I just need to VENT!

[Derrel]

Amber,
Your letter might have been written in the 1890's, when rollfilm became popular, and glass plates were no longer the main way to shoot. Or it might have been written in 1931, during the first couple of years of the flashbulb, as people flocked to "indoor event photography" using the then-new technique of flashbulbs. Your venting might have been written in the late 1950's, as high-quality Japanese-made rangefinder 35mm cameras and then-new electronic flash units or "winklights" made shooting MANY flash pictures affordable. Your rant might have been written in 1990, as 35mm autofocus SLR's enabled people to become "photographers".

Photography as a field has ALWAYS drawn a lot of people who want to work in the field. You need to be better, and more-dedicated that the other people to succeed to the highest level. But whatever level you achieve, stop worrying about "the other people".

Watch the video at this link.

 

[robbins.photo]

Not sure if this fits the "Photographic Discussions" thread but I really just want to vent to others who will understand where I am coming from.

Well if it's from somewhere in the vincinity of the Messier 83 Galaxy then I probably will - lol

I started my own photography business doing mostly family portraits about a year ago in the hopes that I may one day evolve into a wedding photographer.

Well I can check on this for you but I'm fairly certain you'll either need to fall into a vat of toxic waste or be bitten by a radioactive insect of some sort to make this happen.

I am newbie and will be a newbie in any other photographer's eyes until I've saddled 10 years of experience and have a glowing portfolio full of flawless work, however, now that my work has become more than just "popular" in my community

So I guess the question is, why care what "other photographers" think? If your stuff sells and your making money then not much point in worrying about it really.

I feel like every and anyone I went to high school with in this teeny tiny town wants to be a PHOTOGRAPHER! SO AGGRAVATING!! Not that I don't want someone to appreciate this art form, or use it as an expressive outlet or growing hobby, but DAMN! RIGHT WHEN I FINALLY FIND MY OWN "GROOVE" WHERE I BELONG EVERY TOM, DICK & HARRY PICKS UP A CAMERA!!

A frustration expressed in one fashion or another by most anyone who's tried making a living at photography at one time or another. A frustration no doubt voiced by some other photographer a year or so ago when you picked up your camera and decided to go into business.

I'm sure this seems childish

Well maybe but if it didn't you couldn't really call it venting now could you

 

[astroNikon]

Film is getting very popular with hipster portrait and wedding photography, it's one way to charge way more for the same end results.

Fixed.

You fixed Gary ?

oh my ...

 

[pjaye]

Well if you are as good as you say your are you have nothing to worry about.

Capitalism is the business world's version of survival of the fittest. Sick and lame business will be eaten by the faster more aggressive tigers out there. Be a tiger!

This. If you are that good, then people will come to you. If you truly have the talent and those other tom's don't, you will get the business.

At the same time, anyone has the right to start a business. Just like you did.

 

[EIngerson]

I'm pretty sure the people that patronize those other photographers will learn a valuable lesson in "You get what you pay for."

 

[BillM]

You fixed Gary ?

oh my ...

I had that done to one of my dog's one, he didn't like it

 

[JerryVenz]

Amber,

Now you know how even the "old pros" feel !! I've been watching this trend accelerate over the last 5-years with no end in sight.

I looked at your website and if you want some feedback from a portrait and wedding pro. with over 25-years in the business ( Also a PPA, Certified, Master Photographer ) here are my first impressions:

Your work is far better than I expected--you really do show promise!!

Very much to your credit you are not flashing your subjects on your outdoor sessions. Continue to develop your natural light technique--it will serve you well in your future wedding work and set you apart from the hordes of newbies that use speedlights outside even when they have no clue how to do studio lighting.

You must also set yourself apart from the low-budget newbies by NOT competing with them on PRICE. You can't win a race to the bottom on price.

You really need to RAISE YOUR PRICES so you are not on the low end. Being a low end photographer is NOT PROFITABLE. Just look at the bankruptcy of the largest chain of low end studios that operated in WALMART !!

In addition, how about not offering the same low-end product THEY build their so called businesses around--DIGITAL FILES.

The ARTIST sells PRINTS--fully artworked, archivally mounted, with maybe a texture and a protective spray coating, and framed, going out your door and onto their wall. The low-end SHOOTER burns a disk and walks away.

These things will set you apart from today's growing horde of weedend SHOOTERS.

If you have any questions or would like more input on these or any photographic advice e-mail me at Jerry@thestorytellersusa.com

 

[KelSS90]

Just an unrelated FYI - your site isn't really working for the mobile version (or at least not for the iPhone). You can only see the left portion of the page, so just a few images of each section, the hours included but not the pricing structure, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pjaye]

********

I want to kiss you on the mouth.

you would get a knuckle sandwich

With bacon?

 

[Steve5D]

Heard it all before, had a look at your website nothing spectacular apart from one in the couples where it looks like he is shagging his girlfriend against the tree

Please read my "rant" again. I never stated I was a spectacular photographer. That was a very rude comment to make. I am simply VENTING my frustration to a community of people that take their work as seriously as I take my own. Skill level aside I have worked my ass off improving myself.

You know, you may take offense to what he said, but you'd damn well better take heed, too. If he's not seeing anything spectacular, maybe the people you're complaining about didn't either, and saw no reason to sit back while you improved. You, by your own admission, are "still producing amateur work at times". Well, let me give you a piece of advice: STOP IT. If you're producing amateur stuff, stop producing amateur stuff. You say you're charging for your work. Do you charge for the amateurish stuff, too? I think it's pretty ridiculous to complain about others charging for their work when you're not able to produce the professional results your clients will demand time every single time.

You have to do that; it's part of being a professional.

If you only nail it 80% of the time, you're never going to make it in this business. You can't go around saying you're not the best photographer out there. You need to let others prove that you're not. Make someone else step up their game instead of engaging in this self deprecation thing you've got going. Be unabashed about your talents and your work. If someone wants to know who the best portrait photographer in town is, you'd damn well better be saying "I AM!". If you say anything else, then you've only yourself to blame when you lose the gig.

I don't know how old you are, but I get the sense that you're young. One thing you should learn is that there's little time for humility when it comes to trying to land a client. They came to you. It's your job to keep them, and the way to do that isn't by saying "I'm not the best" or "I can't get pro results every time".

Bottom line? Stop worrying about everyone else. Do what you do, the way you want to do it, and don't let the fact that you think someone else isn't ready be a hindrance because, if it is, you need to get outta' this game now...

 

[kathyt]

Fixed.

********

I want to kiss you on the mouth.

I want in on this.

 

[runnah]

I want in on this.

I'll bring the Trident.

 

[kathyt]

Honestly regarding this thread, I never cared what anyone else was doing. I cared about what I was doing. How are MY skills? How consistent am I? How am I going to run my business? How much money did I want to make? Once I focused on that is when I started turning a profit.

 

[Steve5D]

Also, don't always accept the point of view that the people charging 1/3 of what you are are bad photographers. I've met some very good photographers who were simply unaware that they would be able to charge more...

 

[runnah]

The good news is that there are always people getting married, having kids and graduating so there is an endless supply of customers.