Thursday 16 February 2012

Amateur Photographers - Be Ashamed!

Letter in the latest edition of Photo Plus magazine - Canon Edition obviously.....

"I happened to glance at your magazine and wondered just how you reached certain conclusions. You advocate the7D is the Best Sports/Wildlife D-SLR of the Year 2011. I am confused. I have been a professional motorsport photographer most of my life. The bane of my existence has been amateurs - people with full time jobs selling photographs at ridiculous prices. A few years ago I turned over £54,000, this year it was £6,000.

I was forced to buy a 7D rather than a 1D Mark IV because of the price. The 7D is not a bad camera but it does have limitations. I have been using the 1D (and 1Ds) since they came out and they are worth the extra money if you can afford them."

He then goes on to moan how the 7D doesn't give him the options and accuracy of the 1D (which he can't afford.)

Must admit I got a bit angry. ( I know - I know - I get angry most days!) I understand that lots more people now have access to serious amateur or semi-pro cameras but I seriously doubt they are the sole reason for his decline!

If the guy's turnover has dropped so much over "a few years" does it not suggest his prices are too high or his photography skills are not as good as he thinks. I have to admit I've heard some less than complimentary reports about the 7D but even so - he made the choice and if he is a professional - surely he could have researched the camera or run a trial before buying it? Now, what was that old saying about a bad workman blaming his tools....

Anyway - here's promised album of the photos I took of birds in our local park last Saturday. (And - don't tell our correspondent above but they are all available at a reasonable price!)


Just two more pics to show you......

The sky as I stepped out of our back door to go to work at 7 a.m. this morning

The moon - as I was about to get in the car.

The colours lasted barely a minute or two and were gone by the time I had driven to the end of the street.

OK - that's all for now folks. Might have some football to go to this weekend - I'll update you Sunday.

Cheers!

2 comments:

Mike Smith said...

People with full-time jobs selling photographs at ridiculous prices ??

That's me exempt - unless "giving them away" counts as 'ridiculous' !!

snapper said...

Amateur bloggers should also be ashamed when they don't update for days on end...