Future of photography bright or dim?

I've been really working on getting my skills up and trying to establish some brand recognition in my community. It's been tough. My original goals were to get good and make a career switch to photography full time. It seems everyone is a photographer these days making it harder for people to break into the industry to make a living. That's my take on photography, I might be right or I could be wrong.

Anyone else feel that way? Or perhaps you can give me some encouraging words of wisdom. Do you feel photography is a good career choice?

As in most fields, it will be good for photographers that can produce a sellable (good) product, and at the same time be able to run a business.(The hard part). Don't expect it to be a snap......

Speaking of selling photos, would stock be considered the 'easiest' method of selling photos these days? I have some friends who sell photos on stock photography sites and they swear by them. It's just an area I've not had time to jump into myself yet.

I don't think photography is harder than any other field, does not matter if you are a carpenter, seamstress or painter there is always someone who can do it cheaper. You just have to make sure your service and product is better than the others....

Glass half full!

I think the future of photography is brilliantly BRIGHT, I would NOT say that about the future of photographers..

Photography is subject to the same rules of supply and demand that everything else is. In the beginning you had painted portraits which could be afforded by precious few, then you had the original glass/metal prints which were cumbersome, and while less expensive, were still something people only perhaps got a few times in their life. Demand still outstripped supply.

Then the brownie camera was introduced and photography got into the hands of the general public. People started taking pictures more often and as the demand for more photographic services increased as more products were available.

Jump forward to today. The concept of needing a photographer to "document your life's moments" is no longer a valid paradigm because everyone with a camera phone is documenting their life on a daily instragram/facebook/snapchat moment. So now supply far outstrips demand. So yes, people LOVE photography, in fact as the IPhone commercial says, there are more images taken with the IPhone than any other types of cameras put together.

So now you have a niche product in a sea of product. People are surrounded by photography, they are swimming in it. Now the question is...what market is there for a PHOTOGRAPHER to provide something unique within this sea... I would say that this element is dwindling rapidly and while there will always be work for photographers who are able to provide something unique, I think that beyond Weddings, Newborns, and Senior School portraits... you're going to see people express more and more satisfaction with their IPhone / Android images and as such, there will be less opportunity for photographers as a whole.

good post

P2CDude wrote: The concept of needing a photographer to "document your life's moments" is no longer a valid paradigm because everyone with a camera phone is documenting their life on a daily instragram/facebook/snapchat moment. So now supply far outstrips demand. So yes, people LOVE photography, in fact as the IPhone commercial says, there are more images taken with the IPhone than any other types of cameras put together.

Which implies that there are more bad snapshots created by iPhones than all other devices combined.

So now you have a niche product in a sea of product. People are surrounded by photography, they are swimming in it. Now the question is...what market is there for a PHOTOGRAPHER to provide something unique within this sea... I would say that this element is dwindling rapidly and while there will always be work for photographers who are able to provide something unique, I think that beyond Weddings, Newborns, and Senior School portraits... you're going to see people express more and more satisfaction with their IPhone / Android images and as such, there will be less opportunity for photographers as a whole.

Tragic. Unfortunately, people have lowered their expectations when it comes to image capture, and are wiling to put up with badly taken photographs of badly composed subjects. It's getting to the point where I'm about to start telling people exactly what I think of the images they show me. I do try to be politic and polite, but it's becoming more and more challenging to hold my tongue.

What is wrong with people that a blurry snapshot is suddenly acceptable? Can they not see what they've got?

I think you mistook some of what I said. when I was growing up, my parents would have the school picture, plus perhaps some photographs from a family vacation, but film pictures were not an every day event.

I know many of us as photographers would like to think that people simply have lowered their standards, but the reality is that cell phones are pretty darned good these days. Better than the 120 instamatics of a generation ago, and in my ways as good in quality as the original DSLR's perhaps. What we consider "acceptable" is irrelevant when a client can look at his or her cell phone and see their kids grow up over 5 years of cute, spontaneous and free images.

So my point was not that photography is no longer relevant, simply the selling point of documenting our lives. As a provider to this industry, we make a point to have a family portrait session done each year. We reach out to a different photographer with a different style each year and these pieces we consider...Art.

So perhaps its time that photographers realize that they need to sell themselves differently...not just capturing a moment. But through skill and talent, elevate those moments into works of art. No easy, but certainly where I see photographers niche continuing.

P2CDude wrote: I think the future of photography is brilliantly BRIGHT, I would NOT say that about the future of photographers..

Photography is subject to the same rules of supply and demand that everything else is. In the beginning you had painted portraits which could be afforded by precious few, then you had the original glass/metal prints which were cumbersome, and while less expensive, were still something people only perhaps got a few times in their life. Demand still outstripped supply.

Then the brownie camera was introduced and photography got into the hands of the general public. People started taking pictures more often and as the demand for more photographic services increased as more products were available.

Jump forward to today. The concept of needing a photographer to "document your life's moments" is no longer a valid paradigm because everyone with a camera phone is documenting their life on a daily instragram/facebook/snapchat moment. So now supply far outstrips demand. So yes, people LOVE photography, in fact as the IPhone commercial says, there are more images taken with the IPhone than any other types of cameras put together.

So now you have a niche product in a sea of product. People are surrounded by photography, they are swimming in it. Now the question is...what market is there for a PHOTOGRAPHER to provide something unique within this sea... I would say that this element is dwindling rapidly and while there will always be work for photographers who are able to provide something unique, I think that beyond Weddings, Newborns, and Senior School portraits... you're going to see people express more and more satisfaction with their IPhone / Android images and as such, there will be less opportunity for photographers as a whole.

Well said!

Bright, absolutely bright. Technology is putting cameras in more peoples hands and with the improved technology making it easier for people to speed up learning curves

ThatNikonGuy wrote: Bright, absolutely bright. Technology is putting cameras in more peoples hands and with the improved technology making it easier for people to speed up learning curves

Maybe to learn the cameras functions, but not the art thereof. You still have to know how to make an image that is great, or good.

Now as far as being a Pro that end is as bright as you make it. If you shoot consistently great photographs then you will appeal to a higher end market. There are contrary to popular belief people that will not be price shoppers, and will pay for quality. Those who a blue light special shoppers are not your customers. They are the type that consider what we call snaps as great work. In order to make money you need to target the upper end of the market, the lower end is, and always has been overly saturated. It is a case of stepping up your game to get the clientele you want.

garyrhook wrote: --snip--

Which implies that there are more bad snapshots created by iPhones than all other devices combined.

Tragic. Unfortunately, people have lowered their expectations when it comes to image capture, and are wiling to put up with badly taken photographs of badly composed subjects.

--snip--

What is wrong with people that a blurry snapshot is suddenly acceptable? Can they not see what they've got?

Joves wrote: Maybe to learn the cameras functions, but not the art thereof. You still have to know how to make an image that is great, or good.

--snip--

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I think we have all seen the results of having one's brother-in-law take the wedding photos.

I would think there will always be demand for 'photographers' to document the important events and to create true art.


...tom...