A snapshot of cameramen's future
Play
Photography will still survive, but how?
How should photographers cope in an era when just about everyone is taking photos? That was the topic of a recent seminar that brought together the who’s who of Thai photography. The forum did not provide clearcut answers and understandably so. Optimism was limited and overshadowed by warnings and bad experiences, but the participants insisted that professional photographers would not go down without a fight.
Here are a few key points made the seminar: Photographers must remain “professional”; copyright nightmares caused by online sharing have only just begun; digitally created “models” may replace increasingly expensive human models and that could be how photographers embrace technology; and professional “niches” may become more important than ever.
By “remaining professional”, the photographers must have faith in their skills, their artistry and creativity in the face of all the threats, including photodecorating apps, increasingly amazing smartphone cameras and the daily influx of pictures taken virtually everywhere and every moment. Professional photographers have to compete with the huge amount of work of the amateurs and it’s as simple as that. Now that the comfort zone is no longer there, professional photographers will have to keep improving themselves, which is what all professionals are supposed to do.
Harder than improving one’s skills is monetising them. The seminar was told that paid photography would still survive but it would only employ the best in the business. Moreover, the increasingly tough business will be compounded by copyright issues and “copycat” problems. With tools getting cheaper and more abundant, a photographer’s artistry and creativity can generate a large number of copycats. If a professional photographer’s work goes viral online, trying to sue will be a nightmare. There can be an even bigger nightmare if someone creates a similar masterwork out of all the hardware and software that are so handy nowadays.
If the news isn’t bad enough, here’s a startling fact: More and more people are flocking to photography, hoping to make some extra cash or leave their hated jobs and do something for their own satisfaction.
Many have no business experience and can burn out after a short while. Others, however, will “find themselves” and give the current professional photographers added competition. Professional “niches”, meanwhile, may soon replace “general” photography, which was lucrative until a few years ago. It used to be said that you should be as good in taking wedding photos as in doing a food advertisement. Business trends show that being a “generalist” may not be a good idea any more. The most successful photographers of the day are those who have specialisation that helps them stand out among all the generalists out there.
It’s debatable if news photographers are “generalists”, but the seminar noted that many working in the West have been laid off and replaced by reporters armed with smartphones who have to double as photographers.
But as technology takes a few things from professional photographers, it may be giving some things back to them. For example, if professional models or movie stars are too expensive to hire, why not replace them with digital models, who can be made as beautiful or handsome as you want? Yes, it’s an idea that comes right out of the 2002 film S1m0ne, which looked so farfetched when it was first screened. The movie is about one desperate director trying to survive, so imagine what many photographers trying to prove their points can do.
