Being a professional photographer comes with great perks. They get to meet a lot of people and be part of some of the special moments of their lives. However, like any profession, professional photography comes with its frustrations. Here are some things that most photographers in Dubai dislike but will never say:
- When you don’t seem to trust the photographer: Before you hired them, you went through their portfolio and/or met with them, obviously liking what you saw. Or you saw them in action at another event and liked how creative and professional they were. Therefore, you need to trust them to give you the best photo shoot and even exceed your expectations.
- When you don’t understand it’s not all about the camera: A photographer’s job is not easy. It is not only about clicking a button or having the right equipment. Photographers have to consider many things when they are taking pictures, like their subject, the composition, the lighting, the angle, the mood, the aesthetics etc. It takes years to develop and hone skills to take great photos and make a career out of them. They deserve your respect.
- When cell phone photographers disrupt their work: In today’s digital era, everyone has easy access to cameras on their phones. With the culture of social media and constant sharing, everyone wants to capture the moments themselves. This is particularly frustrating for photographers during event coverage, especially during wedding photography. Imagine the perfect shot ruined because someone’s cell phone is in the frame or one person is looking at their friend taking the picture rather than the photographer. Ah, the tragedy! Hint: have an unplugged wedding where only the photographer you’ve hired captures all the special moments.
- When they’re asked to recreate something: All photographers have their own unique aesthetics, ideas, and an eye for detail. Sure, that picture you saw on Pinterest looked great, but it was someone else’s idea. Professional photographers prefer not to recreate concepts. Rather, they want to be creative and execute concepts that suit you best.
- When clients insist on clichés: Some photography ‘trends’ are so overdone that they need to be laid to rest. For example, one colored item in a black-and-white photo, tilted shots, blurry pictures, clichéd posing, etc. These were good ideas but it’s time for something new, exciting and better.
- When they’re asked for raw images: All clients almost always ask for the original files, either because they feel they are entitled to them or are afraid the photographer missed out a great shot. This is when both the contract and the bond of trust between the two parties play an important role. This depends but more often than not, photographers legally retain the rights to their pictures and are not bound to share all the raw footage. In any case, have the confidence that your photographer will pick the best for you.
- When nobody gets the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes: Contrary to popular belief, a shoot isn’t all that a photographer does. There is a lot of work that photographers have to do behind the scenes that usually goes unseen or unacknowledged by clients, both before and after the actual shoot. This includes tasks like pre-shoot meeting with clients, preparing contracts, conceiving a concept, prepping for the shoot, editing, managing day-to-day logistics, running a photo studio etc.
- When clients become impatient: Speaking of editing, most people assume it doesn’t – or shouldn’t – take long for a photographer to edit pictures. Photographers usually have to go through all the pictures first to select the best and then edit them. This is a process that needs painstaking attention and time. Add to this the fact that the editing is only one part of any photographer’s regular schedule. As a result, impatient or demanding clients are obviously disliked even if nobody says it out loud.
- When Photoshop is considered magical: Yes, tools like Photoshop are a photographer’s quintessential arsenal, along with their camera and equipment. However, what needs to be remembered is that Photoshop can’t do miracles and (shouldn’t) fix everything. Your shoes don’t really go with your dress? Better to change them for the shoot rather than have the photographer fix such details in every picture. See a few wrinkles? Use makeup and embrace the rest. Editing minutiae is not a productive use of a photographer’s already limited time.
- When their prices are questioned: This is a difficult aspect to talk about as no matter how high, low, or moderately priced a photographer may be, there will be someone who still disagrees. It’s all about the value provided. If you don’t feel it is worth it, then you need to continue your search. At the end of the day, the photographer has to price according to their skills and requirements, and clients need to understand the value of the service they will be getting in return. Otherwise, the message that is conveyed is that the photographer’s skills are not worth the money being charged.
Yes, photographers are human and get irked sometimes, but you will not hear them complain as they are always professional and very passionate about their work. So the next time you are looking for photographers in Dubai on ServiceMarket, make their work a tad bit easier – and get an excellent experience with exceptional photo shoot results.
