I have been doing professional part-time product and studio/on-site portrait photography for 13 years. People just don't want to pay for quality photography (mine anyway); they are content with selfies and whatever their friends AirDrop them. As of this summer, I am shuttering my business and selling off my studio equipment. I just don't want to put hours and hours into the marketing or learning to shoot/edit video that would be needed to jump start my business. I'm 70 years old.
As an older man who’s just getting into serious photography, I find this change very sad. I think it boils down to lowered expectations. People, including potential customers, are exposed to literal countless pictures each day. As a result, the value of each picture is diminished. The result is that a snap shot with no composition, lighting control, mood, or storytelling has become the “standard” by which people measure proper photographs. 😢
I agree with your comments. The quality of images has decreased but that's become the acceptable standard. Speed is more important. In addition, 30 years ago news agencies had to pay for their spot news content. Today, they obtain for free, and sometimes simply STEAL content from personal websites. The photos of Bin Laden raid would have been worth thousands of dollars previously, now people simply post their work for free.
I think there's more to the story. Those from the film generation have a deeper appreciation for the time and skill that used to go into producing a well composed, properly exposed, and sharply focused image that would translate well from film to print or screen. With limited tools, and the inability to change ISO, utilize autofocus, or even have a puller in some case... The camera operator was forced to be sharp, detail oriented, and thus able to capture a moment in time that had all of the makings of proper still of film shot. Technology has evolved, and capturing a great shot has never been easier -- allowing the camera operator to spend less time inundated by technical considerations, and more time diving into more creativity. One of the biggest enemies of creativity is the unfamiliar technology or workflows required to create it. I think that viewers lack attention span, and the younger generation of "content creators" do a good job of finding and creating new fads/trends that keep viewers engaged. In a world of social media and serving content to the masses -- our job isn't necessarily to change the world -- but to create in a way that the world will observe our work. I think as creators, we need to ask ourselves a few things... #1 Who are we creating for... Ourselves or for others? 1a. If we are creativing for others we need to have less excuses for why people do not consume our work at the rate we think we deserve. We can't be so stubbornly self-serving with our creative approach, that it leaves too much to be desired by those who consume it. If you want your work to be desired, one should incorporate a desirable approach. #2 Are you creating for yourself? 2a. Then who care about a competitive market, anyways?
So good to hear that I'm not alone. I'm a headshot photographer in the UK near London and I've seen business fall off a cliff in the past two years. Most clients are shocked by the cost for a half hour session (£99) and probably decide to have a friend take their photo with a smartphone rather than pay for a professional image. As you say, most content consumed on smartphones is not shot in a studio with lighting but has a 'polished amateur' feel to it, which has become popular because of its dominance. Of course, Covid-19 and the economic crisis haven't helped either but it's now a market driven by the majority of amateurs rather than a minority of professionals. I'm not at all optimistic for its future. Excellent video!
I am glad I came forward and made this video and reached out to good honest photography like you Frank. I totally agree with you, after Covid-19, amateurs NOW are mostly the CLIENTS themselves shooting cheaper and lousier ads and also many are cutting down on advertising costs..... they seem not to mind that 'unpolished looks' like you said. Thank you for commenting Frank3 appreciate your presence here and your logical input
Sadly, it's too easy for anyone to buy a digital camera which (let's face it) pretty much does it for you, and think that they're 'pro'! I'd love to hand them my 1980 C330 f with my Weston Master V and tell them to go and cover a wedding!
I was charging £2k a day as a wedding photographer, but the market has been in decline for years. In the UK, wedding are in decline, there are now more kids born to unmarried parents than married. Its becoming the norm rather than the exception. there was reduced demand for beautiful albums and prints and an increase for self-made cheap photobooks. I also had a studio and I think the market moved on to smart phones which do give pretty nice images with AI enhanced processing. I also found people got a lot more price sensitive and would choose photographers who would use kit lenses and showed images that had obvious clipping and provide images back same day, suggesting they were shooting jpeg. I decided I couldn't produce images at a level I would be satisfied with at a price that would be competitive. A little bit of me went into every wedding and I just couldn't do that the way the market was moving. I was got out but fortunately I had another well paying skillset I can go to in software development. I LOVED shooting weddings and portraits, but I also love 25 days paid holiday, 6 months full sick pay, (and 75% for life), private healthcare and a salary above what I could earn even when at its peak and I was fully booked. I do still shoot, but just for me now.
I'm a wedding photographer in Roanoke, VA, USA, and it's bleak. I'm still working, but bookings and payments are definitely way down. It's hard when you have dozens of new photographers shooting for pennies.
I have more and more customers complain about why the photos have the background so blurry, they want to see everything clearly. They complained why there are shadows on their face. They compared with the photos they took with their phone and very disappointed with my photos.
A hundred years ago it was difficult NOT to have a blurry background, so it was the trait of a professional to get everything in focus with a large format camera. Blurring the background is often a gimmic that can be replaced with composition technique and eliminating distractions on set.
I've found that as photographers we prefer shadows and image depth but when given a choice many clients seem to like more flat, bright, and colorful images.
I am a photographer for 35 years and the smartphone has caused a lot of photographers to close shops. The grandson with the smartphone is doing all the birthday party.
Currently, 90% of photos are intended for social media, and they don't necessarily require high-quality images. Most pictures are 1350x1080 pixels, where you won't notice noise or smooth gradients.
I started doing video along with photos this year and it definitely has helped. I saw where the market was headed and figured I’d adapt my business. Photographers who are only offering photography still are soon going to be left behind.
Yes, video is everything and I'm sure in the future all ads will be some kind of video or moving image.. Not to mention AI doing some crazy things these days
I shoot stills and video for an annual Christmas festival in my city. Last year I just used my smartphone on a gimbal for all of the video segments. I posted the videos almost real-time during the event to the event Facebook page. I saved myself using a LOT of gear and a lot of my editing time. I charged the same price as I have for the past 8 years. I use my phone for super slo-mo shots all the time.
I'm a professional photographer, nearly 20 years now, and business is fine, but I thought I would watch this incase I needed to know something. I feel I've learned a lot, and I feel I am ready ahead of the curve. Great insight and knowledge here. Client is key and if their needs change, so should yours. I know too many old pros who stick to their guns, don't become fluid in an evolving market and blame everyone but themselves for their empty diary.
I second this. I've been doing this, corporate photography, for a number of years now and business is fine too. I have since learnt that change is the only constant. Being current is key.
I come from a Real Estate Photography background in US. The problem I have is that even though I do better work, the cheaper photographers just send their photos off shore to have them edited for $1 per photo. Not to mention they are in and out of a house in 1hour or less. It's crazy too, the real estate agent won't pay for better photos even when they are listing 2-4 million dollar houses (commission being 60-120K). They still would rather pay under $1000 and preferably $200.
Ha! I have seen ads of people looking for photos of houses and only offering $50. Sad thing is, apparently someone is taking these jobs and that makes it difficult to charge anymore. So just wait, it will get worse where you are at. Enjoy!
I moved to a small town and it was harder to get work. People tend to hire the little girl they know who got a camera for Christmas and even if her portraits are distorted and in natural light, people will pay someone local . I was not able to create a business in this small town. Sadly, even the local videographer with his i-phone will get more traction than I can, so I gave up on that and shoot now for my pleasure. Times have changed, not because of covid, bu because there are more people taking their own photos or depending on their friends. The client doesn't understand or care about a good photograph. Additionally, photography is a print business and nobody prints any more, either. I've talked to younger people who came out of school for cinema or photography and they are not able to make a consistent living at the craft. I think that if you are a mom with a camera, you will be able to get other moms as consumers of baby or boudiour photography, but as a straight up, hang a shingle out, it's tougher. The money is likely in teaching or youtube influencing.
Nigel Danson just did a comparison video, smartphone, v aps-c, v full frame, v medium format. He printed a landscape photo from his smartphone at A2 and he was very pleased with it
The same thing happened in the print and graphic design industry a few years back. Improving tech combined with lower standards. If the customer does his/her own work, suddenly the result is always Picasso, whereas if you had presented the same result it would have been rejected out of hand. Today, you must define a clear advantage of doing business with your company. If you can't do that, you might as well be any random stranger that has an iPhone.
I am a hobbyist. I came across family members and friends who are used to phone camera quality and are fine with them - even for important events including wedding (only engaging a photographer for a specific part of the day, no videos and no overall coverage)! They think their friends with phone cameras will fill in the rest. I sometimes bring my camera, flash, mics and lenses to take photos and videos for them. Invariably they realised what a difference a properly composed and taken photo/video makes.
I couldnt believe it, I recently took my adult daughter to a stores camera dept because she wanted to buy a camera and learn about photography.She was looking at Canon Nikon etc, I had to go off for a few minutes, when I came back the salesman was saying to her "why dont you just upgrade your smartphone?." To be honest it really annoyed me as someone who has been in photography for decades.Anyway she decided to give it more thought. After reading all this I'm thinking perhaps he was right. All my carefully taken photos only get looked at on phones anyway. I've always enjoyed you videos Andrew.
