Suck it up.
Seriously. Stop the bitching and whining and STFU.
Competition is healthy, it’s normal, it’s an Economics 101 fact of life as a business-owner.
Yes, the new sites that make fun of new photographers and/or their work can offer some light-hearted relief, but let’s not make them the focus of our every waking moment. The only thing you are doing by spending so much time moaning about the newbies is taking time away from upping your own game.
While you are busy submitting newbie websites to YANAP, they’ve shot 3 mini-session at the park and have pocketed $100. Is that loss of time and money worth it? Don’t tell me you’re going to sneer at making money over hanging out on a photographer bash-site. Nope, it’s not the money you think they should be charging, but since when are you the photography price-fixing police?
If you’re complaining, that means you’re scared. It means that these newbies are making your nervous. If you’re a professional, you shouldn’t have anything to be nervous about. If your skills are up there, what’s your issue?
Quit stalking the Facebook pages of your so-called competition and mind your own business entity. For the most part, these new business-owners are going to go by the wayside. Only so many business make it past the 2,3 and 5 year mark. Mostly because they have no business background and are not running their businesses with solid financial practices in place.
On the off-chance that some bright new photographer knows what he’s doing, both artistically and business-wise, and *gasp* actually succeeds – GOOD! You’re sitting around whining that the industry is going to hell in a hand-basket and the quality bar is being lowered by all of the newbies – well, here’s someone who is raising the bar. FAN-FLIPPING-TASTIC!! Call that boy up and congratulate him!
Lately, there has been an influx in professionals that are writing programs on how to succeed as a photographer. Heck, I’m writing one, myself. But, oh, here we go again….more whining, gnashing of teeth and beating breasts. Get over it! People will do what they do without any regard to what you personally think. Obviously, you are NOT their target market. If their program doesn’t interest you, do the same thing as I do at the grocery store in the produce section – don’t look, don’t pay any attention, especially to the asparagus. It’s not for you.
Come on, folks, lighten up and get back to work. You’re not doing the industry any favors with the constant drama.
Price does not matter in the absence of value. Stop looking at everyone else. Get off their websites and decide your own value. You'll never realize your own value if you are constantly comparing your prices to theirs. There is always gong to be someone who charges less and someone that charges more than you. You have to BELIEVE the value that you set for yourself in order to sell it. — I wish I could remember which creativeLIVE I heard that on, but it stuck with me.
Amen!
Finally – the right advice!
Well said and a good kick in the pants as well.
I have a piece hanging in my office that says, 'Every moment you spend thinking about someone else's business you're not focused on your own.' I have to remind myself of this sometimes, it's easy to get wrapped up but it's the truth!