I'm not trying to be really negative here, I really am not, but I have noticed a ton of brand new photographers in my area starting businesses.  None of them have any experience.  I know that once upon a time, I was one of them, but before I started my business, I got quite a bit of training and I have continued to get training.  These photographers just got brand new cameras and shoot on auto and their prices are very low.

I'm sure I am not losing business to them, but it's strange.  If I mention to anybody I am a photographer, they'll say, "oh, everybody thinks they are a photographer now, I just met 3 or 4".  Wow.  

I guess I just wish that these new photographers would get the proper training because the public doesn't know that their work isn't very good.  

Yup, for a long time now.  I keep getting emails from a girl from my hometown, she's 18 and keeps asking what equipment she should buy.  I asked her what she knows about the technical side of photography, and she knows nothing, and has no interest in learning it.  I finally gave up on the equipment thing and told her to invest her money in some kind of tutrials or classes or something, but nope, all she wants it expensive equipment.

Blah, whatever!

I have been learning and training for two years now. This includes working for another photographer. I am just now opening my own studio. I'd like to think I am doing it right :) Granted two years is not A LOT of time - but I have learned A LOT in the past two years.. hey I dont even have auto-mode on my camera :D

It is a LOT easier to be an adequate photographer these days.

that includes being able to provide what appears to be creativity to the client.

Auto cameras, one click post processing and ready made templates and web based printing/publishing...

all of it makes for a tougher competition environment.

sort of like all the mechanical and electronic stuff made finding and catching loads of fish easier...

now there may not be enough "fish" to support all the "fishermen".

This is the kind of person I don't want to be.  This is why I've turned down friends who've asked me to do their babies... because I want them to get a great shot and I'm not confident I can provide that yet.  I don't want word to spread about anything I've done until I'm sure it's worth my customer's time.  I think I've gotten some really good stuff for the camera I have, but I want to be sure I'm gonna do something they'll want before I tell anyone I'll do it.  I need a better camera, more training, a better understanding of the technical jargon that still reads mostly like French to me, and how all that technical jargon affects what I see after I push the shutter.  I definitely want to learn, I don't want to be the next cheap photographer that shoots crap from their basement.  I have a passion for it, always have, and I want to be worth it.  I was dissapointed in the pictures I had taken after my daughter was born and I don't want anyone leaving a session with me feeling like that.

drh681:

It is a LOT easier to be an adequate photographer these days.

that includes being able to provide what appears to be creativity to the client.

Auto cameras.....

I agree.  ON the other side.  Look at Vogue ( april 2008)  back pages there is a 3-4 page photo shoot for eyewear that  SUCKS!    IF I shot like that I would be balled up in a dark room wondering why my work does not POP.
Blurs, flairs, Shadow etc....      They are paying top dollar for  ( technically) crappy photos!  ....... now go tell a Fashionista you need to shoot technically correct all the time.  ......  

my point is yes, on one side of the scale photographers talent has "slid" a bit,  but also the clients "eye"  for quality is not the same either.....

Over the past year we've come into contact with hundreds of brides through our bridal shop... Not a single photographer's name has been repeated when we ask about who they're using.  We got lots of, "My mom works with a photog that's going to help out..."  We also hear a lot of out-of-town names, but it's just more of the same. 

Yep.  The market is incredibly over-saturated...

I agree with you Karen, and others.

OK, I'm gonna fess up here.  When we were house hunting right after Christmas, I had a ton of chances to look at all variety of like wedding and kid photography.  (Between the stuff on people's walls, all the Holiday cards, wedding albums on the coffee table........I'm just as nosy as the next person.  And it only takes about ten seconds to check out what meds they're on and what's in their liquor cabinet!)  Most of it was pretty new, and had watermarks etc.  And it SUCKED!

I don't mean differences in style.  I mean major exposure problems, color casts, terrible composition, awful lighting etc.   I was shocked.  These were some pricey weddings, sittings etc.  If I were a wedding/studio photographer I would have lost my mind. 

WTH is going on?  Are customers just that clueless?

Just out of curiosity, I just looked in my local phone book.  There are two people listed under "photography".  I've seen their ads in the local paper.  Good but VERY pricey.  

It's easy to see where crummy "pros" come from.  But how do all these people find them? 

It's funny.  I would have thought that the increased competition of digital photography would have "raised" the bar.

Not from what I saw........ 

don't lynch me because I said this.... please.. but I've had multiple people tell me I'm too expensive and I'm on the very low end of my prices (I"m portfolio building) and many people will let a new, free photog take less than par pictures of their family because the pros are too "expensive" in their mind.. it's about priorities. 

A lady I work with wanted me to do her grandson's wedding. I shot them a HECK  of a deal... and they said I was way too expensive.. They let a friend do it for free and the pictures were "less than snapshots" from what I hear....

 Hey guys, i must agree with some of you saying that "some people are just that clueless," but what ive noticed is that no one wants to pay for a professional photographer when they can  have a friend to do it for free. Even though the pictures are no where near as beautiful and creative as a professional, they saved a lot of money. I say this because a friend recently got married and she had her aunt take the pics. My friend and her now husband paid so much money for their wedding and they have no detailed photos and every picture is a bit blurry and just ugly. Its a shame. A big shame.

ha ha Jim, we're now neighbors!

And i specialize in lobster rolls and micro-brews!  Can't wait for you to visit!

The next two weeks are crazy for me.  (Annual visit from friends from Paris.)  End of summer is better anyway around here.  

But I can't wait to meet you and/or your whole crew!

Shannon 

Interesting thread, but it's nothing new.  This has been discussed often for the past 2-3 years on this board alone.  I believe it's only going to get worse considering cameras are getting better and better. 

