The Top 11 Lies Photographers Tell

This made me smile & think of a few profiles I've read in the past


The Top 11 Lies Photographers Tell

I can honestly say...

Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. and... Nope. Haven't told a one of those lies!

Well, ok, I used to "think" I'd take better pictures with a better camera, but now I mostly know better. Just don't tell the wife, as I'm still trying to upgrade to the D7100!

Well because I am just starting out in all of this, I do not feel a need to lie, I have to earn my keep like everyone else. This did make me laugh though because I have herd some of these already walking around the market here in Portland, Oregon.

I think the only one I'm guilty of is the camera one.

Too general, too vague ("derived" from the generally applicable lies about just anything, in any human profession, any hobby, any kind of activity). Typical example of an unsuccessful attempt to be amusing, fun, clever... Let's analyse the "lie" that the author of this bad joke regards as being the "very special" one, because "photographers tell it themselves" - to think so or say that with the better camera one will take better photos is an ABSOLUTE truth. Not an ATOM of a lie can be found in such a statement/conviction. Let's suppose that you used to shoot with a decent point'n'shoot camera. Now, you've upgraded to full frame Nikon, Leica, Canon...Hasselblad...The same objects, people etc. that you shot before are going to look MUCH better once you re-shoot them, under the same light conditions. Colors would be more accurate, level of details higher, there would be less noise, textures and "lines" would be sharper, with less artifacts... The difference would be obvious, right away, at the very first glance, especially if printed at max quality or viewed in it's full size on a professional, high resolution monitor. Period.
What the author (probably) meant (but wasn't able or wasn't willing to put it correctly) is that there are PEOPLE who think they are going to automatically BECOME (good) photographers once they get themselves a (good) camera. But this is something completely different.

I have over ten years of experience
no- my work shows more than how many years Ive been shooting. some can shoot 20 years and still suck and some just a few and they have a special talent. time doesnt mean anything.

I have won x photography contests
no- never entered a contest. pointless imo.

I will take better photos once I have that camera/lens
party true. I wont take better photos, but the IQ will be better. better bokeh, sharper, faster AF so more keepers. but a new piece of gear does not let you take better photos. many say its the photographer, not the gear. thats partly true. the gear is the limiting factor though. you can only do so much with an iphone.

I don’t use post processing
no. I tell the client that we MUST use PP foir images. we rely on the camera and flash in calculating exposure for us, and its not perfect. so must tweak the colors and exposure.

You are so photogenic!
no way. too cliche.

I am a top rated wedding photographer
no. too pathetic.

My assistant is very qualified to shoot that
never came across this situation.

Of course I’ve photographed in that place!
no. in fact a recent bris I shot, I asked the client to send me the address because Ive never shot there. had no problem asking it either.

This is just a part of my portfolio
never had a client ask why its there.

Of course I’ve done food photography before!
I say it upfront. ive never done any other photography besides weddings and portraits and thats my speciality. I do enjoy looking at food photography and did very much consider moving into that field. but its quite boring. I like the dynamics and fast pace of weddings.

I own this studio and everything in it
I worked from my apartment. so not relevant.

"the IQ will be better. better bokeh, sharper..."
@rocketman122: that's exactly what makes photo better - photography is all about the looks (just like with girls "she's got the look")::what::an:angel:

ah ok. but to me better photos means better lighting, better exposure, better composition. to me better glass or higher rezed cameras just help with giving the image a polished look. but if you(not u obviously) sucked before having better glass, you will suck after it as well.

I must not be a photographer, then.

rocketman122 said:

ah ok. but to me better photos means better lighting, better exposure, better composition. to me better glass or higher rezed cameras just help with giving the image a polished look. but if you(not u obviously) sucked before having better glass, you will suck after it as well.

Click to expand...

Agreed. I've heard it stated that photography is 80% skill, 10% PP skill, 10% equipment. You're either a decent photographer or not, and the level of equipment just allows you to further explore the depths of your talent. DEEP talent plus moderate equipment = wow. NO talent plus the best equipment = No talent.

Some are great enough as to even transcend the equipment they hold in their hands. (ahem: Ansel Adams) Could you imagine what ol' Ansel would be capable of producing with today's technologies?

So if I show off my fancy gear, I can get laid?

@rocketman122@Pretzel: You're perfectly right. It's just that the "wise guy" (the author of this article) has cunningly "switched the theses" (stated one thing, then offered proofs/evidence that support something different - similar, yet different). Because, one thing is to hope that you're gonna become a better PHOTOGRAPHER by buying yourself a better camera (or any part of the gear) - that would be a false expectation/self imposed lie, and something quite different is to expect your PHOTOS to look better since they are being taken with the higher quality gear - this is true, beyond any doubt.

"I will TAKE better PHOTOS once I have that camera/lens" and "I will BE a better PHOTOGRAPHER if I get me such camera/lens" are two very different statements/notions, my dear colleagues:friendly_wink:.
@singlerosa (Jim): "So if I show off my fancy gear, I can get laid?"
Definitely! Especially if you shoot for some adult sites, with the models who had just started building their career...