Aspects
Not a ratio, not a concept just a bit.
There are bits of everything, and some I love, some I hate. A big one to me is photography. I love photography, I love the art and the products that photography creates. I love the stories and the work ethic and the interesting people with strange views on life due to this crazy art we all somehow have found and use to get over whatever trauma or pain we have suffered.
I love the books, the way I see a photographer’s face change depending on the light they are in. I love the way we can expose a scene with no electronic or external help. I love how we all know the smell of film chemicals, the heat of a print straight off the press. I love the late nights, the eye strain from editing, the red light hum of a darkroom, hell, I even love the planning and emails involved in booking shoots or projects.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about in the above paragraph, I’m sorry, but I do not consider you a photographer in the truest sense. You may be someone who takes photos. You may take good photos, you may even be paid to take photos. To me, however, if you don’t get actually excited or have that level of love and fondness, you aren’t a photographer. Sadly, working in this industry for this long, I have met many fakes. This most recent job has seen a real pick up in them. People seem to care more about the latest cameras than they do about the actual art form.
This is not new, but it is not a good thing either. I blame the rise of social media. I mean, I think it’s to blame for almost everything bad in this world, but the sheer level of vanity and belief that spending lots of money on camera gear will somehow improve your work is such bollocks I can’t bear to watch any more. I see new shooters coming in, dropping a house deposit on gear, and then wonder why their image is underexposed. Then they phone me up and blame the equipment, not taking any level of responsibility for their own education, merely stating they saw a YouTuber use the camera and all their shots came out great.
Sure, I get the bad end of it, as who phones up a camera shop these days to discuss actual photography? Also, I seem to only get people who complain, as I’m probably the most technically minded on the team across all systems, so I have to sit and solve the most bizarre problems. Still, most of the issues I solve, I am using Google to help, and I feel customers could probably take a bit of a step back and use the tools I use to solve their own issues.
I’m jaded, no doubt about it; working in the industry for this long has absolutely killed it for me. That’s why I’m looking to leave it. Work again as a photographer but not work full-time within the industry. Will I lose any benefits? Sure, the odd time I want to loan something, I can’t. The odd discount here and there, but with the way the economy of the industry is currently, I’m not losing more than 5% on any item. Most of all, the wages are certainly not something I’m losing out on. Anyone working in a camera shop does not earn enough money, given the level of knowledge they are expected to have. So next time you head into one bare in mind this person is struggling to live for their love of the industry.
One thing I am gaining, however, is my love for photography back and the ability to only surround myself with the people who I consider true creatives and artists in the purest sense. A recent example of this was a shoot with Caitlin. They are a songwriter, performer and poet. Who can honestly say they do all those things and do them very well to be published and do it for a living? We headed out to some nature reserve near Brighton, spent around 2 and a half hours in the sweat box, and created these images below. It feels good to be back, and I loved the results of feeling more like me again.
