First Encounter with a "Faux"

[MidnightSWolf]

I just needed to get this out of my system. I've just had my first real life experience with a "fauxtographer". I dislike using the word, since it's derogatory, but that single word describes so much to serious photographers.

She's not really a faux, in that she's not charging for a photos. Yet. But she does have a photography business fan page. I met her through an acquaintance of mine. We chatted a bit about photography, and she happily admitted that she only had her DSLR for 3 weeks. After looking at some of my photos, she was saying how good I was and urged me to start a facebook fan page. She was saying that's how you start. You do some shoots for people free, put them on your facebook page, and next time you can earn money. It really was awkward. I tried discretely to say that there was a standard, and I wasn't there yet. My acquaintance, a guy (who probably doesn't know about photography) said something along the lines of "that's when you call it artistic". It might not have been in response to my comment about there being a standard, but it happened somewhere in our conversation.

I tried to point her to a few places, such as 500px and Light Stalking, to show her some really good photos and articles to learn from. Looking at the photos on the front of the Popular page on 500px, she commented that they looked fake.

To be fair, one of her reasons for urging me to start a facebook page was "if you don't start now, then nobody will know you when you get good". So it wasn't just about starting a business. Even so, I wouldn't want to be showing off my mediocre photos...

And so that she doesn't look completely bad, she did use terms such as depth of field and shot in Aperture priority, so she did know something. Although, she might have still been confused, since she was saying that the aperture is automatic on Aperture priority. And she was shooting portraits on f/11. But her photos don't look as bad as some of the shots that end up on youarenotaphotographer

[wingflapp]

This is a difficult situation to comment on, really.

These types are irresponsible at the very least. Offering professional services without professional knowledge. They risk their clients 'recorded memories' as well as risking a lawsuit or, at the very least, non payment.

Still, I have to imagine that their portfolio itself would be a direct indicator of the 'photographer's' skills.

If a person wanted to buy this service after looking at the portfolio then its really a fair deal. 'I like your photos, so would you please take some of me?'

Photographer ruins the photos, client doesn't pay.

We live in a time where it's difficult to be a self earner unless you have a lot of money to begin with. I guess these photographers see a $500.00 camera as a business opportunity where they can make their own way.

At the end of the day - It's just plain irresponsible and unprofessional, but if the client likes the work and pays for it, I guess it's no harm no foul.

I am not defending the behavior, though. I wouldn't do it. I'm just saying I could probably go buy a lawnmower and say I'm a 'landscape professional'. I'm sure I'd find lots of folks that need a weekly lawn cutting.

Figure out what you are able to do, then do it. If people wanna pay for it, great. Just don't offer something that takes skills that you can't provide.

Incidentally... that youarenot.... webpage. I had a look. It's pretty darn funny. How come they don't show the actual sites, though? I'd love the skinny on who is actually offering their services based on those photos. Hilarious!

wing.

[MidnightSWolf]

It's to prevent haters from finding the photographer, and posting comments that might insult others or damage their reputation. The point of youarenotaphotographer is to show what kind of "pro" photos there are out there, not to actually bring down a mob on the "pro" photographers. Although, that doesn't stop people from finding them.

What's really sad is that I don't think these new photographers know what they're doing. They genuinely think that setting up a facebook page is the path they should take to become good. I tried to google it, but I can't find where they're getting all these advice from. Probably from other friends. And I think it's also because they see other people doing it, and they think they can too. And that it's easy. When I tried to explain that it takes years of experience to become a professional photographer, both of them said that it didn't, and that a friend of theirs earned some money from photography. I don't know how to break it to them how the real professional industry view them.

[BigFuzzy]

While I can appreciate both what you're trying to do (help them see reality which they're clearly out of touch with) and appreciate your descretion with your friend's friend, I'm not sure I agree with you as you speak for the "real professional industry".

Originally Posted by MidnightSWolf

I don't know how to break it to them how the real professional industry view them.

I think that these sorts of photographers are only really competing against other similar-level photographers. These guys dilute and compete at the bottom of the pool, not the area where "pros" live. Yeah, some clients that might otherwise hire a 1000usd "real pro" might choose to go with a 250usd "Fauxtographer" (and likely regret it later), but I don't think the damage is as severe as some would have us believe. In the end, consistently presenting a solid product and good marketing (FB page is one of the many tools to do this as broadly as possible) will win out over simply being the cheapest ...in my opinion.

So while I share your dismay about how some perceive how "easy" it is to make it MidnightSWolf, at least said person has a plan (most don't) and I'm just not sure I understand what your issue is?

