Ok, I misunderstood, I thought you meant a snapshot of Johnny at the plate was going to be more valuable than MY shot of Johnny at the plate.
Valuable?
It certainly could be. It depends on Johnny's parents.
If Johnny's Dad takes an acceptable picture of Johnny at the plate, odds are that Johnny's Mom is going to place a much higher value on that than on a photo of Johnny taken at the plate which was taken by a pro...
I feel there are several layers to the problem with people wanting/desiring quality images. For the majority of the people a glorified snap-shot is just fine as long as they can halfway see little Billy or Jane.
It started years ago when digital cameras made their debut and most could afford the Wal-Mart "Digital Rebel Kit". Suddenly anyone that could take a halfway clear picture or somewhat catch a facial expression or the holy grail for the new photog was any ball in mid air/flight, they suddenly became the new team photog.
As all the other parents stroked the new team photogs ego they were getting discs full of team pics free...
That's when most sports photographers realized that most people would rather have fair to crappy free pics than quality images at a fair price..
To be honest I think this is funny. If you are angry because a friend didnt ask you to take pictures at an event then maybe the root cause of the problem is you shouldnt be in photography. Maybe what your friend was focused on was the fact that their kid was in a state game and getting professional pictures of said event werent as important or on their priority list. Step 1. Get over it. Step 2. Move on with your life
What is this, dpreview? I wasn't angry, I was just amazed that presumably nobody thought to have a photographer on hand at a state championship. Sorry I came here to commiserate with people who I thought would be compatriots. If you don't like the thread, don't comment. Move on with your life, R. Patrick.
-Jack
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
I find I often have the opposite problem: people ask me to shoot games in which I don't even know the players. And they expect that I'll do it for free in many cases. One mom emails me several times a year with such requests. Often these are otherwise nice and thoughtful people, so I can only conclude that they think I'd enjoy doing it (which I probably would) and that they're giving me more opportunities to pursue my hobby.
The only ones that offer to pay are the various high school athletic departments. Sadly, I don't really have the time for this sort of work.
You didn't come across as angry, just puzzled by the circumstances and perhaps so enthused about photography that it isn't always obvious to you that most others don't much care.
If an amateur (capturer of refrigerator door shots) can add a comment...
No professional photographer comes to the Babe Ruth (minors) games that
my two grandsons play in. However, all of the teams have seen me taking
photographs of the games. I have an iPad in my bag that contains the
better of the photographs I've taken over the season, and many parents
from other teams in the division have asked to see my photographs.
I get many requests to email them certain photographs in which their
son is in the frame even though I was shooting our team.
The parents never notice that my backgrounds are sharp, that my
angles are wrong, or any other problems that the pros here notice.
My photographs are almost all "action" shots in what has been described
here as a documentary style. I often have the wide scene that includes
other players or the ump rather than just a close-up of the player.
All they see is their kid, and that's what they want to see. Often, the
photos requested include their kid in a not-so-flattering shot where a
ball is dropped or there's a goofy aspect to the shot.
Today, a professional photographer came to do the traditional group
shot. (That's all he took) Several parents from both teams came up
to me and asked me to get one of those shots where the boys all
end up in a pile after the group shot or all make faces during the
group shot.
I declined all requests. The pro posed the boys in the outfield, and
I won't go on the field where a pro is working. He might think I'm
stealing his group pose for parents who don't want to buy his photos.
(I did take a long-lens shot of the group for my own use, but won't
share it with other parents.)
Tony - you're exactly right. Parents like to see photos of their kids and maybe post them on social media to share with family/friends. Not so much paying $20 for their "share" of hiring a photog. While the OP can make better action photos the parents don't value the difference enough in many cases to pay for it. Just the way it is.
What is this, dpreview? I wasn't angry, I was just amazed that presumably nobody thought to have a photographer on hand at a state championship. Sorry I came here to commiserate with people who I thought would be compatriots. If you don't like the thread, don't comment. Move on with your life, R. Patrick.
Haha you say you were angry yet this three keeps going because you are upset they didn't hire you. I've moved on with my life and just look here for a laugh
Haha you say you were angry yet this three keeps going because you are upset they didn't hire you. I've moved on with my life and just look here for a laugh
Please continue to keep moving on, Right on to somewhere else and don't come back. There is a particular photography site on the internet with a lot of argumentative idiots I'm sure you would feel right at home with.
Comments
Valuable?
It certainly could be. It depends on Johnny's parents.
If Johnny's Dad takes an acceptable picture of Johnny at the plate, odds are that Johnny's Mom is going to place a much higher value on that than on a photo of Johnny taken at the plate which was taken by a pro...
It started years ago when digital cameras made their debut and most could afford the Wal-Mart "Digital Rebel Kit". Suddenly anyone that could take a halfway clear picture or somewhat catch a facial expression or the holy grail for the new photog was any ball in mid air/flight, they suddenly became the new team photog.
As all the other parents stroked the new team photogs ego they were getting discs full of team pics free...
That's when most sports photographers realized that most people would rather have fair to crappy free pics than quality images at a fair price..
http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=2850
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
The only ones that offer to pay are the various high school athletic departments. Sadly, I don't really have the time for this sort of work.
You didn't come across as angry, just puzzled by the circumstances and perhaps so enthused about photography that it isn't always obvious to you that most others don't much care.
No professional photographer comes to the Babe Ruth (minors) games that
my two grandsons play in. However, all of the teams have seen me taking
photographs of the games. I have an iPad in my bag that contains the
better of the photographs I've taken over the season, and many parents
from other teams in the division have asked to see my photographs.
I get many requests to email them certain photographs in which their
son is in the frame even though I was shooting our team.
The parents never notice that my backgrounds are sharp, that my
angles are wrong, or any other problems that the pros here notice.
My photographs are almost all "action" shots in what has been described
here as a documentary style. I often have the wide scene that includes
other players or the ump rather than just a close-up of the player.
All they see is their kid, and that's what they want to see. Often, the
photos requested include their kid in a not-so-flattering shot where a
ball is dropped or there's a goofy aspect to the shot.
Today, a professional photographer came to do the traditional group
shot. (That's all he took) Several parents from both teams came up
to me and asked me to get one of those shots where the boys all
end up in a pile after the group shot or all make faces during the
group shot.
I declined all requests. The pro posed the boys in the outfield, and
I won't go on the field where a pro is working. He might think I'm
stealing his group pose for parents who don't want to buy his photos.
(I did take a long-lens shot of the group for my own use, but won't
share it with other parents.)
http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
Haha you say you were angry yet this three keeps going because you are upset they didn't hire you. I've moved on with my life and just look here for a laugh
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
Please continue to keep moving on, Right on to somewhere else and don't come back. There is a particular photography site on the internet with a lot of argumentative idiots I'm sure you would feel right at home with.