You Are Not a Photographer

[shelltree (Shelley)]

http://youarenotaphotographer.com/

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

classic

[adman (Adam)]

I love the 'stages of a photographer' chart

[Octane (Humayun)]

Shelley, that's a lot like the I Hate Your HDR link in my signature.

Adam, Stages of a Photographer is in my signature as The HDR Hole.


There's a forum I'm on where there's a section dedicated to outing "pond scum" who give professional photographer's a bad name. You know the type -- they buy a DSLR and become professional photographer's overnight; they end up charging almost next to nothing for paltry work, but, it affects long-time established professional photographers as there's an opinion being promulgated in the public that anyone can become a professional photographer, all they have to do is buy an APS-C DSLR, and, as a result, the established professionals shouldn't be charging what they do for their work. I love it when I'm doing weddings and Uncle John who's just bought himself a Rebel or Dx000 thinks he can direct the bride and groom for their shots. I just stop shooting.

As can be seen on that page, good photographer's take years to refine their craft.

H

[Paul Haese]

Went to a wedding a couple of years ago. Paid photographer there taking frames with a well pretty rubbish non DSLR with those crap extender type of lens that screw onto the previous lens.

I had my gear there and I was taking frames for a group of friends as they wanted nice images of the day. I took frames of the couple and everyone through out the day. He charged 3000 and I charged well; nothing. I am told my frames were used for the wedding album. I did 4 years of photography at school (film days 1970's) then been practicing since then. I think he had only been doing weddings and photography for a couple of years. I was shocked that someone could charge that without any training or knowledge of light. Plenty of it about I am told.

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

While I suspect there is. Is there a Photographer's Guild or some such body that sets standards with some sort of accreditation?

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

I was shocked that someone could charge that without any training or knowledge of light. Plenty of it about I am told.

Brother in law just fell victim to this Paul - truth said, final pics were passable but not professional. Friend of a friend recommended someone...
"They've got a facebook page..."

They asked me to do the wedding photography as I'd just bought a 24-70 f2.8L with the same delusion... good gear = good photographs.
I politely declined saying that there was a lot more to it than just click click.
Anyway I would have looked a twit wandering around with a cooled 40D!