Can of Worms: Insecurity vs. Healthy Competition
In the month of January I had 3 unrelated incidents where fellow photographers (who don't know each other, oddly) shared disturbing tales of run-ins with other 'togs. Generally speaking, there is always going to be competition in the marketplace. This is to be expected. It is therefore expected that we will all build our clientele, set our prices, advertise, etc. in the same pool as other photographers, where there is no standardization of any kind, from pricing, to services, to packages. Each of us makes these aspects of our businesses work for us in any number of ways, for any number of reasons. I've always said there is no right or wrong answer, but I think there actually is ONE wrong answer: letting your insecurity about your success as business turn healthy competition into backstabbing, snubbing, and badmouthing.
Let me be the first to say, there's enough business to go around so before you start on a smear campaign or actively stealing clients or whatever else leads to making enemies in this profession, here are some basic courtesies that I choose to extend to my fellow photographers, both newcomers and old hands like, which you may want to take into consideration. If you are looking for guidance on what to do when your best friend/in-law/cousin etc. decides they want to be a photographer and starts raining on your parade and stealing your thunder, here is a post that addresses that separately.
1) Always be civil, courteous, and genuine. Even if you dislike another photographer's style or think their business practices are shady, there are ways of expressing this honestly and diplomatically. Saying, "I don't really care for his work," or, "I'm not sure I agree with her marketing tactics," is much better than blurting out, "That amateur crook SUCKS!" Also, if you've had a run-in with a nasty photographer, magnanimity will serve you well... so when you're out on the circuit and meet a senior or junior colleague, friend or enemy, be classy and smile even if it tastes bad. Whether you are old or young, pro or newbie, full-time or weekend warrior, being polite never goes out of style.
2) Maybe you think (or even know) that the new momtographer up the street is charging next to nothing, and a hack who probably shoots in auto, to boot. Fine. We all started somewhere, and I can guarantee that there were those established in the biz already who scowled at us when we burst onto the scene, full of vim and vigour and a desire to revolutionize the world of photography. Remember that if a photographer's prices are set low or at introductory pricing, they are going to attract the clients who would would probably need to haggle you on your prices because you are outside their budget to begin with - therefore, the momtographer isn't really stealing "your" clients, is she? As with any job, salary is commensurate with experience and skills.
3) If you are that new kid on the block, show some respect to those who have put in their time. You may be providing a valuable service at an affordable price which is a great place to be, but that doesn't give you any right or reason to badmouth, disrespect, or discount the work of your forebears. It's also not for you to decide what another photographer's services are worth and tell the clients you're stealing that they are overcharging. We have valuable stories to share and I can personally guarantee that after you've been doing this long enough, you'll have a much better perspective on the whole thing - but you won't have much support (read: referrals, advice, and social invitations) if you've alienated the very people you should be networking with. Watch your mouth now so you don't come back to bite yourself in the ass later.
4) Did you know that the practice of bartering was intended for vendors in the marketplace to exact a higher price from the well-heeled, not so that buyers could get a lower price? Generally, community members sold goods and services to each other at decent prices and inflated them when they saw money walk by. It was the Quakers who introduced fixed pricing, bringing in a sense a certain kind of "honesty" to the marketplace - anyone who went to buy eggs from them paid the exact same price. I think it was Andy Warhol who said that the best thing about Coke was that the president couldn't buy a better bottle than a bum on the street. Generally, if you make a practice of adjusting your price up or down, you may not only put yourself in a position to always get bartered, but may get a reputation for being a bit shady. If you are adjusting your pricing specifically to undercut your competition ie) asking what quote a potential client got from another photographer then deliberately coming in lower, you can be sure there are going to be some apple carts to set right later. Ditto if you are providing crappy customer service to the people who you've accepted less money from and better to those who paid more. Now, I'm not going to tell you what to do with your pricing or customer service - you can be as rubbery or underhanded or flexible or fair as you like. Just be warned that the bed you're making now is the one you're going to have to lay in later.
5) Learning to appreciate the skills and styles of other photographers is in my opinion extremely important. Recognizing the contributions of both peer- and industry-acknowledged experts is a necessary part of developing as a photographer, as is respecting each others' right to creative license. There are photographers out there whose work is technically amazing, and those who are free and airy and spiritual in their approach, and yet others who create a mash-up of digital and photographic images... and none of these styles is right or wrong. It's not your or my place to judge, even if we personally don't *like* the images. We can be honest when expressing whether we like someone's work, but being hurtful, crude, or ignorant when another photographer is hired or wins an award or gets published is tacky and immature. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there's no accounting for taste.
