OK, back to shedding light on the cold, hard truth and ticking off photographers everywhere….
Do you want to know what goes through a photographer’s brain when they see the term “lifestyle photographer” ?
Too bad, I’m gonna tell you, anyway.
We, or at least, *I* think that:
- you probably bought your camera less than a year ago, and
- you spent all your money on said camera, and
- you have no formal training, because
- you had no money for a class, and
- you also don’t have a flash, or
- any type of reflectors, and
- you don’t know how to use studio light, and
- you don’t even have a studio, so
- you say that you keep your prices low, and that
- studio photographers charge an arm and a leg, because
- they pay for all that overhead, and you
- have the luxury of working with low overhead, so
- you can charge less, thereby
- undercutting me, and the truth is
- you couldn’t be bothered to learn studio lighting anyway (it seems so hard and you just want to get started making money), so
- you just shoot outdoors, and
- thereby you are a lifestyle photographer
How’s that working for you?
The term “lifestyle photography” is so overused that every time I hear it – I toss you mentally right into the category above. I don’t even give you a second thought. And I bet potential clients are a little bit bored with the term, as well.
I would encourage you to figure out a different way to categorize or describe your photography.
Otherwise you sound like all the other newbies that chase kids around in the grass with a camera and call it art.
Sigh. I understand that this is a sarcastic look at the industry, but I can tell you – it is terrible. I am a teacher and if I EVER, I mean EVER started a ranting site like this, I would not HAVE a job! We have new teachers enter the field every day, they get hired because they are good and they DO "cost" less because they have no experience – it is that way in EVERY field! These new teachers make ME work harder, they inspire me with their fresh ideas and new approaches….I do not blog about their "silly" ideas and make fun of them because they do it different than I did – I learn from them and work with them. The photo industry is so funny to me, I love seeing this drama and cattiness, it is mostly with women and it leaves the field wide open for those types of people you sit here and make fun of. Keep on complaining, but please, move on over while the lifestyle photographers do their thing.
Please refrain from posting if you don’t care for the humor here. I don’t tell you how to do your job, you don’t tell me how to write. Deal?
Yep. That 'bout sums it up.
I really love this post! I said in a previous comment that I am not a professional, but I’m working on my portfolio in order to take a few great photography classes. I’ve done all of my pictures outside but have recently started to experiment with studio photography and it is a very difficult task! I really admire all of you photographers that know how to do it correctly! But, I agree with your frustration about the whole “lifestyle photographer” phrase being overused because I feel the same way! A lot of people on my personal Facebook page have begun to create Facebook pages for their “photography business” simply because they got a DSLR that week and think that they can just set it on auto and go. It really does take time, effort, and dedication to take on photography and execute it correctly! Thanks so much for your honesty and your great posts!
I love this article. I like the straight-forward, no BS approach, keep it up!
My turn to kick the hornets nest….
Whenever I see the “Lifestyle” “Natural Light” speil, I immediately think the person advertising themselves as such is at the core lazy. Oftentimes there is no light in the subjects eyes, what light there is, is flat, boring, has no direction, and leaves the subject looking fatter, rounder, and offcolored or “sick” looking.
Do yourself, and the industry a favor. Learn to SEE light. No matter what time of day it is, if you can’t see the light you can’t create an image worth a dime.
If you can’t be a true professional and learn the craft, put the damn camera away and let those who truly care about the craft, and aren’t just out to make a buck do the job.
Proudly wearing my big girl panties since 1997.
Jill
Hiya Jill – I totally understand your frustration. Hopefully Wootness! will help guide new photographers in the right direction. It could be that some of them just don’t know about seeing the light. I know I didn’t when I started. We’ll talk about light in a future article -thanks for the idea! Go in wootness!
I personally found the article refreshing. Such an oversaturated market. When I started out, photographers were a small group of people who were artistic and had a creative way of seeing light and composing images. Some had really expensive gear and studios and some had just a camera and bus fare. It didn’t matter because we all loved what we did, and we earned a good living at it because we were in demand. With all of the photographers today, who have gone into business because they claim it is easy, and with the digital age making it easy to do so, we have a saturation unprecedented in our industry. Before ‘lifestyle’ photographer was all the rage, it was “fine art photographer”. What does that MEAN? I used to think fine art was something that people paid thousands for per art piece, created by someone with several degrees from a fine arts college, that was reproduced minimally of at all (one of a kind), and displayed in the best galleries and art exchanges. Today, I just think of it like Christine sees ‘lifestyle’ photographer. I can’t agree more that with the surplus of photographers all wanting to do what YOU do, and all competing with YOU for YOUR clients, you need to set yourself out with how you see, how you work, what you sell, how you sell, the experience you give clients, etc. Starting by defining yourself with a unique ‘label’ is a good idea. Beware though, it will be copied and appropriated by others, so prepare a list so that you can shuffle through them, or trademark it…just don’t call it Wootness 😉
High-wootness-five!
I can understand where you could feel a little fustrated, but as a new photographer who is doing my business legally I just feel like your article is a rude slap in the face. To claim you are one to try and help new photographers out and show them the way and then write that seems contradictory. Everyone has to start somewhere and if they prefer using natural light then that is up to them. Photography is art and it is subjective meaning you can’t tell anyone how to do their photography. Also to claim that people that shoot their photography a certain way are either lazy or poor is not cool either. Just remember you started some where as well!
Hi Jami – No need to get updumped – You obviously misinterpreted the purpose of the article. I am only pointing out that the term “lifestyle photographer” is SO overused that the descriptors in the article are what runs through most people’s heads when they hear it. If you want to separate yourself out from the people that those descriptors DO apply to (and trust me – there are many!), then you need to find a different way of describing your photography. Try “natural light photographer” or think of a tagline like “family fun in the sun” – just something else that will separate you out from the pack. If you’re serious about your craft, you will want advice that sets you apart. I’m just helping you figure that out before it’s too late and you’ve plopped yourself solidly in the middle of that stereotype and can’t figure out how to change the public’s perception of you. OK? It’s all good. 🙂
: ) love.