#TBT: So Little Has Really Changed in Photography

by Skip Cohen

​While parts of today's post are out of the SCU archives, the reality is that when it comes to consumer desires, very little has really changed in photography. Sure, technology has changed a lot, but in terms of what the consumer wants - you still need to meet their mindset.

Ever notice how, when you get a group of seasoned professional photographers together, the conversation at some point always goes the same way?  People start talking about the "old days". The conversation always highlights how much easier things were or how much less competition there was.

There's an inherited legacy out there starting with the senior crowd, yes, even older than me, LOL, photographers who complained about photography going down the tubes because of the shift from black and white to color. It's probably their offspring who years later complained about the move from manual to autofocus and later from film to digital. Then there was the "thank-God-I'm-retiring-so-I-don't-need-to-learn-video" crowd, as hybrid imaging became an ideal skill set extension. Now we've got the "AI-is-going-to-replace-me" mentality.

Yet, nothing has changed in regards to consumer expectations, since these two photographs were captured of my grandfather and his in-laws over 100 years ago. Check out the classic lighting, even the pose...the photographers in both cases needed to meet the mindset of the subjects,

Well, the more I think about it, while technology is always changing and new gear and software are pushing us to expand our skill set, there are still a few fundamental qualities of being a professional that have never changed!

• You still need to produce a quality product!  While some will argue most consumers don't know and don't care, I'm convinced that's a cop-out. Every time I hear a photographer say that, I can trace back their actions to missing something in customer service in their own business. Consumers do want quality, and when you take the time to show them the difference, the majority of the time they understand.  It's all in your presentation, and how you educate your client is an important key to success.
• You still have to provide a respectable level of Customer Service! Customer Service is your secret weapon. You've got to be accessible, build relationships, and respond to questions and problems quickly!
• You have to anticipate your customers' needs.  Pay attention to your target demographics and see the world through their eyes, NOT yours.
• You have to listen to your clients.  Most important of all, you need to meet their mindset and exceed expectations. You've got two ears and one mouth - listen twice as much as you talk.
• You still have to provide a pleasing representation of the client, the products, whatever it is you've been hired to photograph.
• You still have to exceed client expectations and make yourself habit-forming! This is still a strong word-of-mouth business, and you need to get your clients excited and talking about you!
• You still have to market yourself to get through the noise. I'll admit it's harder than ever to build brand awareness, but the need is still there. And with a good website, blog, and social media presence, plus some great old standards like direct mail, community involvement, and partnerships, the tools are at your fingertips!

Your work still requires a passionate eye, a great heart, and a quest always to look for that decisive moment. Ansel Adams once said,

         "Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."

And that's one more thing that hasn't changed. As a professional photographer, you're still part of an incredible legacy of creative spirits like Ansel, Avedon, Scavullo, Karsh, Herb Ritts, Eddie Adams, Arnold Newman, Dean Collins, Don Blair and Monte Zucker, to name a few.  They gave us a foundation and a legacy that belongs to every professional photographer.  While it might sometimes be challenged by technology and the economy, it remains a powerful tribute to pride, quality, creativity, and art.

So, that old quote still applies: As much as things change, some things never change.

Happy Throwback Thursday!

---