[ Info ] What you use? (Editing and Post Processing)

[bousozoku]

Most "digital" photographers are similar to the 3-in-1 coffee makers. Or the instant-all-in-1 food packs. They can prepare a meal faster than any gourmet chefs can. And they don't earn more.

Most "digital" photographers can shoot GIGABYTES of data (THOUSANDS of pics) for every shoot. In those days, film photographers find it hard to go beyond HUNDREDS of pics per shoot. I certainly wouldn't pay the crap that comes out of these "digital" photographers ....

Point being so what if anyone can do everything themselves? It is the final output that maters.

I've worked against a couple of photographers like that who were from a company specializing in sports photography and had an incident one day because of it. They came with their fancy printer kiosks that allowed the customer to select the photo they wanted to buy and their L-series lenses. They pointed at anything, whether it was moving or not, whether it was part of the sport or not, and held the shutter release for 30 seconds or so and then, moved on to something else. A chimpanzee could have done what they'd done and their photos looked as though a chimpanzee had been involved, or so I was told.

The problem is widespread, but there are plenty of photographers who know how to work the equipment and have the eyes to see what's interesting, and over the past 10 years, they've been coming to grips with post processing. Of course, there are those who hand their work to an assistant and continue to shoot. (Wouldn't that be amazing?)

I'm all for getting rid of professionals who aren't professional because they steal from those who pay them but since the dSLR dropped in price, anyone who can hold a camera can call themselves a professional.

 

[Mikefellh]

I'm all for getting rid of professionals who aren't professional because they steal from those who pay them but since the dSLR dropped in price, anyone who can hold a camera can call themselves a professional.

The problem is certification. There's nothing out there that's required for a photographer to do to prove themselves before they can go into business. Even my barber has to have his certifications on the wall to cut hair.

Many photographers out there will even steal images from amateurs that look good, and then they post it on their commercial site advertising their services (sometimes without changing a thing).

 

[bousozoku]

The problem is certification. There's nothing out there that's required for a photographer to do to prove themselves before they can go into business. Even my barber has to have his certifications on the wall to cut hair.

Many photographers out there will even steal images from amateurs that look good, and then they post it on their commercial site advertising their services (sometimes without changing a thing).

Well, your barber uses something a bit sharper than a 14-35mm f/2.0 SHG lens, hopefully.

I'm not sure how they'd go about certification, other than physical tests to see if the person knows how to operate equipment to handle a number of situations. In software development, there are exams but they usually prove that you've successfully memorized the books.

 

[hotwork77]

The problem is certification. There's nothing out there that's required for a photographer to do to prove themselves before they can go into business. Even my barber has to have his certifications on the wall to cut hair.

Many photographers out there will even steal images from amateurs that look good, and then they post it on their commercial site advertising their services (sometimes without changing a thing).

Well, your barber uses something a bit sharper than a 14-35mm f/2.0 SHG lens, hopefully.

I'm not sure how they'd go about certification, other than physical tests to see if the person knows how to operate equipment to handle a number of situations. In software development, there are exams but they usually prove that you've successfully memorized the books.

I'm not too deep into the photog scene but I understand that there's some kind of certification like the MPA which only a few of our local Pros are members. They are really good and we got to give them credit where credit is due.

 

[microcosm]

Certification might be a solution but in Singapore, I am afraid that it is not.

I have a thousand different reasons on why NOT trust a certificate, but I shall not go into it.

At the end of the day, looking at a portfolio and making the decision is more important than looking at some certification. And also, even with all the certifications in place, clients will usually hire the cheapest the photographer, with or without certification. At the end of the day it is price that matters. Some "agencies" who have non-certified photographers will still get business because they have good sales people and offers the best prices.

In the end, certifications solve nothing.

It will only end up working against good "self taught" photographers. Even if they produce great work but because they have no "papers", they end up losing business opportunities. So this more destructive to the photography circle?

 

[hotwork77]

Certification might be a solution but in Singapore, I am afraid that it is not.

I have a thousand different reasons on why NOT trust a certificate, but I shall not go into it.

At the end of the day, looking at a portfolio and making the decision is more important than looking at some certification. And also, even with all the certifications in place, clients will usually hire the cheapest the photographer, with or without certification. At the end of the day it is price that matters. Some "agencies" who have non-certified photographers will still get business because they have good sales people and offers the best prices.

In the end, certifications solve nothing.

It will only end up working against good "self taught" photographers. Even if they produce great work but because they have no "papers", they end up losing business opportunities. So this more destructive to the photography circle?

What a dilemma? Having certification hurts the good "self taught" photographers. Not having certification also cannot. How then to tell clients we have reached a certain acceptable standard? Is there any other solution to benchmark ourselves and thus convince clients we are good like we said we are?

 

[microcosm]

What a dilemma? Having certification hurts the good "self taught" photographers. Not having certification also cannot. How then to tell clients we have reached a certain acceptable standard? Is there any other solution to benchmark ourselves and thus convince clients we are good like we said we are?

Actually, the tougher thing is to educate the clients. Cheapskate clients are usually the cause of these cameramen coming into the market. If clients don't give that opportunity for poor work, the wannabes will cease to exist. It is the clients that is the real problem in Singapore, unlike overseas.

