Photography: Fact & Myth

Being in the biz, I hear many of these (sometimes frustrating) misconceptions again (and again, and again), and want to finally, whole-heartedly, once and for all, put many of these mysteriously viral theories to rest~

The #1 BIGGEST Myth, Unveiled!

“But you can ‘Photoshop that’, right?”

FACT: Um. Actually… probably not. Preface: There is photo enhancement and standard post-processing, and then there is photo-manipulation. Allow me to sum-up the rather sizable differences.

Here’s the thing. Anyone who is a valid and genuinely professional, self-respecting photographer knows, Photoshop (or some form of post-processing technology) is a must when it comes to the digital era of this art. There is always (read: ALWAYS – no matter how amazing you are) going to be the need for lighting corrections, brightness tweaks, color-adjustments, and other minor typical modifications to get the right look and feel of the majority of the images. We also tend to that stubborn pimple or the occasional fly-away hair - doing our best to keep you looking your best! Additionally, there are a plethora of fun enhancements that can be applied to really bring out the mood and emotion in a photograph.

Now, here’s the flip-side of the coin. We are photographers; This does not translate to “magicians”. We do not offer or regularly provide five-o’clock-shadow- removal, nose-jobs, or liposuction via the highly acclaimed “Photoshop”. Don’t get me wrong, there are people who do this. They may not be magicians, but they are wizards at Photoshop –  after devoting many (MANY, MANY, MANY) grueling hours of practice and dedication spent perfecting the SEPARATE art of photo-Manipulation. There may be some cross-over. There certainly will be some photographers out there who are adept at the intense variety of manipulative practices out there involving “Photoshop”, who are willing to do so on any number of photographs for you…. Though very likely not without added compensation for their time.

Bottom-line: Any way you look at it, when you request photo manipulation as part of your package – you will pay fees for this service – whether done directly through your multi-talented photographer, or when outsourced to a specialist.

Myth #2): All “professional photographers” (should) shoot RAW images.

FACT: There is no cut and dry/ right or wrong when it comes to such technicalities. It’s equivalent to Nikon vs. Canon, or Photoshop vs. Lightroom… It’s been going on for decades; People trying to push others out of the mix as this growing industry really takes on a life of its own because of the digital revolution. Everyone with a digital camera seems to think they can take really great photos just because they enjoy taking photos. It’s given people an even greater need to try to boost themselves above the competition. But let me ask you this: Do you question a painter as to which brush strokes or brushes were used to achieve their artistic renderings before buying a piece from their collection? No. You like their WORK! That’s what you are buying. Same goes for photographers. You aren’t buying their equipment, or their processing preferences following the shoots… You’re buying their artistic eye and their artistic style, aka – their talent (and time).

Another reason no one would ask a painter about their techniques is because most people wouldn’t have a clue about those brush strokes anyway. Let me enlighten the non-photography-oriented (as well as some in the biz who could use the reminder) regarding RAW. Most pros will TRY to convince you that any pro must shoot in RAW – as that is the only way to make changes/ corrections to an image afterward without ‘degrading’ the image, and the only way to ‘save’ an otherwise unusable image. What most pros WON’T tell you – is that there is little (if any) truly discernible difference between any two images hung together in a room – manipulated in the same ways, one in RAW and the other in jpeg formats. And, here’s a NEWSFLASH: The images you receive are always condensed down to jpeg (or some comparable, USABLE file) – or you wouldn’t be able to open your images without special software. Even then, good luck having them printed.

