In message "Lodge, Phillips" writes
So at the risk of being patronising, and of enviting comments to "go away, you non-professional photographer", might I humbly suggest from a non-pro's point of view, that you pro guys and gels forget that ultimate success in your field is an art, not a science, and that is the bit you already have developed to be successful. That is the bit punters like. And the bit the nouveau-pro nurds don't have..
Dear Lodge
It's always interesting and useful to get a different view of things. What is of concern to me and I think should be to other photographers is this. The world is being swamped with easy to use, instant gratification auto digital snappers, who easily believe that what they shoot is not that different to the pro around the corner (block) They may see their pictures on their mostly not good monitors and are easily impressed, they print them out and are amazed. Yes it is amazing, just as amazing as those Polaroids.....do you remember....they too were largely very poor quality. Never mind it was an instant result if waiting a minute or so is instant!
Now with that Polaroid it was never going to really take over the world, certainly not as regards anything serious in the majority of cases, and getting a copy or an enlargement was a pain. However now almost anyone can buy a digital camera and get files they can play with. We all know that lighting inadequacies, bad control of subjects, bad composition etc., all can be more easily compensated for later on, and now there is no restriction on how many snaps it takes to get something the user is satisfied with.
I well remember something an ex employee of mine said to me many years later. He had successfully set up his own photo lab and when digital started to have an impact some five or so years ago commented to me as follows: Richard, the crap that these people are happy with from their cameras and XYZ printers would have been totally unacceptable had I been supplying them with such low quality. Sadly his business closed last year as have many similar, all due to the digital revolution. Incidentally the lab scene always used to be a fall back position for many of the students leaving photographic college courses....where do they go now I wonder?
We have always had competition, that's not the real issue. What we are seeing is the erosion of standards on a massive scale mostly at the altar of cost cutting and "good enough" Many buyers of photography for PR, editorial, company literature and many other fields have even less of a clue than in the past...just spend some time on EPUK or the Editorial Photo list and you will quickly realize that this is the reality and it's hurting many "big time". Of course there will always be a market for good quality creative work.....when the risks of cutting costs would be commercial suicide ....but this is a small part of the market. The market for just decent quality professional work is being seriously undermined, some would go as far as to say decimated, (Royalty free has not helped either) and I predict that every working photographer will feel it very soon if they have not already. That's what happens in any market when it's base is undercut....and photography is no different. Yes we must do all we can to show that we have the skills and know-how that will produce a real benefit to our customers. Let's be clear about it, we face an uphill struggle which our professional bodies, if they are all as blinkered as the BIPP have done little to address.
It's as well to remember that in the past it was not just photographers who helped keep standards up in the world of picture making. It cost real money to have good colour separations made so as to be able to print colour pictures in brochures, magazines etc....the whole business of producing literature was much more of a serious business and our customers were more aware of the risks attached to using pictures that the sales rep took for example. There were the repro houses who would be the first line of education to commercial customers offering technically poor quality pictures. Few of them are left now, and now of course much of the work has been taken over by the print shops, many of whom are finding life very tough. They have a natural reluctance to say to the customer...hey Mr customer, these pictures of yours are rubbish...go and get them re-shot by a competent photographer and then we will look at your job. No, that is not likely to happen, they will try to cobble them together and retain the print business.
So to come round full circle....in the early years of digital imaging, let's say up to three years ago, this was really only the preserve of those who had made the commitment of earning their living full time in the profession/industry. Their experiences were willingly shared amongst themselves on Prodig and elsewhere. Now the situation is very different I would suggest. The flood gates have opened, everyone and his dog sees that they can be a photographer, and there is very big money pushing this tidal wave...."egged" on by the Lord Lichfields, etc.
I have no problem with good photographers who have left it late to embrace digital working, but what I do have a problem with is those on the fringes who do not have that commitment, and who are perhaps more likely to undermine the industry with sub standard work and poor business ethics. The majority on Prodig members hopefully do not fall into this category.
In what other industry facing the onslaught we are open to would you have a situation where they hand out very valuable knowledge such as we do here to anyone out there in the market place who wants it? The cost of "going digital" is I hold not the purchase of the hardware and software, it is the obtaining the knowledge and expertise to make it work and keeping it working.
These thoughts are not aimed at anyone in particular here, and certainly not at those people who make pictures for pleasure rather than as their living. I see some of their work here regularly for drum scanning, and I can tell you it puts many professionals to shame!
I am not sure exactly what the answer is, but I do believe that there is a need for a list where it is possible to discuss a far wider range of topics than is allowed on Prodig at present, and that membership should not be automatically open to anyone.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers Richard -- Our new scanning and other services web site features Norman Child's superb pictures and those of other photographers. www.precision-drum-scanning.co.uk =============================================================== GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS for SALE
