I have a habit, which is probably very annoying to my local media operators, I call them out for bad practice.
After a long career in photography, I can't help but get annoyed at the drastic plunge in quality that masquerades as good professional standards now.
It probably will not have any effect but at least I feel better that I've pointed out to them that we are still watching.
Just today I chided my local newspaper (online) for a restaurant review with photographs that are truly dreadful.
I feel like it's not the kids that get sent out with a smart phone to try and generate this content, they don't know any better, they see rubbish online and think it's ok.
But as a now retired professional photographer I feel I should at least push back a bit and say, "that's not good enough, lift your game".
I'm sure they all think that I'm another cranky old coot waving his fist at the sky, which is probably true, but surely, we should be getting better at things, not worse.
I feel your pain. I think what has changed for me, though, is the hoping for it to get better. I’ve let it go.
No shame on those cub reporters. They didn’t ask to take pictures, it was added on to their plate because $$$. Which is frankly understandable because there’s no more ad revenue. If publishers could afford it they’d be happy to hire specialists for everything. The whole system now is make do. The economics of the media business simply don’t work in a way that supports specialists any more.
So I’m making peace with it. Or trying to. I (try to) shrug it off.
Otherwise it’s like going to the airport and yelling at the jets because I miss the zeppelins.
Yeah. This. It’s one thing to skimp and have non-photographers shoot with iPhones to save money but give them some training or take a course. Don’t make me look at your shitty marketing photos haha. There’s no excuse for bad photography in this day and age. We live in a golden era of free photography education and yet no one uses it.
‘The sky done fell’ That sums it up for me. Everything you say seems to come right out of my head.
Fellow GenXer here. At this point, I am hoping to straighten our finances so that I don’t have to make a living from photography anymore. And to just go back to shooting the way that first intrigued me about photography. Not sure anymore what that is, but pretty sure to find it again once the pressure of adapting and producing is gone.
Thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate it. And I hope you're able to do that. It sounds ideal, actually. That pressure to produce is a real thing. Even in a thriving commercial photography market, it's easy to shift focus from what you love to shoot to what you get paid best to shoot. Success solves a lot of problems. Good luck!
Ya, for sure. I'm 58 this month. I'm extremely lucky, and grateful that my wife has a decent paying job. However having two kids in college is so expensive and taxing mentally. I am grateful we can help get them some better education then I have and I know so many have it worse. Its a constant battle in my mind. But, I just wasn't ready for my career to fizzle out at 58. And I guess I'm the punchline of, "Whats a freelance photographer?"
(someone who takes pictures who has a spouse with a good job and insurance.)
Earning $2,500/day seems like a dream now. Happy that I foresaw all of this in 1998 and decided to bail out while the bailing was good. It helped that I got pushed out of my South-of-Market studio that I occupied for 15 years in San francisco by the dot com boom. I opted to refine my fine art photography skills and development and have been able to stay in the game with my love of analog photography. I've never sold a digital image in my life, and now that is a strong brand for my work. I just feel so very sad about the demise of what was once a wonderful profession - the only one I've every known. And so it goes, right along with the DOW and NASDAQ.
I'm soon to be laid off after a 21 year corporate communications job with a major healthcare company. In the past, my roles have included producing the print, then digital annual report. Now it's a 10K wrap. I oversaw NUMEROUS photo shoots around the world, with patients, doctors, and employees. I haven't been on a shoot since December 2019 (Other pockets of the company have done them, just not my area). Photography has been a side hustle for 15 years for me, never my main gig. It's funny - as my new era is ready to begin, MANY people have told me "You should do photography full time, you're so good." I say thanks, and laugh inside knowing what the industry is like. Next era will probably try to do what I've been doing (but agism is a thing - I'll be 55 soon) so it's worrisome. But I am a writer, too, so I could look for one of those "and" jobs. I should learn video better. Still...it's feels like I'm stepping off a cliff soon.
Well, I did survive nearly 21 years in corporate life. Not too bad, frankly. I survived cuts numerous times. But, hey, I'm at the top end of my pay scale and they can get a younger person to do it for less money (but they won't have my strategy and general institutional knowledge that come from being there for so long). And, thankfully, my pension will have vested and I could collect on that. But, hopefully, not for a few more years. Into the great wide open, as Tom Petty says.
Excellent essay and realistic summation of this depressing point we find ourselves in. I have a question about whether there might be one carve-out area where some photographers might still be able to carve out a small niche: Fine Art. And by that ambiguous term, I am talking about photographer/artists who create landscapes, abstracts, and works of art - usually at larger scales like 24” - that are displayed in galleries, Art-in-the-Park events, sold online via Etsy or other vendors, hung in doctors offices and restaurants, etc. I know that area is harder now too, but I do know a few of us “olds” are out there making it work. Maybe not getting rich, but making enough to pay the rent on home studios or small galleries, or at least enough to support a traveling lifestyle of getting out there on landscape adventures and making a modest income. Do you see that space under threat as (or moribund) as well? Or do you think that will continue to have some life in it as well?
I think you’re exactly right. I can’t imagine socials replacing the art on our walls. (Unless we get to a point where we reside in empty apartments with blank walls and a mattress on the floor just waiting for our next fix from the little screen.)
That said, even that has changed. I have heard from landscape photographers and the traditional sources of income for many have changed from prints and licensing to workshops and training.
It all strikes me as the kind of thing that will become crystal clear in hindsight, but is difficult to parse as it’s happening.
This piece hit me like a lightning bolt of recognition. Thank you for articulating what so many of us are feeling :)
At 46, I've spent my creative life in a constant pairing between animation in the film industry and photography work, one always supporting me when the other struggled. But now, both lifeboats seem to be taking on water simultaneously. Despite having contributed to several Oscar-winning films, I'm watching the animation industry implode before my eyes: fewer jobs, slashed budgets, mass layoffs, and relentless outsourcing. Many talented colleagues have been adrift for two years or more without work.
Photography, once my reliable fallback, has ironically become my primary income source, yet it feels less like steering toward opportunity and more like navigating a slowly sinking vessel toward any safe harbor.
Here in Los Angeles, I'm witnessing a curious migration: artists and creatives abandoning their passions to embrace the trades (HVAC, electrical work, plumbing) seeking the stability that creative fields increasingly can't provide as AI tools advance relentlessly.
I persist because photography still ignites something in me that nothing else can match. But your piece captures perfectly this strange moment we're living through, where mastering our craft over decades has somehow led us to this crazy crossroads, forced to question everything we thought we knew about creative careers. In my own newsletter, I've been documenting this evolution of creative work, how we adapt, what we preserve, and what we reluctantly leave behind. Your words make me feel less alone in this journey, so thank you thank you thank you :)
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment. It is a strange feeling, a strange place to be. I vacillate between optimism, pessimism and paralyzation on a daily basis.
Great analysis of the current state. I’d add that becoming a photographer back then was a bad idea too. Haha Any “cool” career is high risk. Wish I understood that when I was younger. Your point about the “and” job is spot on. I’ve been telling prospective photographers that now for a decade. But the same thing is happening with video, too. It has also become an “and” job. Basically, all jobs are becoming “and” jobs. Specialization is dying, which is really sad. Just furthers enshittification along
I also have to say, I'm horrified when I see grifters posting on Threads looking for photographers for 'collabs' and vague assignments and the sheer number of new photographers jumping on board.
During and after the pandemic I really beat myself up for failing to make a better living at photography. After a prolonged slump, I pretty much gave it up, and my way out of that morass was to build a totally unrelated business to find some feeling of productivity.
But after 2-3 years of very minimal creative output and a loss of confidence as a photographer, I started shooting a little bit again just for the heck of it with no expectations. Without the weight of feelings of failure my work got better and I found new clarity on seeing what was important and what wasn't and now after being back at it solidly for about 6 months, I'm twice as stubborn about making it work both as an artist and financially.
Channeling my energy into my own Substack (thatmilliondollarbash.substack.com) gave the work a focus and platform. I'm still only monetizing about 3-4% of what I need generate, but at least there is a potential path forward. And being inspired and producing good work has brought with it a lot of socializing, networking and visibility and with that more commissioned work. The landscape is still abysmal, the path forward is 100% uphill, budgets are nil, but I'm still fighting for something I believe has value.
I'd also call myself a photographer-writer-musician. And I fucking hate video. Won't do it! :)
Also, it sounds like you learned a lesson about the difference between creating for yourself and creating to pay the bills. The irony is, the for yourself stuff is always better (imho).
Absolutely do not think there are going to be careers in photography in the future. Yes, there will still be a few photographers working in wildlife and fashion photography but for everything else (mostly) the ship has sailed. Even then I'm not sure. I could do an AI generated shot of a model in front of the Eifel Tower and I don't have to leave my comfy chair or pay travel, make up artists, location gaffers, permits, model fees etc. etc.
This is certainly not off the table. My assumption is that it won’t be that bad, not entirely eliminated, just that there will be significantly fewer jobs, those jobs won’t be solely photography, and because they’re fun and rare they will pay much less. So not exactly great either way.