If your issue is their lack of understanding of the realities of it, I think you did the nice thing by trying to point them the way and let it go as that's all you could probably do with this person (and other like them) and let the market take care of itself. Maybe they'll make, most likely they won't. Just the way it is now.

Read THIS link from Zack Arias, I think it's a great view (from someone in the "real professional industry") that i think is more reflective of the situation/views.

This issue of "got camera, going pro" and/or "shooting for free" are current issues that aren't going to go away anytime soon, nor will there be any one answer we will all agree on. You just have to try to not think about it and do whatever it is you can do to make yourself as able as possible to achieve whatever photographic goals you have. Worrying about the mindset or practices of others will only get you down.

[MidnightSWolf]

Thanks for that other point of view. I guess I've been spending too much time on You Are Not A Photographer, haha. When I said that, I don't think I really had in mind about competition. I do understand that there is a whole range of prices in any market. Some people will go for price, others will go for quality.

I was just astonished that anyone would try to make others pay for something that they don't fully understand. Yes, start small and work your way up. But I would have thought that you'd need to at least understand how your camera works, and have some experience under your belt before you start charging others. Shouldn't your plan be, learn and improve myself first, before selling myself? Yes, it's good to have a plan. But wouldn't you say that at 3 weeks of getting your camera, you planning to do paid shoots for others just isn't right?

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by MidnightSWolf

Thanks for that other point of view. I guess I've been spending too much time on You Are Not A Photographer, haha. When I said that, I don't think I really had in mind about competition. I do understand that there is a whole range of prices in any market. Some people will go for price, others will go for quality.

I was just astonished that anyone would try to make others pay for something that they don't fully understand. Yes, start small and work your way up. But I would have thought that you'd need to at least understand how your camera works, and have some experience under your belt before you start charging others. Shouldn't your plan be, learn and improve myself first, before selling myself? Yes, it's good to have a plan. But wouldn't you say that at 3 weeks of getting your camera, you planning to do paid shoots for others just isn't right?

I often think in terms of competition and how it actually affects me (either positively or negatively) and that helps determine whether I give a crap.

Don't get me wrong, this person is completly unprepared to handle the realities of starting a photography business (from what little facts I know of this particular case) and yes, there should be some level of competency when considering selling yourself as a "pro" (get your minds out of the gutter! ). However, if you're sitting there with your basic level of understanding and are confident enough to say "hey, this is what I offer, wanna pay me for it" and someone actually comes along and says "yep".. then why not?

Having said that, I'm always concerned for the customer who may be fooled by someone who cannot back up what they are offering.. but that exists in all markets, not just photography (though photography seems to be one of the worst lately!).

Again, in the end I agree with you that this person is (apparently) wholly unprepared, but why let it both you. I'm sure you have more serious things to worry about than some newb with a camera (which includes me!).

[SwissJon]

All this makes me VERY glad I have skills that mean I don't need to earn money from photography, and can just enjoy it as a form of art and relaxation.

I think it's terrible that people try to "trick" people into letting them take photos which are not going to be of a high quality because the person taking them doesn't have the skills they say that they do.. But this happens in every industry and those that don't have the skills, and don't invest time and effort into obtaining them regularly fall by the wayside or stay as bottom feeders.

In the industry I work in, I pay no attention to the bottom feeders, at worst they push work my way having cocked everything up, at best, they stay out of my way.. I've got too much work without the work they feed from. I imagine it's the same with photography..

In the meanwhile, I'll amuse myself as a hobbyist.

[RLucas]

I've had people try to pay for my shitty photos. I just couldn't bring myself to doing something like that to someone.

[MidnightSWolf]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Again, in the end I agree with you that this person is (apparently) wholly unprepared, but why let it both you. I'm sure you have more serious things to worry about than some newb with a camera (which includes me!).

I consider myself a newbie too! But that only adds to my surprise that there are such people (I only found out that unskilled pros existed in the industry last month). I've been teaching myself for the past 2 years, and still don't think I'm good enough. So when I first heard of the "pros" with only a few weeks of experience and hardly any knowledge to speak of, I was stunned. I'd always idolised professional photographers, and I've seen amateurs as good as them, so it never occurred to me that there would people charging for something they weren't skilled it. How naive I was

[Doug Sundseth]

I'll leave aside the fact that a competent pro will get a professional shot every time (eventually ) while a wannabe will get a professional shot sometimes, as that will solve itself in the marketplace.

For the rest, it's no different, really, from the artists who paint for the "sofa-sized original art" sellers. As a consumer, if you can't see the difference there's not much reason to pay for the difference.