I haz a DSLR... I iz a photographer now!

[SabrinaO]

This girl from another forum just got her first dslr last week. I helped her choose her camera and I've given her some info on shooting in manual, exposure, focusing, composition... basically everything she NEEDS to know. Shes posted some of her shots and they just look like average snapshots because she can only shoot in auto.
Well today she pm's me in a panic because she has a "shoot" tomorrow and lost all the links I gave her. She said she wants to "cram in as much information as she can" before her shoot. She has a facebook photography fan page of her "services" and is charging $75hr for her "sessions".
OK... enough with the quotes but its hard to take this seriously! I mean I just got my dslr a few months ago and learned SO MUCH and i'm studying and learning new things everyday. I never want to stop learning. I mean would'nt you want to be the best you can be before you start charging people for your services? I mean i wouldn't want to put my name or my services behind subpar or shoddy work.
Is it just me or do any of you get upset in people thinking just because they have a DSLR they are now instant and awesome photographers? Photography is a craft and a camera is just a tool. I can't take van gogh's paintbrush and automatically paint wonders... smh

 

[Derrel]

Gosh, I hope she has a BIG, herkin' watermark, a cheezy web site or Facebook page, a ridiculously low-cost price sheet for all the images on CD, and a name for the business that consists of her name, followed by the word Photography, like "Beckie Lynette Newbie Photography". Oh, and I hope she has a huge list of friends and family who have told her, "Beckie Lynette, your pi'chers are so,so good!"

The above is all in good fun, but I think I covered most of the essentials for a new Facebook-era photography business...

 

[bentcountershaft]

Hell, if that's all that's needed I'm all set. I have a name and I can spell photography. I even have facebook. I'll be pro by the time I finish this cigarette. Thanks!

 

[Jeatley]

It is what it is! I just worry about myself. She will either get better or she will fail and disappear!

 

[Josh220]

She'll get a dose of reality when she gets a customer that's not family. I'd just sit back and watch the entertainment.

 

[white]

Well today she pm's me in a panic because she has a "shoot" tomorrow and lost all the links I gave her. She said she wants to "cram in as much information as she can" before her shoot. She has a facebook photography fan page of her "services" and is charging $75hr for her "sessions".

Just be "unavailable" for some reason and let her struggle to find all the information she needs.

She'll learn, and if she makes money off some poor schmucks at the same time then she's a natural business ... person.

 

[12sndsgood]

people start business all the time without knowing what they are doing. she will likely fail. how good a friend is she. if she's not a close friend id point out that if she is charging $75 to take photos of people she should know the basics of her camera. and that you have now become a a photography school and you need $75 to show her how to work her camera.

 

[KmH]

More power to her.

America is the land of opportunity.

For consumers of her work product, it's Caveat Emptor (buyer beware).

 

[Big Mike]

More power to her.
America is the land of opportunity.
For consumers of her work product, it's Caveat Emptor (buyer beware).

:thumbup:

Just about anyone can make money doing just about anything, regardless of skill & talent in that field...as long as they can convince people to give them that money.

 

[Mbnmac]

ANother plus to that thinking here Mike.

I've only had my camera a month or so, trying to take photos everyday, and already I've had a lot of comments on how good my photos look, and while I'm proud of maybe a handful I couldn't bring myself to charge anybody for my stuff yet.

I don't understand why people want to rush headlong into this thing, you often only need a reputation once

 

[dustin0479]

If you are lucky you suggested equipment you like... by next month there is a good chance you can buy it at a deeply discounted rate.

 

[j-dogg]

You can't even be considered a real "photographer" unless you can shoot this stuff

through one of these (full manual 1968 Nikkormat FTn with a slew of lenses, recent CLA)

and get it to take a shot like this (actually shot with the aforementioned camera no post processing, wished I could remember the film I used)

I had some fun with a girl like that while out shooting, I had my Nikkormat with Vivitar 55-135mm f3.5 and a roll of Portra 160vc and I was shooting some kind of a landscape or something and she wanted to see the shot so I showed her the back of my Nikkormat and she asked me "What kind of camera is that?" :lmao: She got a crash course in 35mm that day :mrgreen:

I try to distance myself from this new generation of Johnny/Jackie-come-lately photographers with a d40 and a kit lens who think they are Ansel Adams. I like to think of myself as experienced and knowledgeable but I have a lot to learn.

My parents and friends say I take excellent photos but I always retort "but that was with a dinky kit lens. look at all the chromatic aberration in that field in the distance. ugh. I need better lenses." :x

 

[white]

Oh, oh, can I play?

You can't be a real photographer until you ... build a pinhole!

 

[PhotoXopher]

Everyone makes it sound like digital brought these people out of the woodwork - they've always been there, it's just more pronounced since it's easier than ever to show your work. What used to take days or even weeks now takes an hour and your photos can be on 15 sites. Plus it's more affordable than ever, no money spent processing 20 rolls of film for 3 good photos - just shoot and delete (or spray and pray), some are bound to turn out well (enough).

Instead of photographer ads on the board at the local mini mall and grocery store they are on Craigslist.

This is nothing new, just more in your face.

 

[j-dogg]

Oh, oh, can I play?

You can't be a real photographer until you ... build a pinhole!

ahhh crap :x

I did see a guy who built a pinhole from a cheap point and shoot Casio at the camera shop a week ago. :thumbup: