Recent threads have brought this up, and it seems to be a growing trend.
With the introduction of "prosumer" digital cameras and the DSLR, more and more folks are taking photos. Of course, by their nature the higher end cameras generally help to produce better photos without assistance from the photographer. In my opinion, this has led to the advent of "Uncle Photographer." You know - the guy at all the family reunions snapping away so much that you never even see the face behind the camera.
Been to a wedding lately? How many people did you see snapping away with the Digital Rebels and D50s? I feel like I'm in the middle of a war. While I am not a wedding photographer, I know many that keep having Uncle Photographer get in their way when shooting a wedding. Often Uncle Photographer is pushing people out of the way to fire the shutter as much as possible. After all, if he takes 2000+ photos, some will be good, right?
It is a touchy subject for everyone. Professionals feel the bottom dropping out of the market, and newcomers delight at the joy of being able to make a quick buck with their fancy new camera. Granted, there is always going to be a portion out there that are the new pro photogs, who have the talent, and they've got to start somewhere.
I've found personally something interesting in my photographic journey. When I first began getting paid for shoots, I loved it, and got a big head about it. But after a while, I just got frustrated. At one point, I realized that while my pictures were "good," they weren't technically superior and they weren't the best that they should be. I found myself going from cocky to frustrated. Since that time I've cooled down on anything paid, and have focused on developing my skill. The way I see it - if I want to charge a premium price, I have to have a vastly superior premium product.
From my point of view, I've been the noob and yet I now understand the POV of the pros - after all, equipment (and by that I mean more than just the camera and CF card), cost money. I'm not even sure where I stand when it all comes down to it.
What are your opinions?
Below is an article by Patrick Rice on this very subject. A good read:
http://www.imaginginfo.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=3&id=1757
With the introduction of "prosumer" digital cameras and the DSLR, more and more folks are taking photos. Of course, by their nature the higher end cameras generally help to produce better photos without assistance from the photographer. In my opinion, this has led to the advent of "Uncle Photographer." You know - the guy at all the family reunions snapping away so much that you never even see the face behind the camera.
Been to a wedding lately? How many people did you see snapping away with the Digital Rebels and D50s? I feel like I'm in the middle of a war. While I am not a wedding photographer, I know many that keep having Uncle Photographer get in their way when shooting a wedding. Often Uncle Photographer is pushing people out of the way to fire the shutter as much as possible. After all, if he takes 2000+ photos, some will be good, right?
It is a touchy subject for everyone. Professionals feel the bottom dropping out of the market, and newcomers delight at the joy of being able to make a quick buck with their fancy new camera. Granted, there is always going to be a portion out there that are the new pro photogs, who have the talent, and they've got to start somewhere.
I've found personally something interesting in my photographic journey. When I first began getting paid for shoots, I loved it, and got a big head about it. But after a while, I just got frustrated. At one point, I realized that while my pictures were "good," they weren't technically superior and they weren't the best that they should be. I found myself going from cocky to frustrated. Since that time I've cooled down on anything paid, and have focused on developing my skill. The way I see it - if I want to charge a premium price, I have to have a vastly superior premium product.
From my point of view, I've been the noob and yet I now understand the POV of the pros - after all, equipment (and by that I mean more than just the camera and CF card), cost money. I'm not even sure where I stand when it all comes down to it.
What are your opinions?
Below is an article by Patrick Rice on this very subject. A good read:
http://www.imaginginfo.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=3&id=1757