Dreaming of a career in Photography - Are You?

[AB26]

A lot of discussion has taken place lately, about the demise of the Professional Photographer and how difficult it has become for the Professional Photographer, to survive the onslaught of all the “Uncle Jacks” taking away work from them.

Reality is that digital, the development of digital technology and the development of computer software, to manipulate images, has made it so much easier for “Uncle Jack” to be a much better “Photographer”.
All the “Uncle Jacks” can now afford a “Professional” camera (almost all Newbie’s see any DSLR as a Professional camera), load software on a computer and “fix” images. The encouragement “Uncle Jack” gets to simply switch the camera to Auto, shoot in RAW and then “FIX” it in PP, makes it look so much more attractive for “Uncle Jack” to enter the world of the Professional Photographer. No matter how good your camera skills, if you have good PP skills you can “fix” it and “make” good images, “Uncle Jack” is made to believe.

This is a phase the photography industry is experiencing at the moment, I believe. Sooner or later the “customer” will realise that all the “Uncle Jacks” do not produce the same quality of work as the dedicated Professional does. There is more to producing good photographs than simply shooting RAW and “editing” it in Photoshop. The “Uncle Jacks” will be phased out and a new breed of Professional will come forward producing better work than ever before. Many of this new breed might be X “Uncle Jacks”, talented individuals whom have persisted and developed new skills, to make the customer realise that paying good money for Professional work is worth it.

With this I am saying to all those out there who have a dream of becoming a Professional Photographer, one day, don’t give up, persevere and as Gary Player says, ”If you want to be a champion you have to work harder than anyone else”. If you have a real passion for Photography, develop the skills to get better than all the rest by working harder than all the “Uncle Jacks” out there.

In the Music industry the same thing has happened. Those whom were in the industry claiming to be the “Stars” were overrun by new talent discovered on TV programs like Idols and “Whatever Country” Has Talent. The Susan Boyle’s would never have been discovered if it wasn’t for these programs that gave the “Stars” a run for their money.

I know there are many “Uncle Jacks” out there whom will be upset by what I am saying here. If you are an “Uncle Jack” striving to make a career in Photography, you will understand what I am saying to you. Don’t have your dream destroyed by negative publicity, persevere, work hard and follow your dream.

[chauncey]

Andre, I can't argue with much of what you have said, but...to add a few things:

Some of those wannabes have much more likelihood of success than do others, much akin to having an "ear" for music. Not having that "ear" can make learning those skills a lot more difficult, a person of short stature would have more difficulty playing in the NBA than would a person like Shaq.

Also comes the investment/reward factor...is it financially reasonable to pursue a given career if the commensurate rewards are lacking in that career. To invest numerous years chasing a dream with inadequate compensation down the road makes little sense to me.

Turning a thoroughly enjoyable hobby or part time venture into a mind numbing, full time career is beyond my understanding.

[HaseebM]

Difference between "uncle Jacks" and 'professional photographers' would be the creativity and most importantly, interest, without which no one in any job would survive. If one finds their profession interesting, then skies the limit.

[dabhand]

Andre - whilst I agree with the principle of what you are saying I feel the acid test is the customer and how much they are willing to pay.

Many professions have seen their 'professionalism' and markets undermined, not just by Uncle Jacks, but also by mass industry and customer expectation as well - most any sector from car manufacturers through cabinet makers to trout fly tiers has seen their sector / marketplace eroded.

With respect to photography - there is now a large gap between what the general public expect of a professional photographer in terms of quality, cost and results and what professional photographers feel they should be charging and delivering - 'selfies', mass media, social sharing sites etc are continually widening that gap.

For sure there will always be a market for the true specialist photographer, as there still is for hand built cars, furniture and trout flies, but I think it will become harder and harder for anyone to reach that status; paradoxically the Uncle Jacks will continue to thrive, but only where 'photography' is not their sole means of earning a living - as Bob Dylan said - the times they are a changin.

[Colin Southern]

I suspect that the problem isn't so much the "Uncle Jack" at a wedding who's using his "professional" camera to take photos of his Neice; anyone who uses a "Uncle Jack" to document their wedding for free probably wouldn't be paying a few thousand dollars for a professional anyway.

I think the problem for the struggling professional photographer is probably two-fold;

1. In a photographic sense, they don't know what they're doing. They are in essence, the "uncle Jacks", who buy a "professional" camera, a flash, and a couple of lenses - post some shots to sites where members say how "cool" the shots are - and "hey presto", they think they're professionals without really having a clue about what they're doing (ie classic lighting styles, manipulating light, shooting in difficult conditions, handling people), and

2. In a business sense, they don't have a clue either (even if they are masters of the camera) (being a superb photographer is - ironically - almost a DISADVANTAGE - in running a photography business).

Often it's a case of "they just don't know how much they don't know". I'm probably a good case-in-point; I think it's fair to say that I understand the technical requirement needed to make a good photo, and having run my own (primarily IT) business for some 25+ years, I've got a pretty good idea of what's required to run a photography business and frankly, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. In my case, augmenting my existing business with some great paying photography and printing is a good thing, but that's a completely different level to needing that work to survive week to week.

In my mind, what I wrote above, is perhaps the key; if someone can augment their existing incomes with photography then great -- they can pick and choose the jobs that pay well and/or interest them. Once they cross over into using photography as a vehicle to pay the mortgage and feed the family then you no longer have the luxury of picking and choosing; at that point one HAS to generate a constant stream of paying jobs.