I was hoping the Rapture would kick in so I didn't actually have to write this post. Alas, the only hellfire and damnation I experienced this past weekend was in my gut, thanks to not-so-mild red curry (but Thai, you're ALWAYS worth it). However, due to some pent-up frustrations and reading one-too-many "girl power" articles in crappy magazines (Glamour, you're always worth it, too), I feel compelled to pass my own hour of judgement on some recent not-so-cool behavior.
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So, I'm not a "photographer," per se. I don't take pictures for a living, I don't have an art school degree, and I don't consider myself a full-fledged member of the photography community.
But you know what?
I do believe in photography as an art, I have invested countless hours and money into my enthusiasm and appreciation into my developing work (pun? yes!), and I hold the knowledge and passion that has been shared to me by a few true professionals very dearly in the depths of inner creative being.
In other words?
I'm not "there" yet, but I'm trying to figure out what it takes. The journey has been bumpy and confusing and overwhelming and brilliantly fulfilling. If anything, photography and pursuit of creating interesting images has provided a very much needed outlet and has allowed me to be focused while still being entirely open and in the moment. For a complicated gal such as myself, it's a WIN. And honestly, even if I never even get "there" - by my standards or anyone else's - there's not a single doubt in my weird little head that my glorified hobby has made me a better person.
Can you guess where I'm going?
All flowery sentiment aside (but I do mean every word of the above), it's come to my attention on several occasions that there are others who unfortunately don't share in my regards; and more upsettingly, have taken advantage of my time and dedication for their own personal gain. Since I've started heavily investing myself into photo production, I've time and time again seen people use/reproduce/share/"re-edit" or vagrantly defile my work without permission. Without credit. Without feedback or recognition. Without so much as a THANK YOU. And especially when I do so because I wanted to help capture something special and ask of nothing in return, it breaks my heart to find that instead of gratitude, there is only entitlement.
Am I making sense?
Y'all. It stinks.
It stinks to:
- Have people assume that because I saved my own hard earned money for semi-advanced photography equipment, editing software, and even a new computer to handle the processing and archiving, that I'll automatically be your complimentary photographer. Honestly, I feel like I get invited to things because folks assume I'll show up with my camera and I'm just DYING to capture every gee-flippin' moment. It's like that friend who finally invests in his dream truck, and suddenly he's the go-to guy when you move into a new apartment or buy a new (ugly) couch - why pay for delivery when your friend will do it for free, DUHHH? If you want me to stay behind the camera the whole time for your occasion, at least offer me free booze or a foot rub or to wash my car. It's like assuming your cousin who's a vocal performance major is going to come and sing jazzy ballads as free entertainment. It's embarrassing. And belittling.
- Ask me to basically give a 30min run-down of everything photography related so that you can, like, take totally awesome pics. No no, it's cool - I would LOVE to wrap up all my late nights reading articles, the afternoons alone practicing, the challenges I've encountered, the reviews I've obsessed over, the embarrassing questions I've had to ask, the locations I've foraged, etc etc etc, into a tidy little one-page 'cheat sheet' for you. What, you want that for free? SURE! It's not like I'm living in a basement and eating Ritz crackers and my hair to stay alive.... PEOPLE. Okay. So, remember that slovenly kid you've seen in class maaaybe twice who comes up to you at the end of the semester and gives some lame excuse as to why he needs all of your notes and handouts and a basic rundown of the last four months so he can pass the class? DON'T BE THAT KID. That's how it feels on my end. Not great.
- See people using photos I took and carefully edited for their OWN promotions without even the slightest acknowledgement, mention, or even taking two seconds to ask for permission (or offering to buy the rights to the photo like any smart professional would do). When this happens, not only is rude (and illegal), but that's a missed opportunity for me to add to the portfolio and possibly snag another client. It's plagiarizing - it's not your idea, it's not your work, and it's cheating. Just because it's on Facebook or sent in an email or published in an online photo album doesn't make it less mine and more yours. Sharing is one thing. Stealing is another.
- Have people DEMAND the photos I snapped at an event or outing. Without any compensation. Excuse me? OF COURSE. I would love to stop what I'm doing for you, archive and compile the photos into an easily accesible place or media source for you, and watch you post the photos EVERYWHERE while your willy nilly pals comment on your fabulousness. Is my name anywhere? Nope. Nevermind you didn't even say "thank you," but then you crop my watermark out and PUT STUPID PICNIK "FLAIR" ON THERE?! It's times like that I wish I had an army of flying monkeys to screech and wail until my prop-a-tee is rightfully avenged.
- Hear people comment, "Your camera takes great pictures!" Yes, the quality is great, and thanks for noticing; but do you really think the camera adjusted it's own settings, composition, timing, and subject? Do you suppose the camera did it's own post-captured cropping, enhancement, and editing? Listen, I hate cliches, but it's true it's the person behind the camera makes or breaks the photograph in the end; just because you buy a race-car doesn't make you a race-car driver, now does it?
- Ask me to do a full-on photo session for you/your family out of the goodness of my heart. Heart? What am I, the Tin Man? Ladies and gentlemen, it takes time to plan a shoot, do the shoot, then edit the shoot. (Err, the photos from the shoot.) And then tell ME: "Well, this will be a good chance for you to practice." Shoot shoot SHOOT, y'all! Not cool! Do you call up your friend who's in culinary school and say, "Yo, I'ma need about 50 cuh-cakes for my birthday party next week"? I SHOULD HOPE NOT! Let me just say, if you expect me to do a freebie photo sesh, you'll get what you pay for...
[www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com]
Do you... get the picture?
Listen, I'm trying to avoid going all photog'-Nazi and watermark and copyright every single image. I'm not saying you need to fork up cash or bow down to me when you want to use my photos (but will that get you even cooler photos? you bet your fanny!). I never want to stop taking pictures. I never want to stop growing and learning and being excited for when "the shot" comes out leaps and bounds better than I imagined. I do want to share what I've learned and get people engaged in a thoughtful process. I just want to know my time and effort is appreciated. I want to know it's worth continuing.
In other words, I'm trying to make things happen and I can't do that without at least a little respect for my attempts at becoming a professional. In the coming weeks, you'll hopefully see those attempts along with me - hold on to your unda'pants. I promise to always be reliable, affordable, and make sure you walk away feeling like a super-star. I know how it feels to get an image back from a photographer and think WOWZA! For the photos I take along the way, obviously my fly-by snapshots aren't as big of deal; but if I find a gem or two among the albums and take the time to bring attention to it, a hug or a high-five in return is great (and bottles of Nior if you're not the touchy-feely type.)
To those of you who have shared your thoughts, lent me amazing support, given me overwhelming recognition, prayed for successes and laughed over the failures, sung my praises, ensured appropriate credit, fought for my right to be treated as a big kid, and simply appreciated the outcomes... it's my turn to say thank YOU. It's those moments that overshadow the negative ones, and it's those moments that make the journey absolutely wonderful. I know I've got a long way to go... but that's the exciting part.
Do I feel better now?
Yes. Yes, I think I do.
**
(PS. Special shout out to THE most amazing dude in the world, John C., for being the biggest supporter of them all. I couldn't have done it without his help and expertise in the world of gadgetry and techy-techness. I couldn't have done it without his constant reassurance and thoughtful feedback. I couldn't have done it without those pizza nights where I blabbed his ear off with all my chaotic thoughts and ambitions. I couldn't have done it without him pushing me and inspiring me to realize how much I can do if I prove how badly I want it. I'm a darn lucky lady.)
Read Part II on this post - click here....
Read Part II on this post - click here....
I really appreciate that you articulated this so aptly so that I don't have to. ;)
ReplyDeleteI deal with the same issues on a regular basis. I find Facebook to be the place where most folks feel that they can steal and re-post my photos without crediting me...although I've seen people use them for self-promo/blogs/invitations, etc before as well. I honestly don't think that theft even crosses their minds, which is precisely why there needs to be more posts written just like this one!
WORD.
ReplyDeleteEverything that was said here rings true, however it is the danger of having a skill that others do not. Photography, design, video editing, musicianship, art, poetry, writing, yah get the picture? (Pun totally intended) Some call it a skill, some call it a passion, sometimes given at birth, most of the time learned. No matter what it is it is a gift that we can possess that not everyone can. So how do we decide how to use it?
