Camera's taking credit? Really?!

[acidbyte7]

http://speedexposure.com/2010/12/12/...r-recognition/
What do you guys think...kinda redic. Drop a comment on the blog and let me know how you as photographers feel about this.

[Burnt2Death]

Most of the time it is the camera and not the person who is taking the great shot. It doesnt piss me off at all. The commercials are saying that you dont have to be a professional to take good shots. The average person doesnt care about f-stops, manual focusing, light exposure, aperatures, etc.... The point is having fun and expressing yourself through your art and photos. The basics of photography is to express emotipon, tell a story, rmember those amazing moments, and to view the world through your lens and others. I say the more people that can do that the better. Having a camera that can do a lot of the things for you can help a lot more people learn how to express that.

Just like the blog said nothing will be able to replace the photographers eye. And your eye doesnt care what camera you are using. All of those cameras also have a manual mode by the way. You can still control the cameras the way you want. You just dont have to know everything about photography to utilize the "eye of a photographer"

Doesnt bother me at all. I may just go get one and see how they work!! Add it to my aresonal of cameras now. Nothing will replace my DSLR cameras. I sold my D60 yesterday and picked up a D5000. Looks good next to my D3000 and Canon Rebel XTI. I also use a GE X5 for small spaces and video. Every camera has their pros and cons.

You shouldnt have to be a professional to have fun and take good photos. I just completed the NYIP course but I still dont call myself a professional at all. I shoot with both my SLRs and my smaller compact cameras.

[Saab93Aero]

Originally Posted by Burnt2Death

The average person doesnt care about f-stops, apertures etc....

F-stop and aperture is the same thing.

[upperguy]

Originally Posted by Saab93Aero

F-stop and aperture is the same thing.

Yeah but with cameras like those, he doesn't need to! JK!

As someone who has never really been into photography I think that it's great marketing and nothing more. You should look at the algorithms and settings in those cameras as a way to enhance your photography. I mean come on, Nissan could be saying the same thing about the GTR right?

[james_ls]

I seems that with how advanced things are getting the more people are willing to put out (financially) the better the equipment.

However, then you see people still making INCREDIBLE shots on old-school 35MM manual film setups.

So, as an ART, there is still hope, but as a FAD, unfortunately everyone with a flickR and a nice paycheck is now a "photographer".

So in some sense, yes, their slogan of "You don't need to be a photographer to take a great picture..." is unfortunately TRUE.

BUT, to BE a photographer, you still need the art, style, eye, and compassion...equipment only carries you so far.

[morla]

That pissed me off actually, I feel like people get a dslr and immediately think that they are a real photographer. It just bothers me that anyone can be a "photographer" because they BUY and good camera. It takes the art away from the people who have an eye for photographs. I feel like everything is flooded with amateurs that think they're good. I don't mind the hobbyist but I would love to be a professionally photographer and have that as my career. I practice all the time, work with other photographers, shoot, shoot, shoot. Now that anybody can take a nice shot is ridiculous to think. I've worked hard on learning how to light things, how to adjust all my settings to get the shot I want. I bet if you turned most people's camera to manual they wouldn't know what to do

[97TurboDSM]

Originally Posted by james_ls

I seems that with how advanced things are getting the more people are willing to put out (financially) the better the equipment.

However, then you see people still making INCREDIBLE shots on old-school 35MM manual film setups.

So, as an ART, there is still hope, but as a FAD, unfortunately everyone with a flickR and a nice paycheck is now a "photographer".

So in some sense, yes, their slogan of "You don't need to be a photographer to take a great picture..." is unfortunately TRUE.

BUT, to BE a photographer, you still need the art, style, eye, and compassion...equipment only carries you so far.

THIS. All of it

[djb5118]

Originally Posted by morla

That pissed me off actually, I feel like people get a dslr and immediately think that they are a real photographer. It just bothers me that anyone can be a "photographer" because they BUY and good camera. It takes the art away from the people who have an eye for photographs. I feel like everything is flooded with amateurs that think they're good. I don't mind the hobbyist but I would love to be a professionally photographer and have that as my career. I practice all the time, work with other photographers, shoot, shoot, shoot. Now that anybody can take a nice shot is ridiculous to think. I've worked hard on learning how to light things, how to adjust all my settings to get the shot I want. I bet if you turned most people's camera to manual they wouldn't know what to do

I agree with you 110%. Everyone and their mother is setting up a "photography" company because they picked up a cheap dSLR. It's super annoying (but maybe I'm just being an elitist).

[jspek]

Originally Posted by morla

That pissed me off actually, I feel like people get a dslr and immediately think that they are a real photographer. It just bothers me that anyone can be a "photographer" because they BUY and good camera. It takes the art away from the people who have an eye for photographs. I feel like everything is flooded with amateurs that think they're good. I don't mind the hobbyist but I would love to be a professionally photographer and have that as my career. I practice all the time, work with other photographers, shoot, shoot, shoot. Now that anybody can take a nice shot is ridiculous to think. I've worked hard on learning how to light things, how to adjust all my settings to get the shot I want. I bet if you turned most people's camera to manual they wouldn't know what to do

this

Originally Posted by 97TurboDSM

THIS. All of it

this

Originally Posted by djb5118

I agree with you 110%. Everyone and their mother is setting up a "photography" company because they picked up a cheap dSLR. It's super annoying (but maybe I'm just being an elitist).

and this

might as well make a commercial saying why hire a photographer for your wedding? buy our camera and make better shots!