Obviously it's not the camera that makes a good portrait, but it's much easier for someone who doesn't know what they're doing to get a an acceptable result from a better camera.  Doing this full time as your only occupation is going to get tougher and tougher.  Even the big dogs make a good percentage of their income from offshoots of their photography business.  Look at Kubota, Claire, Becker, they are all making money from seminars, products, training videos--anything to keep their name out there, fresh, and sought after.  

 Keep learning, keep growing, do it because you love it, and provide a great product at a fair price.  But know that the competition is going to become tougher and tougher.
 

jwlynch:

Lynching is over-rated. ; ) Trust me.

I've been a freelance graphic designer for almost 20 years and have seen this kind of thing ever since the PC (or Macintosh) became affordable to the "desktop publisher". With a simple page layout program and a handful of fonts, anyone and everyone became a designer. It became very difficult to justify my fee. I do very little of that work these days. I had to move into a new niche (like web design). You have to become a specialist.

Jim I consider myself a semi creative person (I like to scrapbook and paint and other "creative" stuff)  but I SUCK SUCK SUCK at graphic design... my hats off to people who can sit down and design something...

 I would have to agree, the market is over saturated, but it comes down to people's priorities...it they value great, artistic photography and want to make an investment, they come to me...if they don't, they go to wal-mart and the like, and frankly they are not my target market anyway...

shannone:

ha ha Jim, we're now neighbors!

And i specialize in lobster rolls and micro-brews!  Can't wait for you to visit!

The next two weeks are crazy for me.  (Annual visit from friends from Paris.)  End of summer is better anyway around here.  

But I can't wait to meet you and/or your whole crew!

Shannon 

 

How's your summer in the new house? Lobster and beer... mmmmmm. Now you're talkin'

The end of summer is better for me too. I will be up to visit. Promise.

J

 This topic has been beat to death since the beginning of photography.

Look at it this way: People wanting to purchase a new Camry aren't going to go to Bob's rent-a-wreck to buy a used yugo. There will always be people who value quality, just as there will always be people who value exclusivity.

People who expect to pay $3000-$5000 for wedding photography (or more!) aren't going to be browsing craigs list for someone who will shoot it for free. The expect quality, service, and reliability. Can you get it for free? Maybe - but these clients aren't willing to take the chance.

Check out this post on the knut:

http://talk.theknot.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=52916509&forumid=30

http://talk.theknot.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=51237818&forumid=30 (bad mike - no vendors! LOL)

http://talk.theknot.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=50519729&forumid=30 (even this one, she's on a tight budget, but she even says she's "willing to pay for nice pictures".

Portrait guys have it a bit harder, as it's easy to say "Well, I'll just try these guys. . ." and if they are decent (both in the photography and business side) it's easy to lose a client. Weddings clients are usually a bit more cautious about newbies, because of all the horror stories and it's only happening one time.

Then again, it's easier (and much cheaper!) to keep a client than it is to find one, so portrait guys have an easier time with that...

Get creative with marketing and promotions. Run a referral contest, and have a big prize (like a free 20x30 gallery wrap!). Maybe get a laminator and create a Preferred Portrait Club, and send out monthly newsletters with specials. Try doing portrait safaris - have a grill out at a park, and have time slots for formals, plus lots of casuals!

Business (and economy) can be a self-fulling prophecy. If you feel that business is bad, it's going to get worse. Rather than dwell on the problems, find new solutions. Get the book "Who moved my cheese?" - it's a must read for ANYONE in business. If you've read it, read it again.

Shan

jwlynch:

Lynching is over-rated. ; ) Trust me.

From one Lynch to another, I know what you mean, haha!  

 I wasn't saying my business is bad, I was just saying that I have noticed recently that "everybody is a photographer".  I've noticed it before, but now I am really noticing it and the worst thing is that Shannon is right.  The pictures I am seeing are awful.  I had one parent tell me about a lady who did phenomenal pictures of their preschool.  I looked at them and they were horrible and technically incorrect.  All of the parents love them.  Why?  Are the customers really that clueless?  I didn't say anything.  I do know some photographers here who are expensive and their work is awesome.  I would recommend them in a second, but what do you say when somebody is showing you garbage?  I usually don't say anything. 

I"m sure they loved the pictures, because they were of their children... I looked back tonight at some pictures I took of my kids as infants, they were snapshots but I still loved them..

Karenl39:

jwlynch:

Lynching is over-rated. ; ) Trust me.

 

From one Lynch to another, I know what you mean, haha!  

jwlynch:

Karenl39:

jwlynch:

Lynching is over-rated. ; ) Trust me.

 

From one Lynch to another, I know what you mean, haha!  

I thought you looked familiar. ; )

My son's varsity tennis partner's last name was Lynch this year and they weren't related.  The newspapers called them the "Lynch tandem".  Everybody thought they were brothers.  It was funny! 

Karenl39:

 I wasn't saying my business is bad, I was just saying that I have noticed recently that "everybody is a photographer".  I've noticed it before, but now I am really noticing it and the worst thing is that Shannon is right.  The pictures I am seeing are awful.  I had one parent tell me about a lady who did phenomenal pictures of their preschool.  I looked at them and they were horrible and technically incorrect.  All of the parents love them.  Why?  Are the customers really that clueless?  I didn't say anything.  I do know some photographers here who are expensive and their work is awesome.  I would recommend them in a second, but what do you say when somebody is showing you garbage?  I usually don't say anything. 

I think, in general, the bar is being lowered and people are being conditioned to accept lesser quality. Look at You Tube; anyone with a video or f