Everyone with a camera is a photographer, and those who manage to shoot a few photos successfully invariably start a photography ‘business’.
As disingenuous to unsuspecting ‘customers’ as this may be, the new shutterbug is unaware of his or her incompetency, and, following the Dunning-Kruger Effect, becomes that lamentable ‘unconscious incompetent’, and simply does not know what they do not know.
Undeterred, the newly minted photog starts to churn out substandard images, with an occasional gem that enables the unsuspecting neophyte to keep forging blindly forward with the encouragement of well-meaning but equally uninformed friends and relatives, until the camera breaks, a truly bad experience convinces them that they are in deeper water than they can stand, or another hobby strikes their fancy, at which point they are out of ‘business’.
In the meantime, how many blushing brides are disappointed by the low-quality result of images captured on their special day by this brand-new, discount-price, incompetent (but well-meaning) photographer?
This is mainly because the new shutterbug doesn’t understand the camera, the science behind the apparatus, the art involved, or how to use the instrument correctly, and when the camera is broken or lost, or they are embarrassed enough, they lose interest.
Many are called but few are chosen is the slogan of the Digital Photography Technology Program at Florida Panhandle Technical College in Chipley, Florida.
Poor practice makes for poor performance, and just as any professional in any field will tell you, you must make your bones and earn your right to call yourself a ‘pro’ with the blood, sweat, and tears of hard work, thus gaining experience and truly becoming an asset to someone needing (and willing to pay for) your services.
A little education goes a long way, and it really doesn’t matter if that education comes from other photographers, YouTube video clips, or a formal school environment such as the Photography program at Florida Panhandle Technical College.
With a little patience, some good old-fashioned perseverance, and the ability to pay attention and follow directions, that same fledgling photographer might be able to take those photo skills and use them productively for the rest of their life.
The FPTC Digital Photography Technology program, along with sister programs Television Production Technology and Digital Video Technology, are totally-immersive, deep dives into the art and science of capturing images, in still and moving format, but the curriculum, pace, and demands on the student are considerable, so they are not for the faint of heart.
In addition, not all candidates make the grade, and some are encouraged to opt for a less stressful option, also available on the campus, which is applauded and which can yield acceptable results.
Those who truly want to embrace the craft, however, persevere, and the rewards are nothing short of miraculous, as students find themselves, within the first week or two, shooting well-exposed and well-composed images (in Manual Mode and without the need for flash bulbs, avoiding that good old-fashioned case of ‘red eye’) on digital DSLR and Mirrorless cameras (which they have never handled prior to the studio activities) and creating, shooting and editing video projects, inclusive of voice-over, music and sound effects in the same period of time.
So if you have been admonished that it is not only poor form and etiquette to use the pop-up flash on your camera when professional photographers are capturing images at an event at which they are being contracted to do so, don’t go away with hurt feelings- simply take the opportunity to become educated.
This week, as we observe National Photographers Day, take a moment to say ‘thanks’ to those budding artists who are working hard to be that special person you just might choose in the future, to capture images on your special day.
Photography catches society’s imagination, and the photographer who captures it and puts it on display in public may be found here.
Without the hand of a dedicated photographer, the images and art we adore would be nothing.
Let us pay tribute to photographers by promising to give them credit where credit is due.
Portrait photography, fashion photography, architecture photography, and landscape photography are just a few of the many forms of photography accessible today.
The celebration of World Photography Day dates back to 1837 in France.
By inventing the ‘daguerreotype,’ two Frenchmen named Joseph Nicephore Niepcce and Louis Daguerre created the first photography process.
On January 19, 1837, the French Academy of Sciences formally proclaimed the development of the daguerreotype.
It is thought that 10 days after the announcement, the French government acquired the patent for the innovation and handed it to the world as a free gift with no copyright.
While the French discovery is regarded as the beginning of commercial photography, William Henry Fox Talbot simplified the technique of photographing in 1839.
Mr. Talbot developed a more adaptable photography method of salt prints on paper. This more adaptable technology competed with the metal-based daguerreotype.
Over 40 years later, in 1884, George Eastman of Rochester, New York perfected the daguerreotype method. He replaced the copper plate with a dry gel on paper that he dubbed film.
This technology eliminated the need for photographers to transport heavy copper plates and dangerous chemicals. Eastman created the Kodak camera in 1888.
The invention made it possible for almost everyone to take a photograph.
Photography has developed over time as a result of technological improvements and advancements. While there is a sea of variety in terms of approaches, aesthetics, angle, and quality, the language and substance stay the same.
There was a period when new processes for transferring pictures and illustrations from woodcuts and engravings and subsequently duplicating them were developed.
Despite a profusion of changes, photography continues to be loved by connoisseurs as we grow in a completely digital world. Photography can immediately capture expressions, sentiments, ideas, and moments and immortalize them for future generations to witness.
It is now one of the online jobs that many people are doing conveniently on the side for some extra income.
Happy National Photographers Day.
