I always get mixed feelings about the comments people have towards photography and all that I do. I hear all the time, "Your job is so easy", "You must love your job and have so much fun.". I do I love my job and enjoy everything it brings, it is truly a blessing everyday. Like anything it always has it's ups and downs, parts that are less desirable and can be challenging but that is what make it interesting. Is it easy not in the least! But I wouldn't change it for the world!
Yesterday I had a blast shooting a group of girls problem being I am part of this group of girls..... So this makes things a bit harder. With remote in hand and a tripod I can be part of it all, but is it really that simple? Not in the least, when in front of the camera getting your picture taken you can't double check all the elements that go into creating a great photo aka the photographers job.
With my camera in their hand one of the girls shot a couple head shot for me which I truly appreciated. She followed it up by saying "this is easy and so fun!". Now she knows as good as anyone it's not that simple and has appreciation for what I do but yes it can seem that way. Remember I set everything for her, made sure my lights were where they needed to be and double checked my readings....
Now here's the biggest part the part so many don't think about. As a photographer we see everything, we check everything and we learn to pose our clients and alter them to create the best photo. Anyone can take a picture and anyone can take a nearly perfect photo when in auto or when everything is pre set but have you check the background, readjusted your stand point based on the actual client (big one since I am 6 feet with heels and my stand in photographer was 5'7" with heels lol). Are you telling your client what she needs to know, the things that she can't see, are you repositioning her for what will suit her best. All things that we as professionals use to create the perfect image.
All in all the experience always reminds me of what I truly do and what makes me a professional photographer, last night I received the biggest compliment. While preparing to stand in front of the camera with this great group of girls tripod set, remote plugged in, my remote died and in came my boyfriend to the rescue. I set everything double checked the background got the girls in place, hoped in and he hit the shutter. In the end when reviewing pics I started pointing things out things I forgot to check or changed as we shot but being in front I was unable to see what was happening and make the adjustments needed. He tried and truly was such a help but there is no way he could have seen what I seen or known what to do. His final comment to me was, "There is so many factors and so much to do and beware of, you truly need a eye and I can't believe all that you do."
The camera is a tool, the photographer is the artist and we truly are the creator.
AJ
