My Theory Using DSLR's And Photoshop

[AndrewCCM]

Originally Posted by LadyShutterBug

a) just because you don't have cutting edge photographic equipment doesn't mean you are not creative. it doesn't mean you don't know how to compose an incredible image. it just means you don't have expensive equipment.

b) just because you do have cutting edge photographic equipment does not mean you are creative. no equipment will "make" you creative. better equipment just allows you to better showcase your creativity and skills-- much like an athlete's performance can be enhanced with fabulous equipment. hand a couch potato some running shoes, and he's still not ready to run a marathon.

c) if this is your sole means of income and you can't compete with amateurs or "overnight photographers", perhaps you're in the wrong business. don't be just a little better than the amateurs... be incredible. in the end it doesn't matter if you picked up your first camera 50 years ago or 50 minutes ago. Your images and your respect for your clients are what matter.

Ah.. if it was only that simple...

These days (in my mind) it takes a lot more than talent and a creative eye to make "a living" in this biz. I mean supporting oneself completely from photography. Great images alone, no matter what equipment, what workflow, what results you give will not guarantee your success.

I tend to be more on iCe's side of the fence...I have no problem with new photographers coming into the biz at all.. What I do worry about is the further decline of what fine photography is being defined as. New generations, (camera phone gen as I call em), many think a soft oof b/w pic is now art. Much of the market trend is also moving to quantity over quality and much of the use of images rarely hits print. But obviously that all depends on the market.

In the end, I personally think that educating up and coming photogs and continuing to promote excellent photography techniques is a good thing for the industry. I am not convinced, however, that the influx of everyone and their dog entering the "biz" isn't hurting established photogs...regardless of their reputation and quality. Look at other pro forums and talk to other well established pros.. A lot of them are down in bookings in 2008 significantly. Not all... But an alarming number. Print sales are also declining in the mid market as I understand it.

I am so getting off topic... Accept my apologies.. I am just rambling off what comes to mind while reading through the latter messages in this thread.

[johnastovall]

Andrews, what you say is true and it's not going to change but rather increase. The way photographers worked and made livings even 5 years ago is radically and forever changed.

It's because of that I find the business models of Alan Briot and Brooks Jenson of interest.

Photographers will have to stop seeing themselves as tradesmen but as artists. That is going to require a major shift in mind set and how they present their work.

[johnastovall]

I just noted a major meta-assumption in this thread "DSLR's."

It assumes the information presented is only for "DSLR's." So, I guess we digital rangefinder shooters and those using digital backs and scanned film can ignore it.

And there's that "Photoshop", Capture One folks can rest easy also.

[iCe]

Originally Posted by LadyShutterBug

a) just because you don't have cutting edge photographic equipment doesn't mean you are not creative. it doesn't mean you don't know how to compose an incredible image. it just means you don't have expensive equipment.

b) just because you do have cutting edge photographic equipment does not mean you are creative. no equipment will "make" you creative. better equipment just allows you to better showcase your creativity and skills-- much like an athlete's performance can be enhanced with fabulous equipment. hand a couch potato some running shoes, and he's still not ready to run a marathon.

c) if this is your sole means of income and you can't compete with amateurs or "overnight photographers", perhaps you're in the wrong business. don't be just a little better than the amateurs... be incredible. in the end it doesn't matter if you picked up your first camera 50 years ago or 50 minutes ago. Your images and your respect for your clients are what matter.

a/b- Irrelevant to this thread. If you look around you'll find that I've said the same thing numerous times. However... The thread is/was a very nice tutorial on how to process Jpg's that has fragmented into "shards of glass" about post processing and file format... and I feel kind of bad about that...A pro is more likely to produce a great image, with more frequency, that can he sold at professional pricing (as opposed to an apologists pricing) than an amateur, no matter what he/she is shooting with. I would argue that if you have the experience, especially with shooting film, better equipment doesn't do anything for "showcasing" anything.

c- Run that one by a pro sometime. There is a ton of discussion going on in pro forums, at photographers conventions, and in professional photographers publications about MWaC's...

Andrew- "These days (in my mind) it takes a lot more than talent and a creative eye to make "a living" in this biz. I mean supporting oneself completely from photography. Great images alone, no matter what equipment, what workflow, what results you give will not guarantee your success."

And that is because..... the business has been diluted by non-business minded "picture takers"...

Back to the topic at hand or at least one of the shards of glass...

[johnastovall]

For those wanting to know what a MWAC is.

[AndrewCCM]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

For those wanting to know what a MWAC is.

interesting article. that is pretty much my take on things. I posted about it in another thread a few months back and got a bit of backlash to say the least. my real point is that there is a difference between "making a living" and "being a full-time job". The influx of the latter that don't rely on it are hurting those that do. is life fair? no... it's just a discussion point. I think that all people that are in he biz should want to somewhat make it a real respected profession with ones time and effort rewarded as such. shooting "fulltime" and undercutting everyone because you can and coming home with a net profit of $10k for the year doesn't do the industry any good. sure its a fulltime hobby and buys some extra gear and gives you spending money...but lets not pretend it doesn't hurt the people in the industy that use it to put food on the table.

btw: I am not a fulltimer and do not rely on it. I do treat it as a profession and price at what makes me at least close to my corporate hourly rate.

anyway. I will just leave it at that. just something to think about. I am not suggesting that its something that will be fixed or change. just pointing out what I see happening to many friends and acquaintances that are in this "to make a living".

no more from me on this subject..."in this thread" ;)