In recent years, the beauty of photography has taken more of a place in the limelight. While many greatly gifted, lifelong artists have finally come to light, with that also comes a trend – many more who want to make a career in photography… but with no credentials or decades of experience to purport, that also equates to little knowledge of the art itself, let alone even the digital post processing of photographic images. There is a flood of another type of photographer: the fauxtographer, as the industry calls them. You may ask, “what is a fauxtographer?” or more importantly, “what difference does it make to me?” We tried to look online for the best description of what is a fauxtographer, and this explains it best: “A person that claims to be a good photographer when in reality they just set their camera to automatic mode and start shooting. This person also happens to fumble over photographic terms or has no knowledge of the terms or switches the color mode to monochrome and calls it artistic no matter what the hell is in in frame.”
It’s an ugly moniker, yes, but let’s explore how this type of “artist” (term used loosely) affects both the industry and the end products received by the average consumer. Quite often, an early sign of a fauxtographer is the self-description of being a “natural light photographer.” All photographers are natural light photographers – quite literally, light composition, reflection and manipulation are very core and thorough components of any photographer’s development. Unfortunately, “natural light photography” is now a term used to let a consumer know in advance that no professional studio lights will be used, whether necessary or not, but with the connotation that this is an “artistic choice” rather than actually a “skill or experience deficiency.” We know a lot of great photographers who are truly exceptional with photography in natural light – but for most on the market today, this is only way they know how to shoot and it’s what they purport to be a value point to a client. A true, professional “natural light photographer” will still be completely equipped, with respect to both skill and equipment, should the job call for studio lighting.
Fauxtographers will give you pricing that is suddenly very affordable (nearly on par with department-store photos) as well as give you all images on disk after the session. They will tell you that it is ok for you to take the pictures and do as you wish, or more formally “disc with images and printing rights.” These are some of the signs that you are talking to a fauxtographer, and the chances are likely that it may be someone that just went earlier that day (or year) to get their camera from Walmart or Best Buy.
What this costs the consumer: a true professional photographer may give you a limited amount of images on disc to use on social media, as we are in a digital age, but a fauxtographer knows that simply handing you a disc is the easiest and fastest way to simply collect your money and be rid of you. A true photographer is also partnered with many professional print labs, and for good reasons. Getting your images on disc nearly always means “without any discretion of quality choice nor post-editing/retouching.” Even in the old days of film when our school photographers gave us a very non-artistic portrait each year, they knew retouching and post-editing. Hiring a fauxtographer means that what you see is what you get – no fine lines will be removed, nor a teen’s acne, etc. and those fly-away hairs will fly away forever. In short, the only thing professional about it is the fact that someone else is holding the camera for you. A professional photographer knows that post-editing is an essential part of what makes photography an art form, even if it just means delivering portraits with porcelain skin and fixing every delicate detail. Furthermore, those labs – they’re there because they produce extremely high-quality prints and heirloom-quality showpieces that will literally last far longer than you… even wedding announcements printed unprofessionally will give that “cheap” feel to the event long before anyone RSVP’s.
A true photographer will have your best interest at heart. A real professional will schedule a meeting before a shoot to go over styling, poses, clothing, hair and make up (if needed) and location. A photographer will have all paperwork and necessary permits (if needed) for the day of the shoot – and if you’re talking to a “photographer” who hasn’t presented any paperwork, from a model release to a business license and liability insurance, run. Many will be rather flippant when asked, simply saying “we’ll be fine, we don’t need that, we’re only doing a ____ shoot.” What if your daughter falls and breaks her ankle during the photo session? What if your “natural light newborn photographer” hasn’t been educated on the proper levels of light that are safe for your newborn baby’s eyes? What if the baby falls? Are you covered?
A photographer will not simply hand you a CD; plan on attending a post-session viewing either at their studio, at a neutral location, or at your home. Photography is a family investment, and a true professional is dedicated to giving you quality from the first meeting to your product choices because they know they will remain in your family for generations to come.
Here are some tips and things to look out for when speaking with a photographer:
- Ask them about their education, experience, training. A true photographer will not have any issues talking about their experience, training or education.