If one is cautious about making all of their tweaks at one interval, and only saving the image adjustments one time upon completion, there is no viable reason that it cannot be done “professionally” whatsoever.
For the record, when you hire me, I opt for a smoother-flowing process afterward, and a need for fewer memory cards to potentially lose – by shooting at the highest setting before RAW. There’s a good reason why I feel so confident. A) I am human and can make mistakes, but I cannot in the digital age see making one so huge that I could not otherwise ‘rescue’ it – even in jpeg format. And B) Following extensive research on the topic, and the fact that no one can give me a truly viable reason, with evidence to back it, as to why RAW is supposedly “better”/ “safer”, I did an experiment of my own. I took an intentionally very dark (almost impossible to discern) photograph of a clock. I uploaded the file, and manipulated it in every feasible way to try to bring out the clock, as well as the natural colors of the wood-grain and the painted wall on which it had been hung. I tried to make it very clear and sharp, and maintain the natural essence of the clock and its surroundings. In doing so, I tried two different approaches after having condensed it to jpeg. I also tried everything possible in RAW to get the image to look ‘correct’. I then posted all 3 on my Facebook page, asking people to select a favorite, and explain why. I got a decent response, and no one (NOT one single person) selected the image I’d brought back to ‘life’ in RAW. Most leaned toward one particular jpeg version of the image, while a smaller consensus pointed to the other jpeg file. I got BETTER results using the jpeg format! Even my highly-techy-friend and fellow-photographer was surprised, and never has gotten back to me with his attempts at the very same feat. Coincidence? I think not! Do you like my work? YES?! THEN FAB! You don’t need to worry about how I obtain the images – you need to just be sure you LOVE the images! By the way, that painter was ‘scumbling’ to get that effect, but you didn’t need to know that either.

Myth #3): “True professionals use pro-body-cameras”

FACT: This again is purely personal preference. Sure, pro-bodies cost oodles more than the “semi-pro” models, and warrant the expectation that one must be highly ‘successful’ to be able to afford such a commodity. But, then there are those of us who prefer to invest in the continually advancing technology INSIDE the camera. I’d much rather keep up with the technology within on a more frequent basis, than put so much money into a camera “body that can last forever” when the machinery inside becomes obsolete after a few short years. Which do you care more about, truly? Whether their camera body can take a beating, or whether they can offer you some of the highest-quality image output currently available? I kind of thought so.  ;)

Myth #4): The number of weddings worked each year equates to a ‘better’ photographer.

FACT: Experience has its benefits, in any filed. And yes, experience usually means you are going to hire someone who is better-prepared to handle many of the nuances that could arise during a photo shoot, particularly when it comes to photographing weddings. But I have to say that there is no magic number that signals a photographer’s proven ability. A better question to ask might be “how many years have you been in business”, because for many of us – the numbers vary quite a bit from season to season.

Many photographers who have chosen to forgo Corporate-America to earn an income solely through photography REQUIRE a certain amount of work to survive. This is their sole source of income, and they need to pay the bills. This will automatically mean a greater level of experience. BUT, it doesn’t always point to a greater passion for their work.

I’m blessed and lucky to be in a position where my monetary contributions to my family are a secondary source of income. Therefore – I can (and DO) make certain that I only take on as many weddings in a given season as will allow me to continue to be truly passionate about this work, because my artistic renderings will be reflective of that passion. No burn-out here! No “another day at the office” state-of-mind for me! Your final images will be reflective of my devotion to the importance and meaning of your amazing day!

Last, but not least - Myth #5): 

“Wedding Photographers make so much money for just ‘ONE day’ of work”

FACT: Most wedding photographers (the legit ones, anyway – who really do put time and effort into your images) spend at least a full work-weeks’ worth of hours on one wedding before and after the fact. Aside from that, they spend an entire Saturday (most often) away from their families to dedicate themselves to your special day and the images you’ll look back on time and again to recall all the details of this amazing one-time-event. The very fact that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime occasion often scares otherwise-capable photographers away from the wedding industry. We who truly care about your day and your memories put our lives on hold to make sure we are prepared and fully geared-up for this momentous celebration. We are literally “yours” for a day. Then, we gruel and drool over the images for many hours afterward, making them primed and pristine - so that you, too, will drool over the results! Not only is it important to us that you are thrilled with your resulting images, but we as artists want to make sure every image we provide you with lives up to our own expectations and visions. This doesn’t even take into consideration the laundry list of equipment that photographers need to obtain and then maintain, and upgrade as the technology continues to advance, and our need to survive on an unpredictable income. But truly, we all budget based on our priorities. Photography is one of two investments that carry over to the rest of your lives. The other life-time investment is put into the rings. The rest of the wedding-day costs, though also meaningful, are temporary. Budget for your wedding photographer near the top of your list, and you won’t regret it!

Hopefully this all gives you greater insight into the realities that hide in the shadows behind these monster-myths, and will help to demystify the perceptions that are seemingly ever-present in the minds of many regarding photographers. Please, feel free to pass it on! The more people know, the more they can focus on what really matters when it comes to selecting a photographer. I want you to feel confident about what to expect, particularly when you are considering me for your photography needs.