“New Photographers” an Ongoing Debate.

There has been a debate going on for the last several years about the role that “new” photographers are playing in the evolution of the photography business. I think I understand both sides of the argument and I don’t think the answer is simple or clear cut.

First of all, it’s difficult to frame the debate because the argument tends to expand, but let me start with the basic proposition. Some established professional photographers are finding it difficult to stay in business because there are so many new photographers selling their service for prices well below the market rate. (I define these “new” photographers as people with little or no training or experience and who claim professional status). These new photographers usually are doing this work as a side job, and can work for less money because it is not their sole source of income.

If new photographers are ever expecting to earn a subsistence wage from working as a photographer they have to understand that competing solely on a price basis will never allow that to happen. There will always be someone willing to work for less money and there will always be clients that under-value what a good photographer can provide. The new photographer’s goal should be to develop their skill level to the point that people are willing to pay market rate for their services. Otherwise, they will be known as a “discount” photographer and it will be difficult to change the public’s perception if they ever want raise their prices to market levels.

Now, I know the question immediately begs itself: How does a new photographer develop their skills to the point that they are salable at market rates, without entering the marketplace? That’s a tough question that doesn’t have an easy answer. It helps to have some sort of training (college or trade school) or experience (job training, yearbook photographer, school newspaper, etc.). In lieu of that, you just need to learn the craft on your own thru pro-bono work, internships, or assisting an experienced photographer.

The definition of a “professional” photographer varies from person to person and from day to day. But most everyone will agree that it includes the skill to produce consistent, repeatable, high quality results that meet or exceed your customer’s expectations under a variety of conditions.

Often, the established “old-school” photographers will lament the “good old days” when everyone shot film and had brick and mortar studios. Several years ago there were barriers to entering the market place. You had to 1) have enough capital to start a photography business, and 2) have the ability and talent to deliver high quality photos to your client. Both of those barriers are now mostly gone. Many new photographers now work out of their homes, which in itself is not a problem if their business model makes allowances for that. Sadly, a lack of ability/talent doesn’t dissuade many of them from attempting to do business as a professional. The result is that either the customer is disappointed in the final results, or the customer had low expectations to begin with (due to the low price) and they are happy with the less than stellar results.

Social media often compounds the problem and helps blur the lines of what defines quality photography. This changes the consumer’s expectations and demand. Through social media, people are served more photographs in 15 minutes than they would normally see in a year. The standards that define a good quality photograph, gets lost in all the noise. What defines a great photograph in the world of social media is the number of “likes” it gets, not the true aesthetics of the image. Components like technical quality, composition, balance, etc. are marginalized (if not lost altogether). The public is conditioned to think if a photo of a cute kitten has a 100 “likes” it must be a great photo. It’s not. It’s a picture of a kitten.

The established photographer must now use his/her talent and business experience to differentiate themselves from their new competition. They cannot rely on stasis to keep them afloat in a changing environment.

The world of business is dynamic. And make no mistake, professional photography is a business. Regardless if you are an established photographer or a new one just entering the profession, you have to identify your competition, evaluate your customer’s demands, provide a service that differentiates you from your competition, and adjust your business strategy accordingly (and often) if you want to survive. In a nutshell, you can’t be selling VHS tapes when your competition is selling streaming HD video.

The real winner in the situation should ultimately be the consumer. Competition should help elevate the quality of work, providing the consumer can identify, appreciate, and be willing to pay for a good product. A problem results when the consumer is willing to settle for mediocrity in the quality of work in exchange for discounted prices. In this scenario, no one really wins.

Fortunately, there will always be great photographers who have the talent and skill to produce extraordinary work and also have the business savvy to be able to market it. There will also be consumers who can identify a great photograph and appreciate what it represents.

Anyway, that’s the way I see it.

Thanks for reading!

-Ken.