some people just amaze me

rocketman122

Senior Member
my pro friend photog told me about a call from a female who sort of has a protege/mentor relationship. he photographed her wedding. shes an amateur and a member of a few photo clubs. so in her wedding she invited all those friends and they all brought their gear. all of their photos looked like crap. she was shocked why my friends pictures looked stellar. he came with off camera flashes and all their pics came out dark flat, muddy and under exposed. thats how the protege/mentor thing started between them.


she-I want to photograph some kindergarten kids at school and I have this flash. what do I do with it?
he-what flash? big small? name, model?
she-it says proto
he-profoto?
she-yea!
he- whats the problem?
she-the light is on all the time and its not flashing. its driving me crazy.
he-you have the modeling light on.
she- whats that?
he-never mind. there are 2 switches on the back. turn each off till the light turns off.
she-it doesnt have a switch. it has dials. it has fractions on it.
he-thats for the power output you want.
she-so 1/1 is always best no?
he-u need a light meter or you can shoot and then see how it looks on the monitor but the screen is not accurate.
SHe-I have a light meter in the camera.
he-yea but you need and incident type. yours is reflective.
she-where do I place the flash?
he-dont know what the place looks like
she-ok, ill figure it out.

it amazes me she calls herself an artist. maybe autistic. she even photographs weddings. or tries to lock clients. she comes with a POS 7d and the 2 lens kit set she bought. what nerve. she takes my friend to do the job and shes the 2nd assistant photog. but basically because she doesnt know jack, hes by himself and half the time he has to explain what he wants her to do.
and youd think her prices are reasonable. nope, she asks outrageous prices. too greedy. wow the nerve of some people.

I thought photographers should be intelligent. to be a good photographer its not only about the shooting, its knowing how to get the image you imaged in your mind with the machine your shooting with. to configure the camera and know how the camera will react to get the shot you want. not a shoot and pray technique. a good photog knows the technical part and the artistic part. she doent understand anything about the camera. and she doesnt understand about perspective or framing at all. he keeps telling me these hilarious things and were both pretty shocked. taking the HUGE responsibility and weight on your shoulder with a once in alifetime event for people takes a lot of guts. she has the yea, im great attitude. shes in lala land.
 

RON_RIP

Senior Member
Unfortunately every profession has these types. you just have to learn how to avoid them. What is really bad is when they turn to you to confirm how good there work is.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
You sound like me a few months ago. I have a female friend that thinks she is a photographer and people pay for her garbage.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
It's great that he helps her, but he should not shoot gigs with her. He will be associated with her work also. One has to be careful who their business associates are, even if they are friends!
 
I saw this happening many years ago when 1 Hour Photo got up and running. The 35mm SLR started getting a little easier with Full Auto modes and auto focus started coming in. They would take a few pictures and everyone in the family/friend circle would tell them how great they were. "You should start selling your work" It has always gone on for the last 30 years now. I think we are going through another growth spurt now because of the economy. People think that they can make a quick buck and they are correct.

The only problem is that it dilutes the market for the true professionals. These people will not last nor will they make a ton of money but while doing that the good professionals will not be able to command the money they deserve.
 

Nero

Senior Member
I saw this happening many years ago when 1 Hour Photo got up and running. The 35mm SLR started getting a little easier with Full Auto modes and auto focus started coming in. They would take a few pictures and everyone in the family/friend circle would tell them how great they were. "You should start selling your work" It has always gone on for the last 30 years now. I think we are going through another growth spurt now because of the economy. People think that they can make a quick buck and they are correct.

The only problem is that it dilutes the market for the true professionals. These people will not last nor will they make a ton of money but while doing that the good professionals will not be able to command the money they deserve.
Pretty much. It kind of puts me off becoming a pro.
 

aroy

Senior Member
This happens in every profession. I have experienced Software profession where any one who has had a couple of months of training aiming for high paying jobs. Does not matter if they can niether visualise the problem, nor understand what is required and on top of that they tend to be bad coders.

In photography business in India there are two types of professionals. Those who cater to the high end. These are good and command high rates. Then there are those who have acquired an old beat up camera (or a shining new state of art one as they can) and shoot at rapid fire (some thing will be right say one in a hundred). They cater mostly at the low end of the business where volume of shots taken in wedding matters more than the quality.

What is quite amusing is that those who can afford to buy expensive equipment, think that is what will make them a good photographer, and that they manage to convince well paying customers. Well as they say a sucker is born every seconds and if the client accepts mediocre work then they deserve it.
 
Last edited:

rocketman122

Senior Member
I can't even comment. I'll just shake my head.

exactly but I laughed so hard when he tells me these things. its hilarious. the light doesnt flash and the fractions is just so funny. I dont talk to her so just get the updated chats between them. very entertaining.

Unfortunately every profession has these types. you just have to learn how to avoid them. What is really bad is when they turn to you to confirm how good there work is.

exactly. some people need the reasurrance. I do ask my mom to critique my pics once in a while. she was a pro in her time with the FE/50 AIS combo. but I dont take what she says too seriously. its a different era. different style and techniques.

You sound like me a few months ago. I have a female friend that thinks she is a photographer and people pay for her garbage.

exactly! its just garbage work. some people have the gift of bag and could sell ice to and eskimo. I was a crab salesperson when I was taking private events. Im an artist not a businessman. I know another photog like this. hes all show. his work is horrible but because he talks himself up so much, people, mentally already think it before seeing the pics.

