For how problematic and how big of a pain in the ass that client is going to be to work with I’d quote something like double the day rate and just see if they’ll pay it. Kind of a win win, you either make out on the income or don’t have to deal with a nightmare job.

I’ve always liked art but I have a science brain so it’s the only artistic medium I’m naturally good at.

For personal photos, I love recording memories in that medium, draws me back into whatever was happening or whatever I was doing at the time.

For client/photos of others, I just really enjoy the reaction people have to a good photo of them doing something really cool or looking really good. It’s a nice feeling to be able to give someone the same experience I have when I take photos for myself.

Also it’s just fun, I love collecting gear, I love the color and light science stuff, it’s one of the few things I can obsess over in terms of learning new techniques, researching new or experimental gear, and its just a really easy way to say “I wonder what would happen if I did this?” And being able to produce something.

Every camera manufacturer to include a perfect recreation film sim with a complete catalog of every film ever made so that I could remove post processing almost entirely outside of correcting occasional mistakes.

How does that preserve copyright?

My bad when you said keep up with infantry I assumed you meant US military Infantry. I have army brain.

Realistically you’re not going in with a military unit. I’m pretty sure those days are mostly done. The army has an MOS specifically for Combat Photographers. The government gets to claim ownership of the photos and control the narrative there’s not really any reason to take responsibility for a civilian who’s probably going to just document misconduct anyways.