Professional???

[Alexandra]

Just whining about a comment i received last night. After i've done a photo shoot for a friend and showed her the photos, she looks at them and nearly starts jumping up and down in joy. Huggs me and tells me are the best photos ever of herself, never knew she can look so good... Called me a genius... All good up to then and i was really happy.

Then she drops two bombs in my lap. First:

"No wonder you can take such good photos with that camera of yours and all those fancy programs you use!"...

I was... hmmm... Ok... i wont get too mad on that... even if i could put the same photoshop and camera in someone elses hands and her photos wouldnt have looked half as good...

Like that wasnt bad enough she continues:

"These photos look so professional! It's amazing. Even if i would have gone at a professional, the photos could not have come up better!"

Im not joking, i felt like strangling her on the spot. What do you mean my photos are professional but i am not??? How does that work? To be honest i felt offended... And felt like writing her a 500$ bill...just to be professional...

Anyways... just me complaining...

Alexandra

[Rolling Stone]

"If I had a prettier model, they would've been even better!"
I guess that's not a good way to run a biz though.

[IainM]

Friends are often too familiar with you to think of you as a professional anything, when people think of professionals they think of someone a bit aloof. So it's easy for them to do. You can just say to her that you are a professional, (assuming, of course that photography is your profession) and that your ability is what is showing, not the tools. In fact I think the tools comment is a more offensive one.

But meh, people. Just be blunt and honest with them when they cross a line, it might be a bit awkward at first but it's better than resentment and bitterness.

[briandee]

don't be hurt, people just don't understand :> be bigger than them and just smile and say thanks.

[milosh]

That's really bad! People often just don't think enough before they say things.

Originally Posted by Rolling Stone

"If I had a prettier model, they would've been even better!"

haha That's a good one!

[Sime]

Gotta love WTD : http://www.whattheduck.net/strip/95-launch

[pix_e_l8]

Originally Posted by Sime™

Gotta love WTD : 95 Launch | What The Duck

HA! haha! Love that!!

[BCampbell]

These people usually are thinking they're giving you a compliment.

Let's face it, we are a consumer culture. We will compliment people on their nice car, their nice TV, their nice house. It's the same type of compliment, "nice camera". None of these compliments say anything about the person you're trying to compliment, which is a pretty sad commentary on our society, but that's a different post.

It's bets to take it on the chin and not worry about it. If you are happy with your output, and people like your results, what more do you need?

You can always say well, you're welcome to borrow it anytime.

[Jim Bryant]

You know, I really hate to tell ya, but as a true professional, who's seen my workload almost cut in half within the past two years I see it everyday. I'm having to compete with the likes of those out there, folks who have full-time jobs and love taking pictures and giving them way for next to nothing. All those moms with entry level dSLR's who are involved in their mommy networks with their friends telling them just how great they are. Anyways, don't take this too badly........I'm in a really foul mood today.

[Sime]

w000t w000t JIM ALERT JIM ALERT!...

It really must be hard though, Jim... I feel for ya.