Taking yourself too seriously.

[-doomed-]

I've got a friend who fancies himself a professional photographer, at least he sells photos on a variety of products and is fairly decent at marketing himself. He recently posted on his blog about those commercials poking fun at the overly serious nature of some professional photographers.
At any rate here is a link to his blog posting.
I'm no pro and I have never sold a photo -- I'm not sure of who'd buy works I've done -- but I cant help but think this is a nasty slip in personal judgement. If you want to appeal to the masses should you check your attitude at the door?

Read on. Watch the Xtranormal video in particular. If I were a customer stumbling onto something like that, I'd rethink how genuine he is, even if it's "just business."
Blog Posting
Perhaps this is a 'Making Photo Bucks' thread, but I felt the weird sense of overbearing photographer ego fell squarely upon the philosophy.

 

[swoop]

I take my work seriously, but not myself.

 

[-doomed-]

That's what I'm getting at though. The ego of the photographer, watch that Xtranormal clip he's made and you'll see exactly what I'm getting at.
Taking your work seriously is a must, especially if you rely on it to make a living.

 

[jsrockit]

I don't know the guy, but it doesn't come off as any worse than any other internet rant. He's got a point IMO. What makes it disingenuine or nasty? I'd say customers are way too sensitive if they get offended by a blog rant.

 

[aad]

What is he upset about? That they imply that the camera will make great photos, or the possibility that they are right?

 

[-doomed-]

I see your point about the customer thing. When you market yourself as this excited happy guy who wants to photograph your event, wedding, kids, car or you name it. You really don't want to put off your customers by making them believe you think they're an idiot.

 

[-doomed-]

What is he upset about? That they imply that the camera will make great photos, or the possibility that they are right?

Generally he seems to think that people will buy that a camera will make everything they take a picture of look "professional."

 

[jsrockit]

Generally he seems to think that people will buy that a camera will make everything they take a picture of look "professional."

The commercial does imply this. And there are people who believe it is that simple. Do I care? No. However, the commercial is as misleading as kids toy commercials can be.

 

[btgc]

Sometimes even blind hen catches a corn. One doesn't need to be a photographer or have anything fancier than cameraphone to snap picture of landing UFO or shot president. I mean, no one will care about exposure, focus, composition or anything as long as subject can be recognized on the picture.

 

[dcsang]

Generally he seems to think that people will buy that a camera will make everything they take a picture of look "professional."

Many people do think that way.

I've heard it many times.
"Your photos are so good, you must have a really professional camera !!"

Which does not take into account any years of experience I have shooting, my ability to understand the basics of exposure; how to avoid certain pitfalls; how to effectively communicate with the subject etc. etc. etc.

Usually, though, I don't bother trying to explain that to people. I just nod, smile and say "Yep, it does wonders !!" 😀 😀

Not taking himself seriously in the slightest,
Dave

 

[-doomed-]

The commercial does imply this. And there are people who believe it is that simple. Do I care? No. However, the commercial is as misleading as kids toy commercials can be.

While this is true, I'd imagine that most working photographers aren't really too worried or threatened by that sort of marketing. I'd also like to think that the hey, nice camera -- it must take great pictures line also doesn't phase them either.
It's obvious that it doesn't bother you, but why would it bother someone else to such a degree?

 

[RayPA]

What I usually hear with regard to high-end cameras isn't that it takes great pictures, but that owner of a high-end camera must be a really good photographer. Isn't that why most amateur photographers buy high-end pro/semi-pro gear? It entitles them to give you that 'down the nose' glance when you passed them on the street and you're toting your m4/3 with a CV 28/3.5 attached. 😛

OTOH, I would think that most pro photographers buy high-end gear because it does provide better quality. Otherwise, if it's not the tool it's the photographer, then why aren't they shooting with some consumer P&S.

OTOH, no one is going to take a "professional" very seriously if he shows up to a shoot with a consumer P&S camera, nor will they take him seriously after he delivers the results from a consumer P&S camera.

In the end it's probably best for the photographer to check his ego at the door and not care whether the credit goes to the camera or the photographer. If he's a working pro, he's getting paid and his reputation is probably secure.

And, those little creature videos are only funny when they have a good script, and this one doesn't have a good script.