- Ask them about their equipment (gear) that they will be using. Most photographers will use a DSLR of course, but anyone can purchase this anywhere. A professional has a range of lenses for different reasons and will not have a problem telling you which ones and why. If they’re shooting on “automatic” as opposed to “manual,” it probably means they also became a photographer “automatically.”
- Be aware of locations at which the photo session is done. Even as many public places are, of course public, many of them (including parks) may require a permit to shoot in certain areas. A true professional will know what is needed to shoot there and whether or not there will be an additional charge for securing permission at your preferred location. Again, be safe and ask your photographer outright if they and you are legally set to go. Shooting on the train tracks? Bad sign – it’s a Federal offense unless you have permission from the the railway or municipality!!
- Insurance is something that a professional photographer must have. These are standard business coverages to make sure that you and your love ones are safe, as well as themselves and their equipment. If a photographer can not show you that they are insured, then they are not the right one – or the safest one – for you.
- If your photography entails having hair and make up services, the photographer, MUA (Make Up Artist) and Hair Stylist will not have any trouble showing any certifications, licensing, or portfolios. Again, these people will be making you look your best, and if you are paying for their services you have the right to know what you’re paying for.
- A photographer respects their copyright; after all, this is one of the major things that a photographer cherishes – their right to their images. You may meet a photographer that will give you some images on disk or via email, but if a photographer wants to give you all of the images from the shoot on disc, it’s a red flag of fauxtography unless they’re well-accredited and it’s the nature of your photosession to have images delivered digitally (commercial photography for digital publication, for example).
- A photographer, like any professional, takes pride in their work and only, only wants to show their best. A fauxtographer will promise you all the pictures or “your favorite 10” without weeding out those that aren’t among the best.
- A true photographer will either have a professional digital printer or use a color lab for your printing needs. If a photographer tells you that they are heading to Walgreens, Walmart, Costco or any other one-hour lab then they do not have a vested interest in your photography and your prints will be fading as quickly as your memory of the photo session.
- A photographer is always proud of their printed piece. From a 8×10 to a 30×40, they will make sure that you get the best product that you can have.
- Customer service is another standard of any professional, if you receive poor or little customer service from your photographer, it could be a sign that they are not a professional.
- A photographer will know all that there is to lighting, their gear, and artform. A true professional will be their own worst critic and will spend time to make sure that you have the best shoot all the time. A fauxtographer will just “point and shoot,” most likely without ever changing lenses.
- Work ethic is another important part of being a professional. A true photographer will be with you from the beginning to the end of the process, while a fauxtographer will only care about their payment and credit for their work.
- Being a professional, we try our best not to discredit another professionals. In fact, it’s the law… but a fauxtographer will go out of their way to bash others in the area to ensure your repeat business and reduce the likelihood that you’ll look into their credentials.
- Resources. A professional will not have a problem referring you to people that they have worked with and/or allowing you to see their portfolio, or even referring you to a different professional if they truly would be a better match for your needs. A fauxtographer will not have any resources to refer you to or will claim they are the best choice no matter what the job.
- Business accreditation. Again, a professional will have their business licence, Tax ID, proper website, proper business telephone number and other items that make them a legitimate business. A fauxtographer will have a Facebook page with little information that explains why they’re different, and a link to their free website on an often outdated platform.
When a fauxtographer does “business” and presents the client with “artwork” that is less than what the client expects, it affects us all. What’s worse is that most public consumers wouldn’t know that they aren’t working with a professional, that they don’t have professional protection of their investment/experience or that they won’t receiving the quality they expected to pay for.
Normally we do not write long blogs, but the profession is being overrun by fauxtographers. We want to make sure that all who read this are aware of some of the things to look out for when hiring a photographer. Do not be afraid of asking these questions as a professional will not have any problem answering them where others will (fauxtographers are usually defensive in their responses), after all, you will be spending good money with this investment, and you want to make sure that the person you hire is capturing your best memories for years to come. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us anytime.
Again here at Studio MAP we want the customer to be fully informed and be able to make the best choice in their photography investment.