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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Everyone is a photographer

55 replies

MadameBee · 19/09/2020 13:14

Many years ago I did a city and guilds in photography (in the time of dark rooms) I did ok but these days I am a bit rusty but I learnt off the basics and realised what a skilled art form it is.

These day’s with the advent of digital photography it amazes me how many people with absolutely no training suddenly set themselves up (mainly on FB I admit) as a “photography business” with really quite shit photos.

Atm it’s really irritating me that we have this work FB page (nothing related to photography) and this bloke posts photos in there every day almost and they are monogrammed with his name (it’s ok mate I’m not going to steal them/print them out).

Obviously this is a first world problem but surely this must really grate on “proper” photographers?

OP posts:

Original poster

MadameBee · 19/09/2020 13:14

*of

OP posts:

CandyLeBonBon · 19/09/2020 13:19

I started in film when I was 18. Been working as a pro for nearly 10 years. Just finished my photography degree and about to do my masters. It's all subjective. If I were to worry about what others were doing I'd never concentrate on what makes my work stand out. Comparison is the thief of joy OP.

hilariousnamehere · 19/09/2020 13:42

It's mildly irritating but they never charge enough to stay in business long, and the people who book their shit photos aren't my clients anyway I've been pro for four years and these people don't bother me or my business :)

Though I do raise my eyebrows a bit at the proliferation of "photography businesses" after Christmas when everyone's got new cameras!

WilsonMilson · 19/09/2020 13:46

Brooklyn Beckham springs to mind.

YANBU!

Pelleas · 19/09/2020 13:49

YANBU You often hear of people being disappointed with supposedly 'professional' photos - this is probably why. If I were thinking of hiring a photographer I'd want some evidence of their qualifications - otherwise I might as well take the pictures myself! I'm not a bad amateur but wouldn't think of trying to set up a business without some formal training.

Zilla1 · 19/09/2020 13:50

I agree though I suppose it's a craft with low barriers to entry. Some professional trained photographers are poor and some though not most amateurs are better than many professionals. There are technical dimensions but academic degrees don't directly equate to quality. Really poor professional ones will not be viable in the longer term. It's probably similar to many crafts like sewing/dressmaking, ceramics, fine art and so on. The training and credentials are imperfect signals, unlike being a Dr or vet where the gatekeeping through training and regulation is absolute.

Regarding your poster, up to you whether you continue to be happy for him to promote his (poor) work using your FB page.

formerbabe · 19/09/2020 13:52

Yanbu...it's one of those jobs like interior design or cupcake making that is actually quite easy to train yourself to be mediocre in, whilst the demand for it is not especially high

Zilla1 · 19/09/2020 13:54

Wilson, I'd forgotten (thankfully) about Brooklyn's photography. I wondered whether it might have been really launching a comedy career along the lines of Sacha Baron Cohen's based but it seems not.

CompleteBarstool · 19/09/2020 13:57

I totally get where you're coming from as I did photography as part of my degree 30 years ago.

I spent many an hour in the darkroom and loved it.

There was something magical about not knowing what you'd captured in your 36 exposures until you'd gone through all those processes in the darkroom.

Nowadays you can just shoot 100s of frames of a single subject to achieve a result and you see the result instantly. If you're not happy with it you can alter so much that its' s no longer your photograph really IYSWIM.

I've seen some really awful "photographers" on facebook but they don't tend to be around for long. My neighbour also does the watermark thing to protect her images but they're nothing special.

It's almost like a lost skill or lost art

StillCoughingandLaughing · 19/09/2020 14:02

I suppose it’s like everyone being a fashion designer (or at least a dressmaker) because they’ve listed a few things on Etsy. It takes a lot more than that to be a pro and I imagine a lot of these businesses never make enough for the person to give up their day job.

I’m a decent amateur photographer and have had a few images accepted for sale on 500px, but I’m under no illusions that it could be a viable business.

EscapeTheCastle · 19/09/2020 14:16

I agree Op! I remember 30 years ago at college friends failing A Level Photography because it was so difficult.
How does one go about hiring a good photographer? Is there a professional association?

QueenOllie · 19/09/2020 14:24

@EscapeTheCastle for portraits/weddings, anyone on here is likely to be excellent
https://swpp.co.uk/index.htm

Griselda1 · 19/09/2020 14:25

Ask to see their insurance firstly and base your decision whether to hire them on full portfolios ie:an entire wedding shoot rather than a handful of photos. I work as a photographer and it's a tough and expensive game to keep up with if you're an amateur.

BrummyMum1 · 19/09/2020 14:29

Interior design and property development are the same. There are a lot of people out there that have a go because they’ve read interiors magazines, shared some interior shots on insta and watch a few episodes of homes under the hammer. If you want to set up your own business it doesn’t really matter what others are doing, what matters is what makes you special and why people would want to hire you. If your qualifications set you a standard above the rest then say why on your website. Belonging to professional bodies also helps for the same reason.

1forAll74 · 19/09/2020 14:31

I always think the same about all these so called celebrity women, who are always bringing out new collections of bikini's etc, just how many bikini styles can you have.

I do love great photography though, it's a true art form to see fantastic and memorable pictures, maybe from the archives in some cases.

redcarbluecar · 19/09/2020 14:32

Agree, but would find the monogrammed photos more funny than irritating. Technology has enabled us all to be writers, poets, journalists, photographers, the lot.

PurBal · 19/09/2020 14:38

DH was a journalist for many years. He left as print media declined and people started getting their news from the internet. It drives him nuts that no one values decent journalism. I know a few other industries like this too. Everyone's a journalist, theatre designer, web developer etc.

CandyLeBonBon · 19/09/2020 14:39

@EscapeTheCastle there are several. I am a member of two. You have to go through quite rigorous screening. I've also won international competitions but just like any art form, it's very subject and (although I gage to admit it) full of snobbery!

BlueJava · 19/09/2020 14:43

I don't think it matters - if they are any good then people will pay for their work, if they aren't then people won't. The market decides whether their photographs are worth anything or not.

Itsokthanks · 19/09/2020 14:43

It's like anything creative, if people are clueless and don't know what to look for they'll book any old Tom Dick or Harry. Different customers want it can afford different things so I don't worry about it. If you actually know what you're doing and charge accordingly you're not going to be affected.

Imonlydoingwhatican · 19/09/2020 14:49

Yanbu. I have a photography page, but not currently in business. I have a degree in photography, published and won a few competitions blah blah blah.
Its annoying but as others have said they are usally short lived.

rorosemary · 19/09/2020 15:08

I'm in two minds about this. I'm not a proper photographer (although several family members are) and I also see people calling themselves a photographer while quality wise they're not that good. Their businesses mostly fade away after their friends hired them.
On the other hand I have a family member with zero qualifications who just is very talented and has won several very prestigeous international competitions. So I do think that talent is more important than qualifications in the end.

InterstellarDrifter · 19/09/2020 15:11

I agree. I did photography as part of my Art gcse course and although there’s no way I could call myself a professional photographer, I did learn a lot and often get comments about how good my photos are.
Even learning the basics would be helpful.

SerenityNowwwww · 19/09/2020 15:11

I did photography at art school a million years ago. Dark rooms and everything! So much fun - developing really was part of the fun - not photoshop and everything on screens.

Pelleas · 19/09/2020 15:11

On the other hand I have a family member with zero qualifications who just is very talented and has won several very prestigeous international competitions. So I do think that talent is more important than qualifications in the end

I would class things like awards being won as 'qualifications' - ditto if the photographer had a professional history of working for recognised media institutions.

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