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I also disagree with folk who say post processing is part of the picture taking process......its not its borderline fakery.
Surely you're not serious? :bang:
I also disagree with folk who say post processing is part of the picture taking process......its not its borderline fakery.
got to agree here, also as a recent convert to taking piccies with the new technology the general learning curve to taking good pics is easy, maybe to great pics more difficult but thats what the pros are for.
Photography is not a dark science and we should defo embrace more people enjoying this.
I also disagree with folk who say post processing is part of the picture taking process......its not its borderline fakery.
Without a doubt, becoming a photographer is easier nowadays than in days gone by. Manual focus, dark rooms, limited amounts of film etc all made it harder for an amateur to train up.
But as others have already said, the modern digital camera does away with all that.
The megapixel wars is over and more recently the emphasis has been on ISO performance. Even that will end soon I think. Personally I think the next gamechanger is whichever company manages to get Lytro-style technology into their cameras.
Can you imagine how many more people will become a photographer once you don't even have to worry about focus? Just stick the file on the computer and adjust afterwards!
Combine that with pulling stills from video and if the camera companies can merge the two technologies, the market as we know it will change.
Regarding the OP, it's true there has been an upsurge in interest in photography as a job... Unfortunately the ease of buying a camera decent enough has resulted in any Tom, Dick and Harry thinking they can do it as a job.
I love how accessible photography is but I hate how that has devalued the business. Catch 22?
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How weird. He's right. Type in "Photography books" in the general search field on page 1, and you get loads of photoshop books... do what Jon did and you get to the good stuff.
I'm more than pleased to be wrong on this occasion.
To be absolutely frank, unless you're using a wooden pin-hole camera and silver iodide stained cloth you are, in my opinion, a dirty cheat.
Bloody modernist. What's wrong with bitumen of Judea and an eight-hour exposure then? That's how real photographers do it.
I just wanted to share an observation that everyone wants to be a photographer....
Hmm 'Bitumen of Judea'! Splitters, we support the 'Judean Bitumen front'
Like I said more interest in photography is good as it drives innovation with equipment technique etc and I was not saying that was a problem.
My only concern was the possibility of the market becoming so saturated with 'photographers' that it becomes almost impossible to make it viable no matter how skilled you are. Not many of us can compete with the 'I'll do it for £100' brigade
Nonsense. How is it not viable despite how skilled you are? If you are skilled, talented, creative and innovative, then your images will stand out from everyone else's, and will command a higher price.
There will always be people who will buy a Chevrolet (Daewoo... you're not fooling anyone) Matiz. They don't care... they just want a box that moves. There will always be people who want a Aston Martin.
If you're good, you can compete with the Astons... if you're crap, you're going up against Daewoo.
Become less crap.
Other than having a Hackney carriage licence, the trades I mentioned are easy to set up. Anyone can be a gardener or carpenter or plumber (other than gas fitting) without any qualifications.
No different to setting up as a photographer really..
clients go for a cheap price and end up disapointed by sub standard work.
An interesting read this thread and some very valid points.
I'm curious about those that are starting out for the first time.
Is it the norm to set your prices low even if your quality is high until such point as you obtain the recognition to charge the higher prices, or do you wade right in at the deep end and hope to cut the mustard!?
An interesting read this thread and some very valid points.
I'm curious about those that are starting out for the first time.
Is it the norm to set your prices low even if your quality is high until such point as you obtain the recognition to charge the higher prices, or do you wade right in at the deep end and hope to cut the mustard!?
But what if they want to do it as a side-job/hobby so don't need to make an living salary - just a top-up/bonus?
But what if they want to do it as a side-job/hobby so don't need to make an living salary - just a top-up/bonus?
But i do find myself looking at pages on Facebook and the like from friends or friends of friends who are setting themselves up in business as photographers and thinking "Have they no self respect?!". Seriously, some of the work i've seen lately is truly shocking. I know self-confidence is a good thing, but some of these people seem to be blissfully ignorant as to how rubbish they actually are
"A crap photo is still a crap photo" I like that.. very true
Don't really see what the problem is to be honest.
Photography is more popular than it has possibly ever been, superb.
Not only will the manufacturers invest more in R&D they will also have to keep the margins down to stay competitive.
A good professional photographer will always make money as people will always pay a premium for a high level of service. The more your average Joe learns about photography the better, as it will give them a better understanding of what it takes to produce a wonderful image.
As for people wanting to become a professional I don't really see a problem with that either. The more people that do, the more the pro's that are excellent at what they do will stand out.
Hopefully the surge in people's interest in photography will help stem the long standing pro's who charge a small fortune while providing a very basic level of service. I can think of a few long standing professional wedding photographers local to me who have made a lot of money over several years from photography, yet produce work that to be honest I reckon my 7 year old could compete with. These are the same guys that tear their hair out because of the hundreds of people advertising wedding photography at some times a third of what they charge. They have been leaching of the gravy train for long enough. As with any business the more competitive it is the better for the customer.
Professional photographers by now I am sure have realised that the service they provide is no longer a niche product. Long may it continue, the guys that have been basically taking the **** for years will have to drop their prices to compete or fall by the wayside.
It is not unprofessional to undercut the competition. Practically every car insurance company claims to be cheaper than all the others and supermarkets regular advertise the fact that they are cheaper than the rest.
Steve.
The cream ALWAYS rises to the top........
TBH, being a photographer is easier then being a software programmer
People with a great eye for composure and have a history of Art can pick up a camera and produce brilliant results because at the end of the day, photography is an art form and if you already have the skill as an artist, you will become a decent photographer