the future of professional photography
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This past weekend was the Worldwide Photo Walk and it was a great deal of fun (David Ziser has a really nice wrap up on the Cincinnati Walk here). I had an opportunity to speak with a number of other photographers in attendance and would like to thank everyone that took the time to say “hello”. I shot some candid video during the event that I’ll get posted here in a few days. While walking along we discussed a number of photo career topics like obtaining clients, valuing work and technical advances.
As I speak more and more with developing photographers with an eye on creating income from photography, two things leave me particularly impressed:
1. The speed at which new photographers are able to advance their technical skills with digital photography
2. An evolving, more business-like approach to earning even a bit of extra income from photography
We all understand that digital photography has made the technical learning curve more accessible. I sometimes find myself envious of the beginning amateur these days, thinking about all of the fun digital tools that are now at everyone’s disposal. This website lets me share learning experiences with photographers of all levels and it’s been fun to watch each other’s “flash bulbs” of knowledge going off.
But I do also miss the old ways: lighting every shot to maximum effect, color-correcting banks of lights and lenses, correcting perspective with the swings and tilts of a view camera and communicating with the E-6 technician at the photo lab. Computers and software have now capably replaced a portion of what once separated my skills from the amateur. That’s simply evolution, it happens in every industry and this one will continue to evolve, also (speaking of evolution, have you seen the new 15 megapixel Canon 50d with 18-200mm lens ?! They’re already taking online pre-orders for the 50d at Shop Calumet Photographic - It’s Where the Pros Go).
In less than a year into a digital photography foray, dedicated, focused (pardon the pun) hobbyists are becoming quite capable of producing technically excellent photographs. Continued dedication and the many available online learning tools can elevate skills much further. This has opened up a new world of opportunity for those photographers hoping to turn their hobby into a career. A few years ago this seemed to be fostering a bit of a “gold rush” mentality, where everyone with a camera seemed to be calling themselves a professional, thinking creativity alone might guarantee a living in photography. I wondered at the time if that mentality would continue and just where it would head. Many of those photographers searching for the photo business “easy button” have since gone on to other things.
This past weekend I received some good indications of just where things may be headed for my (our) chosen profession. While speaking to a number of part-time and aspiring professionals I was extremely pleased with the various approaches to the business I heard. There was intelligent talk on preserving the value of photography and the value of business planning. This was noticeably different than what I seemed to be hearing just a few years ago.
As a matter of fact, each aspiring or part-time professional I spoke to would be an interesting study on starting a business, each with educated perspectives to share. How cool is that? What makes it even cooler were the “thank you’s” I received for sharing information deemed helpful. If my photographic mission were to end tomorrow I’d feel fulfilled.
And, thankfully, among all of the intelligent conversation and questions, not one person had centered their business plan on finding the “easy button”.
The speed at which photographers are learning solid technique and understanding the business of photography certainly owes a lot to blogs like yours, Jim!
I’ve had a DSLR for a year, but I think I’ve advanced much more in the last 6 months since I dove deeper into the many online resources available.
As for the Canon 50D; I’m interested, but wondering Who’s More Innovative?
I hope you are right about some of the “easy button pro” photographers moving on. I still get a lot of brides saying “so and so off of Craigslist says he will shoot my wedding for $400″. While they are getting more and more technically sound in photography, math seems to evade them…
Hopefully what I’m seeing will continue, Steve. I think next year will be a big test for wedding photography and just consumer spending, overall. Will the inexpensive photographers raise their game or will higher priced photographers feel compelled to lower theirs? Keep me posted on wedding photography and your particular market…
Great post Jim, the future of photography appears to be heavily influenced by technology. I too was at the Cincy PhotoWalk (I am the oil painter all geeked out by the event). Blogs like yours, and David Ziser’s prove to be packed with valuable information regarding not only the photography aspect but also “the business.” Technology has driven me to embrace photography (more as a creative outlet as a hobby) and technology from the eyes of an artist. Business has changed for me over the years as a result. In addition to oil painting, I have developed skills in graphic design, and photography that have helped expand my business into something like split personality, ADHD, and creative professionalism all rolled into one geek.
There is so much to learn and stay up on. New cameras coming out so often we can’t keep up. Therefore the future of the photography business relies on the photographers. How will they embrace technology and “upgrades”? How will they handle the learning curve? I already know several Photoshop haters in the artworld who fear as oil painters, watercolorists, etc. are suffering because the “anyone can push a button in Photoshop and create a painting.”
I could go on and on on this subject. I have to say as an artist from the traditional side I admire (and am quite jealous) what the photography industry is doing. I only wish we (traditional oil painters) had a fraction of the enthusiasm and industry resources that the photography art community has developed.
