Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

From time to time discussion items here on the Hog bring up comments about how "the camera doesn't make the photographer". We often lament that this belief is apparently not shared by the non-photographers. Unfortunately, this lack of understanding may be more widespread than most of us would like to admit, as shown by the recent thread about the Chicago Sun Times firing of their photography staff and the following news article.

http://www.ppa.com/article.cfm?ItemNumber=4020&goback=%2Egde_1192927_member_245500374

My question is, given the pervasive spreading of the belief voiced by Yahoo's CEO, what can and should the photographic community do in order to counter the growing misunderstanding by the general public? Or have we reached the point where being a professional photographer is no longer a viable option?

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Apparently, there is such a thing as a professional <bleep>.

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

There will always be a place for professional photographers if you market correctly for your target audience. If you market for $25 for a disk images, you are going to get $20 clients (cause everyone wants a deal, right?). Market for $3,000 clients and you will get $2,000 clients.

There is an abundance of bottom feeders in this industry and every time one closes up shop 3 more pop up, the reason for this simple:

Camera manufacturers themselves - they have launched marketing platforms boasting that even the most basic entry level camera will give you professional results. You don't need to bother with actually learning about photography.

The economy - when the economy tanks people start looking at easy and quick ways to make ends meet. Since there is no training required to call yourself a photographer, it seems like an easy choice. Same situation happens with in-home daycares, people that knit baby hats and sadly professional photographers marketing to other professional photographers (actions, marketing templates, workshops, etc).

Family/Friends - Family and friends don't want to tell you that you that you need to re-evaluate your skill level. Their job is to support and throw praise on you. The result is to many people pick up an camera at Walmart, hear their family and friends tell them they are amazing and think they are ready to be in business. It doesn’t matter that they got their camera for Christmas and it’s only January 12th.

Cost vs. Quality mentality – Cost vs. quality mentality of our society as a whole has also created this issue or the “Good Enough” people. It’s why Walmart does so well. Why pay $45 dollars for jeans when you can get them from Walmart for $9. Doesn’t matter that the $45 dollar jeans will out last 10 pairs of the $9 ones, it’s about instant savings and gratification.

The attitude of Marissa Mayer isn’t surprising, just look at any site like You Are Not A Photographer (there are more than a handful of them on facebook alone). They don’t have a shortage of photographers to feature and those that support the featured photographers don’t care that the people are orange “it wasn’t the photographer’s fault, it was the lighting!” – I kid you not that was actually something someone said trying to defend a shoddy photographer or my one of my all time favorites “This is how they really looked!” umm so your client is naturally blurry and has glow in the dark purple irises?

At the same time you can bet your last dollar that Marissa Mayer’s marketing team/assistant went out of their way to find a highly qualified professional photographer to take her company headshot and her family photos.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I read that a couple of days ago, and I thought it was a stupid, ill-considered statement. I'm sure he doesn't believe that. He was just offering some justification for the change in Flickr.

RDH

I think it is more that being a professional news person is no longer a viable option. Newspapers have for sometime been trying to get out of the reportage business. Sad but true.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Remember that old term, "Investigative journalism"?

RDH

with difficulty

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

Marissa Mayer is the CEO of yahoo as well as female. She also released a statement about her flickr speach saying the quote was taken out of content.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

...and the full context is...

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

Yikes, I just listened to the entire press announcement. Here's the link:

http://screen.yahoo.com/yahoo-event-155000760.html

Fast forward to about the 45th minute and listen. I don't think it was taken out of context, but some have jumped at the chance to dissect her words. She was trying to explain why there wouldn't be a special offering for those who needed more space (like a pro), and then quickly put her foot in her mouth. If she claims it was taken out of context, then she's back-peddling. It was a faux pas and she just needs to own it, apologize and move on. She may have already done this; I don't know?

RMM Loc: Suburban New York

Remember when the first Macs came out and desktop publishing got under way? The typographers flipped out because everyone thought they were page layout designers. All those fonts! It took time to sort things out. Now, there are many more publications because the tools are readily available, but the classy work is still being done by pros. Pro photographers will continue to exist because they understand light and composition, and will invest in the equipment to achieve outstanding results. I still yearn for the days of Life Magazine.

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

I disagree... I think all pros should quit their professions, and the State should recall and collect all pro photography equipment. After this, everyone should be handed a standard edition Samsung smartphone. Let's level the playing field a little! It's not fair that those with real talent can make a living doing it and I can't. And if the pros figure out a way to take better photos with a Samsung smartphone, lets downgrade them with iPhones that have a bluish hue when photographing directly into the sun. :-)

RMM Loc: Suburban New York

Alternatively, the Preserve Professional Photographers Guild has proposed taking all smart phones away from amateurs and replacing them with electronic pinhole cameras in their Pinholes for Pinheads program.

PrairieSeasons Loc: Red River of the North

Yahoo's CEO, Marissa Meyer, seems relatively tone-deaf when it comes to the reality of people. She had a custom-built nursery attached to her executive office at Yahoo. At about the same time, she announced that Yahoo's flex workers (mostly young mothers) would no longer be permitted to work from home.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Pad and pencil, anyone? :D