We see images everywhere, on posters, on sidewalks and in the sides of lorries and automobiles. They are so ubiquitous that we hardly take any notice of them. It is the very success of photography that leads it to be casually ignored and definitely undervalued. Yet all of those photographs has been considered, shot and then placed with thought and attention. Whether it is a washing powder advertisement or a shot of last night's hockey game, every photo is created to tell a story. The fact that we don't need to read the headlines, or in some cases even know the context, just shows how tuned into photography we really are.
Yet with the introduction of the camera phone and cheap digital photography, it appears that everyone can create a fabulous image. These amateur images flood social media sites, are loaded onto numerous of emails and help to define peoples' public personas. Any public event is awash with iPhone, iPad and camera phone coverage. No website or facebook page is complete without showing these grainy, out of focus, often meaningless photos. The simple truth is that basic photography is now more accessible than ever before - and relatively cheap. The camera phones that are in the shops now could compare comfortably with the professional digital cameras from a few years ago and are a lot more flexible. So does is all this photo technology and these novice photo-journalists really spell the nemesis of professional photography?
The phrase "Got an iPhone - now I am a photographer" strikes hopelessness amongst the photographic industry, as professional photographers see their incomes drop and their commission rates cut. It may be hard to think that professional photography has any leif left in it at all. But it must be remembered that the Facebook photographers are usually recording what is in front of them, rather than creating images. Their grainy, out of focus photographs represent their memories of the event itself and are just as short-lived. If they want an image to last for years and still make them smile, or they need a photo to engage with people outside of their immediate circle of friends, they will need an image that was designed, contemplated and shot with the highest quality in mind.
So is the profession of photographer mortally wounded? You might think so if you read their forums. Editorial photographers specifically have had a hard time as media try to cut expenditure and rely more heavily on free content. Media can now download any number of image sources across the web and retrieve exactly what they want immediately. The need to hire a professional to photograph a stock image, or to send a photographer to an event 'just in case' has simply vanished.
Advertising and commercial photography are also suffering as businesses tighten their belts and are able to find stock photography from all around the world. However there are niches which, whilst suffering from the economic pressures, are otherwise steady. Wedding and family photography, special event photography and even animal photography still offer the potential to earn a photographera living - because a person will always want quality when it involves something that is really important to them.
It is ironic to see that many editorial photographers still look down on this kind of photography. These are the people who have been the most flexible over the years - not just in terms of their jobs, but also in adapting the new technology and practices. They jumped from film to digital from dark rooms to photoshop and from wire machines to laptops in what seemed to be no time at all. Now they need to redirect their energies once more to track down - and in some cases create - new demand for their profession. They may need to spread their skills across stills and videography, photograph weddings and kittens, and provide memory sticks or downloadable versions, to keep up with what is expected, but there are photographers out there who are selling these services and they are prospering. The Profession of photographer is not dying, it is evolving and the fittest will survive.
Yet with the introduction of the camera phone and cheap digital photography, it appears that everyone can create a fabulous image. These amateur images flood social media sites, are loaded onto numerous of emails and help to define peoples' public personas. Any public event is awash with iPhone, iPad and camera phone coverage. No website or facebook page is complete without showing these grainy, out of focus, often meaningless photos. The simple truth is that basic photography is now more accessible than ever before - and relatively cheap. The camera phones that are in the shops now could compare comfortably with the professional digital cameras from a few years ago and are a lot more flexible. So does is all this photo technology and these novice photo-journalists really spell the nemesis of professional photography?
The phrase "Got an iPhone - now I am a photographer" strikes hopelessness amongst the photographic industry, as professional photographers see their incomes drop and their commission rates cut. It may be hard to think that professional photography has any leif left in it at all. But it must be remembered that the Facebook photographers are usually recording what is in front of them, rather than creating images. Their grainy, out of focus photographs represent their memories of the event itself and are just as short-lived. If they want an image to last for years and still make them smile, or they need a photo to engage with people outside of their immediate circle of friends, they will need an image that was designed, contemplated and shot with the highest quality in mind.
So is the profession of photographer mortally wounded? You might think so if you read their forums. Editorial photographers specifically have had a hard time as media try to cut expenditure and rely more heavily on free content. Media can now download any number of image sources across the web and retrieve exactly what they want immediately. The need to hire a professional to photograph a stock image, or to send a photographer to an event 'just in case' has simply vanished.
Advertising and commercial photography are also suffering as businesses tighten their belts and are able to find stock photography from all around the world. However there are niches which, whilst suffering from the economic pressures, are otherwise steady. Wedding and family photography, special event photography and even animal photography still offer the potential to earn a photographera living - because a person will always want quality when it involves something that is really important to them.
It is ironic to see that many editorial photographers still look down on this kind of photography. These are the people who have been the most flexible over the years - not just in terms of their jobs, but also in adapting the new technology and practices. They jumped from film to digital from dark rooms to photoshop and from wire machines to laptops in what seemed to be no time at all. Now they need to redirect their energies once more to track down - and in some cases create - new demand for their profession. They may need to spread their skills across stills and videography, photograph weddings and kittens, and provide memory sticks or downloadable versions, to keep up with what is expected, but there are photographers out there who are selling these services and they are prospering. The Profession of photographer is not dying, it is evolving and the fittest will survive.
About the Author:
Andy James has worked in the photographic industry for more than twenty years. He has a specific interest in digital photography. To learn more about the new Nikon D7100 go to his webpage. The site will also have information about the Nikon D7100 release date and offers great advice about how to Use Nikon DSLRs.
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