why is my photographer friend mad at me?

sunnydays2018 · Nov 22, 2018

So, i have this friend who has been doing photos for me for years and now is currently angry at me after hiring another photography to do some photos for me.

He says he is beyond sick of doing bad photographs that he is embarrassed to have his name attached to, but i don't understand this because I love all the photos he does. He says he rarely gets to shoot in decent lighting with the correct outfits for portraits but i want normal photos. He says all he wants are solid color outfits that complement each other and decent lighting but i dont understand why that matters.

He says he is sick of shooting in bad locations and bad lighting with bad outfits and is mad that i hired another photographer where i shot in what he says in good lighting and good outfits after not wanting do that for him.

He says there is a difference between professional portraits and amateur snapshots but i dont understand why that matters, I want just him to press the button on his good camera?

Does lighting and time of day really make that much of a difference? Sometimes all i need for him to do is press the button on his good camera and he seemed annoyed. Cant he just photoshop the lighting? Id like to pay him but we cant afford to pay him a lot of money like what other photographers would charge. All he wants is decent lighting and correct outfits that he says are distracting to the composition. I dont care about lighting or composition, I just need to be a fly on the wall and press the button on his camera. Why would that make him angry?

Can someone explain why he would be considered some of these photos bad?

Here are two pictures he loves and then there are two pictures he is embarrassed to have his name attached to, can someone explain to me why he would consider the last two pictures as bad photography? I think they look great?!

if someone can explain why the last two pictures would be considered bad photography in a langauge i would understand i would appreciate it.

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Jeff15 · Nov 22, 2018

Hello and welcome.....

Designer · Nov 22, 2018

sunnydays2018 said:
So, i have this friend who has been doing photos for me for years and now is currently angry at me after hiring another photography to do some photos for me.

He says he is beyond sick of doing bad photographs that he is embarrassed to have his name attached to, but i don't understand this because I love all the photos he does. He says he rarely gets to shoot in decent lighting with the correct outfits for portraits but i want normal photos. He says all he wants are solid color outfits that complement each other and decent lighting but i dont understand why that matters.

He says he is sick of shooting in bad locations and bad lighting with bad outfits and is mad that i hired another photographer where i shot in what he says in good lighting and good outfits after not wanting do that for him.

He says there is a difference between professional portraits and amateur snapshots but i dont understand why that matters, I want just him to press the button on his good camera?

Does lighting and time of day really make that much of a difference? Sometimes all i need for him to do is press the button on his good camera and he seemed annoyed. Cant he just photoshop the lighting? Id like to pay him but we cant afford to pay him a lot of money like what other photographers would charge. All he wants is decent lighting and correct outfits that he says are distracting to the composition. I dont care about lighting or composition, I just need to be a fly on the wall and press the button on his camera. Why would that make him angry?

Can someone explain why he would be considered some of these photos bad?

Here are two pictures he loves and then there are two pictures he is embarrassed to have his name attached to, can someone explain to me why he would consider the last two pictures as bad photography? I think they look great?!

if someone can explain why the last two pictures would be considered bad photography in a langauge i would understand i would appreciate it.

Hi, and welcome!

Your friend strives to produce better work, and according to what you have said, you are not cooperating.

Frankly, there is more to good photography than merely pressing the button. A LOT more. Your friend probably knows what is needed, and he is apparently willing to try to excel, but he does need the minimum amount of cooperation from you.

As to the last two photos, I (and probably most on here) will call them "snapshots", and that is a pejorative term around here. They are the kind of shot that anybody can make simply by raising the camera and pressing the button. If you are completely satisfied with those photos, then just keep on doing what you're doing, but don't expect your photographer friend to support you in that mode.

It's just as well you are severing your relationship with the real photographer, as you two will not be a viable team.

sunnydays2018 · Nov 22, 2018

Designer said:
As to the last two photos

so he is right for saying those are shitty photographs and feeling embarrassed to have his name attached to them?

Designer · Nov 22, 2018

sunnydays2018 said:
Designer said:

As to the last two photos

Click to expand...

so he is right for saying those are shitty photographs and feeling embarrassed to have his name attached to them?

I don't know him, so I hate to say he is right to express anger, but for me, I simply would not want to take your photo anymore.

I was once deeply offended when someone close to me asks me to take some "snaps". I put my camera away.

Designer · Nov 22, 2018

Incidentally; it is far more than having a "nice camera". That's like complimenting a chef that his stove cooks nice food.

Destin · Nov 22, 2018

You need to respect that photography is an art form. It’s more than just pushing the button on a nice camera.

Would you tell a professional chef that you just want them to throw a frozen dinner on their nice professional stovetop? Or would you allow them to use their expertise to make the food taste better than you’re able to?

sunnydays2018 · Nov 22, 2018

Destin said:
Or would you allow them to use their expertise to make the food taste better than you’re able to?

So asking him to help me pick out a good camera so i can get good photos is like asking a chef to help me pick out a good oven so i can get good tasting food?

smoke665 · Nov 22, 2018

I may be reading more between the lines then there is, but by "doing photos for me" are you saying theses were done for free? I ask because I had a similar case where I did some shots for a friend which turned out well. No mention was made of payment by either party, nor did I expect compensation. However a month or so later this same friend hired an incompetent photographer to shoot a session, then sought compliments from me on the photos.

sunnydays2018 · Nov 22, 2018

smoke665 said:
are you saying theses were done for free?

yea, he said he would do them for free as long as i gave him the things he needed "proper outfits for portraits and good lighting" so the photos could be used in his portfolio

sunnydays2018 · Nov 22, 2018

he says most of the stuff we have done he cant use in his portfolio

Designer · Nov 22, 2018

sunnydays2018 said:
So asking him to help me pick out a good camera so i can get good photos is like asking a chef to help me pick out a good oven so i can get good tasting food?

That's pretty much it.

Without knowing your friend or how long he has studied the craft of photography, Most of us on here take it pretty seriously. We study by reading, getting feedback, lots of practice, and of course, looking at other photographers' work. As for me, I've been fiddling with cameras and associated other activities for about 60 years, and I'm still learning. I've done film, developing, printing, submitted for critique, moved on to digital, am learning digital editing, lighting, portraiture, and still I'm just an amateur.

If you want to try to mend your relationship with your photographer friend, (and really do) then I think you could put forth a bit of effort in trying to understand his position, and offer to give it another shot. If he is willing, then maybe you could donate an afternoon of your time and see what he can do.

When you begin look at photographs with a critical eye, you will see a whole new genre of art that you may have missed before. Compare a really good portrait with a snapshot. You should be able to see a noticeable difference.

Dean_Gretsch · Nov 22, 2018

Why do I get the feeling this is all a big joke?

smoke665 · Nov 22, 2018

sunnydays2018 said:
yea, he said he would do them for free as long as i gave him the things he needed "proper outfits for portraits and good lighting" so the photos could be used in his portfolio

So despite the fact that he was doing something for you for free you couldn't cooperate with his requests. Then you pay someone to get what your friend was trying to do for free. SMH!

sunnydays2018 · Nov 22, 2018

smoke665 said:
So despite the fact that he was doing something for you for free you couldn't cooperate with his requests. Then you pay someone to get what your friend was trying to do for free. SMH!

he says he feels used having to do amateur photos when i go hire someone because he didnt want to shoot at one of the most photographed locations in all of houston anymore especially in bad lighting. he doesnt like having to shoot the same location over and over let alone in bad lighting he says.