I am lucky. I started my career in the 70's and now I'm in my 70's. I was one of those who saw no other path other than photography. I'm still working because the magic of capturing what I see in the viewfinder still has a grip on my heart. I worked 24 years at a magazine in the Time Inc arena before being laid off in 2013. I started my freelance career at 59. I knew how to produce quality imagery but nothing about the business of marketing myself or bidding and obtaining jobs. As I've moved along and figured that out the industry has continued to evolve. I'm fortunate I have been able to diversify and remain viable doing work as a food photographer, architectural photographer, editorial photographer and commercial shooter. But that's only because of my long varied career. Starting today would be near impossible. I'm truly sorry for those who have found a love of photography and want to translate it into a career. It's been such a rewarding life and I could only wish others could experience the same.
I'm with you there, Art, I was one of the lucky ones and I still carry the fire and pursue the magic, and I miss the smell of fixer. And, like you, I got my start working for the 'Traveler' and the 'Razorback'. You were actually an early inspiration to me as I could see your work in the archives of the publications mentioned, but also see it daily in the Gazette, and then, of course, Southern Living. You and Kelly Quinn fueled my dreams, in part.
This is all so true. It was quite strange reading this, like an echo of my thoughts. Except I qualified as a graphic designer in the early 1990's - we did photography as part of the course. I changed career years ago.
I remember when this happened to me. Except it wasn't as a photographer.
After school I went into computer repairs. Studied at a local college and got certified as a computer technician. Fast forward about 5 years and I found my certification useless. Anyone and their nephew were building computers. There was a boom and I remember the small town I worked in had 6 computer businesses doing the exact same thing within a 5 kilometer radius.
You couldn't fit a PCI-e card into an AGP slot. You'd have to be blind to do so. It was even color coded at one stage. Same with CPU's. Same with RAM. Same with SATA and IDE.
Long story short because of the ease of building a computer on your own the technician role as I knew it disappeared. And the same thing happened to the web developer. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and other CMS killed so many careers or would-be careers.
But on the flipside they also created so many careers. People started out with a few clients and grew businesses for themselves. People learned new skillsets. This is the perk, or upside (if we can call it so) of advancement in technology. Cameras have become more accessible and the field becomes saturated.
After thinking about this you've touched on an interesting topic with a lot of room for expansion and once I've got some more thoughts on this I'll send them to you and would like to hear your thoughts on them.
Man, shrinking job prospects, receding retirement account, more work for less… massive sigh. Well said man, I’m certain that many of us Gen-X photogs know this stuff in our bones even if many wouldn’t admit it. I’m curious - you mention finding more niche areas to focus on, which I agree with. Casting a narrow but longer net instead of a wide one… what specialties do you believe might thrive in the coming decade in the face of declining commercial/editorial prospects? A friend of mine suggested getting into school photos the other day and I wasn’t sure whether I felt like laughing or crying.
Over the last couple years I've been thinking about the niches that might be A.I.-resistant, and I think they're most likely to be social media resistant, too. Not that we want to do them, necessarily, but your friend's suggestion of school photos, or really anything "personal," I think is going to continue on. People won't stop wanting nice pictures of their kid/wedding/family/etc.
I think corporate (my niche) is on the fence. It could go either way. It depends on whether A.I. imagery ends up being seen as distasteful or totally fine. Only time will tell. I'm optimistic that people will still value the "reality" of a photograph when it comes to an organization's people or products.
Anything where people are very serious about the quality of the finished product, that's not going to the lowest bidder or the iphone or A.I.
I think there will be super-specific niches too. (I have a friend who shoots fine art for galleries.) Maybe specific types of food and beverage photography?
Broadly, no discipline is untouched, but I think architectural photography, photojournalism, anything where "real" matters, and where aesthetics matter, those will maybe be last to vaporize?
Thanks for reading, and commenting. I appreciate it.
I have a habit, which is probably very annoying to my local media operators, I call them out for bad practice.
After a long career in photography, I can't help but get annoyed at the drastic plunge in quality that masquerades as good professional standards now.
It probably will not have any effect but at least I feel better that I've pointed out to them that we are still watching.
Just today I chided my local newspaper (online) for a restaurant review with photographs that are truly dreadful.
I feel like it's not the kids that get sent out with a smart phone to try and generate this content, they don't know any better, they see rubbish online and think it's ok.
But as a now retired professional photographer I feel I should at least push back a bit and say, "that's not good enough, lift your game".
I'm sure they all think that I'm another cranky old coot waving his fist at the sky, which is probably true, but surely, we should be getting better at things, not worse.
