Be unique! Who ever believed that being unique would stop being part of photography? Yet, today the rules have changed. In my position I meet art directors and creative people who hire photographers. When an art director is working with a good budget, they seem to hire the high-end sure bet to create the images they need. Otherwise, many creative people find stock images that could do the job and then hire a photographer who will shoot original work for the same or less. The bottom of the market is getting lower and lower in price and the top is getting higher. The middle of the market has disappeared. It may not be like this in every market, but I believe that this situation is worldwide.
With the new year coming up, this is a good time for reflection and thought about where we are and where our industry is going. At Photo Plus in New York, I heard about how hard it is to make money as a photographer. Surprisingly, many of these photographers I spoke to are DSLR shooters who spend less time shooting than in post production. Did you, as a photographer, get involved in photography to sit in front of a computer and move pixels around? The answer is NO. I believe that photography is about capture, creating something where nothing seems to be. When great photography is achieved, the effect is a true expression of seeing differently.
I believe that being different and unique is what makes photographers both valuable and successful. With too much post production work, photography becomes a commodity because it all seems to have the same look. A commodity is about the lowest price since clients view all of these photographers as equals with no individual standing out. If a photographer is being unique through focusing on capture, clients see value and issues of commodity are significantly reduced. |