2012 - Are you throwing in the towel?

[PhotoWrangler]

Seems like throwing in the towel is the theme this year - so far anyway. I've heard lots of folks say that they just can't compete with lesser quality businesses, and that their clients are leaving for the 'cheap' photographers. You know, the $500 shoot-and-burn 'wedding' fauxtographers, or the 'senior' photographers who are charging $50 for a session and 400 8x10's and digital images.

I know I've heard it from more than a few fellow photographers, and it seems to be a conversation that is getting more and more common.

So how are things in your part of the world, and even though its a redundant conversation, what are you doing to stay ahead?

 

[pharmakon]

I'm not a photographer by profession, but I think quality and professionalism will always persevere. I personally don't mind paying good money for a good photographer to take photographs of my family.

I learned the age old "you get what you pay for" holds true for photographers well before I even dove into photography as a hobby. Didn't know anything about composition, exposure, resolution, DOF, etc... But I could still differentiate a professional from a poser just by looking at the finished product.

 

[SCraig]

Name me one other legitimate profession in which someone with no talent, no education, no experience, and no abilities can legally call themselves a "Professional".

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Name me one other legitimate profession in which someone with no talent, no education, no experience, and no abilities can legally call themselves a "Professional".

Prostitution.

 

[SCraig]

Name me one other legitimate profession in which someone with no talent, no education, no experience, and no abilities can legally call themselves a "Professional".

Prostitution.

Even that requires talent and ability.

 

[unpopular]

it's called capitalism people.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Even that requires talent and ability.

Even if all you do is lay there? LOL

 

[e.rose]

Name me one other legitimate profession in which someone with no talent, no education, no experience, and no abilities can legally call themselves a "Professional".

The music/entertainment industry.

Producers, Audio Engineers, Musical "Artists", Musicians, Bands, Songwriters, Singers.... I know at least one person in every category that SUCKS... and has NO BUSINESS doing what they're doing, yet their doing it and trying to pull... or SUCCESSFULLY pulling (albeit at a really low ****ty rate)... clients/gigs/fans/etc.

 

[cgipson1]

Even that requires talent and ability.

Even if all you do is lay there? LOL

With our politicians???? Especially if they just LAY there! lol! (oops.. I realize I just correlated politicians and prostitutes... they both take money.. and they both **** you! Right?.. Yea.. I know.. stating the obvious!)

 

[Tee]

Picnik is closing. This is going to cause a setback for Facebook fauxtogs. Don't give up hope!

 

[unpopular]

^^ esp with walmart hounding anyone who wants to print a remotely posed photograph.

 

[SCraig]

The music/entertainment industry.

Producers, Audio Engineers, Musical "Artists", Musicians, Bands, Songwriters, Singers.... I know at least one person in every category that SUCKS... and has NO BUSINESS doing what they're doing, yet their doing it and trying to pull... or SUCCESSFULLY pulling (albeit at a really low ****ty rate)... clients/gigs/fans/etc.

Good point. And living in Nashville I should have thought of that.

 

[e.rose]

The music/entertainment industry.

Producers, Audio Engineers, Musical "Artists", Musicians, Bands, Songwriters, Singers.... I know at least one person in every category that SUCKS... and has NO BUSINESS doing what they're doing, yet their doing it and trying to pull... or SUCCESSFULLY pulling (albeit at a really low ****ty rate)... clients/gigs/fans/etc.

Good point. And living in Nashville I should have thought of that.

It's okay. Sometimes we overlook things when it's part of our everyday life.

 

[SCraig]

It's okay. Sometimes we overlook things when it's part of our everyday life.

You got that right! I don't even notice them most of the time any longer. In the summer every street corner has the next star playing a guitar and just waiting to be discovered.

 

[nickzou]

Name me one other legitimate profession in which someone with no talent, no education, no experience, and no abilities can legally call themselves a "Professional".

Graphic and web design. You think photography is bad? At least there is a start up cost that keeps potential posers out. With web and graphics, all you need is an internet connection a 16gigs worth if one time bandwidth.