Gu Photography Blog

“Free” has been the phrase of the late among creative industries, many of us are under the attack of “free” movement from clients who don’t know better, as well as amateur snappers (deliberately avoiding calling them photographers) with too much disposable income, pirated software and fancy-looking-but-substance-lacking photoshop actions (don’t get me start on HDR).

Despite such “seemingly” shift in the industry, nothing has affected the photographers at the top of their games, only the bottom and lower middle level clienteles, who simply try to “save” quick cash without realising the long term cost. Many of them jumped on the wagon simply they “heard” the competitors were doing it, yet most of them revert to the norm after sampling the bitter taste from so called “professional” work, resulting in financial, mental, faith and time loss.

My local newspaper “Manchester Evening News” is a perfect analogy.

Not so long ago, every reader was happy to pay 20 pence to pick up a copy, which was rather standard. When competition became fierce, instead of producing better content and better photos, the publisher opted for lower price – a mere 10 pence. Did circulation double because of the price cut? No. If publisher does not value the content in the paper, nor do their readers, that soon followed by advertisers. The subsequent impact on revenue dip only triggered the “universal” solution when any business runs into bad shape – layoffs. You see where I’m heading? So the vicious circle began.

Sooner than you know it, people in yellow jackets sprung up all over the city trying to stuff your face with papers nobody wants to read. Do we all of sudden jump at them because they are “free”? Far from it. Any sane person automatically avoid anything with “junk” status.

Occasionally I still pick up a copy, not for reading of course (don’t be silly), but laughing at appalling photographs inside, and the fact they couldn’t even find a decent amateur photographer to exploit! I recently discovered a new purpose for the paper – perfect padding for packaging. Simply crumble them up and stuff around your valuables, you’re good to go!

If you wouldn’t touch a “FREE” newspaper because lacking of worthy content, then why on earth would you commission “cheaper than professional” amateurs to produce work of “less or no value” for you and your business?

Until next time, try pick up a copy of The Economist, pay the full price, feel the initial pain, read every word inside, then ponder the meaning of “value for money”.

Bob may be your uncle, but he is certainly no professional photographer, even with the most expensive camera …