As of today I am no longer a photographer

[Bobobird]

I see one flaw in his “rebranding” exercise. It’s a bit the “new & improved” label that we see on so many products. We open it up and really see little or no difference; changing the packaging, logo or product name doesn’t change a darn thing that is meaningful to the end customer, in most cases.

Nowadays it means smaller/lesser product + a price increase.

[chauncey]

neither of these “business opportunities” were of any interest to me

been there/said that...those "art shows" scenarios are a tough way to make a buck.
Especially when one's idea of "fair market value" differs from that of the general public.

[HaseebM]

I can't understand what photography or being called a photographer has got to do with his change of business? Studio and professional photographers in India are thriving simply because of huge weddings and related functions. Even for the sake of convenience, one would prefer to hire a dedicated photographer with his equipment and assistants and they pay good money. I am just an hobbyist so does not apply to me.

[Colin Southern]

I can't understand what photography or being called a photographer has got to do with his change of business? Studio and professional photographers in India are thriving simply because of huge weddings and related functions. Even for the sake of convenience, one would prefer to hire a dedicated photographer with his equipment and assistants and they pay good money. I am just an hobbyist so does not apply to me.

I think he's saying that the term photographer has been diluted by the fact that every man and his monkey are now calling themselves photographers. In much the same way that 4 times Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel and I are both "drivers". So what he's doing is "opting out" from that dog-eat-dog segment of the market, and re-positioning himself ... and part of doing that means disassociating himself from his previous "life" called a photographer, and starting a newer "life" as a wall planner. Everyone is a photographer, but not everyone is a wall planner (or whatever the new title is).

I can see where he's coming from.

[chauncey]

Can anyone say "dead horse"

[ajohnw]

I don't think calling it something else will help much either. In some ways its' following fashion - many many companies have changed there names and reprinted all their paper, literature and cards etc. My isp tiscali decided that the word needed to be pronounced in a different way much cheaper.

The good money is part of the problem it encourages more and more people to get into it and as to part timers etc that has been a problem from the year dot. Nothing new about it at all. Perhaps the same thing will get worse and worse in India after a while.

One answer to the problems used to be to go large format and do good work. Some people know that a wedding etc is a one off occasion and that the shots can not be taken again and also will see the difference in the results if they have looked at other wedding for instance photo's. In film days the costs of doing that were not too great and typically the shots could be taken to a company that specialised in hand printing. Those would also usually offer machine but the standard would be lacking. The camera itself immediately improves some ones chances of being seen as a real photographer. Doing this sort of thing since digital has got a lot more expensive but if some one really wanted to get into commercial work they would have to spend the money or restrict the work that they do. I do know of a couple of people who come up against the large format problem. When they submit the files the people who print etc want to know where the rest of it is because they are so small. Some even say they can't handle the files but eventually find a way to convert them to large format.

John
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[Mike Buckley]

This guy's article makes perfect sense to me, though he's probably a better maker of fine furniture for walls than a writer. His piece defines an important challenge to the industry, delves into why it perhaps came to be so he could fully understand it before making any important decisions, and uses that information to arrive at a solution.

For me, the entire article is summed up with his closing statements: If your mindset does not change, neither has your business...I have truly changed what I produce. I make fine furniture for walls.

[ajohnw]

This guy's article makes perfect sense to me, though he's probably a better maker of fine furniture for walls than a writer. His piece defines an important challenge to the industry, delves into why it perhaps came to be so he could fully understand it before making any important decisions, and uses that information to arrive at a solution.

For me, the entire article is summed up with his closing statements: If your mindset does not change, neither has your business...I have truly changed what I produce. I make fine furniture for walls.

I took that to mean what I have mentioned a high standard work and more thought about what the general public might just regard as art but name changing wont help.

I may be a bit touchy about it having forked out well over 200 quid for a set of photo's at my sons university graduation but I see the same thing all over the place. Big company took them. They have the gear, studio set up for taking them and didn't bother to set up the lighting well enough so show any detail at all in certain colours of clothes and that type of problem. The one shot that it's hard to knock was the one taken on the stage using flash - which they insisted might not turn out offered no guarantee and charged 20 odd quid for. As they were taking probably 500 plus shots a day for a couple of weeks there is little chance of a one man business getting the work but they can compete with the results. The same applies to part timers. Most work on the social side is gained by word of mouth and people seeing others results. I could recount an unusual story about the photo's taken at my own wedding but wont bore you.

John
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[Manfred M]

I may be a bit touchy about it having forked out well over 200 quid for a set of photo's at my sons university graduation but I see the same thing all over the place. Big company took them.
-

Co-incidentally, the "big company" that takes the school photos sent out a questionaire yesterday asking about its service. Nicely said, I was "brutally honest" in my responses. While I fully understand the issues related to trying to take pictures of around 1200 high school students in fairly short order and understand that they can only take a limited number of poses. Unfortunately, medicore results are not going to sell more pictures, regardless of how well their website works or the different packages that they offer. They seem to have lost track of the fact that the core product that they are selling is a picture of our sons or daughters, not the associated bells and whistles.

I had a similar issue with the the images that were produced by the "official" photographer that did our oldest daughter's university graduation photos. They have an exclusive contract with the university. These are a lot more expensive than the mass-produced high-school photos, but they charge a sitting fee and then the usual costs for different "packages". They took a number of green screen shots (allowed for variable backgrounds that ranged from the tacky to the tasteful), but the basic poses were awful. Want a different photo, sorry, new sitting fee, book some time slot and more time out of a busy student's day.

When mediocre is the norm from the "pros", it is no wonder that the value of their work gets devalued.