By the way thanks for sharing your thoughts with all of us at the PhotoWalk.
- Michael
Okay, I ain’t the oldest photographer out here, but we have seen this before, although not this intense.
Auto-focus brought out scads of wanna-be pros, before that it was advances in auto-exposure. Motor drives launched a million more.
Hell, I am sure the introduction of 35mm cameras made that generation of photographers less competitive and prompted the same kind of discussion we are having 80 years later.
I am of the “this too shall pass” school of worry.
Jim -
Was great talking with you at the Photowalk and thanks again for the good advice on the biz. It is interesting to hear your perspective on “the future” and reassuring to know that it’s generally positive!
FYI, you many find my post on the walk to be pretty cool in a geeky-technology kind of way. I carried a GPS along with me and geotagged the route.
http://blog.rrdphoto.com/2008/08/geotagging-cincinnati-photowalk-with.html
Take care,
Ryan
Matthew, that nikon D90 looks sick!! With the D700 and the D90 coming out, Canon better step up their game in order to keep innovation in the forefront.
I’m a Canon guy myself, but I’m definitely seeing a lot more activity coming from Nikon these days.
I remember wondering as a kid what it was I was good at. I had no idea really, I felt so average. I wondered about the other kids around the world, how many gifted artists or scientists would spend their lives having no idea what sort of talent they had.
I think that with the advent of decent inexpensive cameras there’s a lot of people who have the chance now to try photography. They see they’ve got a good eye and are developing a real passion for photography.
It seems to me that it’s going to be tough for two sections of the business. The $400 Craig’s List shooters for one, because that market is going to get *very* crowded.
The other is the “older” pros who are coasting. There’s a new generation of (not necessarily young) photographers who bought Digital Rebels and discovered some real talent and passion. They’re working very hard and are going to quickly pass their elders.
And really, *good* photography is hard work. They’re not going to shoot a wedding for $400. Not for long anyway. I think it’s both because they can charge more and because of the work that’s involved to do it right.
Fantastic post, Jim, thanks.
I know I’m late to the game on this, but I couldn’t agree more. I’m one of the new comers looking to “go pro” and I have been paid for some of my work so in the loosest sense, I’ve “gone” pro, yet you hit the nail on the head. While I’m itching to dive in feet first, I’ve been really been boning up on the business side to know I’ll be able to still feed my family.
I’ll echo the other commenters here, this site is a gem of information. Thanks!
At an early career turning point I had the choice of following the road marked “Professional Photographer.” Didn’t because it simply looked too steep, twisty, and poorly marked. Put simply, it seemed too damned hard. So for fifty years I’ve picked the low hanging fruit that amateurs get to pluck. And they have been sweet. Photography’s given me consolation, perspective, and an alternative outlet for my passions, ideas, and emotions.
But while I don’t regret my choice, I do admire just how hard successful commercial photographers in every one of the fields work for their living. Yes there are more competitors than ever. And yes technical competency is coming at a younger age when those youngsters lack family responsibilities and are stoked with an enthusiasm to work a hundred hours on projects that only pay for ten. The young wolves have always challenged the pack leaders - but it does seem as if they are coming on in larger hoards, each anxious to work for a Happy Meal at MacD’s with enough left over to buy a new lens. Subsidized by parents, they have little sense of overhead, depreciation, or profits … But many seem fixed with the edgy eye that editors, art directors, designers, brides, and gallery owners find the passion du jour.
And since they share the generational culture that buyers want to attract/distract - what they lack in capital equipment can frequently be overwhelmed by a cultural vocabulary. It’s useful to speak in the voice and language of your market.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a generational divide in the tastes of those who pull the trigger on purchases. A generation of young buyers who have been raised within a thick-walled paradigm which reflects back their self worth at ever angle… is hard for folks to crack when they are standing outside of that generational bubble.
But… all is not grim for the professional who can escape the tractor beam of the commodity force which seems to pull prices down as equipment, overhead, and life costs soar. Never before has marketing literacy been so important to commercial photographers. If price is the opiate of the new photographer, brand is its cure. To the degree that the commercial photographer has been engaged over his/her years in building brand and product differentiation: To the degree that it’s been reinforced with strategic networking techniques: Then this appears to be a very good time to be a pro.
Although I still won’t swap my amateur standing with any of you.
Ted, I enjoyed your commentary a great deal and couldn’t agree more. Digital tools are making it much easier for new professionals to deliver the “WOW” you refer to in this post on your site. Attention spans are increasingly fleeting and sizzle supercedes steak. Or, you might say, a Big Mac trumps a blackened, pan-seared filet.
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