Wow.
Lot of negative here lately, but that seems to run the course on many threads. If it ain't talking about bad boy trump, or brexit exit, then it's screaming about mobile phones. There is always something to complain about, but the upside is there is always something to construct that somebody hasn't thought of yet.
Photography as a profession, now it's image making and it requires lights, grip, reflectors, usually some form of crew, subjects. computers, software, cameras in multiple sizes and use along with the ability to shoot motion.
And it has to be special.
And if you can't shoot motion, then you're leaving a lot of money on the table and a small video camera doesn't cut it. Tell yourself it does, but it doesn't. There is a reason Arri and RED charge more than an M3 BMW and there is a difference.
In other words it's more than a camera, lens and an lcd to stare at until you get it right, but you will do your client's a favor if you use professional cameras, still and motion and know why.
Today you have to be more complete than ever before, work harder than before, invest more than before.
It's a different world and some clients that use to do great campaigns that now shoot on white with a beauty ish and strip the background in aren't worth talking about, but he good clients, the one's that are moving ahead use high professional talent, creative thought and production values to set their brands and services apart.
The only issue is finding them or better put finding the actual person that buys, but all of that is possible, it just takes work, but this biz has always taken a lot of work.
Did it use to be easier in the good ol' days? Doubt it, it was just different and trust fund babies can't rule the world, because first it takes a lot of work and no matter how good your crew is, somebody has to be in control and know how to direct.
I know, I hire them and in 2 years they're off to dad's shop selling bonds.
We shoot with great crew, sometimes not so great, but nothing suffers, cause we know what we're doing. We did a gig a year ago and not one crew member knew any piece of equipment we used but a tripod and I told them just put all the cases in the location hallway, open them and I'll tell them when to bring it in.
So is photography for commerce dead because zeiss makes lenses for a phone? . . . No . . . It's just that Ziess is tapped into an area to make money, nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't cut it for most work.
The world hasn't ended, the photo for money biz hasn't ended, you just have to be good at it and offer more than somebody with a Sony mirror thing and twenty sd cards, 49 batteries.
That's not the end of the world, but Rob C. will make you think it is.
I love Rob but let's face it, he aint' shooting for money and kind of get's off track in that negative thing because he's still dreaming of kodachrome and girls showing one boob. He tapped into a good gig, but that gig is over for money.
Kodachrome is dead, but no big deal, cause that film went to shit a long time before Kodak pulled the plug.
Today to be good, you better get smart, know how do more than ever and stop wishing for things to be the were when they never were anyway.
IMO
BC