 

[hotwork77]

Actually, the tougher thing is to educate the clients. Cheapskate clients are usually the cause of these cameramen coming into the market. If clients don't give that opportunity for poor work, the wannabes will cease to exist. It is the clients that is the real problem in Singapore, unlike overseas.

That's why my motto: Stand up and be counted.

Otherwise, the cheapskate clients will lump us together with the wannabes and expecting us to produce "snapshots" at rock bottom rates. I must admit that today I am more in a position to choose my clients rather than the other way round. The road to reach there is a hard one with many sacrifices along the way. Work on it chum...the peak is not too far off.

 

[elgkh]

There is a lot more to the photography business than being able to produce good pictures. Stuff like marketing, client relationship management, etc are just as important, but rarely mentioned anywhere.

Getting back on topic, I have been trying out the Adobe Lightroom 3.2 Release Candidate. I'm most impressed by the highlight recovery, it is easily 0.5 stops more than Olympus Viewer. Too bad about the colours though.

 

[microcosm]

There is a lot more to the photography business than being able to produce good pictures. Stuff like marketing, client relationship management, etc are just as important, but rarely mentioned anywhere.

Getting back on topic, I have been trying out the Adobe Lightroom 3.2 Release Candidate. I'm most impressed by the highlight recovery, it is easily 0.5 stops more than Olympus Viewer. Too bad about the colours though.

That's why Silkypix is still the answer. :bsmilie:

 

[microcosm]

That's why my motto: Stand up and be counted.

Otherwise, the cheapskate clients will lump us together with the wannabes and expecting us to produce "snapshots" at rock bottom rates. I must admit that today I am more in a position to choose my clients rather than the other way round. The road to reach there is a hard one with many sacrifices along the way. Work on it chum...the peak is not too far off.

Funny how that only happens after many moons and establishing one's reputation.

But I remembered taking the tough way in the beginning to reject low paying jobs. And promising the client that in the end I will produce better than expected results, but it will cost them. Coupled with "convincing marketing and selling" I did have things my way, and finally making it into the UK editorials. It is a long hard road, but I believed, and it happened. Hope this becomes an encouragement to those who are intending to turn pro.

I am now but a serious amateur all over again, because I decided to do something else as a profession, and leave photography as something I would continue to enjoy in my free time.

 

[hotwork77]

Funny how that only happens after many moons and establishing one's reputation.

But I remembered taking the tough way in the beginning to reject low paying jobs. And promising the client that in the end I will produce better than expected results, but it will cost them. Coupled with "convincing marketing and selling" I did have things my way, and finally making it into the UK editorials. It is a long hard road, but I believed, and it happened. Hope this becomes an encouragement to those who are intending to turn pro.

I am now but a serious amateur all over again, because I decided to do something else as a profession, and leave photography as something I would continue to enjoy in my free time.

I'm just thinking out of the box: How about starting a simple certification program with 3 tiers of skills like "associate", "member", "master". Would all the mods and Darren agree to this type of certification and subject ourselves to a peer review to get the certificate so that clients can then know and pay according to the "true" skills that the photog really possess. After all ClubSNAP is a growing community. Lets make it great.

 

[microcosm]

I'm just thinking out of the box: How about starting a simple certification program with 3 tiers of skills like "associate", "member", "master". Would all the mods and Darren agree to this type of certification and subject ourselves to a peer review to get the certificate so that clients can then know and pay according to the "true" skills that the photog really possess. After all ClubSNAP is a growing community. Lets make it great.

Unlikely this will happen in ClubSNAP because we are an online community but in no way we become an authority on the discipline of photography as this is not a registered society that governs photography.

This calls for a different governing body for this. And definitely not any of the local photography societies... those are just for retirees with Leicas (or any grossly expensive camera of your choice) and models posing the same poses for the last 3 decades (?). Not to make fun of them, but salon photography is elementary and good for establishing a good foundation into photography, but so far I am not convinced that these "societies" are qualified to judge anything remotely close to art. I love Singapore and hope Singapore can really have a society that can be one that has a governing authority, but 20+ years later, well... they still don't exist.

...because those who can are making gross amount of money overseas...

 

[Benares]

Bummer, I use ACDSee Pro on my home PC and Picasa on my work notebook but I can't seem to find either in the poll (Olympus studio only to process IR raws)

 

[microcosm]

Bummer, I use ACDSee Pro on my home PC and Picasa on my work notebook but I can't seem to find either in the poll (Olympus studio only to process IR raws)

I noob with PC software... sorrie. :sweat:

 

[hydroburn249]

i love silkypix colors, but wahlau the "lag" is what i cannot tahan. adjust adjust, and then get kopi and come back before i can see the change. hahah. exaggerate but u get my point.

 

[elgkh]

i love silkypix colors, but wahlau the "lag" is what i cannot tahan. adjust adjust, and then get kopi and come back before i can see the change. hahah. exaggerate but u get my point.

Being a long time Olympus Studio/Viewer user, I'm used to such things. In fact, I found the instant preview of Lightroom a bit unsettling :bsmilie: