Effect of "point and shoot" cell phones on the profession of photographer?
Dec 7, 2021 07:45:32 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Real Photographers use Polaroid.
I’d certainly use it if I could find some of their type55 or 655 pos/neg film in 4x5 or 3-1/4x4-1/4. Fresh, please.
I see one company has been making something similar (new55) but that requires a quick fix and wash in subdued light. Carrying two buckets—That is getting a bit awkward.
Dec 7, 2021 07:51:23 #
The short answer is yes, it has. People today, for the most part, are happy viewing photos on their phones and other electronic devices which basically is killing the business for prints, and prints/enlargements is where you make your money. In today's climate it becomes very difficult to justify paying $150 dollars plus for a digital file (and that's what people want, the digital files, and I always had a problem giving digital files away to a customer) when in the past people would be willing to pay that price for a nice, wall hanger family portrait enlargement. And the pro labs are already feeling this pinch. Like anything else in economics, a large supply of something decreases it's value, and often quality. Today, by virtue of phones, and digital technology, more photos are taken in one year than the entire 20th century, and people are exposed to viewing more photos than ever before. And I think it's wrong to compare the impact of the box camera and the Instamatic camera, and what it did to the professional photography business back years ago. Because of the cost of film and processing back then the sheer volume of photos taken back then by the non professionals is in the noise level compared to the volume of photo shooters and photographs taken today. And yes, I have shot professionally, and still do, but to a much lessor extent. And several of the comments above have mentioned a few important factors that have contributed to this phenomenon, the young people/consumers of today are just not interested in building a legacy of beautiful family photos, or hanging any of them on the wall like our parents and grandparents once did.
Dec 7, 2021 07:56:31 #
OldSchool-WI wrote:
So----this is a caricature and humor site?----Longshadow? Is your take about "Conon" that he is always pulling somebody's leg?-----------ew
He likes to interject humor, mostly tongue-in-cheek.
So many people are deadly serious.
Dec 7, 2021 07:59:23 #
Racmanaz wrote:
You are missing some important ingredients that didn't exist when the Instamatic was introduced into the market, the internet which feeds Facebook, Instagram, picture texting and selfies. Without all that, cell phone photography wouldn't have succeeded as great as is has.
That expands the base use as to cause. I am aware of it.
Dec 7, 2021 08:10:03 #
It depends on the situation. Most people want good pictures of their wedding. My wife and I got good pictures from people who attended. Wedding photographers will not be going out of business. People with the financial means often hire photographers for big parties and events.
Dec 7, 2021 08:16:07 #
I used to shoot an entire wedding without a crew, with my FM, 50mm f2 "H" Nikkor, and a Sunpak flash. Nowadays, an up-scale wedding shoot includes at least 3 photographers, a videographer, a drone pilot, (if the reception is outside), and a post-processor. Never was a businessman, but to "produce" a wedding shoot up to modern expectations is way beyond what I'd want to be involved in today.
Dec 7, 2021 08:48:37 #
mwsilvers wrote:
Of course the photographer is more important than the equipment, but amateurs with a good sense of composition can get pretty acceptable images with today's top quality cell phone cameras. For many people, that's enough.
I think your last sentence says it all. We recently took a 17-19 day drive around vacation. Went through the Shenandoah Parkway to the Blue Ridge and then Smoky Mtn. NP then to Savannah to Charleston then home. I did share some of the pictures with family and friends. No one asked what was the camera, the lens, the different settings, yadda..yadda..yadda. They liked the pictures. I would venture the non-pro is more than likely to be in a better place financially than the "Pro". Now of course you get into the assessment of what is;money and that means different thing to different people
Dec 7, 2021 08:51:18 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Sure, luck means a lot in photography. Not shooting with a Canon is bad luck.
Truth!!! 😂
Dec 7, 2021 08:55:25 #
traderjohn wrote:
...
... No one asked what was the camera, the lens, the different settings, yadda..yadda..yadda. They liked the pictures....
...
... No one asked what was the camera, the lens, the different settings, yadda..yadda..yadda. They liked the pictures....
...
Interesting how that works for normal people.
Dec 7, 2021 09:03:21 #
Quixdraw wrote:
Not everyone uses them, any more than everyone watches the "idiot box", AKA, TV. Hopefully, skill and quality will win out.
Would laptops/commuters fall into the category of "idiot box"??
Dec 7, 2021 09:09:23 #
traderjohn wrote:
Would laptops/commuters fall into the category of "idiot box"??
Only if watching videos, playing games, wandering Facebook, ...
Not if one is writing a book, editing images, creating programs, tracking finances, researching genealogy, ...
Dec 7, 2021 09:10:23 #
As a former photo lab owner, it was my experience that as digital cameras and cell phones increased their MP size, consumers need for quality dwindled to cheap price for photofinishing.
What used to be a demand for quality, became an attitude of “ that’s good enough”.
I’m speaking of the general consumer, not the professional.
However, this attitude impacted the professional in that they all of the sudden could not charge what they used to for doing a wedding or even a real estate shoot.
I had many professionals that used to charge $3,000 to $4,000 for a wedding could barely get $1,000.
As pixel counts went up, everybody became a photographer.
There was a time, when the 1 megapixel cell phone came out, that I said the cell phone would never replace the camera. Well we know what happened with that.
What used to be a demand for quality, became an attitude of “ that’s good enough”.
I’m speaking of the general consumer, not the professional.
However, this attitude impacted the professional in that they all of the sudden could not charge what they used to for doing a wedding or even a real estate shoot.
I had many professionals that used to charge $3,000 to $4,000 for a wedding could barely get $1,000.
As pixel counts went up, everybody became a photographer.
There was a time, when the 1 megapixel cell phone came out, that I said the cell phone would never replace the camera. Well we know what happened with that.
Dec 7, 2021 09:15:36 #
OldSchool-WI wrote:
Some critics claim that now that everybody uses "point and shoot" cell phones at all events and through life--photographers will be even in less demand than ever? But maybe the opposite is true? The Kodak boxes that every family had did not end portrait or commercial photography. There will always be a market for quality. And it takes photographic skills to get good photos with any camera---just as it takes artistic skills to make a valuable painting with a brush and paints.
Cell phone cameras will never replace “professional photographers”. Cell phone camera photos don’t print well especially when enlarged. Maybe I shouldn’t say they never will. But they will have to be equipped with capturing images in raw files that are able to be edited and print well.
Dec 7, 2021 09:16:02 #
OldSchool-WI wrote:
Some critics claim that now that everybody uses "point and shoot" cell phones at all events and through life--photographers will be even in less demand than ever? But maybe the opposite is true? The Kodak boxes that every family had did not end portrait or commercial photography. There will always be a market for quality. And it takes photographic skills to get good photos with any camera---just as it takes artistic skills to make a valuable painting with a brush and paints.
Dec 7, 2021 09:27:39 #
I would agree with that statement to a certain extent. Technology doubles every 18 months so who knows what the next year or two will bring.
I think the quality will continue to increase but not sure about the “features” that professionals require. Like exposure control, high frame capture speeds, RAW format etc.
The majority of the amateur or general consumer photographers print probably no bigger than 8x10 but the large percentage are 4x6 which they are more than happy with.
I think the quality will continue to increase but not sure about the “features” that professionals require. Like exposure control, high frame capture speeds, RAW format etc.
The majority of the amateur or general consumer photographers print probably no bigger than 8x10 but the large percentage are 4x6 which they are more than happy with.
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