Photography is an art itself. This sales person sucks honestly. He’s being lazy. And I worked for camera stores for decades. Young people nowadays don’t appreciate art. The art of looking and thinking. There isn’t much thought in cell phone photography. You can’t push yourself like you can using a regular camera. Photography hasn’t been cheaper. No buying film. Can shoot with same card forever. No excuses
Business has been declining since last year. Customers don't want to pay what they used to but they want more. Tons of amateurs photographers charging nothing just hurts us all at the end. Great video Andrew. I need to start shooting more video, more shots in vertical mode. Adapt or die they say and it's true. I'm making half what I did last year, thanks God a have a full time job as a photographer that supports me, but my side business is suffering a lot...I'm in NYC.
I agree with you 100%. I live in the city of Munich and I see a lot of advertisements in train stations and streets, some of which are for famous companies, and they are bad to the point of disgust.
Ive been an Industrial Commercial photographer since 1982. This trend started in the mid 1990's and has only got worse. People are so uneducated now they dont even know they have no idea how rubbish photography is. Success as a photographer now has nothing to do with skill or talent. Im retired thank goodness. I still use my Sinar 5x4 to do my own thing and I still have clients. I still sell images I took back in the early 1980's. But its not just photography standards which have dropped in many ways. We live in a ball point throw away world with only a few people still using fountain pens. Wait till AI takes over the zombies wont be able to do anything for themselves.
I've been into photography long before Covid. Covid did get everyone closer with videography and photography. But its only gotten more competitive and complicated. Only because ppl got to have the latest and greatest gear. We are forgetting the real art of simplicity. I'm too poor and cant keep up. I'm barely gathering what I need. Once I do, then the next best thing pops up 😂 Blessings, my ultimate favorite channel in existence ❤🥰🙏 Love You All
Amazing part of today though is even if you are poor there are plenty of options to create & publish that rival options that a decade or two ago required massive amounts of money & connections.
Thank you for this video. I'm from Montreal, Canada. I'm a beginner in photography but I've been chatting with other photographers and it sounds like everyone is having a hard time booking. However the demand for video is booming. An event videographer with whom I worked with in the summer said they were fully booked. Seems like not enough people are getting into videography over here. Thanks again for the insights, always enjoyed your content. :)
As a beauty and boudoir photographer trying to start my business, I feel this. Nobody wants to pay for anything. I get told a lot that it is my area, but that's a poor excuse. Even in a bad area there's usually clients. Nobody wants to pay for anything anymore.
I'm 67 and I've been through three carer changes in my life because of technology and I've learned some hard realities because of it. It's wild times to be a photographer now with technology and post covid environment.. I prefer doing commercial work where people know I'm taking photos/video that sell their product or service. Also I've accepted that everyone is a photographer with a phone in their pocket now. That said, I find I'm evolving to more video than still work and I find that the valuable commodity for your clients now is TIME - yes a customer can shoot and edit a photo/video themselves, but if you can save them time doing tasks that distract them from focusing on their core business, you are a asset worth spending money on.
We are in the same peer group and number of careers. While my focus continues to be photography, I've made more money providing stock video. I still sell the occasional print, calendar, and gift "art" cards. I'm glad my wife has a good job as we'd be starving otherwise. (I'd have to get a job at Costco...they hire old guys that are in okay shape.)
For of my life, photography was an advanced skill that required professional equipment and software. That is no longer the case. Only the highest skilled photographers in niche categories will remain working professionals. I've been a pro for 25 years and a Kodak photog for 5. Last night I shot my kids homecoming with my full event rig--and my wife's shots on her Android phone were better in a lot of situations where I had to fiddle and fuss over my camera and flash. Photogs used to be able to make a living shooting for Boomers and Gen X who did not understand how to get great images. Millennials and Gen Z have grown up using editing tools--so there is no added value in them paying a pro photog for images. They can get 85-95% as good a result on their own. There will always be a high end market for pro photography. But making a living doing photos for middle class people and business owners is over.
I will say over and over again, photojournalism is the best. Be there for world events, in foreign countries, capturing in pictures of exciting events. A photojournalist, in my opinion, is and will be a superior photographer, whether using a camera, video camera or cellphone. Weddings are boring, life sucking events that will drive people crazy. I'd rather take street photos or family photos with my camera and/or cellphone. Though I will say a Sony A7R3 (which I own) takes far superior photos than a cellphone, but no one cares.
Great video and advice Andrew, as usual, especially for younger people coming, or wanting to come into the studio photography world. Look at where all the professional cameras in 35mm are going, a huge emphasis on video as well as great stills. Couple that with amazing new AI uprezing technology, hardly a place for the very high MP camera, which would come at a huge price, especially for people starting out. Wise words, it seems the same world over, a new norm is here. Thanks for uploading, Robert.
My biggest problem with product photography is the styling - such an important part of it. I can watch videos about it, but I just have no artistic talent for it. I'm strictly about the technical aspects. You have some awesome videos and courses about product photography. I'll keep watching them and maybe some day get it figured out. Good luck with the business. You're honestly one of what I consider the Top 10 photographers of today. And your tutorials and courses are amazing! (It also helps to have the great associates you work with.) Thanks!
Style? What style a lot of the stuff I been bumping into has hardly any style at all, you might be able to get a flair for it in this marketplace, I say practice and see what you end up producing this market is not the same as the past.
It’s really bad… everyone seems to expect free photography now a days. Even for professional photographers, no one seems to get married in my town after the covid. It’s like starting photography all over again.
In my niche, a cell phone photo can get the job done. The hours (years actually) I put into learning photography, editing, and composition are washed away when a potential buyer just needs some basic photos because they know what they are looking at, really high quality photos (or artfully composed ones) do not convey more information. It's "just enough" to get the sale. So I don't make enough money to pay my bills. Then on the other end, there are photographers who are charging 10x what I get paid and their quality is undisputed. My challenge moving forward is how to get my quality level so high, that people will demand to hire me and not a random person with a phone.
Instead of good or bad in terms of "image quality" clients are looking at engagement and content now because those sells their products more than a nice looking photo/video, also why saramonics sponsored you guys for this video. So if we don't evolve alongside the industry shifts, we will join the dinosaurs.
Great video Andrew! Personally, I think it has to do with unprecedented inflation and the cutbacks it causes in all areas. There is less money to go around. 🇨🇦
Thank youuuuu for sharing us ur thought there marcthibault. I do think our current economy state do affect this as well, hopefully it get stable fast ✅ ✅ ✅ Channel admin Farah N 😉 😉 😉
I'm in the UK and see many scenarios when I'm on a paid shoot at an event where suddenly another photographer will appear. There room is dark with shadows covering peoples faces, the tables and stage area yet there they are trying to capture images without a flash, utterly impossible. If there's one thing that separates a pro photographer from a wannabe it's understanding light. Mirrorless Cameras - here's my take. Yes they're clever and lighter to work with but for me I'm hoary using my older DSLR. I don't need and EVF to see the exposure before I take the photo, I shoot for a living and therefor I know what I'm doing and I know my equipment.
Totally agree with you, I have shifted all my gear from big Nikon to Olympus Pro glasses, with Decent Lighting, of course, more than happy.😂 When lit your subject properly gear doesn't matter.😂😅
Absolutely love this video! Just wondering what if the big three camera manufacturers made their cameras with the same technology as a smartphone? It would win some people back if Sony, Canon or Nikon made a camera with some AI self processing internally. Shortening post processing times.
Absolutely, this has been the slowest in 20years. Last year I shoot 43 events and this year only 28 and I have nothing else scheduled for the rest of the year. I hope it turns around next year.
from where i am clients are so used to bad ads and no budget shoots. and most of the new/young guys compete by really lowering their rates to the point that they need a ton of projects per month just to make a small amount of profit.
no. at the very end of the day it's the economy. Food, gas, energy etc. Good creativity deserves good pay and that won't happen anymore. Some are way more vested then others.
So true , i started fulltime photography in December 2021 ( i do mostly weddings )and till the end of 2022 it was awesome,but from jan 2023 the market falls and this year i didn't had my individual wedding photography order,did some exposing as second shooter for other photographer,i hope this upcoming wedding season will be great for me.
Covid, man. I hated those years. I was a tours guide in a country that closed the doors to tourists since March 2020 till just the beginning of this year. Totally destroyed me.
I find that many non-commercial clients like flat images with littls shadow detail. Sometimes the effort that goes into creating images with shadows and depth is not appreciated by clients. They like bright and more flat images sometimes. I've had several that saw my images straight out of camera (Fuji) and said no need to edit them. I'm like you paid me for a good product and I want to deliver. But they dont care sometimes beyond removing some blemishes.
