Last week I got a quick glimpse into the current state of professional photographers through my friend Dave meeting with and losing a potential client in minutes, based on the events of that day I had decided to (and at the urging of my word-craving editor) attend Photo North East this past weekend to see if I could find out how this was happening and possibly how to change it. Calling ahead, I made sure a badge and credentials were set for myself as well as my friend Dave, whom I felt would truly benefit from going to an event such as this.
Among all the seminars, the one thing that caught my eye was that there was a panel discussion, entitled “Fighting To Survive”, which was to literally discuss photographers surviving in the competitive professional market today. Between our schedules and this panel, Dave and I decided to take the day off from work and attend Photo North East on its final day.
Arriving, we sought out the panel discussion on survival only to find that it had begun at 8am. With only a few moments to go, we stood in the back of the panel discussion and heard the keynote speakers address several questions that you would expect to hear from professional photographers at a panel geared towards “surviving”. Hands raised with tired voices asking, “How do I get more clients?”, “How can small businesses compete with the funding of large wedding and portrait studios?” and even studio owners asking, “How do I compete with the discount prices offered by free lance photographers?”
If I were on this panel, I don’t know what I would say. All on the panel were already accomplished photographers standing on a high perch of success looking down at those eager to reach such heights but not even getting off the ground. The responses from the panel were genuine and heartfelt, but sadly several responses of how they did it no longer applied. Worse yet, those asking the questions wanted more than just answers but a step by step process on how exactly to accomplish this.
At the end of the panel discussion, Dave and I looked at each other. His problems were shared by many in that room and like them, he had no answer to work with, but what answers could there be? Hoping to cover more ground and find answers, we split up. Dave noted some of the seminars scheduled for the day and was going to try to speak with those in charge to see if he could attend some of them as he felt it would help his business grow. I went to the only place I knew I would find the information I needed for my questions -- the sponsors trade show!
Each manufacturer loves having a presence at these events to get a pulse on the potential customers and see first hand how the product is received. They also see and hear everything going on in today’s photo industry. Seeking out those I knew, I quickly found that there are in fact many talented photographers who are still finding work -- maybe not with the frequency they had in years past, but work all the same. With one of my favorites, I mentioned the story of my friend Dave from the previous week and how his wedding business is just being flustered by bargain hunters who want everything for nothing. It was at this very moment that I witnessed first hand that if customers want the best for next to nothing, that certain photographers want the best but actually FOR nothing.
I stood dumbfounded for 15 minutes listening to a budding professional photographer who was in the process of wrapping up his degree in photography from a known school in NYC. He was clear in his vision of what he wanted his studio to be and what was required to do it. However, this included his request that he be sponsored by my friend's company in the form of financial backing or the products to be given to him in exchange for his ability to promote the company. “Think about how great it will be to know that you were the first company to help me, I will mention you to all my clients, and will allow you to use my images for purposes of advertising for next to nothing, or in some cases maybe nothing if I can do that.”
How those on the trade show floor endure such things on a continual basis... it must feel like being slowly stabbed to death by a plastic butter knife. In a calm fatherly voice, my friend said, “Well, I’d love to do that, and in a perfect world I could, but this is not a perfect world.” This was the response the young man got and ultimately the one he accepted. I watched him thank my friend for his time and smile, leave a business card and say, “This way you can see my work and find me when you change your mind.” I was at a loss between blank and disbelief that at such an age students could make such requests. “Yeah, we get a lot of those lately, they all want for free, some cause they can’t pay, others cause they don’t think they should have to.”
It was captivating to watch and I couldn’t get enough. I followed this student around the trade show floor while watching some other students and young photographers give the same pitch to the exhibitors present. I felt like one of those people on National Geographic, staring at an animal in the wild, studying its habits as I followed them around booth to booth, eavesdropping as I snagged free pens and buttons in the process.
[caption id="attachment_3333" align="alignright" width="300" caption="What is the future of the wedding and photography industry in general? Are we even teaching photographers to be photographers anymore?"]