It's great that he helps her, but he should not shoot gigs with her. He will be associated with her work also. One has to be careful who their business associates are, even if they are friends!

I dont think its an issue really. he gets payed, comes does his work and is done wiht it. once or twice she tagged along to his weddings and shot various photos. she was not the 2nd photog. there was another. but more of a roam free and be creative and do your own thing opportunity. he said the couples never choose a single photo of hers.

Does she happen to have a business page on facebook? These people usually do.

business page no, but she does load pics on her personal page to boast to others

The only problem is that it dilutes the market for the true professionals. These people will not last nor will they make a ton of money but while doing that the good professionals will not be able to command the money they deserve.

the market is flooded with such garbage photogs today. this profession doesnt get the respect it once had. there was prestige to be a wedding photographer.

its almost like a doctor. today the patient goes in knowing more about their problem and themselves than the doctor of them. the doctors today behave in a strict way so there is no negligence lawsuits. everyone is a pro photog today. spray and pray, then PS the crap out of every picture and you could build a decent album. I know photogs who basically break even just to get clinetelle and recommended word of mouth so in the future when they have enough people they can start raising prices.

I would love to advertise one photographer whos work is just horrible in every way. not decent, not acceptable. but just garbage. Im dying to login to my fake facebook account and send him a private message. does he not know, or not see the garbage he uploads. I would be embarrassed. I would bury myself if I shot like that and people saw my work. I would turn red, then white and probably have the runs for a few days. Im not kidding, its just garbage. non edited photos. closed eyes, overexposed (2-3 stops at times) blurry, focus accuracy is off. family portraits feet cut off. half body and cutting hands. horrible compositions 45º tilts where you get nauseous looking at it. tilting is fine but it needs to add to the picture. it would not be nice to do it but every wedding he does, he uploads it all with pride. me and my friend are just in awe. we dont laugh we have the "holy crap what garbage" mindset. its very sad. I want to send him a simple message like "stop photographing weddings, you are ruining our industry. you work is just garbage" but then again im sure he closes for very cheap because people go to him. I dont know how many, but once a month or so. me and my friend are not jealous, we feel he is ruining our industry.
 

rocketman122

Senior Member
Boast? She must be boasting to people who have no arms.

you dont know FB? they all are fake. wow, youre so beautiful! even if she looks like a train wreck. Id rather not say anything then to lie just help her lack of self esteem. so the same with the photos. they give the pics likes and fake comments that feed her ego into thinking she great. wow, youre so creative. you captured the moment perfectly, kind of comments. and the cycle keeps going on and on where she really thinks shes an artist. of course I can understand, its white lies to help her but if you cant see that your photos suck then you truly suck.

anyone could get a sense they were truly great by those kind of comments where in actuality they arent helpful. thats why I ask people who are unbiased when I want critique. I tell the person to tell me in my face, I dont like it. it sucks. not my cupotea. whatever but dont be afraid to hurt my feelings. tell it to me straight up. we all get hurt if someone says our pictures are meh, but I want to have someone who has some experecne to judge me. a regular person might not be experienced enough to se really see a complex picture that we shot. only a person with photography experience can truly judge.
 

Nero

Senior Member
you dont know FB? they all are fake. wow, youre so beautiful! even if she looks like a train wreck. Id rather not say anything then to lie just help her lack of self esteem. so the same with the photos. they give the pics likes and fake comments that feed her ego into thinking she great. wow, youre so creative. you captured the moment perfectly, kind of comments. and the cycle keeps going on and on where she really thinks shes an artist. of course I can understand, its white lies to help her but if you cant see that your photos suck then you truly suck.

anyone could get a sense they were truly great by those kind of comments where in actuality they arent helpful. thats why I ask people who are unbiased when I want critique. I tell the person to tell me in my face, I dont like it. it sucks. not my cupotea. whatever but dont be afraid to hurt my feelings. tell it to me straight up. we all get hurt if someone says our pictures are meh, but I want to have someone who has some experecne to judge me. a regular person might not be experienced enough to se really see a complex picture that we shot. only a person with photography experience can truly judge.
Oh I know FB, trust me. It doesn't mean I won't make a snappy comeback. :p
 

Rick M

Senior Member
Unfortunately friends and family don't know the damage they are doing. I've known a few people who jump in with gear and a website because friends and family have pumped them up, then they wonder why no one buys anything. I'm always honest in a kind way, then I buy their gear real cheap :)
 

rocketman122

Senior Member
Unfortunately every profession has these types. you just have to learn how to avoid them. What is really bad is when they turn to you to confirm how good there work is.

Unfortunately friends and family don't know the damage they are doing. I've known a few people who jump in with gear and a website because friends and family have pumped them up, then they wonder why no one buys anything. I'm always honest in a kind way, then I buy their gear real cheap :)

they are trying to be supportive but arent being honest because critiquing someones work is very fragile. so they tell them positive things so they keep going and hopefully down the line theyll be better. its a reason why I think every photog should go through some kind of a short photography course so they have an experienced person give contructive criticism and tell them WHAT they need to imporve, not what sucks about it. its better to get feedback from a photog than from a person who doesnt know anything about art or photography. thats why I never take criticizm from non photogs. they cant give proper feedback and dont see minute details in the pictures. its hard to get anything but positive feedback when we put effort into a specific photo and we think we got a really nice one.

Rick M the vulture in disguise HAHAHAHAHA
 
Top