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.
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