Excerpt from the Article:
More than two decades ago I became an active member, contributor, and forum moderator on Nature Photographers Network, which, at that time (circa 2000), was one of the few places where nature and landscape photographers could gather under one roof to talk about images.
Aside from Usenet forums (anyone remember those?) and the cantankerous nature of Photo.net forums (although they may be different today), there really was no other environment where photographers could gather photographic knowledge, inspiration, and worthy critiques of their images.
Many of my peers from those early days of NPN went on to become full-time professional photographers. Others have since left photography; I can count a handful. And one of the more common themes I have become accustomed to, as an instructor and workshop leader, is the individual who, having had a career and a family, returns to photography after a multi-decade hiatus. (I am not making a value judgment on the merits of family or profession; rather suggesting that you can do both at the same time).
