Her name was Debra, though, in all reality, she looked more like a Joe. She was middle aged, overweight, and not at all pretty. She was, however, getting married.
While most people are born with a tiny, invisible hand that covers the mouth right before something stupid is said, Debra did not have one of these. While discussing her photos, she kept insisting that her pictures must be perfect because, “It's not like we will ever get married again!"
I glance at her unkempt children lying on the ground and open my mouth to answer, “May I draw your attention to the four screaming children that resulted from your first marriage?” The tiny hand, thankfully, clamps down, cutting off my reply.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Good 'Ol Days
“Photography is easy with digital cameras. All you have to do in order to have pro-grad photos it to buy a pro-grade camera. I have a DSLR so, obviously, I can take pictures as good as you. It’s not like photographers really do anything. That’s why I’m getting into photography. It’s really easy and I’ll just give everyone a CD so they can print their own photos and don’t have to mess with a photographer’s markup. Print prices are so inflated. Everyone knows photographers are rolling in money.”
There isn’t a photographer alive who hasn’t dealt with these comments. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Hey, I’ve never heard this,” well…you’re who the rest of us are talking about.
Firstly, if you own a DSLR and don’t know what those letters stand for, just stop talking. No one cares what you’re saying.
Secondly, if you shoot on Auto mode (that’s the “A” you see in your camera’s little window), use a pop-up flash, or don’t own a gray-card, you should trade in your camera for a nice little point-and-shoot, because that is all you’re doing.
Lastly, if you aren’t being paid for your work, you aren’t a professional photographer. Stop calling yourself that, you’re just ticking off everyone else.
Oh…for the days of glass plate negatives and darkrooms that you had to lug around on carts…sure, they were heavy and photographers sometimes when blind after too many years of working around those Mercury fumes, but, hey, that’s a small price to pay for being appreciated.
There isn’t a photographer alive who hasn’t dealt with these comments. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Hey, I’ve never heard this,” well…you’re who the rest of us are talking about.
Firstly, if you own a DSLR and don’t know what those letters stand for, just stop talking. No one cares what you’re saying.
Secondly, if you shoot on Auto mode (that’s the “A” you see in your camera’s little window), use a pop-up flash, or don’t own a gray-card, you should trade in your camera for a nice little point-and-shoot, because that is all you’re doing.
Lastly, if you aren’t being paid for your work, you aren’t a professional photographer. Stop calling yourself that, you’re just ticking off everyone else.
Oh…for the days of glass plate negatives and darkrooms that you had to lug around on carts…sure, they were heavy and photographers sometimes when blind after too many years of working around those Mercury fumes, but, hey, that’s a small price to pay for being appreciated.
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