The age of technology is upon us. With that being said, professional photographers are now facing a double-edged sword. On one end of the spectrum, new and exciting equipment is being developed at an incredibly fast pace; Camera models are being replaced and reinvented every year, photoshop is being utilized in more advanced ways, and new technology is being developed all the time. Photographers all over the world are reveling in not only the vast number of options for the camera model available to them, but the numerous ways in which their creativity can be expressed. With this rise in technology, however, comes the other end of the spectrum: The rise of the "insta" photographer. You may know one, you may even be one yourself. With cameras being carried in our pockets all day and all night, a much larger percentage of our population now possess the tools they need in order to practice taking a "good" photo. A picture of a chair is put on a form of social media with a black and white filter, and suddenly that person is flooded with comments about how they should "be a photographer."
*Image obtained from "Instagram Collage" Google Search. I do not own the rights to this photo.
What exactly does it mean, to be a photographer? Does it require a certain amount of experience? Does it only apply if you've been featured in a magazine? A store advertisement? A newspaper? Does the word "photographer" demand respect anymore? Or has it gained a negative connotation?
Nowadays, everyone and their uncle is a "photographer". While we here at Mad Photography fully support anyone who is interested in chasing what they're passionate about, it is difficult when the rise of the "insta" photographer begins to erode the credibility of the professional.
Where is the line? How do you let customers know to differentiate between the two?
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