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anybody. everybody.
July 14th, 2010
right now you could drive down to your local best buy and buy the latest and greatest digital SLR camera. heck, you could probably even go down to the target or walmart. the new technology for cameras is literally right at our fingertips… and if you have a $1,00+ dollars this latest and greatest technology can be yours. and by golly, you can even call yourself a photographer now with your fancy digital SLR camera.
while that’s great and all, it is killing and completely over saturating the photography business.
now anybody can call themselves a photographer. you have a fancy digital SLR, you must be a photographer. even that soccer mom over there can be a photographer. because all photography must be is pointing a camera at something… snapping a picture and maybe popping it into an online editing site and voila– your a photographer! and if someone notices your ok maybe you can charge someone to do a portrait session. make $50.00. then they tell their friends and you can make some more money. then you have mediocre pictures saturating the market and good photographers that charge a little more are no longer getting any work because their prices are “too high” even if their work is ten times better than the soccer mom’s.
so, what if you are a good photographer not getting any work because your prices are “too high”? your work is good. you have experience. you take the time to make everything look the best it can. but, jane over there runs her pictures through a batch process with some downloaded process of the internet and charges $400 for an entire wedding day. what do you do then, good photographer? do you compromise your work and your ethics to meet the demands of the people? do you lower your standards just to make a quick buck?
honestly, i don’t have the answers for that.
because here is what i know. i have worked hard in my photography business. i strive for excellence in my work. i edit every single photo by hand. without the handy use of a batch process or some downloaded process. everything you see on my photos is my own work… not a copy of someone else’s. i want my pictures to look great. and i am far from the best, but i am good. and i don’t normally say that because i don’t like to sound braggy and have never felt comfortable saying i am good at something. but my work and time is worth something. it is worth more than $400.00. but what am i to do when people see pictures that are mediocre and expect the same low prices for work that is beyond exceptional?
it is a hard place to be in… even major photographers far better than myself are dealing with this.
today Jeremy Cowart tweeted:
“Just talked to a client who I hadn’t heard from in a while. They said it’s due to the fact that “everyone now has a 5D and can play around”.
“That’s the sad state where photography is coming to. Everyone is now a photographer. I’m now officially hearing it from my own clients.”
“HUGE response to my tweets regarding my client. Obviously it’s a tough time for everyone. Vision is more important than ever.”
our market is over saturated. and it kinda sucks. anybody and everybody is a “photographer” now. and how do you stand out and still make money with out compromising in that?
*sigh*
test Filed under life., photography, rants: cause i'm opinionated. |4 Responses to “anybody. everybody.”
If people don’t think what you do is worth what you charge, then tough shit. How about how nobody wants to pay for newspapers because now anybody can get a wordpress and be a journalist.
Is it about the money and the industry, or are you upset because you’re realizing that people don’t care about or appreciate talent.
First, maybe I came off too money oriented and that was really not the point of this post (though, the point of a business is to make money) It is more about not appreciating talent. About good photographers not getting business because of poor talent charging next to nothing and getting business. However at the same time, you can’t cheapen yourself just to stay afloat. It is not so much about someone not thinking what I do is not worth what I charge, it is about them expecting to get my good work at the same price as someone who isn’t necessarily as good. Most photographers charge well over $3,000 for wedding services. I charge way less than that. I don’t expect too much. Often times, people close to me suggest I need to charge more. But I truly just want to be able to give people exceptional photos without them having to go broke.
Last year I had a great year. And with the economy and the continuing batch of fresh new photographers out there, I have had a slow season. Don’t get me wrong— I think it is good when new photographers can start their own business. I was there. It was a rocky start and I am thankful to be where I am today. Nothing can beat owning your own business. But because of so many people being photographers today, it is difficult to stay relevant and make money.
And about newspapers… they need to be relevant. I for one read news articles on my iPad USA Today application. I do hate it for the newspaper and magazine industry, however. I don’t like it when someone’s business becomes irrelevant and people lose jobs.
P.S. I think the photos you took for Lexie’s blog are really good. You have a great eye for photography
It’s a tough spot.