In this recent Fstoppers video sponsored by Tamron’s 35-150mm lens, Patrick Hall & our own Pye Jirsa get to the heart of what’s arguably been a constant argument from Photographers since the beginning of the craft; Is Photography dying? Is the role of the photographer changing? Does it matter that the image was captured as is/in camera vs it being heavily manipulated and “crafted” in Adobe Photoshop?
What Is The Role of the Modern Day Photographer?
As the technology changes, so does the way we consume the media, which means the role of the photographer has to change along with it. Things go from simply being the person behind the camera clicking the button, to being the main creative director, finalizing the look, sharing that with the world in an advertising sense. The role and job of the photographer is “changing right before our eyes” according to the guys.
Does a photographer need an instagram with a massive follower count to be considered “real”? Are Photographers having to market and promote their own work more than ever, stepping away from agencies and marketing firms since the budgets have changed so much? Do “professionals” in the industry actually know _less_ about their cameras and the technical side of photography, but know far more about post production and stylization? All this and more are covered and debated in this 40+ minute video!
So pull up a chair and join us for this meeting of the minds in an all-too-relevant conversation about the state of our industry, and be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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Im from colombia, and Im always seeing what u guys do, its interesting how marketing took all the photo industry and transform it, if u dont know how to market yourself, ur out of the game.
When I first got into photography it was still the days of film, and I watched the situation “unravel” exactly as Pye and Patrick describe it.
Wedding photographers (and many other types of pros) who were making a good living by merely being “skilled camera operators” watched their jobs simply vanish into thin air, as the tidal wave of “creatives” picked up cameras, smashed that learning curve like it was a Peter Mckinnon Youtube video, and started raking in the dough, or what they thought was tons of cash LOL.
(I have since have talked to many wedding photographers who made their fortunes in the 80’s and 90’s, right when medium format film portraiture was giving way to 35mm film portraits/weddings, and many of their incomes made most every current wedding photographer’s income look pathetic by comparison. Wedding photographers these days brag about breaking into the $5-10K wedding game; back then it was the $20-30K sales that were what you bragged about. And that’s not even counting inflation.
TLDR, change is inevitable, HOWEVER, sheer creativity will always survive. It’s just the technology, the methods of delivery and the methods of acquiring clients or making money, that change.
Unfortunately, if you JUST “like taking pictures” and you didn’t sign up to be a marketing director or a social media guru, then you might not be very happy about a career choice in anything artistic/imagery related. It’s always going to be not just an uphill battle, but a completely redefined game, every few years or at least every decade or so. Get used to it!
Change is inevitable. Adapt, evolve, compete, grow or die.
I agree, interesting how roles have shifted into marketing tho.
This is my fav duo… Pye and fstoppers! please do more.. ^_^ I really like the discussions you guys have..
Always a fun conversation and discussion, thanks for the post David.
Thanks Pye for this! Amazing