"Quality Control"

[molested_cow]

I just went to Sears for some passport photos. They are more expensive than Walgreen stores but I don't want my mugshot to be in my passport... not exactly favorable when you are trying to enter a country with it.

Anyways, I asked the staff at Sears Portrait studio if they are contract or staff photographers. She said they are staff, trained by Sears and all the equipment are provided as well. They are trained to take photos the "standard" way so it doesn't matter which Sears you go to nationwide, it will all look the same...

Being a foreigner, I was curious about the culture of "quality" in this country. The notion that you can go to any chain restaurant in the country and expect the "same great quality" no matter where or when. As a result, food are processed in central kitchens and shipped to various outlets for heating. The appeal of individual chef's styles and technique no longer plays apart in this system of quality control. Then, you have to pay a lot more for those "personal" styles because they can't buy in bulk and therefore can't compete in price, turning them into a form of niche instead.

Sounds communist huh?

When in school, a classmate did a project by outsourcing his work to China, literally. Instead of creating the painting himself, he sends photos to this company in China and they will have their artists paint the works. They were all done by different artists, very skilled techniques, but all look consistent. Quality control!

So back to photography, I think it is interesting that there is such a wide range of preference in the audience's part. Some look for unique or niche styles, some like the trusted and word-by-mouth personal photographers, and some families take photos together every year and want they to look consistent, no matter where in the country they are in.

Most members here are wither hobbyists or individual photographers. I am curious to hear from those who work to create consistency as opposed to iterations.

 

[The_Traveler]

At Sears they are not making photographs using photographers, they are making a uniform product using standard techniques to minimize time expended and unacceptable product. They are controlling variability around the desired mean.

 

[analog.universe]

It's like going to starbucks for coffee... you'll never get a really good cup, but you won't get a bad one either. Any high school kid can press the "espresso" button for $9 an hour and not need to know a thing about brewing.

 

[epp_b]

There are two types of quality control:

1. Standardization (eg.: "fast food"). It's always the same, no matter where or when you go. It's cheap and it's crap.
2. Customization (eg.: "sit down" restaurants). It's interesting and different every time. It's more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Point aside, though, passport photos aren't really in the realm of artistic photography, are they? At least in Canada, the restrictions for passport photos are very tight: they need to bog-standard, boringly-lit, dull photographs in which you are not to appear smiling). That's not art, that's just less-than-technician work.

 

[Josh66]

[...] Then, you have to pay a lot more for those "personal" styles because they can't buy in bulk and therefore can't compete in price, turning them into a form of niche instead.

Sounds communist huh?

[...]

Maybe I'm just not well enough versed in communism, but what exactly do niche markets and communism have in common? I always thought that in communist countries, you have a low quality, mass produced product, and that's pretty much all there is. Unless you are the ruling class, that is. Then, you can have whatever you want. Like I heard it described before - everyone is equal. Equally in the dirt. (Government excluded, of course.)

I have never lived in a communist country (don't really plan on it either), so maybe it's a lot different than they tell us it is. I honestly do not know. (Enlighten me if I'm wrong.)

Personally, I like the idea that you can just go out and buy some mass produced crap if that's all you need/desire - but the hand made/custom/fine tuned (and more expensive) product is always there, if that's what you want.


Sometimes, mass produced crap is totally fine. Sometimes it's not... I do like having the option though.
(Passport photos would be an example of when 'mass produced crap' is OK - I'm not looking for art on my passport.)




Basically, I get the "mass produced crap vs. custom" comparison, but I don't get where communism comes in.

 

[Big Mike]

Point aside, though, passport photos aren't really in the realm of artistic photography, are they? At least in Canada, the restrictions for passport photos are very tight: they need to bog-standard, boringly-lit, dull photographs in which you are not to appear smiling). That's not art, that's just less-than-technician work.

That's what I was going to say.
Here in Canada, if you try to submit a passport photo that has artistic lighting or even an expression that is more than a slight smile, it will be rejected.

 

[CCericola]

Its the same in the US Big Mike. Straight on, eyes open, no uniforms unless its religious garb you normally wear, plain-neutral background, No hats, sunglasses, etc... An NO PHOTOSHOPPING allowed, not even for red eye.

"It is acceptable to use the red-eye reduction option on your digital camera when you are taking the photo. However, you cannot use any photo editing tool to digitally remove the red-eye from your photo. In general, you are not allowed to digitally enhance or alter the photo to change your appearance in any way. " Frequently Asked Questions

Sears, JCPenny, etc... they are what they are. they fill a market need for cheap convenience. I don't think you can compare them to private studios.