Good video. The flip side of the coin for the smart phone factor is (in the US at least) people who buy expensive-looking gear and think they are immediately a working pro. A $5,000 camera doesn’t make a person a good photographer.
in honesty, these are what the professionals should be thinking when taking photographs not only to be more competitive but also to improve and challenge themselves. creativity is also playing a big role, in theory, a great photographer could produce great images from any camera if you put the thinking behind as you mentioned on the video. but yes, sadly the standard of photography today are degrading fast. more and more photographers are made no efforts on lighting, stylist but rely on post productions. but you're right, we mustn't let the standards go down to stay in the game as a photographer.
Was a student of Andrew back in the day with my EOS40D! Sure photograhy as a whole has taken a new meaning, but we must remember trends are cyclicle and corresponds to the clients needs now but there will come a time when short ads and noisy clips and super hi-res videos will be out of style. Look at resurgence of 80s design and trends and the demand for dumb-phones etc. Theres also lots of chatter for old DSRLs lately. If your running a business, no choice you have to adapt but if you are into photog for the artistic value like me, hold on to the old skills and tools. Cameras today is just too smart for their own good (worst with Ai) plus its more 'peaceful' now when everyone has moved to vlogs etc.
I am a street photographer living in a small town west of Seattle with a population of 16K. Many people have no idea where this "town" is. I frequent riding public transit to go around town. Also a ferry ride to, creme de la creme: Seattle. Majority of the "Photography Business" in my town residing are portrait photographers specialising on high school senior, maternal, family, and some headshots photoshoots. Being autistic creative and a person who don't do well in 'militaristic' environment, I can take full control of my business endeavours and preferences. "I am not one of them..." I say. I picture my business as an "art & product-centric" and build a name for the world of arts. Nothing more and less. In addition to photographing people I do not know from school or employment; I also run on photography projects completely a freelance artist. My current project is photographing the marginalised and ostracised by society with and attempt to challenge the stigma. These includes people with disabilities and homeless people. Street Photography is a practice of a person with a camera who makes pictures in the mundane and ordinary lives. Documenting decisive and unexpected moments on the streets, often with people involved. I will take a lot of time to get over my anxiety and nervousness, because these can affect how subjects of people respond towards me wielding my camera.
I am a model and actor in my city. And I have really started to work on my photography skills to improve my own photos. I have also began to look at what possible revenue options are open.
Good one Andrew! My biggest rant nowadays has been those so-called influencers who come into the market and claim that their followers will help move the client's product. Well, it may be true in some extent during the Covid period. It seems dying down a bit but as you said, customers are accustomed to the 'content creator quality' (I won't say good or bad) and since the rest of the customer's competitors are doing the same, why not? The only way for the good creatives to come back, is to have some very good ones visible in the market, so good that the rest of the creatives buyers(the customers) feel pressured and look for a more professional service. I started out as a studio photographer in JB, Malaysia in 20 some years ago and I found myself involved more and more in videography. That's how I keep my nose above the water. For photography, besides a well-edited photo, I also provide more angles for some more low-end foods photography as most of them require for photo for their social media content. For my high-end clients, they are there but they either lower their requirements to have some 'influencer' or content agency to handle them, or they are less active after the Covid.
Wow, you hit it tight on target, the current state of photography. I think this is true for everyone whether professional or hobbiest. Many of us got stuck with expensive now outdated equipment. Also, standards have gone down leaving photographers, musicians and movie producers with unneeded equipment and talent because the young generation doesn't require it. From a full band with drum, guitar, keyboard players and talented singer, we now have a turntable and a rapper who just blurt out words..no talent required. Movies dont require famous talented actors. Just add people in short skirts lots of tattoos and big nuscles and bullets and wow! Great movie. Same with photography, i remember learning from this channel and others and by the time i learned, many skills became obsolete because of LEDs and a.i. now im stuck with backgrounds and light meters and fast glass ..which isnt needed because of fake bokeh..I can go on but Ill stop..but i completely agree with you.
From Melbourne, Australia. Just thinking about this when I was walking through a large shopping centre (shopping mall) today and observed that most retail store windows were showing video on large screens, and much less were predominantly displaying still photos of models and their products. Seems that video is the way to go
I've seen this coming for years, with the popularity of social media and RUclips, where amateurs get attention for reasons other than the photography. In the wedding business, I remember getting more and more requests (quite a few years ago) for a photojournalistic approach rather than posed group shots. On some level, the amateur look is a style that has gained popularity. Of course, many of these clients just didn't want to spend time posing for photos, so there's that too. For businesses, it mostly about profits, so a more professional style needs to produce more sales, and if it doesn't, then why bother?
A truly good, spontaneous' photojournalistic photo is arguably harder than any posed shot. That's presuming that it's actually good photos that those people want, not just carless snapshots.
*The advent of smartphones Iphones (mktg ads), and new photo editing apps make people confident of their shots, considering the clarity and background .. but of course professionally shot quality photos have become a luxury. Still can't be replaced in wedding or special events. Best blessings! GOD BLESS Sir!*
All my food shoots are done using Tilt and Shift prime lenses.I typically agree with you that equipment should never intrude in the shot. But a Smartphone will never achieve what I get from a Tilt and Shift...
Enjoyed your video! Some feedback: see if you can control the room reverb in the audio you capture. There was a lot of reverb which made the discussion harder to follow when listening on smartphone speakers.
I think because of lockdown so many new entrants are starting budget studios, at-home setup and all kinds of quick startups - the supply curve has shifted so far out that the aggregate price drops. I see this as a positive. It's gonna force both serious photographers and budget photographers to re-arrange the market condition and continue to innovate.
additionally, post-processing/editing. this is both from phone apps that are powerful enough now that are either free or easy to get. easy to use that users really just need to move sliders around till they see what they want. then theres filters for that too. then AI (thats a whole another wall of topic) then theres adobe that is now pushing AI. which is both good and bad... again, all the points that are said in the video(and the ones i have said) are not, in nature, evil. times is just changing.. i mean, we knew that it was even before the pandemic, but everything hastened because of it.. additionally, AI is also contributing on that haste..
Times change and most people don't want to. People don't read newspapers, magazines, use computers etc. Everything is on the phone and it all has to be fast and catch your eye, so quality and high production doesn't matter when small and on a phone. Everyone is used to looking at small shitty images on phones so no one wants to pay big buck some something that looks good when large and not different that everything else when small. You want to keep up you need to change with the times and do what they want, cheaper and faster.
Everything you said is bang on 100% correct. Some years ago, before the smartphone camera became as good as they are, many newbies would buy and entry level Nikon or canon and overnight they would become photographers. Now, they done even need that. However, one thing that most people overlook is the size of sensor and the lenses used in a camera, versus the tiny sensors in smartphones. Eventually it’s the lenses that matter. And to top it all, a knowledge of everything you mentioned in the video.
... . Who needs good lenses and big sensors if all the pics wind up on is the web, Instagram and the like. Why use a raw file from a 25+ megapix camera if you csn only upload a jpg with 8mb only and you will not find a lab anymore to get you a print of your photoshopped 250mb file and if so cannot process those data as they couldn, t invest in the latest tech.
I do my own printing(super expensive)and I have a few exhibits in town...other than that I dont know a soul that cares about a beautiful print. I have a 45mp camera and post on Instagram...do you see the irony in that? I also find that people are pretty indifferent about photos and everything else ...so Im just going to go to dance classes and i have already added mirrors to my photostudio...so down with the gear...up with the music.@@joss6291
I think many photographers are better salesmen than their craftsmanship are gonna love this kind of trend that quality images aren't the priority, so they can slap a preset on and photoshop their way out and call it a day.
Inflation here makes it even a bigger challenge for business. In the past it has been other photographers chastising prices. I couldn’t live off photography.
Well said .. I just pitched a budget two camera shoot to a client 2nd camera is iPhone. Still it's a battle to get value. Photography has low barriers to entry. Experience and creative thinking is what sets you apart from low rent snappers. But I do agree with you re the changes in technology. iPhone 15 Pro -> 444 proRes export to external HD !!! As a photographer I always understood my role was a communicator and found market differentiation creative strategies easy.
RUclipsrs and social influencers are taking over some of the task used to do by advertising agencies. Forget about super expensive camera with higher mega pixels and high-end editing software, mobile phones does the job...simpler...cheaper 😘
It is only going to get worse as newer generations only have experience with photo taking and media consumption via their smartphones who are essentially on permanent wide angle mode and never ever touching a proper camera. The camera will be driven to extinction when we these generations reach adulthood. We need to promote and educate them that photo taking is an artform, and demonstrate that there is so much out there other than distorted shots, oversaturated colours, vomit inducing resolution, eye-level only shots, artificial image processing and vertical framing.
It's very sad because more and more people are teaching free photography techniques on social media and creating more and more competition for businesses in the world of photography. Those affected are people who feed their families through that work. My friend said he was having a hard time finding clients because everyone can shot by himself learning from youtube etc
LOL at the smartphone photography part, when you do your best work for them the customer complain say not nice for some reason but their own staff poor quality image come out it is "Nevermind can use! Jalan!" - I tell you, for some customers I actually gave up.
