I've always wanted to be a photographer and I did reach out to a couple of very respected Indian senior photographers about 8 years back. From one I got stone-cold silence and the other told me I definitely had the “eye”. I was shooting film at that time and most of what I had to show was flowers, abstract photographs of a jetty, a few portraits and some shots of lights. I used to spend all my pocket money [ I was a teenager ] on film and getting that film developed – I couldn't possibly think of setting up my own darkroom.

Have a DSLR definitely make life easier for me – as a photographer and when I got a good deal on a new camera – I have a Nikon D90 – I took it. My aim was to make pictures and while equipment does play a part, I don't believe it restricts the quality of photography. When I did not have a DSLR, some of my really good work was shot on a Sony point & shoot.

And while I thoroughly appreciate the idea of having a mentor, it has been impossible to find one – for me. Even conversations with fellow-photographers are usually quite cold. So far, you and Joseph Radhik are the only two photographers who have responded / discussed / had conversations / exchanges with me, that have been constructive.

Being a professional photographer, in today's world, isn't just about being a good photographer – it is also about running a successful practice – the websites, the portfolio, the client-relationship management, social networking and Photoshop. One also needs to know what one is trying to achieve by one's photography – for example, your style of photographs is very different from mine – I use a lot of Photoshop and love dramatic lighting enhanced by Levels, etc. I don't do it because everyone does it, I do it because I love the results and my clients do too – I use Photoshop to enhance the character of the photograph or further solidify the focus on the subject I'm trying to bring forth.

You still have way more experience in photography than I do – but even I get a lot of such emails from people wanting to be photographers. The irony.

If someone ever told my that my photography sucked and that I should think of think of something else as a career, I would not take that opinion seriously. I've been through my phase of shooting flowers and sunsets and I know it was just a phase. I am still finding out where my soul lies.

When, as an individual, you know you want to be a photographer, nothing anyone else says should stop you in that quest. The fact that “Sunil” replied with a thanks probably shows he just might be serious about it. But for someone who wants to turn into a professional photographer, my “advice” has always been one simple thing : Get out and make photographs. Experiment.

And I respect your for blogging about this. Not all of us have the guts to be real and it's quite a feat achieving that & not being fazed by negative comments.

Today, my friend asked me for help. He was getting a DSLR with a 18-55 & 70-300 mm lens at certain price and he wanted to know if it was a good deal. Price was the only thing he asked me about and I assumed that he must have done a fair deal of research before choosing that specific camera model and kit lenses. But after few trivial discussions came the second question,

So what is the difference between a 18-55 and a 70-300 lens ?

That is when I could immediately relate to this post and commenting here now.

I said, “Perhaps the simpler thing would be to ask if they could do it all over again with film.” If they can, then move forward with the conversation. Perhaps I’m just more traditional in many ways, and feel if they can replicate their work (or at least some of it) in film, then they aren’t just getting lucky with digital. It’s not so easy to snap 1000 shots and delete the 950 that suck in film, like you can with digital. Which was why I said that.

This discussion is not about how many begging on street or how many dumping their money in foreign accounts, it will open entire new debate.

I feel Sephi’s reply to Sunil is brutal truth.. It might save his couple of years wasting time in taking picture or make him a pro. It’s amazing to see how digital photography changed people’s perception about taking pictures. When I go out to shoot some events, I saw storm of DSLRs shooter around me. Canon’s rebel and Nikon’s D40/90 made all this possible. Everyone can afford to buy tools to be pro but making carrier in photography still remains tough.

I live right in the middle of corn country in the good ole US of A. The few local pros in my area are as I said, off limits to anyone approaching the business as a newbie. For me, their work is well below par anyways, which probably comes across as a very snobbish thing to say, but if you saw it, you would probably agree. Their industry is not even one I want be involved in, so their reception to my reaching out was a little frustrating to me, and I have branched out further to photographers within a reasonable distance to me, but received similar responses. Stone cold silence.

This all happened over the course of many months two years ago, and I have since taken a long step backwards with my work thinking that perhaps I was the reason for the silence, my personality, my work, I have done a lot of soul searching, a LOT of learning, etc since. I pulled my entire portfolio offline, disappeared so to speak and have not put it back online. I have evolved and grown. I have changed. I have given up the quest of finding a local photographer to talk shop with. I didn’t even want a mentor, despite that I knew it would be a highly beneficial route to go down.

Now, I’m slowly coming back out of the woodwork, down a route that feels more at home to me, but as an underdog. One who has no elder to turn to for advice, but only what I find out here, what I find in my heart, and what I find in blogs of those I admire, books, lectures, and learning tools available. (And there are many of them out there.) I’m not who fell into the megapixel trap, or the shoot and click trap. I know my equipment, inside and out. I know I have what it takes. I know what obstacles I face. I know what I need to do to get from point A to point B. I also know I face it alone. And it’s okay.

It’s been a 9 year long journey to get where I am today, which is almost right where I was 9 years ago, minus a couple of cameras. But I’m okay with that. It’s how my life goes. These 9 years have shown me exactly everything I don’t want to do. What I shouldn’t do. What I’m not good at. What I am good at. What I LOVE to do. In 9 more years, hopefully I’ll finally be where I want to be.

Sorry for the ramble.

