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T3#2: 10 Things I Hate About Wannabe Photographers

image borrowed from Photography Colleges

Eight years in the beauty business has taught me one singular thing: there is no such thing as mediocrity. You’re either just beautiful or you’re not; just ugly or not. Plain is a white polo, or a place where you plant rice, not a beauty standard.

The same, I guess, goes for people who call themselves “photographers.” With the advent of new technology (read: digital photography, and the countless list of “cam-whatevers” – from phone cams to mp3 cams, etc.) more and more people are getting into the realm of photography. But few, I declare, are worthy to be called photographers. It’s meshing a great eye with technical savvy; clicking at that right moment whilst making sure one has prepared that perfect moment to begin with.

Let me keep this simple. The title says it all.

1.) Art photography does not start with doing nudes. Not because one has done nudes, one can call himself a photographer. Maybe “pornographer” is much closer.

2.) Having a “folio” on Multiply, Flickr, Picturetrail, or any other online Gallery does not make one a photographer.

3.) Aperture, ISO, and Exposure are NOT Photoshop features.

4.) On the subject of Photoshop, if you find that you use the Shadow/Highlight, Liquify, Color Balance and Clone Stamp Tools more often than needed, you should consider rethinking your “photographer” claim.

5.) There is a fine line between a photographer and an art director. A Photographer captures his desired image once he clicks. An Art Director manipulates his desired image after the click.

6.) You need years of experience in order to capture that perfect moment: in the studio or in real life. It’s called wisdom & good taste.

7.) If I ask you for a polaroid study, you can give me a polaroid study that is as close to the actual photo as possible.

8.) It doesn’t matter if your friends say you’ve done a nice job as a “photographer.” Claim to be one once you start getting hired as a photographer.

9.) STOP HIDING UNDER THE GUISE OF PHOTOSHOP!!!!!

10.) People who take really bad photos. And try to re-edit them in order to look nice. And still fail.

p.s. here are a few more things:
11.) Why buy a Lomo Kit when you can just fuck up your own non-digital camera?

12.) Pablo Picasso had a very prolific Blue Period before he settled into Abstract. Go figure.

Comments

  • 20 April 2009
    reply

    peewee

    *clap clap clap*

    as what a friend told me a couple of years ago, darling, you can buy all the cameras, computers, equipments and gadgets in the world pero hindi nabibili ang talent at ang taste

    i am sooo following you on twitter, ricci

  • 20 April 2009
    reply

    Ricci Chan

    thanks peewee 🙂 check out my other posts 🙂 baka may ma-enjoy ka ding iba 🙂

  • 24 April 2009
    reply

    galiwaw

    I’m no photographer and would never dare to call myself one. i take pics, and have been paid for pics i’ve taken. but i will still not call myself that.

    if you need to crop, you didn’t do it right.

  • 24 April 2009
    reply

    lawrencevon

    i so agree with 4 and 9!!! 😀

  • 3 December 2009
    reply

    primoritrato

    You’re funny Ricci!

  • 30 October 2010
    reply

    Germi

    HAHAHAHA! You’re so entertaining! clapclap

  • 29 December 2010
    reply

    Patricia

    I absolutely agree with you and with galiwaw, I love to take pictures and have been paid for it, but I do not think myself as a photographer. on the other hand I started to take a lot less interest in taking pictures simply because EVERYONE does it. Try going diving, you cannot see any animals anymore just because there are always 10 cameras around whatever creature there is to see :S

  • 15 March 2011
    reply

    Humayun

    It’s just a new trend, like playing the guitar two three years ago was the ‘IN’ thing to do. Easy to use affordable Dslr’s make people believe they can capture pro shots with just one click, BUT OH THEY ARE SO WRONG!
    They would go to the camera shop asking for a 12 or 15 mega pixel camera without even having the slightest idea of what it actually means. After buying the camera, they would start looking for a mode in the camera which as they call it ‘gives a blurred back ground’ not knowing that it is called a shallow depth of field controlled by the aperture value and would depend on what lens your using. After taking some crappy shots, they would photoshop them making them look even more crappy, by either over exposing them or by applying the blur effect with no artistic taste and would finally upload them on facebook, flikr etc with their names followed by “Photography” i.e. “ABC’s Photography”. What hurts me even more is when people would actually praise them for their pictures.
    I just wish that people would have the eye to tell a good picture from a bad one. For most, its the higher level of mega pixels coupled with spending a large amount of money on a dslr that makes a good shot…. sigh…..
    Photography’s an art.. not every one can hold a paint brush and call them self a Picaso!!

  • 4 May 2011
    reply

    teamrich

    I can’t believe the comments here. Some people are the true definition of photography snobs/ self proclaimed purists “elitists” sheesh. So what if so called “wannabes” spend thousands of dollars on camera gear only to use it in auto mode. It’s their prerogative! Even if their pictures did suck who are you guys to criticize? Personally I think it’s great that more and more people are getting into photography, it really opens the doors for new perspectives, new technology, and more opportunities. For example, people who are normally analytical and tech savvy types can finally have an outlet to bring out their creative artsy side through photography and or photoshop. Anyway point being, I just don’t like the attitude of photography snobs and I embrace all people who want to become or aspire to become “photographers”.

  • 13 February 2012
    reply

    D.

    Nice article 🙂
    I’m so tired of the so called photographers showing their ‘art’ on facebook and seemingly not realising that one can be a photographer without Photoshop(!).

    (Though Picasso didn’t really do abstract. More like cubism, surrealism and a bit of other stuff.)

  • 27 September 2012
    reply

    richteam

    the point is it’s fuckin frustrating to be a real photographer having spent years upon years perfecting the craft and training the eye to be bunched into a group of bored people who keep their camera in auto mode and don’t even know what the rue of 1/3’s means. it’s fine and great if someone wants to begin to learn, but don;t make a website and start talking about how awesome your snapshots off your iPhone are

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