6 types of photographers you will meet in the field

One of the cool parts about photography are the characters you are likely to meet in the field. There are countless photographers in the world, but I believe that in the larger scheme, most of them fit into certain personality types. Now, these are specific to photography and you won’t find them in any other field of work. We have made a list of some of the most common that are easily recognizable by traits, attitude and performance. Here they are.

The “I Shoot Film Only” Photographer

This guy or girl is often referred to as a “hipster”. What draws instant atention to them is their camera, which is very likely to be an old Nikon FM, a Canon AE-1 or even a Leica if they have some change to spare. If you strike a conversation with this type of photographer, you will inevitably feel the nostalgia in their voice. They will praise the fairness of the world in the film days and argue about how unfair it is today with the ease of access provided by digital photography. Of course they own a DSLR, but that’s only because they don’t want to scare away potential clients. Besides that, the digital is their Sunday camera and they have no real joy when using it. Their bathroom is a 2 in 1 space and can be easily converted into a darkroom. They spend their time looking for film and chemical deals on Ebay and dream about living in a Parisian attic. Overall, they are quite lovable personalities.

The “Digital is My Life” Photographer

This personality is the complete opposite of the film-only photographer. More often than not, this photographer loves his digital cameras simply because he is way too young to have experienced film photography when there wasn’t anything else available. He praises his full frame DSLR just as much as he does his portable mirrorless camera. There are however the few exceptions, which are older photographers who never quite made it in the film era and who found Photoshop as the solution to their problems. Not nearly as loveable or as colorful as the film photographer, they still offer the prospect of an interesting conversation, although you should never come between a film-only and a digital-only photographer as it is a useless and endless battle.

The critic

This photographer is rarely seen having a camera on him. However, his main trait is that he will offer you his “expert opinion” when you least require it. In other words, his main goal in photography is to tell you how to take your pictures. He will certainly tell you what you did wrong, even if you haven’t necessarily made any obvious mistakes, but sometimes he will also discreetly inform you that you did a good job. If possible, avoid a long conversation with this type of photographer as it will most likely result in you being frustrated or him having a black eye.

The “I am a social media guru” photographer

This is the kind of photographer that has his entire portfolio on every social network imaginable. With every photo he uploads, he adds hash tags you would have never considered. He thinks of himself as a brand that is constantly promoting itself and he will do everything in his power to be up to date with everything going around in the social media world. He was also very excited when the first Wi-Fi capable cameras came out.

The amazing, wasted talent

This is the photographer who could land a job at a fashion magazine , a newspaper or just about anything else you dream of and could never get to, but who doesn’t lift a finger for it. Incredible and rare talent is what this photographer has and he is the object of many jealous looks. What makes it even worse is that he rarely does anything significant to exploit his gifts. This photographer takes amazing pictures, is usually modest and conversations with him are usually an elegant delight.

The “I only take photos on vacations” photographer

Easy to spot, this photographer is usually equipped with an entry level DSLR and plastic lenses, although the more eccentric ones can be found using semi-pro gear. In the lighthearted conversations you will have with this photographer, he will honestly admit that he has no interest in pursuing photography professionally. His photography skills are those of an amateur and the only thing separating him from the average person who takes family photos on vacations is his interest and admiration for the work of others. Overall, he has a joyful personality and he will easily become fascinated in any conversation that involves photography.

Also Read: 41 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T DATE A PHOTOGRAPHER

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