Terrible that you can not find mentors or people willing to help.
What part of the world do you live in?
Have you approached shooters in your area and been told ‘no’?

Hopefully Seshi and I could be of assistance.

I didn’t misread anything at all. I will have to proclaim total tiredness and absolutely grumpiness in my response. In my part of the world, finding someone who is even open to approach, nevermind who would even respond, reply, and give time to someone considering a career is impossible. At least in my neck of the woods. While I realize this is not your normal response, just that you even gave one floored me a bit, and it caught me on a bad night. Granted, I probably should have just walked away, and kept my smart mouth to myself.

I have actually seen the Soup Nazi episode, though I do detest Seinfeld, and it was amusing, but I didn’t find this amusing, and perhaps that is where the differences lie. Not everyone “newbie” with a camera has no knowledge of how their gear works just because they haven’t invested thousands of thousands of dollars and time into formal education. I do realize that is not the majority, but this boy may not have been in the lumped majority you threw him into. It’s hard to say, since we were not the ones who saw his work.

But then, I’m also a champion for the underdog. So, perhaps I simply sit on the wrong side of the fence here and do just need to walk away.

I forgot to mention that only 1 or 2 of every 10 requests ever take the time to actually do what I want them to do in order to earn a critique.

That tells you something right there, ya know.

maybe do some good with the folks who simply think it as easy as buying a couple of million megapixels. I studied for years and years, apprenticed for years, struggle for years, sank every penny into my business for years. I still study the masters, the contemporary and the emerging artists in this industry/art.

It does pain me to see how few demean the art, history and rich legacy that photography has with a ‘whocares’ mentality and a “I don’t care to learn, just show me how…” work ethic.

Keep up the great work.

Anyway, let’s leave it at that.

However, you really didn’t give him an answer. More of a lecture.
Maybe it is a difference in style, but I think that positive leading is more effective than negative leading.

“The fact is that I think it is disrespectful to me and to this profession for you to be writing with a ‘portfolio’ like this, with images of sunsets and dirty children.”

Disrespectful I do not understand. We can not suppose he has any disrespect in mind when asking, so the transference of our “perceived” disrespect is, well, disrespectful in itself.

I would have given him more leadership, perhaps with some direction.

Told the truth about the images: They are possibly cliche, and not of the level to be considered viable yet.

Go to these websites:
Go to the library and get this book. And this one.
Read about these photographers.
Find examples of photographers who are shooting.
Create a reason to shoot the images and then create as many as you possibly can.
Edit profusely.
Get back to me with a set of no more than 20 images.

I also get a fairly high amount of these requests.

My response is this.

Before I get started, I must look at only 20 images.
Place them in a ‘set’ on Flickr or PhotoShelter.
Put them in an order you think is the best presentation.
Send me a link.
Leave emotional commitment to these images in a box.
Understand that any type of a critique is simply the opinion of the critic. Not the God’s Truth.

Then I will do it.

Random images, Flickr streams, every freekin image ever taken?

Nope.

Maybe different ideologies at work. My feeling is that I do NOT have all the answers, but then I feel compelled to try to uplift, support and ultimately ‘grow’ the person requesting my help.

Good post, Sephi.
Important discussions.

You say you keep your ides to yourself. Excuse me but this is a blog. Sunil sent you an email and you broadcast it to the world along with your comment on it.

As I said, I agree with your viewpoint of digital photographers. They do indeed need to look at other photographer’s work and advice. That is presumably why he followed, and admired, your blog.( I use the past tense there, as I imagine he’ll stop following it after your sympathetic response.) I subscribed to your blog for quite a while, and it was because of this arrogant post that I decided to post a reply before unsubscribing. To your credit you published my criticism, along with those of Crystal and Gavin who both agree with me. Crystal is right that ‘pros’ are getting jittery about being undercut by newbies. (though this is not the issue here)

However you’ve done nothing to show any humility in your response to these comments. You say that all you said was for Sunil to read a bit more but that is simply not true. You went to town on him, beating him up with film, college and a twenty years of bitterness it seems. To assume that you represent your ‘profession’ is beyond belief, as is your claim that it is disrespectful for him to have asked your opinion on his photos. If he becomes a better photographer as a result is because of your harsh words, if not then it is his fault. Please don’t insult our intelligence.

Think about it. You are a guest in his country, he admires your work. Why would it be so difficult to put yourself in his position and, even though his photos may have been rubbish, been more friendly?

In the mean time what would you rather, a bridge built by a photographer, or a photograph by an engineer? Society needs people like him.

We don’t have that good ‘support system’ for art in India from parents and society. To be or not to be photog or artist? This is the question of many sunils out there. Only you can make a decision and once you made it, follow with faith.

Other version of this topic: http://bit.ly/bLwj4S

Please note that I do keep my ideas to myself! The original mail was sent to ME and I replied. I then posted it on MY blog and YOU came to read it here. I open this subject for discussion because I know different people see it differently and I’d like to hear what you think.

I’m afraid that you got things a bit confused here. Sunil does have means to go to school. He actually goes to an engineering college. What makes you think that if he is Indian he needs to beg for a living?? All I said is that he should open a book to get an idea about photography before writing me. what exactly is wrong with that? You don’t agree with my style of response? It’s OK. you don’t have to. But what I said was right and I believe people like Sunil need to hear it! cheers