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Like clockwork, the first kid was going booth to booth, not missing a single one while asking for free equipment, smiling, and handing out his business card as he thanked the rep for their time. As he was leaving the trade show area, I had to stop him and ask him how? Why? Did you think they would say yes?
The next few moments, I learned that this pending graduate with a degree in Photography was simply doing what he spent years learning to do: not taking pictures, but marketing. Of what was 4 years of his life, he informed me that his study of photography itself was maybe only 50-60% of the time; the rest was all about small business management, marketing, advertising, and digital workflow. His instructors spoke of how photographers are “funded by companies to make them look good and further their art, like painters were once commissioned to do work.”
My god, the root of this problem is we are teaching professional photographers to be NOT professional photographers! We live in a digital world. I can accept this, HOWEVER, shouldn’t professional photographers know how to be professional photographers with a camera in their hand? He handed me a plain business card with his information and no images. My first response was what I told him. “I can’t get you a job or free equipment you realize?” Smiling he said, “you never know and for what I paid for business cards I think I can manage one less.”
This is true. I have a collection of business cards in my office of people who when I see them in person, I remember strange shapes, colors, or the image on the card. This young man's card was just a basic white with a basic font. “Don’t you want people to have in their hand an example of your work and not just the web information?” In what seemed like a split second out came a iPad and he offered to show me his portfolio. I sat and was, needless to say, underwhelmed. He proudly stated, “Each one of these I shot with this, isn’t it great?” Nightmarish visions of a bride and groom having their first dance as a married couple with this kid walking up holding an iPad to shoot it flashed across my mind.
Walking back to the lobby in disbelief, I caught up with Dave. He was happy as ever, holding pamphlets of information on products and other seminars and events being run by organizations, “I found reasons for hope,” he declared, holding them in front of me. Ever excited, Dave took out his laptop and began utilizing the free Internet to sign up for seminars. I was not looking to go back to school, but I was looking for more answers. And where I had to go was the trade show that was now closing, so I went to where I know the trade show reps would be -- the bar of course.
I shared my fears of an iPad shooting a wedding and then being handed to the couple at the end of the day which got a good laugh, but I was assured it’s not all that bad. “If you want to be afraid look at the other end of the age spectrum,” one rep told me. “Where as many of the budding photographers have the edge of learning the new digital world and what a “pro” photographer will need to be able to do.” He added, “Those who have seen many a wedding seasons” (as it was so delicately put) seem to require more hands on instruction and education.”
He was right, other reps and even some of the speakers confirmed that you cannot explain digital work, the concept of marketing, and other subjects photo students learn today. Many of these seasoned photographers had thrived through customer loyalty and word of mouth, or in some cases, being the only photographer in town. “It’s a new world, and they have to catch up with the times. And it’s not just the older photographers, even those fresh out of school have to adapt to the ever changing world.”
Leaving the bar, I thought how I would have to change if I were ever to take my photography seriously. I had business cards in my hand, but I don’t think I even had a business card with me to give out. I was already positioning myself to be in dire need of adapting! First thing I did when I went home was to pull out that first student's business card and loaded his website. His work was phenomenal. I spent a good hour looking at his images and remembered how far behind then and even now my work was/is in comparison to his.
On his website, there was even a PayPal link for financial donations to help him purchase photo equipment because he will soon be graduating and unable to use the school's gear. Why did I think and judge this kid so quickly? He is facing a business that is only getting more and more difficult as technology expands and for all I know, he will be the first to start the trend of handing over iPads to the happy couple and be featured in business monthly for changing wedding photography forever.
Upon returning, I got a call from my editor, “Your blogs are wordy and they need to be short and to point or there will be no more assignments, understood? Your next assignment is going to be product review, anything else you need from me?” I realized that it was time for me to adapt -- not a blog entry in 140 characters or less, but I was now the older photographer who needed to change. Like the older photographers, I had one foot in the door unlike that talented young student who was just looking to take his first steps. “Alright, send me the information when you have it, shall be quick and to the point. However, in regards to my fee for this entry, once it is in, can you send it to a PayPal account this one time? I’ll send you the information as it’s not in my name.”