As an outsider looking in that may consider hiring someone for photography, this is very eye opening. Seems more economical to do it yourself, especially when this guy is openly explaining how to inflate the price of services. Unless I'm running a company with large budgets, hiring a full blown professional team doesn't make sense. I'd hire an up and coming hobbyist instead after checking out their portfolio
You get what you pay for. It's not only the images, is the whole approach to the task. And you're saying that professional skill has little value. Sad times indeed. Beauty and artistry should be goals again. All of it looks the same these days anyway, most copying each other or making pseudo imagery. Real artistry is worth paying for, isn't that what you're product is supposed to associate with?
@@frontstandard1488 i get your point and where you're coming from and that's the ideal way to look at artistry as its the epitome of human expression, but at the same time guys like me that don't want to keep up with the joneses understand that there are diminishing returns for value. upholding a standard to that degree in all facets of life just gets exhausting and entirely too expensive. this is why people are gravitating to services that empower the end user as a form of an experience and "customize it yourself and put your signature on it", vs the idea of "i paid a lot of money for this and it looks amazing!, but damn i did spend a ton of money on that, hmmm". Times are changing and inflation is going to put a stranglehold on luxury services vs do it yourself. The new trend will be "look how much i did with such little effort for such little money". instead of "look how this is over the top everyone!" which projects "over excess"
digital photographer is definite the culprit. you almost have to focus on the high end portion. In the old days, with film, it was much harder for anyone to be a professional. Much harder and more pressure to do a wedding using film to get professional results. Now anyone with a digital camera think they are a professional.
True, when you had to buy film and pay for processing, you had to live with the outcome. Nowadays, one just shoots and shoots, hoping one image or sequence will be usable.
Spot on Andrew. Here in Singapore the market is all over the place and jobs have dropped in quality and numbers. Quality has taken a big hit with clients prepared for mediocre work. and I HATE FLATLAY!
Mine has slowed down a little bit. But I remembered back to your lessons. Never limit yourself to just photography. Learn videography, graphic designing, etc. So, I am also helping a person on TikTok designing graphics for her 20oz tumblers on the side while I also try to get clients for photoshoots.
As someone who came up and learned on film and medium format cameras, the evolution has been staggering and interesting to watch. Compating what ISO 800 on my 7D looks like compared to the EOS R is night and day. I can do stuff now with high ISO I never would have dreamed of 10-12 years ago. Because of that continuous led lighting is becoming a viable option and making flashes less necessary. I'm trying to get into video now but it's been a bit of a struggle, moreso on the hardware and movement than on the actual capture devices.
Wel...I think I have left comments on RUclips maybe 2 times in my life (being generous). I would like to share a thought. I'm a food startup owner in Honduras. I recently learned I'm a perfectionist. I'll focus on the marketing part of the business, which pertains to photography. Lately I've realized my business isn't growing as much as I would want it. I keep holding back on DOING THINGS because they would not be perfect. This includes photos, explainer animations, flyers, posters, etc. I want to put out great quality on everything I do, including the product ads, but I've had a hard time finding the right balance between things looking good (enough) and being affordable during a startup phase. For a while I thought photography was 70 - 80% gear & software and 30 - 20% skill. I then decided to casually learn about photography, got myself a good phone and began. I now better understand a great photographer (I'm by no means great, nor good) can creat great material even with crappy equipment. Granted, posibilities will be more limited, but skill takes you further than just the gear you have. With a phone and very limited skills I was able to take some photos that made for far better ads than some material produced by a profesional. I'm not saying I'm a genius, or expert, or that gear doesn't matter. I'm saying that a picture taken with a pro camera, in a studio, with pro lighting, and noticeably higher production value can still be less relevant than a simpler picture that "gets the right message through". This is why you see lower quality stuff used so much. Yes, it's cheaper, but sometimes people are just able to DIY a crappy low production value ad that just connects with their audience. I see what you say about showing a customer you can use their phone better than they can. It will clearly show the technical skill gap they are hiring you for, but it must also be paired with the photographer being able to get the message accross. If you can do this, without breaking the bank, you should be golden. My advise, in all my ignorance about photography as a profession, don't prioritize getting ALL the best expensive gear. Get good stuff, within your current possibilities and really learn what your customer wants to communicate through pictures. Don't let perfectionism hold you back. Sure, you will notice it, others in your profession may notice it, but the average person won't. Learn to accept "good enough" outputs, but gradually improve as you go. Prioritize that, over buying ultra quality gear you can't quiet afford yet. Be mindful though, if your gear isn't the best (which is fine), look for customers that can't pay for the best but WILL appreciate what YOU can do for THEM. Lastly, understand that just like the market is hard on you, it's also hard on your cusotmer. If you are doing productions for businesses, maybe pitching a deal where you produce marketing material and get paid based on it's success can help you get in the door. As a small business owner, on a really beat up market, and due to past experiences with marketing, I'm really hesitant on spending money on creating an ad that may not yield results. If an agency were to offer taking my marketing responsibilities with minimal upfront cost for me, but higher returns for them based on ad success, I would be much more inclined to work with them. Just a thought in case any of you want to try that in your markets.
I do events and doing well. But I think old style photography like shooting headshots and models are done. It’s too easy with cell phones blurring backgrounds and changing lighting. Now there is Ai which can even change clothes or do different backgrounds plus soft skin filters which might look horrible to us but not the regular people. At least you can’t cancel events and people want some photographer there while the guest relax and hang out. The changing and unexpected groupings or seeing someone you haven’t seen in awhile makes people want a photographer to catch that. Plus luckily I get sent to these events and don’t have to look for it.
I have always loved photography since I was 20 (53 years) ago, but only as a keen casual amateur. I would not like to be a professional photographer today - it just looks to be so hard to make a good living. I really enjoyed your video.
On point! Restaurant that invite me to eat on restaurants for photos don’t like anymore high quality photos, they want them taken with the smartphone (meaning they need to be looking bad and looking like from “real” people while having nice composition and lighting)
Digital photography opened lots of doors and as a result more people started taking images, add into the mix social media, smart phones and people no longer need or value printed images. These factors have had an impact on photographers that used to earn money for their craft, which has affected some photographers more than others. Photography now for paying customers is more likely to be a luxury than a necessity, which results in less customers wanting quality photography, they just make do with what is free. If as a photographer you are very good at your craft and your work stands out you will still get paid work, but the amount and frequency may not make it a viable full time job. I am a semi retired photographer now as I no longer recieve commissions, but paid work does come along now and then. As I am no longer trying to earn a living from photography, I can choose what and when I photograph. I guess if you asked musicians, illustrators and painters if their business was in bad shape, they would all say times are tough. The Commercial work of photography has always been very hard to break into and you need to be really good in that arena, but there will always be work for photographers in that area if the images they create are unique.
I have been doing professional part-time product and studio/on-site portrait photography for 13 years. People just don't want to pay for quality photography (mine anyway); they are content with selfies and whatever their friends AirDrop them. As of this summer, I am shuttering my business and selling off my studio equipment. I just don't want to put hours and hours into the marketing or learning to shoot/edit video that would be needed to jump start my business. I'm 70 years old.
As an older man who’s just getting into serious photography, I find this change very sad. I think it boils down to lowered expectations. People, including potential customers, are exposed to literal countless pictures each day. As a result, the value of each picture is diminished. The result is that a snap shot with no composition, lighting control, mood, or storytelling has become the “standard” by which people measure proper photographs. 😢
I agree with your comments. The quality of images has decreased but that's become the acceptable standard. Speed is more important. In addition, 30 years ago news agencies had to pay for their spot news content. Today, they obtain for free, and sometimes simply STEAL content from personal websites. The photos of Bin Laden raid would have been worth thousands of dollars previously, now people simply post their work for free.
I agree. People can't even Tell a good picture from a bad one sometimes.
@@betyerpwet hoo they sometime do and call it vintage ;)
I think there's more to the story. Those from the film generation have a deeper appreciation for the time and skill that used to go into producing a well composed, properly exposed, and sharply focused image that would translate well from film to print or screen. With limited tools, and the inability to change ISO, utilize autofocus, or even have a puller in some case... The camera operator was forced to be sharp, detail oriented, and thus able to capture a moment in time that had all of the makings of proper still of film shot. Technology has evolved, and capturing a great shot has never been easier -- allowing the camera operator to spend less time inundated by technical considerations, and more time diving into more creativity.
One of the biggest enemies of creativity is the unfamiliar technology or workflows required to create it.
I think that viewers lack attention span, and the younger generation of "content creators" do a good job of finding and creating new fads/trends that keep viewers engaged. In a world of social media and serving content to the masses -- our job isn't necessarily to change the world -- but to create in a way that the world will observe our work.
I think as creators, we need to ask ourselves a few things...
#1 Who are we creating for... Ourselves or for others?
1a. If we are creativing for others we need to have less excuses for why people do not consume our work at the rate we think we deserve. We can't be so stubbornly self-serving with our creative approach, that it leaves too much to be desired by those who consume it. If you want your work to be desired, one should incorporate a desirable approach.