[Burnt2Death]

Guess I am the only one that doesnt mind then. I was pricing them out for the hell of it earlier. lol

[ourbloodykisses]

pretty much what everyone said. I feel you guys
I'm amateur with a old dslr still learning. yet these ****ing kids get this high tech **** and it looks 40 times better than what I am trying to do and what some guys have done. the clarity and sharpness of regular pictures nowadays makes everything look incredibly fake. im not talking about the editing cuz I know that i have murdered pics doing that just trying to get it right with the lighting.

[Khellen]

I have friends who have recently discovered they like photography and within the same year are doing weddings and starting their own business....unbelieveable. The worst part is people are completely okay with that quality of work (or lack there of) because they can get work done for 1/4 of what a professional would charge. You see it everywhere nowadays....you even see it on TST a lot lately. I've only been into photography as a hobby for maybe 2 years now and still can't imagine doing it for any real serious money/profession. Why? I look at my photos and then look at other people's photos......... I'm blown away by the artistic vision, clarity, light, editing, and realize how much left I have to learn. And that's just on TST.

Does stomping on someones sudden decision they want to be a paid photographer make you an elitest? I don't think so. A lot of people work very hard over years to learn the in's and out's of photography and what creates a good picture. Snapping a random photo anyone with a DSLR could have taken and selling it is irresponsible.

I think the first commercial...minus the very nice pictures displayed....pretty much sums it up.

[Zillon]

I hate people who think they can pass off ****ty work just because they have a 'big' camera and know how to use it in auto mode. It irks me to no f***ing end when people do that, and get paid for it. While photography has become more accessible, it also means there is are a lot more crappy photographers.

I've been studying photography and teaching myself for over 6 years now and I still don't think I'm good enough. And I'm looking at pursuing it professionally once I graduate in May.

Being a real photographer entails a lot more than simply having expensive equipment, you need to know how to use that gear.

Do I think that I'm being elitist? F*** no.

[R22B]

I've seen some pretty horrid work and people actually paying for it. I'm just an enthusiast making a few bucks taking photos of stuff at the track, but man, some of the senior portraits I've seen have been down right shameful. I can't stress how bad some of the stuff is...

I don't think we can blame the consumers. I think if anyone is to blame, its the manufacturers for making photography "affordable" to everyone. Also, my boss feels its okay to pay a decent amount of money for a professional taking video, but not wanting to pay me for taking photos with my own camera. Its just peoples mentality on it really. Everyone can afford a camera and take photos now.

[Zillon]

Consumers are especially to blame for not educating themselves properly.

They are the ones allowing crappy photographers to get away with selling substandard work.

[Fujito]

A photographer is a professional. A professional gets paid. You are therefore not a photographer until others begin to pay you for your work.

The commercial doesn't bother me. That's just good marketing. Serious photographers do not buy Panasonic, and they know that. They are targeting the larger mainstream market, and that's the right move for them.

[Fujito]

Originally Posted by R22B

I don't think we can blame the consumers. I think if anyone is to blame, its the manufacturers for making photography "affordable" to everyone.

Consumers drive the market. Manufacturers do not produce products that people do not want. It would be foolish for a company to ignore a huge business opportunity, and if they do a competitor will not.

Why blame anyone? This is just the progression of technology throughout time. What was once hard is now easy. The truly talented will stand out and be rewarded accordingly.

[Fujito]

Originally Posted by Zillon

Consumers are especially to blame for not educating themselves properly.

They are the ones allowing crappy photographers to get away with selling substandard work.

You cannot be angry at the consumer, and you cannot expect people to understand photography. A photographer is a self employed business owner. With that said, it's not all about the talent of the person even if you think it should be. Marketing is huge, and if a person can sell their services better than someone else then they deserve the business they get.

[Fujito]

Originally Posted by ourbloodykisses

pretty much what everyone said. I feel you guys
I'm amateur with a old dslr still learning. yet these ****ing kids get this high tech **** and it looks 40 times better than what I am trying to do and what some guys have done. the clarity and sharpness of regular pictures nowadays makes everything look incredibly fake. im not talking about the editing cuz I know that i have murdered pics doing that just trying to get it right with the lighting.

40X better? That's a pretty big gap. You shouldn't be trying to do anything much with lighting or exposure in the editing process. Editing can slightly fix exposure, but only to a certain degree. Read photography books, look through photography magazines and collections. Look at professional's work.

The best athletes weren't just born like that. Yes, they have a genetic disposition to be the best, but they must supplement their skills with tons of practice. The same is true with photography. One can be very artistic and see a picture that no one else sees, and have amazing composition, but if they do not practice and study others' works and technical guides then they will never be the best that they could be.

[Zillon]

Originally Posted by Fujito

You cannot be angry at the consumer, and you cannot expect people to understand photography. A photographer is a self employed business owner. With that said, it's not all about the talent of the person even if you think it should be. Marketing is huge, and if a person can sell their services better than someone else then they deserve the business they get.

Oh, I know, and understand this, I was merely stating that the consumer is to blame for this.

The uneducated consumer will always fall victim to the successful marketer. It's what makes the capitalist world go round.

However, that doesn't make it right. Bad photography has become an epidemic, and unfortunately, there is a lot of talent that goes unrecognized simply because it has become increasingly tougher to rise above the majority of crap photography that is propagated about these days.