Does anyone else feel this way?

[ababysean]

I bet it was a family member....

 

[ababysean]

oh but it upsets me more when you call yourself a single parent... hehe just a side note, I've been a single parent, and I also have a hubby in the military aka deploys all the friggen time. there is NO comparison.

carry on.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Doesnt bother me anymore. As long he/she produces whatever he/she showed to clients, it is all good.

 

[Derrel]

I think my upset mood has more to do with having DH travelling so much and this was a trigger (at least I'm honest about it, lol).

I know I am a better photographer than she is, but I also know I have a long way to go before I am comfortable with calling myself a pro and charging people money. I just don't understand how someone can look at these pictures and think they are worth paying for? or even better why someone would take these things and think they are worth x amount of dollars? Maybe because of my time here, I've learned to see pictures differently but I'm still pretty sure that people should have neon orange skin, that they picture should be in focus and a "business headshot" should not have the gentleman sitting with his legs wide open (hello Mr. Crotch) and a door knob from the door behind him growing out of his ear.

Dear Lady, It is time for you to "go pro". NOW! Seriously...if you're better than whatsername, why not just start charging? You'll only get better as time goes by. Take jobs that you can handle with the skill and equipment and time that you have RIGHT NOW, today. Do you think you could shoot some good pics of a newborn baby? How about some engagement sessions? Those are not too difficult.

 

[sm4him]

oh but it upsets me more when you call yourself a single parent... hehe just a side note, I've been a single parent, and I also have a hubby in the military aka deploys all the friggen time. there is NO comparison.

carry on.

+1
I've been a single parent for 14+ years now; I'm *much* more annoyed by people who think they are "single parenting" because their spouse is out of town than I am by people who think they are professional because they can push a shutter button. Until you've had the unending task of raising kids with NO extra income, NO emotional support from a spouse, no other adult in the house to help with the tough decisions to be made, or come running home if there's an emergency...and on and on.
There is single parenting, and then there is being the only parent at home that week, or month, or even year. And they are NOT the same thing.
*steps down off soap box.*

 

[Tony S]

Time for you to get bigger business cards and put them out... and don't forget that Facebook business page too.

 

[Ediacol]

I do the same thing! Sometimes I look at craigslist just to see what kind of photographers are in my area and what their prices and services look like, I am in no way a photographer but I can appreciate good work and I can frown upon bad work haha and there was this one ad that I saw and the lady was charging money for photos that had time stamps on them and looked like they were probably from a throw away camera, I couldn't believe it. It kind of made me feel like I'm wasting time and need to get out there faster because business is going to people like that.

 

[Tee]

Sorry....I tuned out when you used the term DH (kidding but that term is like nails on a chalkboard to me).


But seriously, I'm with Vtec. I'm taking the time to learn photography. It only bothers me in the sense that the FB fauxtographers devalue what a great image looks like. On the other hand, I find it hilarious watching their FB pages.

 

[KmH]

This guy knew the score -

"No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public." - H. L. Mencken

For many people, price is the only issue.

 

[adversus]

Not getting at anyone, but.........................

I get tired of seeing people spending money on a "pro" Camera and then announcing themselves as professioal photographer. I share your frustration :

Welcome to the free market.

 

[Ron Evers]

Damn, I got a kick out of Bitters post. Supplementing his OT; I was inspecting laboratory procedures about the province & once told a technician that his method was incorrect. He responded, as if I did not know better, that this is the way he has done it for many years.

I could write a paper here but - -.

 

[Snaps]

Not getting at anyone, but.........................

I get tired of seeing people spending money on a "pro" Camera and then announcing themselves as professioal photographer. I share your frustration :

Welcome to the free market.

A fine attitude when people go out with all the gear and no idea and ruin the most memorable day in a brides' life. Free market? Keep it!

 

[sm4him]

Not getting at anyone, but.........................

I get tired of seeing people spending money on a "pro" Camera and then announcing themselves as professioal photographer. I share your frustration :

Welcome to the free market.

A fine attitude when people go out with all the gear and no idea and ruin the most memorable day in a brides' life. Free market? Keep it!

Sorry, but if the bride *hired* the yahoo without seeing his/her work, then I have NO sympathy for her ending up with horrible photos. If she DID see his/her work, and LIKED it, then it's her prerogative to hire the fauxtog.
Either way, it was HER choice, and I don't really have much sympathy for her if she doesn't like the results.

 

[TooShay]

I think my upset mood has more to do with having DH travelling so much and this was a trigger (at least I'm honest about it, lol).

I know I am a better photographer than she is, but I also know I have a long way to go before I am comfortable with calling myself a pro and charging people money. I just don't understand how someone can look at these pictures and think they are worth paying for? or even better why someone would take these things and think they are worth x amount of dollars? Maybe because of my time here, I've learned to see pictures differently but I'm still pretty sure that people should have neon orange skin, that they picture should be in focus and a "business headshot" should not have the gentleman sitting with his legs wide open (hello Mr. Crotch) and a door knob from the door behind him growing out of his ear.

LOL! Wow, I really wish I could see the business crotch shot.

I get frustrated with it, so you're not alone. I just sold my old rebel to a local "model photographer" last week that invited me to go and shoot at his monthly "model" workshops. I was so excited because we live in a fairly small city and no one ever has cool photography events. So he's telling me that he shoots with these top models and shoots for Hollister and all of these big name places, and here I am, awestruck and feeling super inferior as I'm a newbie just trying to upgrade my equipment and learn the ropes so I can eventually charge money to shoot maternity and newborns. So he tells me that if I go to his model shoot, he'll just stick me with some aspiring models because none of his "advanced models" would want to shoot with me.

So he buys my T3i, gives me a business card thing (which is printed on a 4x6 glossy piece of paper, but whatever) and I go home and check out his work... and laughed my butt off. He sucks. He probably doesn't shoot for all of these huge companies, and his "models" are high school aged girls that are in no way "model material." Most of his shots are out of focus, badly and HEAVILY edited, and he has a huge watermark on all of them (not even the same one, it's a variety of crappy watermarks, lol.) He doesn't have a website, just a facebook page... a personal facebook page, not even a business page. Needless to say, I didn't show up to his "studio."

Point being... now I've given up on caring. This happens to me a lot. I meet a local photographer, feel totally insecure about my work, and end up wondering how they are running a business and I'm not. So now I'm just going to focus on improving my work and when I feel I'm ready, I'll start charging.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Look, if someone buys high-end operating room tools doesn't that qualify them to announce they are professional surgeons