[flashback]

My father was a tool and die maker for 30 years. He served a three year apprenticeship plus three years of correspondence classes for those three years (while raising a family of four). His trade -at the time- was well respected (he worked on a couple of things for the Apollo moon landings). He didn't like that the company started hiring kids right out of Technical (high) School and calling them Tool and Die Makers. He was offended because he didn't think the kids had earned that title. Whether or not they could do the job wasn't his issue; my father felt they hadn't served their time as he had. He didn't change the title of his trade,
he just retired early.

In Connecticut one only need fill out a short form, include a check and presto; Said person is now a licensed General Contractor or Home Improvement Contractor. No test, no experience necessary other than the ability to write out and send in a payment. Now anyone who can swing a hammer (and has watched at least one Home Improvement TV show) can call them self a carpenter and/or contractor. And Norm Abrams (the New Yankee Workshop) has single handedly devalued the term Furniture Maker.

The point of all the above is that there are times you just can not re-label yourself (or what you do) and your only options are to find something else to do or find a better way to do what you do that puts you above the herd.

And let me point out that all the grumbling about Uncle Bob and other 'hobbyists, who do photography part-time and are taking away work from the true professional and also devaluing the term Photographer, the same holds true for those Professional Photographers who, for extra money do handyman, plumbing, electrical or cabinetry work. Please Stop It. You're taking work away from the True Professional who paid their dues serving an apprenticeship, learning all the tools and techniques and learned to it all by hand without benefit of machinery.

Ultimately it comes down to two words: Caveat emptor. Whether you're having a home built or a wedding photographed the end results are going to rely rather heavily on the ability of the person you hire. It's not about selling a service so much as it is about selling yourself. If you are good at what you do (references, portfolio, trade/professional organizations) and can't find work it's either because you don't know how to sell yourself or (and sadly this is too often the case) people are price point shoppers and cheaply is an acceptable substitute for quality. Think 'Pearls before swine'

[Mike Buckley]

name changing wont help.

The author went into considerable detail about lots of other changes that have to be made.

[Bobobird]

been there/said that...those "art shows" scenarios are a tough way to make a buck.
Especially when one's idea of "fair market value" differs from that of the general public.

This guy (who I know btw) sometimes exhibits at the larger shopping malls in TO. One that I personally saw had one pic priced at $1000 and it got sold when I asked him about it later.

Once he paid someone a couple hundred to make up a photobook, had a 100 printed for about 120 each and sold them all for 250. So if you have the connections, which he has, it is not all that difficult.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerat...h/10285740235/

If I ever did up a photobook, my connections would want it for free.

[ajohnw]

Co-incidentally, the "big company" that takes the school photos sent out a questionaire yesterday asking about its service. Nicely said, I was "brutally honest" in my responses. While I fully understand the issues related to trying to take pictures of around 1200 high school students in fairly short order and understand that they can only take a limited number of poses. Unfortunately, medicore results are not going to sell more pictures, regardless of how well their website works or the different packages that they offer. They seem to have lost track of the fact that the core product that they are selling is a picture of our sons or daughters, not the associated bells and whistles.

I had a similar issue with the the images that were produced by the "official" photographer that did our oldest daughter's university graduation photos. They have an exclusive contract with the university. These are a lot more expensive than the mass-produced high-school photos, but they charge a sitting fee and then the usual costs for different "packages". They took a number of green screen shots (allowed for variable backgrounds that ranged from the tacky to the tasteful), but the basic poses were awful. Want a different photo, sorry, new sitting fee, book some time slot and more time out of a busy student's day.

When mediocre is the norm from the "pros", it is no wonder that the value of their work gets devalued.

Sitting fees? This one was 4 shots plus the one on the stage. That one was good value and nearly well taken. The 4 shots were do this do that. 3 of my son and 1 of us all together. Same back drop. I would say there were a dozen photo booths partitioned off in a room and maybe another room elsewhere. All the same back drop and studio flash with modelling light plus an umbrella of course. They seemed to be short of 24-105's from what I could see. 5D's mk? seemed to abound and we got a lens I have never seen - looked like it had a lead coming out of it or something behind it. Also much shorter than the 24-105's.

Pack prices carefully arranged to ensure a number of 10x8's were bought with duplication.

Mike - I know. Given my interpretation of his comments I'm sure he is right too. High quality work. Bit like mass produced furniture against bespoken.

John
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[Mike Buckley]

If I ever did up a photobook, my connections would want it for free.

Mine would require that I pay them to take it.

[ajohnw]

This guy (who I know btw) sometimes exhibits at the larger shopping malls in TO. One that I personally saw had one pic priced at $1000 and it got sold when I asked him about it later.

Once he paid someone a couple hundred to make up a photobook, had a 100 printed for about 120 each and sold them all for 250. So if you have the connections, which he has, it is not all that difficult.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerat...h/10285740235/

If I ever did up a photobook, my connections would want it for free.

I have seen an interesting one in a local shopping centre (mall I think in the US). Not that big a one either but plenty of foot traffic. He came along with a sort of portable studio that gave some privacy, screens, a few back ground props and offered portraits. He looked prosperous and from samples capable.

Not sure if people would be keen on following his lead though. Large format digital and even a rather expensive monitor. From what I understand he turns up from time to time which suggests it pays. Not sure but watching him he may have been PPing the shots while waiting for customers.

John
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[Bobobird]

Mine would require that I pay them to take it.

Mine would too probably but I am giving them the benefit of the doubt hehe

[Colin Southern]

From now on I wish to be known as a PROtographer!

[yauman]

Photonist
Photonnista
Photon Masseuse
Mid-Spectral Artiste

Can I have "Photon Masseuse"? Love the juxtaposition of sciency sounding "photon" and sensuality of "masseuse."

[flashback]

Yau-Man - Photon Masseuse. It has a nice ring to it.