Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/07/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]<<<<<<< Making great pictures good enough for publication is very, very difficult for all but a few at the very top of the business. Even they have to work at it.>>>>>>>>> Hi Eric, well said! Many folks think our work consists of going "click" and we are perceived to travel the world on holidays any time we go on overseas assignment. They don't take into account our relationship to the cultures we have to be careful of, the food, decease and land mines and drivers hired. The police who thrive on "hand outs" to assist with their meager salary, nor the moron editors back home who have absolutely no idea what the hell it's like on the other side of the pond, let alone the otherside of their own countries. No this doesn't mean I'd quit or trade it in, just too damn much fun, worry, excitement and danger to become one of those 9-5 grey suit folks who lead a terribly boring regimented life. No offence to those of you who have the exciting 9-5 professions! :) But you also know there are more dull 9-5 than your exciting!:) I beleive automation in camera equipment allowing idiot proof picture exposures and focus has something to do with the attitude to those of us dedicated to our profession, therefore making the photographer's role appear to be a piece of cake in editors thinking, "why do we pay this guy all that money to shoot for us, when uncle Willie is a hell of a good photographer! You should see what he did at cousin Clara's wedding! They were great all the aunts and uncles loved them." Even Clara cried when she saw them. Of course what the stupid editor didn't realize was, Clara was crying because uncle Willie's pictures were all in focus and properly exposed, but they were in truth...."shit pictures!!" Pardon me folks it's the only way they could be described!!!! It has become extremely difficult being a pro photographer even with many years experience and lots of clients. This is partially due to the many photo schools cranking out thousands of, "photographers" every year. Many who are told "the world is waiting for you new photographers, lots of jobs out there!" When the truth is....there aren't any jobs, they are becoming less and the money of the good old days has dried up no matter how good you are. The other side is, editors are as fickle as a Saturday night whore! Love you to-night forget you before dawn! However as quick as the lady of the evening will look after you, the editors will screw you quicker! The bean counters take care of that even faster! Hell those b----tards will screw you before you get your fly undone! It's one of the truly great professions of life involvement, but it is fast disappearing due to many factors; primarily bean counters, share holders and fickle people who don't buy quality journalism. But most of all, visually illiterate editors and visually challenged designers! ted