How easy is photography now?

by Nicky
(Hertfordshire)

When we first qualified as professional photographers, nearly 10 years ago, after 3 years worth of training, we were so excited to of achieved something that not many people we knew had done.

Now, however, it seems all to easy to become and start a photography business, where does that leave people like us?

We're not saying people shouldn't call themselves photographers, but what we take offence to, is amateur photographers selling their images for near to nothing fees.

We are unable to persue a career in wedding and portraiture work, so fine art and stock work is what we specialise in. As more publications pad out their pages with solicit free images from amateurs, us professionals need to educate them into a mind set that if a photo is worth publishing, it's worth paying for.

If we were all to take that approach, then maybe these big publications would realise we are professionals, and for that they should pay for what we produce. For the time we take to get the perfect shot, the time and money it took to graduate and learn our field.