Do the expectations that others have of you come from a different view of what friendship means, an appreciation of a skill that they do not have the time or patience to learn, or are they simply taking advantage. I would say it's a little of all of the above.
It's very easy in today's day and age to have differing views of what a friendship is, after all we are raised to think "It's not what you do, but who you know." We keep a page full of references on our resume of people who can give us good recommendations, but never think to actually keep ion touch with them. Or is it that we are in a down economy, where we would "like to do the right thing" and appreciate services rendered but do what we can to get by?
“An appreciation of a skill that they don't have the time or patience to learn?” It may sound a little absurd to think of it that way but not when you think of common human tendency to be on the independent side of things. Lots of people hate asking for help let alone recognizing that someone is capable of doing something better than they are. We all want to be the best. We were raised that way. So although it may not be ideal, take a little self pride in the wrongs that have been done to you. it does not make them right, but it allows you to take them with a grain of salt.
Probably the saddest and most true fact is that sometimes people just take advantage. For someone to take your picture that you put a lot of hard work into and change what you did...it's wrong, it's a crime...(no really it is) but anyway. I am not saying that this happening is right by any means; however, I will say that in this case the perception that performing this action is right all comes from a lack of knowledge. Like you said, people have many times asked you for a crash course on all the knowledge you've obtained over the years. They don't know how much time it takes to learn techniques, shoot pictures, edit pictures, etc... So tell them.
End Part I
Begin Part II
ReplyDelete"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." Corny I know, but true to what has been going on. If someone has a quick question (ie -what is aperture?) it does no harm in giving them the answer and letting them explore it on their own, but what people need to know is that if they are going to take your pictures and change them then they do not want to learn how to shoot photography like you, they want to shoot photography like they want to. So point them in the direction of some books, websites, and other sources. If they want to bad enough, then they will go and learn for themselves. If they don't want to learn bad enough then they are probably not interested enough and they don't have the passion. Photography requires passion to brave the new and try something different. If they don't have that passion that's fine, they will find that out real quick, and they will take their camera and set it back to that little green box and they will be content with that. If a person wants to know how to do something they will search for an answer.
Now where do you come into this equation? As much as you claim to be a mean person...you are not. We all can be cranky at times, but you have a good heart. You want to help others. With that being said it is alright for you to ask for something in return for your services. You possess a skill that others don’t, people want the use of your skill, and you deliver on that request. That means you are providing a service. So ask for something in return, and if you don't want something in return, at least express the amount of time and dedication the service will take before you do it. I bet you'll get your "Thank You" And it will be well deserved.
I apologize if none of this has made sense. When I write I just let it flow from mind to keyboard. You wrote about a lot, and I tried to hit on a lot of it. Your frustration is warranted and I hope it gets better. In closing I will leave you with a quote:
"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it'd be easy; they just promised it'd be worth it." -Source Unknown
Celia - You have a great gift. No matter what people do to you or how much they may tick you off, just keep doing what you’re doing! It's great!
Be Love,
Corey K.
AaaaaMEN!
ReplyDeleteAnd that's all I have to say about that.
Werd.
ReplyDeleteI empathize with your frustrations, and my friends/colleagues who are aspiring professional photographers would completely agree.
One major downfall of the Internet, when it comes to copyright and personal property, is that it's so easy to steal that many don't take time to realize that they actually are. Or they know it and don't care because it's so hard to get caught. I've had pictures ripped from Facebook, and even though they were taken with my Powershot and not edited, it still made me very mad! That's MINE!
It's tough being an artist but I hope you stick with it because your photogs are beeeautiful! Keep on pushing!
I WISH I was talented enough to have to worry about that! ;)
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, I love that you're setting up boundaries. Refusing to be a photographer doormat. This is your hobby, yes, but it's also your ART. And us artistic types gotta stick up for our rights! YEEEEEEEHAH! START THE REVOLUTION!
Gurl- that culinary student example rings true right here. No, I do not actually want to supply the dessert to every party or soiree you throw simply because I'm a certified culinarian and have my degree in baking in pastries. I love "practicing" my baking, but it has costs. I am with you. If I've ever violated you, it was unintentional and I am sincerely sorry. Lub you
ReplyDelete