promotion for that and it becomes a bit of a mare.

Most clients will pay for studio rental and I've found people I work with won't not hire me if I no longer have a studio, but for low budget and personal work it will obviously be a good bet having the space. Catch 22 really....

Dont loose faith Sebastion. The setting up shop thing is really difficult but as Ben and Maikeru have said its alot to do with being where the work is. I think a move to London or perhaps just outside so you could live somewhere with access to countryside and access to London would be smart. Im not trying to label you but im sure if you printed up a bunch of prints like those you have on your website, and visited a bunch of shops and magazines in the Soho area you would probably find more interest in a day than in a month where you live. For starters AXM magazine and Attitude could well be interested and ive had deallings with both and they are really friendly and open minded. So much so that when i was getting no joy from the 'trendy' mags a few years ago a friend put me in touch with AXM and they were really friendly to me- the odd,straight stylist! Get to London and Take your work with you!

Thanks for your great support gang, Its a combination of things getting to me at the moment,the vploitics, in the UK. The qweasther and the lack of professional working attitude in My area , It would be grerat to get work with such magzs as Attitue and the like, I have got a set of pics going in to a gagazine in March as mentioneds.
I was just getting frustrated with shops clossing with my work in asnd doing a runner, its a littal soul detroying, but we all go through things like this. By me being open about it lets everyone know that it happens to us all.
I thank you all and in the longer term maby about i year to to I will be looking at re locating to France. In Plymouth its to much hastle with to many promises and very littal return.Apart from a great body of work which is being held back through lack of funds.
I have left my self a littal open here but I think that it is good for others to know that they are niot the only ones striving for art.
Thanks gang, I will feel better tomorrow.

hate to say it Sebastian but you have to live in a major capital, prefferably London, Paris or New York, at least untill your super established. You can always take daytrips into the country to shoot landscapes.

Its a ashame though Andrew, we have a fantastic coastline around the UK which is not being used for fashion shoots, the thing about major Citys that its all studios unless they pay to go further affield usually abroad, warmer,exotic locatins.
There is so many breath taking areas for shoots here,they just need the magazines to be a bit more adventurus.
At the same time I know what you are saying