What to do..............Will I ever learn.................

I was awakened this morning by a misdialed call at 4:30.........which basically meant I wouldn't get back to sleep. Over the past four decades in the photographic business I have made some really solid photographic friends. Full time pros that make their living as photographers. Every now and then I'll have a friend ask me what kind of camera would I recommend for them....they just want to have a good camera to take some good pictures. Obviously the camera is what makes the difference in their minds. Occasionally I will make a recommendation and leave it at that. I had one individual years ago  that I made a camera recommendation to and before I knew it he had invested in a full color processing system with a printer and roll processor. He put the word out that he was going to put me out of business by producing his own portraits. Needless to say I never had anything to do with him again and he soon went broke and sold the processor for scrap. I had a teacher call me up and ask what kind of lights should she get just to play around with. I said nothing but got word that she had bought a cheap pair of "hot lights" to use in the studio she was setting up. She was going to also put me out of business. That didn't work either.

I recently had a friend ask me for advice on a camera and I gave it to him as he was a sportsman and wanted to take animal and nature shots. I relented and made a recommendation. Then came the questions on lenses. We talked about it and he bought one or two. Another question about a wide angle lens..............he wants to shoot some interior and exterior shots of some apartments and houses his son either owns or is trying to sell. I need to give myself a swift kick in the seat of the pants.

I would think that being friends he would recommend my services to his son because I helped him with the "nature camera". What he doesn't understand is how greatly offended I am that he thinks my services would either not be worth what I would want to charge or HE COULD DO IT WITH THE SAME RESULTS !!!! After all he has a "pro" camera and a case of lenses. That really says more than I want to talk about. Needless to say he is off my radar.

This attitude comes from being in the business, having the experience, the degrees, and business knowledge to deliver an excellent product at a very reasonable price. With the advent of the digital revolution the market has been flooded with individuals that are looking to be the photo heros. They know just enough to be "dangerous" and not a clue as to what they are doing. I had an insurance agent that asked for camera advice 10 years ago and I gave him some. I went in to pay my premium six months later and he was telling me that he had picked up an extra three hundred dollars shooting a wedding the past weekend. I changed agencies. Although I wasn't shooting wedding anymore, I won't support a crossover like that from someone I do business with. The same goes with friends. Either you're on the boat, and doing it full time, or your not. If you're not....leave the photography gigs to the pros. I love my job...