Last weekend I attended at the World Cup speedskating besides the action on the track the most important action was behind the scenes.
The Dutch Sports and Press association set off a bomb with the news to cut the services to so called ( 1) professional photographers, there are a lot of photographers who sell pictures for absolute low prices, although the competition ( if there’s any ) is completely gone selling pictures for a couple of euro’s is ridiculous.
Editors of newspapers, magazine’s who buy from these photographers are also to blame for this.
Although I shouldn’t say this I also have questions about pictures, but there isn’t any space to negotiate about the prices.
The famous words of editors are “we don’t have the money, to pay you!” and all that other kind of rubbish that they can sell you.
Honestly they aren’t looking to quality anymore, it’s all about the money or at least to save on it and in some newspapers I see the biggest crap coming by shot by some of the Dutch professional photographers.
For example last year I shot ice hockey games, although I did it for myself to extend my portfolio there was also a “professional photographer” ( in my opinion it had nothing to do with any kind of professional stuff ) standing behind the goalie taking a non action shot and it was on the frontpage of the sports section a day later.
The presence of the so called “professional photographer” took about 8 minutes during the 3rd period of the game.
In my opinion you can’t make “the picture” or the best moment in a couple of moments in a game that lasts three periods of 20 minutes whilst you’re there for only a small eight minutes.
Even if you’re there for the whole lenght of the game it isn’t sure you get the shot you need to have, but the chance getting there pretty close will be a lot bigger than being up there for a couple of minutes.
In my opinion a good photographer is the one who knows the game, understands the game and can read the game it has nothing to do with “point and shoot”, although editors don’t know pretty much how it works, they only give a damn about “cheap” priced pictures.
Actually I know a lot of photographers and the people who complain the most about “professional photographers” are the photographers who sell the pictures pretty cheap and need to sell a couple of pictures whilst I only have to sell one too get the same amount of money.
In my opinion the Dutch Sport and Press services should divide the photographers on a couple of points.
*Professional materials
- With the digital camera’s and fast way to work the only thing you need is a camera, lens, memory card, laptop and a internet connection nowadays everybody can make “HQ” pictures, the professional has the very fast camera’s, the high aperture quality lenses and a sense to make a better picture than most of the other guys. Some people call it luck for myself I have to say it’s technique.
*Quality of the pictures
-With everyone possible to make pictures due to the very easy way to photograph that digital photography comes with and not the consuming costs for buying film everybody can buy a 800 euro costing camera and shoot the “greatest” at least in their opinion.
But the professional photographer has an superb eye to make the picture more outstanding due to some small adjustments or do I have to enhancements.
*Publications
-With some colleague photographers selling pictures for bottom prices for a certain they have the most publications, but due to their own greed they have to sell pretty much pictures to earn some decent income. And I honestly believe that by banning or exclude other photographers it doesn’t mean that the prices will go up. The only thing that will happen is that there isn’t any form of competition, except between the other photographers who will attend during big events. Like I said the prices won’t go up but there will be another price war lowering the prices again downwards.
For myself photography began as a hobby…I began with the crap quality camera’s, cost consuming purchases of film, ditched it for a couple of years…Came back with one digital camera…Tried some things and got back that special feeling when hitting the release button of stopping time and collecting moments of history…bought quality glass, although it was not the greatest stuff…Bought my first well high ISO performing camera…Bought my first of thousand euro’s costing Nikon lens….Bought a second well high ISO performing camera…a second big costing Nikon lens…and another costing Nikon lens….
And why I bought it and I am not a “professional photographer” it’s all because I’ve a normal job, can pick the things I really like to photograph, I enjoy the things that I photograph and I have a great collaboration with a press office and actually I’m a pro.
I have the gear, I have a company which is registered with the dutch chamber of commerce and I have to pay taxes for every picture that I sell.
But because I’ve a normal job and like to pick the things that I like most I loose about 42% of each single sold picture.
If I would sell pictures for real cheap rates I would earn a dime with it.
(1) professional photographers
Photographer(s) who don’t earn their living with it, and probably sell pictures for bottom prices and rather don’t use non professional materials. The “professional” also has a normal job where he/she earn their money with and only spent time on their “second” job during their weekend. They also know a little bit about photography and general and for most of it they are ruining the income of the real professional photographer.
For all the above stated under (1) professional photographer sure there will be some rotten apples, but don’t deny it that there aren’t any rotten apples who are ruining it for us! The guys and girls who would love it to become a professional photographer make 40 hours a week or more with the normal job and spent some extra hours in the weekend who aren’t paid for it because of the ongoing war between some photographers who like it to earn a couple of euro’s with shit quality pictures because there isn’t any time to attend a full match of whatever kind of sport.
So many thanks to the “professional photographer” who are trying to ruining it for us and started a competition between photo agencies and lowered the price to earn some income.
It’s pretty easy to point your finger to us, but there are three fingers pointing towards yourself.
For what the pricing of pictures is concerning don’t blame the guys/girls who are busting their asses in the weekend, make good quality or even better pictures then the real professional.
Once you become a full professional because you have your steady income, it’s not an excuse to lay back and stop developing yourself and blame others because they kick your ass with excellent quality pics.