An article in the July 2008 issue of Outdoor Photography had me fuming at the mouth recently. The article in question was an opinion piece by Chris Gomersall, a professional wildlife photographer, entitled "Open your Eyes".
He was berating that fact that another photographer had found his favoured photography location (a midden heap on a nearby farm) and that photographers these days had no field skills. blockquote>"Witness the boom in the publication of site guides, the trading of grid references on web forums, the use of site coordinates in sat-navs. A triumph of technology over initiative? [...] So, has this phenomenon come about because too few people have the field skills to find their own wildlife subjects or the patience to learn them? Or are they simply too busy to do their own research?"I think the biggest reason is due to the "mass-amateurisation" of photography. A professional photographer can easily devote every day for 6 weeks to finding and enticing a fox close enough for a stunning photograph in just the right light. An amateur photographer has a full-time job and can't afford to spend this time. So I'd agree with Chris' that we just don't have the time.
However, he then goes off in a weird and contradictory direction. In a section titled "Not a NIMBY" he tries to explain that he is not against sharing locations and it's a free country etc but then... (emphasis mine)
Then he starts comparing it to landscape photography — and in the process cheapens his chosen profession (to the point of questioning whether it's a professional activity at all):
Sharing Locations (amongst other things) is something that amateurs are more than willing to do (see Flickr or any semi-decent photo forum). We need hints. We need tips. We can't afford to spend weeks searching for, and tracking, an animal. When travelling, we'd like to know where the best locations, or the hidden locations, are. What's more, we're willing to help each other out. In the days when magazine-quality photos was restricted to the professionals, there was a huge competitive advantage to keep 'your' locations secret. Amateurs have no such restrictions and are willing to share ideas and locations because we're all in it for the fun. That's not to say that we get do are own fieldwork, but our time is limited.
Professionals need to distinguish themselves from amateurs through their time, patience, equipment and (most importantly) their skills. Basing your career on a few 'secret' locations is not a wise move and I'd expect more from anyone who wishes to call themselves a professional photographer.
Shutter Scouts is designed as a place for amateurs (and enlightened/secure professionals) to share their favourite locations to help inspire each other. When the site is live, Chris Gomersall is more than welcome to share the location of 'his' midden heap :-)
He was berating that fact that another photographer had found his favoured photography location (a midden heap on a nearby farm) and that photographers these days had no field skills. blockquote>"Witness the boom in the publication of site guides, the trading of grid references on web forums, the use of site coordinates in sat-navs. A triumph of technology over initiative? [...] So, has this phenomenon come about because too few people have the field skills to find their own wildlife subjects or the patience to learn them? Or are they simply too busy to do their own research?"I think the biggest reason is due to the "mass-amateurisation" of photography. A professional photographer can easily devote every day for 6 weeks to finding and enticing a fox close enough for a stunning photograph in just the right light. An amateur photographer has a full-time job and can't afford to spend this time. So I'd agree with Chris' that we just don't have the time.
However, he then goes off in a weird and contradictory direction. In a section titled "Not a NIMBY" he tries to explain that he is not against sharing locations and it's a free country etc but then... (emphasis mine)
"I can't help feeling depressed at the prospect of discovering fleets of cars down my lane with telephoto lenses poking out of the window, invading my space and stealing my ideas. Must I now reconcile myself to a situation where my midden heap is listed as an Official Site on the National Register of Wildlife Photography Locations?"Sounds like a NIMBY to me. His lane? But he doesn't own it. His space? But he doesn't live there. His ideas? A picture of a yellow wagtail at a non-descript location? That's hardly a unique idea now is it? What exactly would some be copying?
Then he starts comparing it to landscape photography — and in the process cheapens his chosen profession (to the point of questioning whether it's a professional activity at all):
"How many times do you see the same stock viewpoints re-photographed, with the most recent photographer keen to reproduce as faithfully as possible a scene first photographed by Colin Prior or Joe Cornish?"So simply turning up at the same location means we can achieve the same results? Wahoo! I guess I'll be getting all my photos into magazines now and perhaps an exhibition or two. But if anyone can achieve this success, then there really isn't any difference between the professional and the amateur is there? Frankly, I find this absurd and ridiculous. Only this week I discovered that David Noton (an amazing professional landscape photographer) had visited a location that I know extremely well (I've got >20years of experience photographing it!) and yet he captured an image that I didn't. How? Luck, weather and tidal conditions, equipment, pre-visualisation and orchestration of the subject all played a part. I can't simply wander down to the same place and get the same photo. There's certainly nothing wrong with us amateurs aspiring to create photographs of the same quality as a professional we admire but it's daft to suggest that we'll slavishly attempt to reproduce a shot with the same composition, lighting and technical details. But some inspiration is welcome.
Sharing Locations (amongst other things) is something that amateurs are more than willing to do (see Flickr or any semi-decent photo forum). We need hints. We need tips. We can't afford to spend weeks searching for, and tracking, an animal. When travelling, we'd like to know where the best locations, or the hidden locations, are. What's more, we're willing to help each other out. In the days when magazine-quality photos was restricted to the professionals, there was a huge competitive advantage to keep 'your' locations secret. Amateurs have no such restrictions and are willing to share ideas and locations because we're all in it for the fun. That's not to say that we get do are own fieldwork, but our time is limited.
Professionals need to distinguish themselves from amateurs through their time, patience, equipment and (most importantly) their skills. Basing your career on a few 'secret' locations is not a wise move and I'd expect more from anyone who wishes to call themselves a professional photographer.
Shutter Scouts is designed as a place for amateurs (and enlightened/secure professionals) to share their favourite locations to help inspire each other. When the site is live, Chris Gomersall is more than welcome to share the location of 'his' midden heap :-)
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