No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems...

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems...
©Marcia Joy Duggan

April 13, 2008

NEIPP at Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster


This past week over 300 photographers gathered at Ocean Edge Resort for NEIPP (New England Institute of Professional Photography). (NEIPP is an annual event, www.ppane.com for more info.) I had the opportunity to sit in with a few of the instructors as I was volunteering with the models this year. This photo of Samantha was taken at Rock Harbor for her senior photo in 2006. We had a great time making the photos and not only does it show in Sam's expressions, but we also have the great memories from the portrait session we shared. This photo was not the one she chose to use in her Yearbook, but as a parent I love this image of her as she twirls her hair.... it captures a look I have seen her whole life and evokes so many wonderful memories! I have always felt that the final image from a portrait session is a blending of the subject and the imagemaker. .....All professional photographers are not the same!

As a professional photographer I have seen so many changes as we have transitioned from film to digital. Regardless of the end result, the physical process of having a professional photographer capture an event such as a wedding or a family portrait has remained a constant. A professional photographer still has to have professional skills, the technical ability, the business sense and the passion to separate them from an amateur photographer. So does the end justify the means? These days if all else fails during the actual session it is possible to do some damage control in Photoshop and quite possibly provide a 'decent' image. In my opinion a professional photographer is a professional not only because they can repeatedly create and produce professional images, but because they have the skills to provide a professional experience from start to finish.

I remember at the end of each beach portrait session or wedding I photographed back in the 'film' days, my customers would often comment on what a great 'job' I did that day, however at that point they had not seen a single image from their session. I had accomplished what I set out to do during the actual event and that was to provide an enjoyable experience while creating the images. To lose this mindset just because we have digital tools today that can influence the final outcome is to lose what makes us professionals. The final image is very important and still must be of the highest quality, but the journey to create the images including the feelings, the emotion and the passion must still be a top priority of the professional photographic process today.

The journey is the gift,
marcia

No comments: