I’m in a cynical mood this week…
I have been pondering what to write about this week and found myself feeling a bit cynical about the Photography world. My thoughts were mainly focussed on the industry as opposed to the art of photography. I recall wandering around the Photography Show a few weeks ago thinking “I don’t need any of this stuff”. I seemed to be meandering around freely whilst many others were loaded down with branded carrier bags packed with their purchases. Don’t get me wrong, I too have spent big at the show in the past. I recall struggling back to the car park with a complete Elinchrom studio lighting set with stands. That is the same studio lighting set that has sat in a cupboard for about 6 years unused. Why did you buy it I hear you ask? I think I had been seduced by the event and what seemed like a great deal. I had convinced myself that I needed it and had great plans to get it set up and take quality portraits of family etc. It has still to happen and that is 100% down to me not making it happen. My point is though, how many people like me have bought photography stuff they don’t really need?. How many at the show were seduced by the trade offers and made the decision to buy the stuff right there and then?
Its a bit like photography (and other), magazines and on-line “free” tuition. I realised a long time ago that magazines may tell you they are there to help you but in reality the content they publish (the same every year) is there for one reason only, to suck you in to read the advertising and therefore pay dividends back to the parent company and shareholders. It’s the same for “free” on-line tuition. They lure you in promising to up your game, then you get hit with the sponsors message, advertising or in-app purchases etc.
The fact is they are all experts at it and people will continue to be seduced and encouraged to spend on things that they don’t really need but are convinced they need it by marketing people..
Whilst at the Photography Show I came across a number of stands claiming to be “Virtual Camera Clubs”. You sign up on-line, pay your money and you become a member. I don’t know about you but the best bit of being in a camera club years ago was going to the pub after the meeting i.e. the social side. I don’t know if “Virtual Camera Clubs” would therefore be for me.
One of the strangest things I came across at the show was a business promoting an on-line club called “Catchphrase Photos”. I took a look and was rather bemused. I mentioned in an earlier blog my dislike for giving photos quirky titles and said it was like playing “Catchphrase”. Well here it was, a group you could join and come up with “Catchphrase” like titles for yours and others photos. My cringe-ometer was off the scale at this point and I had to move on swiftly. If however you like this stuff, knock yourself out at Catchphrasephotos.com