6) When we are just new or if we are stuck in a creative rut, it's easy to be jealous of someone's skill or style, especially if that person is experiencing a high degree of success. While sometimes we just find these people inspiring, there are those of us who are tempted by the dark side. One way is by ripping off large recognizable elements of that photographer's style. Let me be the first to say that seeing an exact duplicate of one of your "signature" shots/your monthly special/your new price list/the catchy slogan you just made up in a close colleague's portfolio really hurts. And while it's one thing to recognize trends that have become popular some would argue to the point of overkill (selective colouring on B&W images, boudoir, cross-processing), if we lack the technical skill or ability to capitalize on these trends, it can lead those of us feeling particularly insecure to actively knock that particular trend. This wouldn't be a problem save for the fact there are quite a few photographers out there who would take it personally if those trends made up a substantial part of their portfolio. Don't let your own shortcomings turn you into a thief or an insensitive ass.
7) Now, there's a HUGE difference between expressing dislike for another photographer's work and just plain making up outright lies and malicious claims intended to interrupt business or damage the professional reputation of the competition. For this point I would like to present a case study. With pin-up clothes making their comeback and boudoir photography being such a boom for the past 3 years, while there are people who specialize in this genre, there has been a huge scramble for photographers to incorporate this style of session into the services they provide. One (established family but expanding to include private individual boudoir) photographer implying that another (rising with a focus in wedding and boudoir) photographer's sell-out boudoir marathons were "unhygienic" which is clearly ridiculous, while in a different town, another (new and desperate to squeeze out the competition at any cost) photographer reported an (established but in the same small community) photographer to a popular networking site for displaying "pornographic" images, which took several weeks to sort out. If you're bored and feel like reading a novella's worth of blog posts, I dispelled a few myths about boudoir here. Sticks and stones may break bones and words can hurt someone's business.
8) Whether we like it or not, there are always going to be cliques in this industry like any other - groups of people who take a workshop or attend a conference together often develop genuine friendships and reciprocal partnerships. Of course it's hard when you feel like an outsider - everyone wants to be accepted - but don't expect this to happen if you a) don't show up and b) be polite (see point No. 1) Being a loner is tough. And lonely. While yes there are some very junior-high-esque people in this industry like any other, for the most part we're a wonderful, friendly, supportive bunch with very diverse and interesting perspectives and backgrounds. We're tall, short, fat, skinny, old, young, rich, poor, timid, outspoken, rebellious, conformist, comical, serious, chic, geek, and everything in between. Set your judgments aside so you can embrace and be embraced. Strive to be inclusive instead of exclusive.
This is a random smattering of points, in no particular order. If anyone out there has a tip or a story they'd like to add, I encourage you to post it in the comments or send me an email - no names please! If you think I'm off my rocker, I'm open to debate. If you want to share this article, please link back to this, the original.
muchLOVE,
Hoperoo
Let me be the first to say, there's enough business to go around so before you start on a smear campaign or actively stealing clients or whatever else leads to making enemies in this profession, here are some basic courtesies that I choose to extend to my fellow photographers, both newcomers and old hands like, which you may want to take into consideration. If you are looking for guidance on what to do when your best friend/in-law/cousin etc. decides they want to be a photographer and starts raining on your parade and stealing your thunder, here is a post that addresses that separately.
1) Always be civil, courteous, and genuine. Even if you dislike another photographer's style or think their business practices are shady, there are ways of expressing this honestly and diplomatically. Saying, "I don't really care for his work," or, "I'm not sure I agree with her marketing tactics," is much better than blurting out, "That amateur crook SUCKS!" Also, if you've had a run-in with a nasty photographer, magnanimity will serve you well... so when you're out on the circuit and meet a senior or junior colleague, friend or enemy, be classy and smile even if it tastes bad. Whether you are old or young, pro or newbie, full-time or weekend warrior, being polite never goes out of style.
2) Maybe you think (or even know) that the new momtographer up the street is charging next to nothing, and a hack who probably shoots in auto, to boot. Fine. We all started somewhere, and I can guarantee that there were those established in the biz already who scowled at us when we burst onto the scene, full of vim and vigour and a desire to revolutionize the world of photography. Remember that if a photographer's prices are set low or at introductory pricing, they are going to attract the clients who would would probably need to haggle you on your prices because you are outside their budget to begin with - therefore, the momtographer isn't really stealing "your" clients, is she? As with any job, salary is commensurate with experience and skills.
3) If you are that new kid on the block, show some respect to those who have put in their time. You may be providing a valuable service at an affordable price which is a great place to be, but that doesn't give you any right or reason to badmouth, disrespect, or discount the work of your forebears. It's also not for you to decide what another photographer's services are worth and tell the clients you're stealing that they are overcharging. We have valuable stories to share and I can personally guarantee that after you've been doing this long enough, you'll have a much better perspective on the whole thing - but you won't have much support (read: referrals, advice, and social invitations) if you've alienated the very people you should be networking with. Watch your mouth now so you don't come back to bite yourself in the ass later.