/

 

[jsrockit]

It's obvious that it doesn't bother you, but why would it bother someone else to such a degree?

I don't know... I do know that some commercials on TV just irk me. So much so, that I have to change the channel when they come on. I know how it is to get annoyed by something trivial. 😀

 

[ebolton]

Took my son to the movies last night. He is in college, and is a "professional" artist (though not photog), so I paid. There was a Canon ad that ran before the previews. The ad was a story, basically, of a young couple who had gone to Italy to take their picture where her parents had got their engagement picture taken. Apparently, they did not use a Canon camera on this adventure, and the photo came out like crap. So Canon flew them back 2 years later, with a photographer to do it right. My kid was really surprised the Canon pro was using some Powershot P&S, and he was pretty derisive about it. I pointed out to him: 1) for that shot, the P&S was all that was really required. 2) the P&S was what Canon was trying to sell in that advertisement. and 3) a disposable camera from a gas station could have taken a better picture than what the supposed-couple was trying to improve on. But really, his point is valid. Like him, I would expect a pro to pack the big caliber tool, in this case a Canon DSLR, even if only a tiny fraction of it's capability was required for the job at hand. In my own profession, I routinely use tools for simple problems that could also be used to design a replacement for the Golden Gate Bridge. Some of that is to help convince the customer he is getting the best solution, even if that same solution could have been arrived at in a much simpler (and less expensive) fashion. It is a philosophy thing- you can tell because the more you think about it, the more troubling it is.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I do not take myself too seriously and will CRUSH anyone who suggests otherwise.

 

[Paul Luscher]

Tempest in a teapot, as far as I'm concerned.

Re the Panasonic ads: OF COURSE they're going to tell you you'll take awesome photos with their gear. How do you think they're going to sell those things? Canon did the same thing with the AE-1 back in the early 80's.


I remember thinking, back when I first started out, lo those many years ago, with my humble Minolta X-370, that my photos would look as awesome as the shots in the sales brochure, simply as a result of my pressing the shutter button. Of course, I found out the hard way that this was not to be....

Re the Xtranormal video: Just don't see any point in being that touchy. The "great picture must mean great camera" idea is just an innocent misconception most people who are ignorant of photography have (Probably because of those Panasonic ads). My own dear mother was a victime of this fallacy, no matter how many shots of mine I showed her. So when someone says stuff like that to me, i just let it roll off.

(Conversly, many people seem to have the idea that taking a good photograph involves a combination of black magic and rocket science. I remember telling a non-photog friend of mine that I often used 3200 speed film--a film speed he'd never heard of--and he acted as if I spent my days playing with sticks of dynamite,,,)

 

[Peter R]

The 'camera takes the photo' sales spiel/attitude also works in favour of the pro photographer, so if I knew the blogger I'd suggest he look on the bright side.

Basically, turn up with anything more esoteric than the usual high end SLR kit enthusiasts use, and my bet is that a halo will develop over your photos. For most client situations I know, fronting up with anything MF still seems to do the trick in justifying 'real pro' money.

 

[Landshark]

Waaah, Boo Hoo! Mighty touchy isn't he?
Maybe he's worried that all of his clients are going to run out & buy one, putting him out of business.

 

[al1966]

I do portraits with a set of strobes, now the mains powered strobes are the dirt cheep ones. No one seems to know or care about the e cheapo lights but if I bring out a Ricoh GX100 or an Oly pen oh no they question the camera, so I have to use my 5d even though there is little difference in the final print. Its an easy situation for the camera set on optimum iso and with a well controlled light source etc. But people who go for a portrait expect you to be using a big pro camera, its annoying as the other cameras are a joy to use on a tripod. I like to set up two light setups with the tripod camera set up to use a slightly different set up. I gave up trying to explain that the cam does not matter though if there is a parent who is over proud of their kids I do joke that they must have had a good midwife.

 

[dovi]

Standard Marketing

Standard Marketing

I sense the high level of irritation it causes the photog that created the movie.

It seems like standard marketing to me. The goal is to make the object for sale Magical in the sense that you are empowered just by holding it (think Excalibur).

This has become so successful that people think that the product makes the "man".

People have been conditioned very successfully to see the tool as magic.