#2 Are you creating for yourself?
2a. Then who care about a competitive market, anyways?
The irony in your post. 😂
So good to hear that I'm not alone. I'm a headshot photographer in the UK near London and I've seen business fall off a cliff in the past two years. Most clients are shocked by the cost for a half hour session (£99) and probably decide to have a friend take their photo with a smartphone rather than pay for a professional image. As you say, most content consumed on smartphones is not shot in a studio with lighting but has a 'polished amateur' feel to it, which has become popular because of its dominance. Of course, Covid-19 and the economic crisis haven't helped either but it's now a market driven by the majority of amateurs rather than a minority of professionals. I'm not at all optimistic for its future. Excellent video!
I am glad I came forward and made this video and reached out to good honest photography like you Frank. I totally agree with you, after Covid-19, amateurs NOW are mostly the CLIENTS themselves shooting cheaper and lousier ads and also many are cutting down on advertising costs..... they seem not to mind that 'unpolished looks' like you said. Thank you for commenting Frank3 appreciate your presence here and your logical input
Sadly, it's too easy for anyone to buy a digital camera which (let's face it) pretty much does it for you, and think that they're 'pro'! I'd love to hand them my 1980 C330 f with my Weston Master V and tell them to go and cover a wedding!
I was charging £2k a day as a wedding photographer, but the market has been in decline for years. In the UK, wedding are in decline, there are now more kids born to unmarried parents than married. Its becoming the norm rather than the exception. there was reduced demand for beautiful albums and prints and an increase for self-made cheap photobooks. I also had a studio and I think the market moved on to smart phones which do give pretty nice images with AI enhanced processing.
I also found people got a lot more price sensitive and would choose photographers who would use kit lenses and showed images that had obvious clipping and provide images back same day, suggesting they were shooting jpeg. I decided I couldn't produce images at a level I would be satisfied with at a price that would be competitive. A little bit of me went into every wedding and I just couldn't do that the way the market was moving.
I was got out but fortunately I had another well paying skillset I can go to in software development. I LOVED shooting weddings and portraits, but I also love 25 days paid holiday, 6 months full sick pay, (and 75% for life), private healthcare and a salary above what I could earn even when at its peak and I was fully booked.
I do still shoot, but just for me now.
I'm a wedding photographer in Roanoke, VA, USA, and it's bleak. I'm still working, but bookings and payments are definitely way down. It's hard when you have dozens of new photographers shooting for pennies.
@dctimagery Awesome!! What's your IG or website? I'm always down to meet up when we have time!
It’s never been good for me. Seems I don’t wear leggings. Two or three over exposing photographers in my area suck up all the oxygen.
I have more and more customers complain about why the photos have the background so blurry, they want to see everything clearly. They complained why there are shadows on their face. They compared with the photos they took with their phone and very disappointed with my photos.
R u shooting wide open on all the shots? R u placing them in lighting that produces hard shadows? If so, that could be a problem for some.
A hundred years ago it was difficult NOT to have a blurry background, so it was the trait of a professional to get everything in focus with a large format camera. Blurring the background is often a gimmic that can be replaced with composition technique and eliminating distractions on set.
A bit of bokeh is good but not too much and these bokeh balls are just plain ugly!
I've found that as photographers we prefer shadows and image depth but when given a choice many clients seem to like more flat, bright, and colorful images.
I am a photographer for 35 years and the smartphone has caused a lot of photographers to close shops. The grandson with the smartphone is doing all the birthday party.
Currently, 90% of photos are intended for social media, and they don't necessarily require high-quality images. Most pictures are 1350x1080 pixels, where you won't notice noise or smooth gradients.
I started doing video along with photos this year and it definitely has helped. I saw where the market was headed and figured I’d adapt my business. Photographers who are only offering photography still are soon going to be left behind.
Yes, video is everything and I'm sure in the future all ads will be some kind of video or moving image.. Not to mention AI doing some crazy things these days
Need more contents like this. More on Photography as a business than Photography as an art.
I shoot stills and video for an annual Christmas festival in my city. Last year I just used my smartphone on a gimbal for all of the video segments. I posted the videos almost real-time during the event to the event Facebook page. I saved myself using a LOT of gear and a lot of my editing time. I charged the same price as I have for the past 8 years.
I use my phone for super slo-mo shots all the time.
Very impressively done
This is evolution with time and a great lesson for all of us
🙏🏽 good luck in ur endeavours
I'm a professional photographer, nearly 20 years now, and business is fine, but I thought I would watch this incase I needed to know something. I feel I've learned a lot, and I feel I am ready ahead of the curve. Great insight and knowledge here. Client is key and if their needs change, so should yours. I know too many old pros who stick to their guns, don't become fluid in an evolving market and blame everyone but themselves for their empty diary.
I second this. I've been doing this, corporate photography, for a number of years now and business is fine too. I have since learnt that change is the only constant. Being current is key.
I come from a Real Estate Photography background in US. The problem I have is that even though I do better work, the cheaper photographers just send their photos off shore to have them edited for $1 per photo. Not to mention they are in and out of a house in 1hour or less. It's crazy too, the real estate agent won't pay for better photos even when they are listing 2-4 million dollar houses (commission being 60-120K). They still would rather pay under $1000 and preferably $200.
Ha! I have seen ads of people looking for photos of houses and only offering $50. Sad thing is, apparently someone is taking these jobs and that makes it difficult to charge anymore. So just wait, it will get worse where you are at. Enjoy!
I moved to a small town and it was harder to get work. People tend to hire the little girl they know who got a camera for Christmas and even if her portraits are distorted and in natural light, people will pay someone local . I was not able to create a business in this small town. Sadly, even the local videographer with his i-phone will get more traction than I can, so I gave up on that and shoot now for my pleasure. Times have changed, not because of covid, bu because there are more people taking their own photos or depending on their friends. The client doesn't understand or care about a good photograph. Additionally, photography is a print business and nobody prints any more, either. I've talked to younger people who came out of school for cinema or photography and they are not able to make a consistent living at the craft. I think that if you are a mom with a camera, you will be able to get other moms as consumers of baby or boudiour photography, but as a straight up, hang a shingle out, it's tougher. The money is likely in teaching or youtube influencing.
Nigel Danson just did a comparison video, smartphone, v aps-c, v full frame, v medium format.
He printed a landscape photo from his smartphone at A2 and he was very pleased with it
The same thing happened in the print and graphic design industry a few years back. Improving tech combined with lower standards. If the customer does his/her own work, suddenly the result is always Picasso, whereas if you had presented the same result it would have been rejected out of hand. Today, you must define a clear advantage of doing business with your company. If you can't do that, you might as well be any random stranger that has an iPhone.
I am a hobbyist. I came across family members and friends who are used to phone camera quality and are fine with them - even for important events including wedding (only engaging a photographer for a specific part of the day, no videos and no overall coverage)! They think their friends with phone cameras will fill in the rest.
I sometimes bring my camera, flash, mics and lenses to take photos and videos for them. Invariably they realised what a difference a properly composed and taken photo/video makes.
... AND then just ask you to bring you camera and do all the work for free- or are shocked, SHOCKED I SAY, that you want to be paid for working...
I couldnt believe it, I recently took my adult daughter to a stores camera dept because she wanted to buy a camera and learn about photography.She was looking at Canon Nikon etc, I had to go off for a few minutes, when I came back the salesman was saying to her "why dont you just upgrade your smartphone?." To be honest it really annoyed me as someone who has been in photography for decades.Anyway she decided to give it more thought. After reading all this I'm thinking perhaps he was right. All my carefully taken photos only get looked at on phones anyway. I've always enjoyed you videos Andrew.
Photography is an art itself. This sales person sucks honestly. He’s being lazy. And I worked for camera stores for decades. Young people nowadays don’t appreciate art. The art of looking and thinking. There isn’t much thought in cell phone photography. You can’t push yourself like you can using a regular camera. Photography hasn’t been cheaper. No buying film. Can shoot with same card forever. No excuses
Why wouldn’t he want to make a sale?
@@hkraytai I used to be a salesman years ago, I guess he was an idiot, because he sold nothing.
Business has been declining since last year. Customers don't want to pay what they used to but they want more. Tons of amateurs photographers charging nothing just hurts us all at the end. Great video Andrew. I need to start shooting more video, more shots in vertical mode. Adapt or die they say and it's true. I'm making half what I did last year, thanks God a have a full time job as a photographer that supports me, but my side business is suffering a lot...I'm in NYC.
We're wishing u all the best kilombazo. Stay strong there 💪 💪 💪
I agree with you 100%. I live in the city of Munich and I see a lot of advertisements in train stations and streets, some of which are for famous companies, and they are bad to the point of disgust.
