There is a lot to consider as technology changes the face of industries it touches; most professional photographers that have started their business in the days of film long for the "good old days". What we did back then was special, not everyone could do it like a pro; it was like alchemy! We would move around strange lights, peer into our black boxes, shout out at our models and make big flashes. Then we would take our pieces of treasure, stored in dark containers that let in no light, to a special place that only professionals knew existed. Here it would be handled by other pros in lab coats that would go into the dark and using crude and smelly chemicals turn that piece of acetate into a precious colored jewel that would be reproduced thousands of times over. Our glass was better, our shutters faster, our film larger; we had meters and polaroids that allowed us to be accurate within a half stop in exposure (anything more and the chrome was just about usleless).
I know of some pros that would buy a case of Kodachrome, store it in the rafters of their barn, test shoot it and when the color was just right, they would freeze it so they could use it for jobs. Now people complain whtn their 16GB CF card takes more than a few moments to download.
So when a pimpled faced kid from Iowa with no training gets lucky, shoots a decent composition then runs it though some filters to mask his lack of knowledge and gives it to a company to use for free, maybe you could see why there is a chance for some animosity.
Everything changes, we all need more and more training; we all need help in doing what we love better. I personally do not know of any professionals that are not willing to share everything they know if asked. Maybe because all the pros I know all have big enough egos but are not even close to thinking they know everything. What I hate is what the buying public is willing to use to save a buck; but can you blame them when I personally make those same choices to save a dollar in my own life.
I just thank God that I get paid to do what I love to do; it helps during the lean times.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Paul Pelak.
(untitled comment)
There is a lot to consider as technology changes the face of industries it touches; most professional photographers that have started their business in the days of film long for the "good old days". What we did back then was special, not everyone could do it like a pro; it was like alchemy! We would move around strange lights, peer into our black boxes, shout out at our models and make big flashes. Then we would take our pieces of treasure, stored in dark containers that let in no light, to a special place that only professionals knew existed. Here it would be handled by other pros in lab coats that would go into the dark and using crude and smelly chemicals turn that piece of acetate into a precious colored jewel that would be reproduced thousands of times over. Our glass was better, our shutters faster, our film larger; we had meters and polaroids that allowed us to be accurate within a half stop in exposure (anything more and the chrome was just about usleless).
I know of some pros that would buy a case of Kodachrome, store it in the rafters of their barn, test shoot it and when the color was just right, they would freeze it so they could use it for jobs. Now people complain whtn their 16GB CF card takes more than a few moments to download.
So when a pimpled faced kid from Iowa with no training gets lucky, shoots a decent composition then runs it though some filters to mask his lack of knowledge and gives it to a company to use for free, maybe you could see why there is a chance for some animosity.
Everything changes, we all need more and more training; we all need help in doing what we love better. I personally do not know of any professionals that are not willing to share everything they know if asked. Maybe because all the pros I know all have big enough egos but are not even close to thinking they know everything. What I hate is what the buying public is willing to use to save a buck; but can you blame them when I personally make those same choices to save a dollar in my own life.
I just thank God that I get paid to do what I love to do; it helps during the lean times.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Paul Pelak.
Submit a story now.