Are you a real photographer?

( BAD photography!!!!)
(GOOD photography!)


Ok, so these days just about everyone is claiming to be a photographer. Everyone is coming up with "business" names and taking their friends pictures and saying "I'm a photographer". But here's the thing, I know several good photographers. People who I feel truly have an eye for photographing people and things. Who know how to capture people in a natural, but flattering way. How to see things in an artistic fashion, to set things up and to capture a moment. Some photographers are all about simple, natural photographs, some are about posed photographs, some are about scenery and still life, others still see things differently and photograph in a whole new fashion. I like a little posed occasionally but for the most part I like more candid looking shots. Shots that capture movement, facial expressions, ideas and split seconds. Two of my favorite "local" photographers are DeeAnna Pounders of White Umbrella Photography (whiteumbrellaphotography.com) and Sarah Hawkins of Sarah Hawkins Photography (sarahhawkinsphotography.com). They both have a beautiful way of seeing and capturing people. Capturing the most beautiful side of them. Lets be honest, not everyone is "beautiful" to the human eye so a photographers job to capture them at their best, to make you focus on their best feature. I don't understand people who put up insanely unflattering photos of their self and others. So they want people to have such a bad impression of them that when they see them in person they actually "look" better?!! What's the reasoning behind it? I always try to make sure they photos don't make me look better then I look in real life but I also make sure they don't bring unwanted attention to the worst part of me! A photographers job is to capture you looking your best - not sprawled out looking, well, unflattering! Even if you don't want "posed" photos it is still their job to choose angles that look best. To me, as a photographer, you either go to school and learn how to do that OR you are just naturally born with that talent. I'm tired of people becoming "fans" of photography that isn't photography at all. It's someone with a camera taking snap shots. I do that, and I'm NOT a photographer. I take pictures. There is a HUGE difference! I greatly respect people who are truly talented with a camera. It's not easy to take great photos of everyone. Or to snap and click at just the right moment, or to be able to pick out the best photos. I recently have viewed some photos from a couple of other local "photographers" that I know of and goodness, if they only knew how badly they were embarrassing themselves! And what's funny is how many people jump on the band wagon of "supporting" them, putting up pictures that they've taken as pretending they are actually good! I'm all about supporting people's dreams and encouraging them but when someone has NO talent in the field they are pursuing someone needs to be kind enough to step up and tell them. But if you are the one who tells them you are the bad guy, you are squashing someones dream and heart, etc. etc. I get tired of people being thrust into the spotlight when they are far from ready and everyone just play acting along. I see it over and over with 'young' people, everyone jumps on praising them because they want to encourage but all they are doing is setting those people up to be embarrassed and humiliated when someone (and there will be someone, I promise you.) steps up and tells them they are gawd-awful!
So here's my point, I'm tired of everyone jumping on the trend train and calling themselves something they are not just because it's cool. Just because you own a camera doesn't mean you are photographer, just because you hold a mic on stage doesn't make you a singer/vocalist, just because you are in a band doesn't mean you are good, just because you think about exercising and eating right doesn't mean you are fit, just because you say the right things doesn't make you a good friend.....don't support something that is no good just because it's your friend, sister (or "sister"), brother, mom, dad, whatever. Make sure you are judging the actual quality.