Friday, March 12, 2010

Somethings got me a bit prickly



So I thought I'd blog about it. It's been a few ... OK several months since I've set foot in this blog. The only thing that brought me back was a rampant fad that I've found going on over on Facebook.
I started bitching and complaining in my mind about it and then tada! Light bulb moment, this would really be a good blog post!
The fad isn't one that most people would think, it's not status shuffle or farmville.
It's people starting their own Photography business.
After about the fourth or fifth "Come be my photography business fan" request and the twelve thousandth time I've looked at other starting photographers Facebook sites. It dawned on me, a love of photography does not a good photographer make.
Sure some, actually a very small percentage, no make that maybe 1% of the ones that I've looked at lately are NOT GOOD. They do all the amateur photographer mistakes, over lightening in photoshop making the picture look grainy due to their inadequate skills using lighting. Heavy vignettes trying to make a so so picture look OK. It pains me so much to think that people are actually paying for these.
But then there is a flip side to all of this. Those friends of mine who really are totally awesome photographers. Those blogs that I frequent of amature master photographers. To these people starting a buisness makes them take pause. They have such great talent and yet they slowly and methodically take their time to start a business or they don't at all. They remain happy just doing this hobby and creating their art. True artists aren't in it for the money, they're in it for the love of it. Oh how I love these photographers.
In the mean time if you are in the market for a professional photographer, look at their work and compare it to others. Don't just hire anyone with a digital SLR and a willingness to take your money... please!

p.s. The photo above was taken during a cold snap. It's prickly ice on my bob wire fence.

3 comments:

Corey~living and loving said...

first off.....I have sooooooooooooooooooo missed your blogging. ♥

and I totally agree. oh me oh my....there is a HUGE trend of folks starting their own photography business, and while I do think that 95% of them aren't ready to take on such a task, I do think that in the end....they won't be successful anyhow. They are definately in it for the money, and rushing into it is a sure sign of that. sigh....I have let it go....I try not to even pay attention to it anymore. It just bugs me too much.

OhCaptain said...

Welcome back to the blogging world! Yeah. Photoshop and expensive cameras does not a photographer make. Not saying I'm an expert either, but I think Corey is right, most won't find much money there.

Unknown said...

I miss your blogging, it's been months! I have to tell you, I am a horrible photographer, but.... (of course there's a 'BUT', right?) I still love trying. Out of 15-20 shots, I might get 2 or 3 good or sorta-good ones. I'm learning, I know I need a better camera and have been really giving thought to the Canon T1i or similar as per your and Corey's suggestions, but dang it's $$$! I'm too poor to try to do anything more than just enjoy my feeble attempts, but it is a wonderful feeling when I see those few good shots come out, it's just unfortunate that everyone else has to see the crap shots mixed in when I get post-crazy on Facebook. I aspire to someday (far far in the future) to be like you and Corey, I love your work! I love the prickly ice, makes me actually miss it.