Ive been an Industrial Commercial photographer since 1982. This trend started in the mid 1990's and has only got worse. People are so uneducated now they dont even know they have no idea how rubbish photography is. Success as a photographer now has nothing to do with skill or talent. Im retired thank goodness. I still use my Sinar 5x4 to do my own thing and I still have clients. I still sell images I took back in the early 1980's. But its not just photography standards which have dropped in many ways. We live in a ball point throw away world with only a few people still using fountain pens. Wait till AI takes over the zombies wont be able to do anything for themselves.
Well said. Skill, artistry, craft, come from education and work. All lacking hugely now seemingly by design.
@@frontstandard1488 we as humanity make us unbelievably stupid so the ones who sell it get what they want new time design
This is why im getting into sports and commercial work pros will always be needed for that
It surely is a challenge in those area 🤣🤣🤣 each second counts
ONE WORD BEST describes all that you spoke about in this video......" " TRUTH‼" "
Agreeing to the points 😂😂😂
I've been into photography long before Covid. Covid did get everyone closer with videography and photography. But its only gotten more competitive and complicated. Only because ppl got to have the latest and greatest gear. We are forgetting the real art of simplicity. I'm too poor and cant keep up. I'm barely gathering what I need. Once I do, then the next best thing pops up 😂 Blessings, my ultimate favorite channel in existence ❤🥰🙏 Love You All
Amazing part of today though is even if you are poor there are plenty of options to create & publish that rival options that a decade or two ago required massive amounts of money & connections.
Thank you for this video. I'm from Montreal, Canada. I'm a beginner in photography but I've been chatting with other photographers and it sounds like everyone is having a hard time booking. However the demand for video is booming. An event videographer with whom I worked with in the summer said they were fully booked. Seems like not enough people are getting into videography over here.
Thanks again for the insights, always enjoyed your content. :)
Thank god I’m more into video now too. You got to change with the times.
They want you to do both!
You so under rated. For me, you one of the best photography sifus out there in Malaysia.
Thank youuuuu azmilphotography 😍😍😍
As a beauty and boudoir photographer trying to start my business, I feel this. Nobody wants to pay for anything. I get told a lot that it is my area, but that's a poor excuse. Even in a bad area there's usually clients. Nobody wants to pay for anything anymore.
I'm 67 and I've been through three carer changes in my life because of technology and I've learned some hard realities because of it. It's wild times to be a photographer now with technology and post covid environment.. I prefer doing commercial work where people know I'm taking photos/video that sell their product or service. Also I've accepted that everyone is a photographer with a phone in their pocket now. That said, I find I'm evolving to more video than still work and I find that the valuable commodity for your clients now is TIME - yes a customer can shoot and edit a photo/video themselves, but if you can save them time doing tasks that distract them from focusing on their core business, you are a asset worth spending money on.
We are in the same peer group and number of careers. While my focus continues to be photography, I've made more money providing stock video. I still sell the occasional print, calendar, and gift "art" cards. I'm glad my wife has a good job as we'd be starving otherwise. (I'd have to get a job at Costco...they hire old guys that are in okay shape.)
For of my life, photography was an advanced skill that required professional equipment and software. That is no longer the case. Only the highest skilled photographers in niche categories will remain working professionals. I've been a pro for 25 years and a Kodak photog for 5. Last night I shot my kids homecoming with my full event rig--and my wife's shots on her Android phone were better in a lot of situations where I had to fiddle and fuss over my camera and flash. Photogs used to be able to make a living shooting for Boomers and Gen X who did not understand how to get great images. Millennials and Gen Z have grown up using editing tools--so there is no added value in them paying a pro photog for images. They can get 85-95% as good a result on their own. There will always be a high end market for pro photography. But making a living doing photos for middle class people and business owners is over.
I will say over and over again, photojournalism is the best. Be there for world events, in foreign countries, capturing in pictures of exciting events. A photojournalist, in my opinion, is and will be a superior photographer, whether using a camera, video camera or cellphone. Weddings are boring, life sucking events that will drive people crazy. I'd rather take street photos or family photos with my camera and/or cellphone. Though I will say a Sony A7R3 (which I own) takes far superior photos than a cellphone, but no one cares.
and the dynamic range of an iphone right now is very impressive. Better then my R5's
Wonderful insightful video . Really appreciate the insight you provided
We appreciate ur support there Thrumyvision
Great video and advice Andrew, as usual, especially for younger people coming, or wanting to come into the studio photography world. Look at where all the professional cameras in 35mm are going, a huge emphasis on video as well as great stills. Couple that with amazing new AI uprezing technology, hardly a place for the very high MP camera, which would come at a huge price, especially for people starting out. Wise words, it seems the same world over, a new norm is here. Thanks for uploading, Robert.
Some home truth of the state of the photography & video business. Thank you for this video.
My biggest problem with product photography is the styling - such an important part of it. I can watch videos about it, but I just have no artistic talent for it. I'm strictly about the technical aspects. You have some awesome videos and courses about product photography. I'll keep watching them and maybe some day get it figured out. Good luck with the business. You're honestly one of what I consider the Top 10 photographers of today. And your tutorials and courses are amazing! (It also helps to have the great associates you work with.) Thanks!
Are we living the same life? 😂😂😂 this is exactly how I am.
Style? What style a lot of the stuff I been bumping into has hardly any style at all, you might be able to get a flair for it in this marketplace, I say practice and see what you end up producing this market is not the same as the past.
Mate, you are a genius 🎉. I love your ideas😅. Keeping fighting the good fight! 🎉🎉🎉
Andrew and his explosive ideas 🤣🤣🤣
Channel admin Farah N 😉 😉 😉
It’s really bad… everyone seems to expect free photography now a days. Even for professional photographers, no one seems to get married in my town after the covid. It’s like starting photography all over again.
Free photography, damn, this is so real
see my post/comment pls
In my niche, a cell phone photo can get the job done. The hours (years actually) I put into learning photography, editing, and composition are washed away when a potential buyer just needs some basic photos because they know what they are looking at, really high quality photos (or artfully composed ones) do not convey more information. It's "just enough" to get the sale. So I don't make enough money to pay my bills. Then on the other end, there are photographers who are charging 10x what I get paid and their quality is undisputed. My challenge moving forward is how to get my quality level so high, that people will demand to hire me and not a random person with a phone.
Thank you for an entire set of Asian business wisdom! 🙏
You're welcome. Thanks for watching 😊.
Rin Othmani, Channel Admin.
Instead of good or bad in terms of "image quality" clients are looking at engagement and content now because those sells their products more than a nice looking photo/video, also why saramonics sponsored you guys for this video.
So if we don't evolve alongside the industry shifts, we will join the dinosaurs.
Your delivery is hilarious and spot on. A lot of good points, thanks for the video.
Great video Andrew! Personally, I think it has to do with unprecedented inflation and the cutbacks it causes in all areas. There is less money to go around. 🇨🇦
Thank youuuuu for sharing us ur thought there marcthibault. I do think our current economy state do affect this as well, hopefully it get stable fast ✅ ✅ ✅
Channel admin Farah N 😉 😉 😉
Not less … less valuable
I'm in the UK and see many scenarios when I'm on a paid shoot at an event where suddenly another photographer will appear. There room is dark with shadows covering peoples faces, the tables and stage area yet there they are trying to capture images without a flash, utterly impossible. If there's one thing that separates a pro photographer from a wannabe it's understanding light. Mirrorless Cameras - here's my take. Yes they're clever and lighter to work with but for me I'm hoary using my older DSLR. I don't need and EVF to see the exposure before I take the photo, I shoot for a living and therefor I know what I'm doing and I know my equipment.
Totally agree with you, I have shifted all my gear from big Nikon to Olympus Pro glasses, with Decent Lighting, of course, more than happy.😂 When lit your subject properly gear doesn't matter.😂😅
Absolutely love this video! Just wondering what if the big three camera manufacturers made their cameras with the same technology as a smartphone? It would win some people back if Sony, Canon or Nikon made a camera with some AI self processing internally. Shortening post processing times.
Absolutely, this has been the slowest in 20years. Last year I shoot 43 events and this year only 28 and I have nothing else scheduled for the rest of the year. I hope it turns around next year.
from where i am clients are so used to bad ads and no budget shoots. and most of the new/young guys compete by really lowering their rates to the point that they need a ton of projects per month just to make a small amount of profit.
At the end of the day, it is creativity that stands out from the rest.
no. at the very end of the day it's the economy. Food, gas, energy etc. Good creativity deserves good pay and that won't happen anymore. Some are way more vested then others.
So true , i started fulltime photography in December 2021 ( i do mostly weddings )and till the end of 2022 it was awesome,but from jan 2023 the market falls and this year i didn't had my individual wedding photography order,did some exposing as second shooter for other photographer,i hope this upcoming wedding season will be great for me.
“You are the smart in smart phone”. Brilliant! Very good video. Clients pay for your expertise and experience. Not about the gear.
Covid, man. I hated those years. I was a tours guide in a country that closed the doors to tourists since March 2020 till just the beginning of this year. Totally destroyed me.
Love the honesty and very accurate
Thanks so much. We appreciate your awesome comments 😍.
