I’ve been wanting to make a blog post about this topic for far too long but I can never figure out the right words to say or actually find the time to sit down for long enough to evaluate every situation and express all the misconceptions people have about photographers. Now this blog post, will definitely be the short hand because, like I said before I don’t have the time or patience to be calm and write clear right now. But here I go anyway…
To be a photographer, you have to have many sides. You need to be talented, passionate, knowledgeable, a picture maker, a editor, an imaginator, a sales person, an optimistic, a greeter, a blogger, a marketer, a graphic designer, a decent writer, and sometimes a bullshitter. We need to have tough skins, need to think quick on our feet, and need to envision the job done before we have even began. We need to be our own business partners, our own bosses, our own critics and friends, and our own self motivators.
Throughout my years of experience being a photographer, I have learned that marketing yourself, selling yourself, and defending yourself are probably some of the hardest parts of this job because it never gets easier, it’s always changing, and often enough you hear the same misconceptions and notions again and again, you’ll start to believe them. But you cannot let it get you down. If anything now a days I don’t get sad I get mad. (Which is why I am refraining from throwing myself completely into this blog post.)
I am often offended by many peoples notions about photographers, their request for cheap quick work over quality images, and their never ending ability to make me feel as if my career and passion I put everything into is not worth the low ball quote I give them. Recently I was asked by a client of mine if I was serious about photography. This question made me pretty upset as I feel like I am one of the few photographer that actually still believes in quality over quantity these days and will never base the quality of work I do on the amount of money in my pocket from a job. Obviously, if you have taken a look at my website at any point, you can see that I am serious about photography.
A friend of mine showed me this article and at first I was completely offended and furious but by the end of the article I wanted to stand up and start a slow clap. Anyone who is a photographer, works for or with a photographer, or will a hire a photographer in their lifetime needs to read this article. It may be based around Wedding Photography, but the important aspects of this article are never less true to all photography/photographers.
This is a craigs list Ad that was posted on Why Wedding Photographers’ Prices are “Wack”… the response to this post from a photographer I hope will open up many other eyes…please take a few minutes to read a photographers response to ignorance.
Being a freelance photographer, just as being any type of freelance artist is hard work and severely unappreciated it. If you ask yourself why artists charge “so much” for performances/services… We don’t get paid vacation, we don’t get paid sick days, we don’t get bonuses for outstanding performances nor for Christmas. We don’t have insurance plans. We sacrifice our family on special days so that we can bring happiness to others. Illness or personal affairs are not excuses for a bad performance. Next time you ask, remember that artists are artists because of the love of music and art but that love doesn’t pay debts.
xo, J
I feel as if my pets are my children and second child syndrome has kicked in.. where you no longer are infatuated by every little thing that you needed to document every stage of their life through photographs. I use to photograph my dog, Harley ever chance I got, (as he was my first dog ever!) Rori on the other hand, has only had one “real” photograph taken with my DSLR when I first got her. The rest are small cell phone pictures. In other words, I felt like a studio shoot was much needed. Rori just turned 6 months a few weeks ago. And here is us playing around on set after a client shoot earlier this week..
Erin: 
Anna with The Rock Agency 
