At one very ambitious time in my artsy fartsy past, I decided to make an investment.  I entered into an indentured servitude with Best Buy in order to purchase a “pro/amatuer” camera for the bargain price of $1600.  It’s one of those cameras that makes people think they’re Annie Leibovitz, when, in fact, they are not.

My thinking was that the camera would pay for itself in a couple months time.  All I needed to do was book some clients… which should be easy considering everyone is always telling me that I “really have an eye”, and that I should “start charging for my photos”, and asking me to do a “photo session” with them.

Well… I found it hard to charge friends and I found it harder to convince non-friends that they should pay for something as self-indulgent as a personal photo shoot.  I also found out that everyone thinks they want you to take their pictures until you ask for $200 an hour.  At which point they decide that the photographers at Sears will do.

So here I am, two years later,  with a Best Buy credit card balance of $1500 (and of course I’ve paid more than $100 over the last two years… it’s called INTEREST).

I considered selling it about a year ago, by that time the going price on one of these babies was only $1200.  The camera is apparently akin to the automobile in its ability to lose value as soon as it leaves the showroom floor.  Who knew?  I couldn’t get a price that I was happy with, so I kept it.  And renewed my vow to make some money taking pictures.

Another year later… do I have to tell you that my start-up photography business hasn’t been the success I hoped and dreamed it would be?  The camera is up for sale again.  I’ve priced it at $899, which I know is ambitious, but still a decent starting point for negotiations.  The only offer to pay what I’m asking came in the form of this thinly veiled scam:

Hi Seller i am pleased with the description of this ITEM.And i will like to purchase this ITEM from you with nothing less than $1000 for this ITEM i am very sorry for not being able to come for the pickup and pay by cash.I am out of states right now so i will be doing this through PayPal which is the safest and easiest way.I will be giving you $100 for the shipment to my twin brother abroad through USPS Priority Mail.So i will like you to send me your PayPal ID or a PayPal money request so as to make payment right away.Thanks.

And one more thing i will like you to please be honest with me because i have just been scammed by a seller.Thanks! and sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused you.Asap

Nice touched with the whole I’ve been scammed by a seller bit.

The only legitamate offer I’ve received this go round, is from a guy who’s willing to pay $680.  Low ball.   Says he found a similar deal on ebay.  I told him to try his luck there then.  Second thought, gimme $750.  He’s sticking with his offer of $680 and I’m thinking about it.

My goal was to sell the camera and its accessories at a decent enough price that it would make a dent in the large balance.  But $680 towards $1500  just barely scratches the surface.  I’d probably end up using the money for other bills and then right back where I started, still $1500 in the Best Buy whole AND cameraless.  On the other hand, as long as I keep the (ever depreciating) camera, I can continue to try my luck at the photograpreneur thing…