4) Did you know that the practice of bartering was intended for vendors in the marketplace to exact a higher price from the well-heeled, not so that buyers could get a lower price? Generally, community members sold goods and services to each other at decent prices and inflated them when they saw money walk by. It was the Quakers who introduced fixed pricing, bringing in a sense a certain kind of "honesty" to the marketplace - anyone who went to buy eggs from them paid the exact same price. I think it was Andy Warhol who said that the best thing about Coke was that the president couldn't buy a better bottle than a bum on the street. Generally, if you make a practice of adjusting your price up or down, you may not only put yourself in a position to always get bartered, but may get a reputation for being a bit shady. If you are adjusting your pricing specifically to undercut your competition ie) asking what quote a potential client got from another photographer then deliberately coming in lower, you can be sure there are going to be some apple carts to set right later. Ditto if you are providing crappy customer service to the people who you've accepted less money from and better to those who paid more. Now, I'm not going to tell you what to do with your pricing or customer service - you can be as rubbery or underhanded or flexible or fair as you like. Just be warned that the bed you're making now is the one you're going to have to lay in later.
5) Learning to appreciate the skills and styles of other photographers is in my opinion extremely important. Recognizing the contributions of both peer- and industry-acknowledged experts is a necessary part of developing as a photographer, as is respecting each others' right to creative license. There are photographers out there whose work is technically amazing, and those who are free and airy and spiritual in their approach, and yet others who create a mash-up of digital and photographic images... and none of these styles is right or wrong. It's not your or my place to judge, even if we personally don't *like* the images. We can be honest when expressing whether we like someone's work, but being hurtful, crude, or ignorant when another photographer is hired or wins an award or gets published is tacky and immature. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there's no accounting for taste.
6) When we are just new or if we are stuck in a creative rut, it's easy to be jealous of someone's skill or style, especially if that person is experiencing a high degree of success. While sometimes we just find these people inspiring, there are those of us who are tempted by the dark side. One way is by ripping off large recognizable elements of that photographer's style. Let me be the first to say that seeing an exact duplicate of one of your "signature" shots/your monthly special/your new price list/the catchy slogan you just made up in a close colleague's portfolio really hurts. And while it's one thing to recognize trends that have become popular some would argue to the point of overkill (selective colouring on B&W images, boudoir, cross-processing), if we lack the technical skill or ability to capitalize on these trends, it can lead those of us feeling particularly insecure to actively knock that particular trend. This wouldn't be a problem save for the fact there are quite a few photographers out there who would take it personally if those trends made up a substantial part of their portfolio. Don't let your own shortcomings turn you into a thief or an insensitive ass.
7) Now, there's a HUGE difference between expressing dislike for another photographer's work and just plain making up outright lies and malicious claims intended to interrupt business or damage the professional reputation of the competition. For this point I would like to present a case study. With pin-up clothes making their comeback and boudoir photography being such a boom for the past 3 years, while there are people who specialize in this genre, there has been a huge scramble for photographers to incorporate this style of session into the services they provide. One (established family but expanding to include private individual boudoir) photographer implying that another (rising with a focus in wedding and boudoir) photographer's sell-out boudoir marathons were "unhygienic" which is clearly ridiculous, while in a different town, another (new and desperate to squeeze out the competition at any cost) photographer reported an (established but in the same small community) photographer to a popular networking site for displaying "pornographic" images, which took several weeks to sort out. If you're bored and feel like reading a novella's worth of blog posts, I dispelled a few myths about boudoir here. Sticks and stones may break bones and words can hurt someone's business.
8) Whether we like it or not, there are always going to be cliques in this industry like any other - groups of people who take a workshop or attend a conference together often develop genuine friendships and reciprocal partnerships. Of course it's hard when you feel like an outsider - everyone wants to be accepted - but don't expect this to happen if you a) don't show up and b) be polite (see point No. 1) Being a loner is tough. And lonely. While yes there are some very junior-high-esque people in this industry like any other, for the most part we're a wonderful, friendly, supportive bunch with very diverse and interesting perspectives and backgrounds. We're tall, short, fat, skinny, old, young, rich, poor, timid, outspoken, rebellious, conformist, comical, serious, chic, geek, and everything in between. Set your judgments aside so you can embrace and be embraced. Strive to be inclusive instead of exclusive.
This is a random smattering of points, in no particular order. If anyone out there has a tip or a story they'd like to add, I encourage you to post it in the comments or send me an email - no names please! If you think I'm off my rocker, I'm open to debate. If you want to share this article, please link back to this, the original.
muchLOVE,
Hoperoo
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