Faux vs. Pro and What You Know

Here is a simple test to determine how obsessed you are with photography!  I am always so aware of all-things photography and I just love being able to talk the talk now amongst professionals and even about myself as an emerging photographer building a career plan, submitting contributor queries to publications.  Photography has consumed me, how 'bout you?

Read over this list and see how many indicate your obsession:

Top 10 Signs You're Obsessed With Photography

10. You actively look and can actually tell what kind of camera someone is using from over 30 feet away.

9. You have explained “Photoshop” as a medical expense because it’s good therapy.

8. When planning a vacation, your concerned about finding a hotel with wifi so you’ll be able to upload your photos to the web.

7. You own more than one camera bag even though you only have one camera, and, strangely, if you have 2 cameras you still have 3 or more bags...

6. You find yourself calculating exposure settings when you're out 'n about, and you don't even have your camera.

5. You admire at least one of the historic processes, or, have at least tried to pronounce "Daguerreotype"out loud.  (Relax, there's several ways: \də-ˈge-rō-ˌtīp, -rə-; -ˈger-ō-, -ə- also də-ˈge-rē-ō-ˌtīp, -ˈger-ē-) (merriam-webster)

4. When attending a wedding or other celebrations, you are more interested in what the photographer is doing than the event itself.

3. When you see a photo of a model, you find yourself more interested in what lighting was used and what kind of processing may have been done.

2. You understand that 22 is actually smaller than 5.6


1. When admiring a beautiful landscape you think to yourself, “Now that's lovely, but imagine what it will look like when I bump up the contrast and sharpness and clone out that spot there!”

Well, how did you do?  Are you pretty obsessed?  Hold your head high as this mentality separates you from fauxtographers.

We operate in a pretty crowded market and it feels futile to differentiate yourself, but there are actually fewer true professionals than you know.  Fauxtographers have no idea how to actually offer a professional service or market themselves properly.  They cramp our style but you have to stay dedicated to your calling and embrace the crazy obsession you have with photography.

Do you have any signs to add to the list?  I can't be the only one......can I??  Leave me some feedback in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Works Cited

Anderson, Mark. "photographer-many-cameras." Photograph. markforminneapolis. Mark Anderson Wedding Photography, 5 March 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://www.markforminneapolis.com/>

"Daguerreotype." merriam-webster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daguerreotype>

"[exposure meter view]" Photograph. nikonmag. Nikon Corp, 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://nikonmag.com/talk/dx/how-to-see-the-exposure-meter-on-the-nikon-d5100-in.html>

Lourens, Nolte. "tongue-twister." Photograph. comtranslations. ComTranslations,  26 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://www.comtranslations.com/translation-blog/improve-your-english-with-these-diction-exercises/>

"Top 10 Signs You Are Obsessed With Photography." photographybb. PhotographyBB,  <http://www.photographybb.com/camera-and-gear/top-10-signs-addicted-to-photography/ >

Your New Tuesday Ambassador is Here!

Hello, everyone!  I am Abby, your new Tuesday Ambassador bringing you insight and inspiration as well as answering your questions from the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  I have been attending AIPOD for almost two years and am preparing to graduate this December.  I went to college the first time right after high school but just wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a career.  Of course I had aspirations of becoming a dental hygienist and even major in Philosophy, but they were all lacking something that I needed in a career.  I have had jobs in which I have excelled and done well at, but they were never going to make me happy because I couldn't explore my artistry.

Like many other photographers, I got my first camera for my 10th birthday and my passion for capturing photos became an integral part of my being though I had never had any experience with photography beyond the two point-and-shoot cameras.  Growing up I was fascinated by National Geographic magazines and they served to illustrate the world as I had never seen it.  It inspired a desire to take a deeper interest in the splendors and mysteries of Earth and nature.  It was not until after my son was born that I stopped making excuses for not following my dreams of working for National Geographic; I needed to set a good example for him and teach him that hard work pays off--your dreams don't come true if you don't pursue them.  He is my reason for going back to school, he why I work so hard at everything I do.

I may not be a National Geographic photographer yet, but I have come a long way since I began school at AIPOD and the level of accomplishment and success I have achieved thus far is only a confirmation that with time, dedication, persistence, passion, and determination you have the power to make your dreams a reality.  Are you pursuing a dream?  What are your career aspirations? 



How Dedicated are You?

Saturday Ambassador

Stop and consider for a moment, "how dedicated are you?" If you are pursuing a degree, it is a costly endeavor in a variety of ways: Financially, of course; but the rigorous schedule also exacts a toll on your stamina, your ability to pursue other interests, even your sanity. Is it worth it? The answer to that is a personal matter, as each individual possesses a different set of priorities. However, if you decide that your destiny lies in the vastly competitive arena of photography, consider arranging your priorities accordingly.

For me, this is a life-changing career move in an uncertain economy, so it is very important that I succeed. I have set aside much of my personal life and made some drastic changes in my spending habits to make this feasible. Pursuing an education is so very important to me that I have cut the amount of hours I work in order to do both my job and my school work well. In turn, this negatively affects my income. It is a delicate balance, as I have only the one income and a host of financial responsibilities. However, this situation won't last forever – there is light at the end of the tunnel, as I have one class remaining next term.

I currently have a class which is totally incompatible with my job as an OTR truck driver; I am required to shoot a number of residential interiors and other assignments I simply cannot complete while on the road. I planned far in advance for this class and scheduled appointments with owners of all the structures I needed to photograph. I obtained a guaranteed time-at-home from my employer, so I could shoot six week's worth of assignments in 4 days. I do not recommend this to anyone, because, in order to do it well, you must also research extensively to master the required techniques for each shoot. In four years, I've had to do this 3 or 4 times, and I've always been successful because I possess a phenomenal amount of will power and determination. I strive for excellence in everything I do, and I do not believe that anything is impossible.

 

To exacerbate the situation, I fell off a ladder and injured my leg rather severely earlier in the week. My foot and leg swelled, there was significant bruising and a large hematoma formed on the shin (not to mention that it hurt a lot). Still, I had to conduct these shoots, for when else could I complete the assignments? In 4 days, I put 413 miles on my vehicle, walked around downtown Phoenix and several other locations, climbed ladders, knelt on the ground and carried equipment. I worked from before dawn until long after dusk and slept a few hours in the interim.

I don't recommend this either, but it got the job done, and admirably at that. You don't have to hobble about with an injury or shoot assignments weeks in advance; in fact you shouldn't. However, when extreme circumstances intervene on your road to success, rise to the occasion. You will gain valuable skills and a reputation for excellence.

~Saturday Ambassador