- Rin Othmani, Channel Admin -
I find that many non-commercial clients like flat images with littls shadow detail. Sometimes the effort that goes into creating images with shadows and depth is not appreciated by clients. They like bright and more flat images sometimes. I've had several that saw my images straight out of camera (Fuji) and said no need to edit them. I'm like you paid me for a good product and I want to deliver. But they dont care sometimes beyond removing some blemishes.
Good video. The flip side of the coin for the smart phone factor is (in the US at least) people who buy expensive-looking gear and think they are immediately a working pro. A $5,000 camera doesn’t make a person a good photographer.
in honesty, these are what the professionals should be thinking when taking photographs not only to be more competitive but also to improve and challenge themselves. creativity is also playing a big role, in theory, a great photographer could produce great images from any camera if you put the thinking behind as you mentioned on the video.
but yes, sadly the standard of photography today are degrading fast. more and more photographers are made no efforts on lighting, stylist but rely on post productions.
but you're right, we mustn't let the standards go down to stay in the game as a photographer.
It's not up to us...
Was a student of Andrew back in the day with my EOS40D! Sure photograhy as a whole has taken a new meaning, but we must remember trends are cyclicle and corresponds to the clients needs now but there will come a time when short ads and noisy clips and super hi-res videos will be out of style. Look at resurgence of 80s design and trends and the demand for dumb-phones etc. Theres also lots of chatter for old DSRLs lately. If your running a business, no choice you have to adapt but if you are into photog for the artistic value like me, hold on to the old skills and tools. Cameras today is just too smart for their own good (worst with Ai) plus its more 'peaceful' now when everyone has moved to vlogs etc.
I am a street photographer living in a small town west of Seattle with a population of 16K. Many people have no idea where this "town" is. I frequent riding public transit to go around town. Also a ferry ride to, creme de la creme: Seattle. Majority of the "Photography Business" in my town residing are portrait photographers specialising on high school senior, maternal, family, and some headshots photoshoots.
Being autistic creative and a person who don't do well in 'militaristic' environment, I can take full control of my business endeavours and preferences. "I am not one of them..." I say. I picture my business as an "art & product-centric" and build a name for the world of arts. Nothing more and less. In addition to photographing people I do not know from school or employment; I also run on photography projects completely a freelance artist. My current project is photographing the marginalised and ostracised by society with and attempt to challenge the stigma. These includes people with disabilities and homeless people.
Street Photography is a practice of a person with a camera who makes pictures in the mundane and ordinary lives. Documenting decisive and unexpected moments on the streets, often with people involved. I will take a lot of time to get over my anxiety and nervousness, because these can affect how subjects of people respond towards me wielding my camera.
I am a model and actor in my city. And I have really started to work on my photography skills to improve my own photos. I have also began to look at what possible revenue options are open.
Good one Andrew! My biggest rant nowadays has been those so-called influencers who come into the market and claim that their followers will help move the client's product. Well, it may be true in some extent during the Covid period. It seems dying down a bit but as you said, customers are accustomed to the 'content creator quality' (I won't say good or bad) and since the rest of the customer's competitors are doing the same, why not? The only way for the good creatives to come back, is to have some very good ones visible in the market, so good that the rest of the creatives buyers(the customers) feel pressured and look for a more professional service.
I started out as a studio photographer in JB, Malaysia in 20 some years ago and I found myself involved more and more in videography. That's how I keep my nose above the water. For photography, besides a well-edited photo, I also provide more angles for some more low-end foods photography as most of them require for photo for their social media content. For my high-end clients, they are there but they either lower their requirements to have some 'influencer' or content agency to handle them, or they are less active after the Covid.
We appreciate ur sharing trevorwild. It's great to know personal experiences 😍😍😍
You can be a photographer who chooses not to get paid. Which means you just enjoy doing it and you shoot whatever you want.
I agree with you. I live in USA MD. I am down too. Hope for better future. And for all of us.
Very rough time for all businesses , domino effect of economy
True to that, all business are affected nowadays
Wow, you hit it tight on target, the current state of photography. I think this is true for everyone whether professional or hobbiest. Many of us got stuck with expensive now outdated equipment. Also, standards have gone down leaving photographers, musicians and movie producers with unneeded equipment and talent because the young generation doesn't require it. From a full band with drum, guitar, keyboard players and talented singer, we now have a turntable and a rapper who just blurt out words..no talent required. Movies dont require famous talented actors. Just add people in short skirts lots of tattoos and big nuscles and bullets and wow! Great movie. Same with photography, i remember learning from this channel and others and by the time i learned, many skills became obsolete because of LEDs and a.i. now im stuck with backgrounds and light meters and fast glass ..which isnt needed because of fake bokeh..I can go on but Ill stop..but i completely agree with you.
It’s the side effects of the social media era. The younger generations are just more used to lower quality imagery. It’s hard to go back, as you said.
From Melbourne, Australia. Just thinking about this when I was walking through a large shopping centre (shopping mall) today and observed that most retail store windows were showing video on large screens, and much less were predominantly displaying still photos of models and their products. Seems that video is the way to go
I've seen this coming for years, with the popularity of social media and RUclips, where amateurs get attention for reasons other than the photography. In the wedding business, I remember getting more and more requests (quite a few years ago) for a photojournalistic approach rather than posed group shots. On some level, the amateur look is a style that has gained popularity. Of course, many of these clients just didn't want to spend time posing for photos, so there's that too. For businesses, it mostly about profits, so a more professional style needs to produce more sales, and if it doesn't, then why bother?
A truly good, spontaneous' photojournalistic photo is arguably harder than any posed shot. That's presuming that it's actually good photos that those people want, not just carless snapshots.
Absolutely 💯 agreed with your views. Covid changed many industries the way it used to be.
*The advent of smartphones Iphones (mktg ads), and new photo editing apps make people confident of their shots, considering the clarity and background .. but of course professionally shot quality photos have become a luxury. Still can't be replaced in wedding or special events. Best blessings! GOD BLESS Sir!*
Great video!
The low barrier to entry and cheap gear requirements have killed such tried and true concepts as the rule of thirds and headshot space.
All my food shoots are done using Tilt and Shift prime lenses.I typically agree with you that equipment should never intrude in the shot. But a Smartphone will never achieve what I get from a Tilt and Shift...
Thanks for the eye-opener. I am a professional photographer in The Netherlands. Time for a change.
Enjoyed your video!
Some feedback: see if you can control the room reverb in the audio you capture. There was a lot of reverb which made the discussion harder to follow when listening on smartphone speakers.
I think because of lockdown so many new entrants are starting budget studios, at-home setup and all kinds of quick startups - the supply curve has shifted so far out that the aggregate price drops. I see this as a positive. It's gonna force both serious photographers and budget photographers to re-arrange the market condition and continue to innovate.
additionally, post-processing/editing.
this is both from phone apps that are powerful enough now that are either free or easy to get. easy to use that users really just need to move sliders around till they see what they want.
then theres filters for that too.
then AI (thats a whole another wall of topic)
then theres adobe that is now pushing AI. which is both good and bad...
again, all the points that are said in the video(and the ones i have said) are not, in nature, evil. times is just changing..
i mean, we knew that it was even before the pandemic, but everything hastened because of it..
additionally, AI is also contributing on that haste..
Times change and most people don't want to. People don't read newspapers, magazines, use computers etc. Everything is on the phone and it all has to be fast and catch your eye, so quality and high production doesn't matter when small and on a phone. Everyone is used to looking at small shitty images on phones so no one wants to pay big buck some something that looks good when large and not different that everything else when small. You want to keep up you need to change with the times and do what they want, cheaper and faster.
Your content is beyond awesome! Useful!
Everything you said is bang on 100% correct. Some years ago, before the smartphone camera became as good as they are, many newbies would buy and entry level Nikon or canon and overnight they would become photographers. Now, they done even need that. However, one thing that most people overlook is the size of sensor and the lenses used in a camera, versus the tiny sensors in smartphones. Eventually it’s the lenses that matter. And to top it all, a knowledge of everything you mentioned in the video.
Knowledge is power 😍😍😍
... . Who needs good lenses and big sensors if all the pics wind up on is the web, Instagram and the like. Why use a raw file from a 25+ megapix camera if you csn only upload a jpg with 8mb only and you will not find a lab anymore to get you a print of your photoshopped 250mb file and if so cannot process those data as they couldn, t invest in the latest tech.
I do my own printing(super expensive)and I have a few exhibits in town...other than that I dont know a soul that cares about a beautiful print. I have a 45mp camera and post on Instagram...do you see the irony in that?
I also find that people are pretty indifferent about photos and everything else ...so Im just going to go to dance classes and i have already added mirrors to my photostudio...so down with the gear...up with the music.@@joss6291
I think many photographers are better salesmen than their craftsmanship are gonna love this kind of trend that quality images aren't the priority, so they can slap a preset on and photoshop their way out and call it a day.
