Photographers are a huge asset to businesses and people in general. They document some of the most important events in your life and they do it in a way that makes it look so easy! However, many people try to take advantage of photographers they know personally. Either that, or they discredit their career because of its artistic nature. Even if it isn’t the intention, certain things you say to a photographer can be offensive or disrespectful. Here are a few things you should never say to photographers.
“Oh, that’s a nice camera! That must be why you’re so good.”
A high-quality camera does not a photographer make. In theory, anyone can pick up a camera and take photos, and then call themselves a photographer. However, the people who do it professionally are typically people who have practiced for many years or received a college degree. Photographers have to know the art of composition, and this artistic quality is what separates their work from that of amateurs. It’s not the camera making the photos good, it’s the person behind it.
“Can you just edit that out?”
Photographers may make magic with their cameras, but they aren’t wizards. Sure, some small blemishes are easy to edit out, but taking out entire people or chunks of the photo is a little more complicated. If they’re proficient in Photoshop, they may be able to take care of it, but a lot more goes into editing photos than people may expect. It’s really difficult to maintain the seamless look of a photo by editing out so much of it. Professional photographers frame their shots masterfully. If there’s a part of the background you don’t like, your photographer may be able to distract the focus from it more, but don’t expect that they can take out a large part of the photo during the editing process.
“Can you take some photos for me? My budget is small, but I can pay you in exposure.”
Admittedly, it can be difficult to have a large budget available to hire photographers for an event. However, promoting their photos on your Instagram isn’t fair payment. Sure, you may have thousands of followers. But, to put it bluntly, photographers can’t pay bills with Instagram likes. If you can’t pay the quoted price for a particular photographer’s work, try to find one within your budget. Photographers quote their prices for a reason, and they’ve likely spent thousands of dollars on equipment and years mastering their craft. Just like other businesses have set prices, photography is their business; they need to be paid and credited for their time and labor.
“Oh, you’re a photographer? So is my 12 year old niece!”
Similar to the camera comment at the beginning of this blog, taking a picture doesn’t fully make you a photographer. While it’s great that someone’s niece is exploring the art of photography, she’s not exactly a photographer. Even if it’s not your intention, by saying something like this to a photographer, you’re belittling the time and effort they’ve put into creating this career for themselves. Photographers spend a lot of time studying and perfecting their art, and they deserve to be recognized for that!
Seasonal Bonus: “You’re coming to family Christmas? Great! You can take our photos! You’re better at it than us.”
If you’re a creative, you’re probably familiar with your relatives requesting (or expecting) free work. While some people may be totally okay with this, that’s not the case for everyone. Photographers, whether they’re full-time employees of a company or freelancers, provide a service. Therefore, they expect to be paid for that service. Though it’s completely true that a photographer would be better at taking family photos, it’s unfair to them to assume that they’ll be willing to use their work equipment at a family event, for free. Feel free to ask, but don’t expect them to agree. They’re running a business.
Without photographers, we’d live in a world with a lot less recorded memories. Their art is incredibly special, and they’ve spent a lot of time creating a career out of their passion. As such, they deserve as much respect and credit as any other business! Be kind to your photographers, and they’ll surely make you look good.
Are you looking to increase your brand awareness and create better online content? Look no further – here at Blackwood Creative, we’re the experts in content creation and social media marketing. Reach out to us today and see what we can do for your business. Let’s design something beautiful together.
