Is the era of "Paid Photographers" drawing to a close?

20droger wrote in post #9132112
Yes, digital cameras abound, and many many people own them.

Hammers and saws abound and most people own them How come everybody's not building their own house?

The obvious answer Roger is Building Codes...

Unfortunately, there are no Photography Codes.

20droger wrote in post #9132112
Yes, digital cameras abound, and many many people own them.

Hammers and saws abound and most people own them How come everybody's not building their own house?

Wrenches and screwdrivers also abound, yet professional mechanics still exist...

ConDigital wrote in post #9131322
Is the era of "Paid Photographers" drawing to a close? Is the heyday of the paid professional photographer well and truly getting to the end?

With many people not bothering with wanting prints of their photos and more and more of the general public having access to better and better cameras I can see the writing on the wall.

Times do change. There will always be a niche, but I think that niche will dwindle.

finally a photographer that can admit it...

20droger wrote in post #9132112
Hammers and saws abound and most people own them How come everybody's not building their own house?

Yes, but being a professional builder actually means something.

Anyone can call themselves a "Professional Photographer".

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9132118
The obvious answer Roger is Building Codes...

Unfortunately, there are no Photography Codes.

Not true (at least around here). If it's your own house, you do not need a license. You can build your own house from scratch as long as you stay withing the building codes.

Of course, learning the codes is not exactly the same as simply pounding a nail.

Just as learning to take good photographs is not exactly the same as simply pressing a shutter button.

In general, most people produce crap. Believe me, I know. I live in a house built by amateurs—cowboys, actually, and definitely not carpenters. No floor is level, no wall is plumb, no two doors are the same size, no two windows are the same size, and absolutely nothing is any standard size.

PMCphotography wrote in post #9132137
Wrenches and screwdrivers also abound, yet professional mechanics still exist...

Yes...... 4 years of on the job training and strict exams to sit and to pass to show their level of competence.

TheHoff wrote in post #9131707
As good as cameras get, I'm still waiting for them to tell me when to stop and take the picture. I choose to do that and I choose where to aim it. Technology won't replace that any time soon.

it is truly frightening what they come up with and actually they do have cameras now that decide when to take the picture may I introduce ou to smile shutter Im not saying you will get a good shot but I have a friend who has one of these and it does wait till you smile then shoots away. She uses it to get group shots because it can wait till everyone is smiling and she doesnt have to run on time delay to get in.

ConDigital wrote in post #9132183
Yes...... 4 years of on the job training and strict exams to sit and to pass to show their level of competence.

Not for good ol' Goober.

Well all I can say is who knows, I don't think I'll be a photographer forever (average person changes careers every 4-7 years...I mean who knows?) but I will say this:
Powersaws didn't kill carpentry..we just created better products, faster and better... So what's with all this "end of times" pushover BS?

Speaking of end of times...

LowriderS10 wrote in post #9131713
who cares? in 3 years the world will end anyways, and we'll all die, professional photographers or not.

/joke

I firmly believe the mayans just simply ran out of room on the circle they drew the calendar on...and then the other circles of the other years got lost

20droger wrote in post #9132181
Not true (at least around here). If it's your own house, you do not need a license. You can build your own house from scratch as long as you stay withing the building codes.

Of course, learning the codes is not exactly the same as simply pounding a nail.

Just as learning to take good photographs is not exactly the same as simply pressing a shutter button.

In general, most people produce crap. Believe me, I know. I live in a house built by amateurs—cowboys, actually, and definitely not carpenters. No floor is level, no wall is plumb, no two doors are the same size, no two windows are the same size, and absolutely nothing is any standard size.

Well, maybe it goes in "Free Range" Cochese County but I don't think I could do the same within the city limits of Chandler. Hell, I can't even drain my pool for maintenance without a city permit.

ConDigital wrote in post #9132174
Yes, but being a professional builder actually means something.

Anyone can call themselves a "Professional Photographer".

But not everyone who calls themselves that can survive long term...

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9132192
Well, maybe it goes in "Free Range" Cochese County but I don't think I could do the same within the city limits of Chandler. Hell, I can't even drain my pool for maintenance without a city permit.

You have one of them thar ceement ponds?!!

Even in Cochise County we need permits and inspections. But you can do the work yourself.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9132196
But not everyone who calls themselves that can survive long term...

Thank you, hence this thread.

Any first-aider can save a life...doesn't make them a doctor.

Any person can create a picture...doesn't mean they know how to create a moment. Someone let me know how much of their time as a pro photographer involves actually photography because I'm starting to feel the move of my job title of "pro photographer" to "entrepreneur"

Marc Ecko started as an artist, and you wouldn't be able to label what he is now aside from owning several enterprises..but before all he started as an artist. Even if becoming an icon isn't part of your visualization for leading a career path the point is a lot of photographers, artists, people - change over time. I'm not an economist so I don't know if there will be less demand for pro photography in the future ...but by the time the future has arrived..well who knows when that will be? Point is throughout time and history things evolve..they have to, it's a part of life and all of that mumbo jumbo.

Will photography go away? Probably not..and if it does I can't see it staying away. On the plus side maybe a lot of our prints from photography days will increase in value because nobody will remember how to create a proper one "Rare epson 4 star glossy 4x6 for sale on ebay....$400,000!"

20droger wrote in post #9132199
You have one of them thar ceement ponds?!!

Yup... I even let the critters swim in it with Ellie Mae!