Inflation here makes it even a bigger challenge for business. In the past it has been other photographers chastising prices. I couldn’t live off photography.
Well said .. I just pitched a budget two camera shoot to a client 2nd camera is iPhone. Still it's a battle to get value. Photography has low barriers to entry. Experience and creative thinking is what sets you apart from low rent snappers. But I do agree with you re the changes in technology. iPhone 15 Pro -> 444 proRes export to external HD !!! As a photographer I always understood my role was a communicator and found market differentiation creative strategies easy.
Great and right what you mention. Everyone know why.
RUclipsrs and social influencers are taking over some of the task used to do by advertising agencies. Forget about super expensive camera with higher mega pixels and high-end editing software, mobile phones does the job...simpler...cheaper 😘
This was an excellent, as well as, extremely informative video! Thank you sir.
It is only going to get worse as newer generations only have experience with photo taking and media consumption via their smartphones who are essentially on permanent wide angle mode and never ever touching a proper camera. The camera will be driven to extinction when we these generations reach adulthood.
We need to promote and educate them that photo taking is an artform, and demonstrate that there is so much out there other than distorted shots, oversaturated colours, vomit inducing resolution, eye-level only shots, artificial image processing and vertical framing.
Great video with information shared! Thank you!
It's very sad because more and more people are teaching free photography techniques on social media and creating more and more competition for businesses in the world of photography. Those affected are people who feed their families through that work. My friend said he was having a hard time finding clients because everyone can shot by himself learning from youtube etc
and soon those you tube teachers will start eating their own tails. But probably with a larger bank account for a while... Then what?
You're absolutely right
LOL at the smartphone photography part, when you do your best work for them the customer complain say not nice for some reason but their own staff poor quality image come out it is "Nevermind can use! Jalan!" - I tell you, for some customers I actually gave up.
Great Video !!! Thanks. I'm just photo hobbyist. However, this news is very disappointing to hear.
Smart advice - it’s quite valuable actually - amazing he gives it to you for free….
As an outsider looking in that may consider hiring someone for photography, this is very eye opening. Seems more economical to do it yourself, especially when this guy is openly explaining how to inflate the price of services. Unless I'm running a company with large budgets, hiring a full blown professional team doesn't make sense. I'd hire an up and coming hobbyist instead after checking out their portfolio
You get what you pay for. It's not only the images, is the whole approach to the task. And you're saying that professional skill has little value. Sad times indeed. Beauty and artistry should be goals again. All of it looks the same these days anyway, most copying each other or making pseudo imagery. Real artistry is worth paying for, isn't that what you're product is supposed to associate with?
@@frontstandard1488 i get your point and where you're coming from and that's the ideal way to look at artistry as its the epitome of human expression, but at the same time guys like me that don't want to keep up with the joneses understand that there are diminishing returns for value. upholding a standard to that degree in all facets of life just gets exhausting and entirely too expensive. this is why people are gravitating to services that empower the end user as a form of an experience and "customize it yourself and put your signature on it", vs the idea of "i paid a lot of money for this and it looks amazing!, but damn i did spend a ton of money on that, hmmm". Times are changing and inflation is going to put a stranglehold on luxury services vs do it yourself. The new trend will be "look how much i did with such little effort for such little money". instead of "look how this is over the top everyone!" which projects "over excess"
digital photographer is definite the culprit. you almost have to focus on the high end portion. In the old days, with film, it was much harder for anyone to be a professional. Much harder and more pressure to do a wedding using film to get professional results. Now anyone with a digital camera think they are a professional.
instead of learning the craft, they spend all the time on the computer photoshopping the images.
True, when you had to buy film and pay for processing, you had to live with the outcome. Nowadays, one just shoots and shoots, hoping one image or sequence will be usable.
Insightfully created content. Thank you! ❤🎉
Spot on Andrew. Here in Singapore the market is all over the place and jobs have dropped in quality and numbers. Quality has taken a big hit with clients prepared for mediocre work. and I HATE FLATLAY!
Mine has slowed down a little bit. But I remembered back to your lessons. Never limit yourself to just photography. Learn videography, graphic designing, etc. So, I am also helping a person on TikTok designing graphics for her 20oz tumblers on the side while I also try to get clients for photoshoots.
As someone who came up and learned on film and medium format cameras, the evolution has been staggering and interesting to watch. Compating what ISO 800 on my 7D looks like compared to the EOS R is night and day. I can do stuff now with high ISO I never would have dreamed of 10-12 years ago. Because of that continuous led lighting is becoming a viable option and making flashes less necessary. I'm trying to get into video now but it's been a bit of a struggle, moreso on the hardware and movement than on the actual capture devices.
Even more exciting you can use post process tools and go back in time with old images to rescue grainy and or truncated images
excellent video!!! excellent message!!!!! Blessings from Mexico!!!
Wel...I think I have left comments on RUclips maybe 2 times in my life (being generous).
I would like to share a thought. I'm a food startup owner in Honduras. I recently learned I'm a perfectionist. I'll focus on the marketing part of the business, which pertains to photography.
Lately I've realized my business isn't growing as much as I would want it. I keep holding back on DOING THINGS because they would not be perfect. This includes photos, explainer animations, flyers, posters, etc. I want to put out great quality on everything I do, including the product ads, but I've had a hard time finding the right balance between things looking good (enough) and being affordable during a startup phase.
For a while I thought photography was 70 - 80% gear & software and 30 - 20% skill. I then decided to casually learn about photography, got myself a good phone and began. I now better understand a great photographer (I'm by no means great, nor good) can creat great material even with crappy equipment. Granted, posibilities will be more limited, but skill takes you further than just the gear you have.
With a phone and very limited skills I was able to take some photos that made for far better ads than some material produced by a profesional. I'm not saying I'm a genius, or expert, or that gear doesn't matter. I'm saying that a picture taken with a pro camera, in a studio, with pro lighting, and noticeably higher production value can still be less relevant than a simpler picture that "gets the right message through".
This is why you see lower quality stuff used so much. Yes, it's cheaper, but sometimes people are just able to DIY a crappy low production value ad that just connects with their audience.
I see what you say about showing a customer you can use their phone better than they can. It will clearly show the technical skill gap they are hiring you for, but it must also be paired with the photographer being able to get the message accross.
If you can do this, without breaking the bank, you should be golden. My advise, in all my ignorance about photography as a profession, don't prioritize getting ALL the best expensive gear. Get good stuff, within your current possibilities and really learn what your customer wants to communicate through pictures. Don't let perfectionism hold you back. Sure, you will notice it, others in your profession may notice it, but the average person won't. Learn to accept "good enough" outputs, but gradually improve as you go. Prioritize that, over buying ultra quality gear you can't quiet afford yet. Be mindful though, if your gear isn't the best (which is fine), look for customers that can't pay for the best but WILL appreciate what YOU can do for THEM.
Lastly, understand that just like the market is hard on you, it's also hard on your cusotmer. If you are doing productions for businesses, maybe pitching a deal where you produce marketing material and get paid based on it's success can help you get in the door. As a small business owner, on a really beat up market, and due to past experiences with marketing, I'm really hesitant on spending money on creating an ad that may not yield results. If an agency were to offer taking my marketing responsibilities with minimal upfront cost for me, but higher returns for them based on ad success, I would be much more inclined to work with them. Just a thought in case any of you want to try that in your markets.
I do events and doing well. But I think old style photography like shooting headshots and models are done. It’s too easy with cell phones blurring backgrounds and changing lighting. Now there is Ai which can even change clothes or do different backgrounds plus soft skin filters which might look horrible to us but not the regular people. At least you can’t cancel events and people want some photographer there while the guest relax and hang out. The changing and unexpected groupings or seeing someone you haven’t seen in awhile makes people want a photographer to catch that. Plus luckily I get sent to these events and don’t have to look for it.
I have always loved photography since I was 20 (53 years) ago, but only as a keen casual amateur. I would not like to be a professional photographer today - it just looks to be so hard to make a good living. I really enjoyed your video.
On point! Restaurant that invite me to eat on restaurants for photos don’t like anymore high quality photos, they want them taken with the smartphone (meaning they need to be looking bad and looking like from “real” people while having nice composition and lighting)
Digital photography opened lots of doors and as a result more people started taking images, add into the mix social media, smart phones and people no longer need or value printed images. These factors have had an impact on photographers that used to earn money for their craft, which has affected some photographers more than others. Photography now for paying customers is more likely to be a luxury than a necessity, which results in less customers wanting quality photography, they just make do with what is free. If as a photographer you are very good at your craft and your work stands out you will still get paid work, but the amount and frequency may not make it a viable full time job. I am a semi retired photographer now as I no longer recieve commissions, but paid work does come along now and then. As I am no longer trying to earn a living from photography, I can choose what and when I photograph. I guess if you asked musicians, illustrators and painters if their business was in bad shape, they would all say times are tough. The Commercial work of photography has always been very hard to break into and you need to be really good in that arena, but there will always be work for photographers in that area if the images they create are unique.