The World of Rashard Anthony This is only the beginning.. Just the beginning..

“Professionals” Beware!!!

I saw this clip and it got me thinking.. I see a LOT of people with Digital SLRs now days and quite a few of them professing to be professional photographers. I also see a lot of true professionals angered by this growing phenomenon of increased pixel, entry level, DSLRs. People, especially at children's sporting events, with DSLR in hand just shooting aimlessly (on auto mode mind you) and thinking they're capturing better shots than the hired professional there to cover the event. Since they're possibly using the same equipment (however, in most cases, not) they feel justified to GIVE pictures away to the other people at the event, or put them on photobucket for free, thus blackballing the professional photographer trying to make a living.

All of the education, all of the experience, learning proper exposure, composition, off camera or external flash, what lens is proper for what situation, actually KNOWING how to use your camera and price of equipment is worth the amount of money you spend for a shoot, or single print.

I'm sure a lot of people have a few wrenches and can go buy oil at walmart (which is a LOT less expensive than camera equipment), but I don't see everyone changing their own oil. You are willing to pay for a service that requires a lot less skill than pay a professional for something as important as properly capturing once in a lifetime events? 

I've been shooting for going on 12 years now. Through my career as a photographer, I've shot many different subjects, made some money, been published (local papers, and a book). I've covered professional and amateur events as well. The one thing I absolutely REFUSE to do, is a wedding (I've shot one for a very close personal friend). 

What happened in the below clip is but one reason of why I would lose so much sleep shooting someone's special, once in a lifetime event.  Photography is so subjective that if someone feels they don't look their best, or you didn't capture them the way they wanted to be portrayed, whether you get sued or not, you have an unhappy client. Shooting a wedding just exacerbates that subjectivity exponentially.

What these "photographers" did in this clip is a perfect example of someone that purchased an entry level Digital SLR and thought they could market themselves as a "professional". Your basic "hustle". What they DIDN'T know was that the woman was savvy enough to sue when she wasn't pleased with the result. The client was duped into thinking she was going to get professional quality, but knew what she received was far less than that. What the "photographers" also didn't know was that the judge was a published photographer himself, and when they were required to give specific EXIF information about the shots, or tell the aperture used on the exposures, or why didn't they use faster glass or more professional bodies over their entry level equipment, their answer was the normal amateur answer. "I don't know"..

I post this as a warning to those "weekend warriors" that have bought their first DSLR and think they inherit the PROFESSIONAL moniker. If you market yourself as a professional, and take a paid photography job, please realize that you could have an unhappy client and they could quite possibly sue you. Also realize, that you could be questioned in court by a judge who happens to be a published photographer himself. I  would hope you could plead your case better than this.