I feel your pain. I think what has changed for me, though, is the hoping for it to get better. I’ve let it go.
No shame on those cub reporters. They didn’t ask to take pictures, it was added on to their plate because $$$. Which is frankly understandable because there’s no more ad revenue. If publishers could afford it they’d be happy to hire specialists for everything. The whole system now is make do. The economics of the media business simply don’t work in a way that supports specialists any more.
So I’m making peace with it. Or trying to. I (try to) shrug it off.
Otherwise it’s like going to the airport and yelling at the jets because I miss the zeppelins.
It is what it is.
Also, I’m as guilty as the next guy. Client gives me 20% of the time and 10% of the budget and what should I do? I make do.
Also thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate it!
Yeah. This. It’s one thing to skimp and have non-photographers shoot with iPhones to save money but give them some training or take a course. Don’t make me look at your shitty marketing photos haha. There’s no excuse for bad photography in this day and age. We live in a golden era of free photography education and yet no one uses it.
‘The sky done fell’ That sums it up for me. Everything you say seems to come right out of my head.
Fellow GenXer here. At this point, I am hoping to straighten our finances so that I don’t have to make a living from photography anymore. And to just go back to shooting the way that first intrigued me about photography. Not sure anymore what that is, but pretty sure to find it again once the pressure of adapting and producing is gone.
Thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate it. And I hope you're able to do that. It sounds ideal, actually. That pressure to produce is a real thing. Even in a thriving commercial photography market, it's easy to shift focus from what you love to shoot to what you get paid best to shoot. Success solves a lot of problems. Good luck!
Ya, for sure. I'm 58 this month. I'm extremely lucky, and grateful that my wife has a decent paying job. However having two kids in college is so expensive and taxing mentally. I am grateful we can help get them some better education then I have and I know so many have it worse. Its a constant battle in my mind. But, I just wasn't ready for my career to fizzle out at 58. And I guess I'm the punchline of, "Whats a freelance photographer?"
(someone who takes pictures who has a spouse with a good job and insurance.)
Good luck on your journey!
Earning $2,500/day seems like a dream now. Happy that I foresaw all of this in 1998 and decided to bail out while the bailing was good. It helped that I got pushed out of my South-of-Market studio that I occupied for 15 years in San francisco by the dot com boom. I opted to refine my fine art photography skills and development and have been able to stay in the game with my love of analog photography. I've never sold a digital image in my life, and now that is a strong brand for my work. I just feel so very sad about the demise of what was once a wonderful profession - the only one I've every known. And so it goes, right along with the DOW and NASDAQ.
I'm soon to be laid off after a 21 year corporate communications job with a major healthcare company. In the past, my roles have included producing the print, then digital annual report. Now it's a 10K wrap. I oversaw NUMEROUS photo shoots around the world, with patients, doctors, and employees. I haven't been on a shoot since December 2019 (Other pockets of the company have done them, just not my area). Photography has been a side hustle for 15 years for me, never my main gig. It's funny - as my new era is ready to begin, MANY people have told me "You should do photography full time, you're so good." I say thanks, and laugh inside knowing what the industry is like. Next era will probably try to do what I've been doing (but agism is a thing - I'll be 55 soon) so it's worrisome. But I am a writer, too, so I could look for one of those "and" jobs. I should learn video better. Still...it's feels like I'm stepping off a cliff soon.
I'm sorry to hear this. I would've thought (hoped?) that maybe this kind of corporate job would've been a bit more resilient.
As for getting into writing... "Out of the frying pan, into the fire."
But seriously, thank you for reading and good luck. Keep us posted on what you figure out.
Well, I did survive nearly 21 years in corporate life. Not too bad, frankly. I survived cuts numerous times. But, hey, I'm at the top end of my pay scale and they can get a younger person to do it for less money (but they won't have my strategy and general institutional knowledge that come from being there for so long). And, thankfully, my pension will have vested and I could collect on that. But, hopefully, not for a few more years. Into the great wide open, as Tom Petty says.
Pension? 😍 Be still my heart. 😍
I am green with envy.
Excellent essay and realistic summation of this depressing point we find ourselves in. I have a question about whether there might be one carve-out area where some photographers might still be able to carve out a small niche: Fine Art. And by that ambiguous term, I am talking about photographer/artists who create landscapes, abstracts, and works of art - usually at larger scales like 24” - that are displayed in galleries, Art-in-the-Park events, sold online via Etsy or other vendors, hung in doctors offices and restaurants, etc. I know that area is harder now too, but I do know a few of us “olds” are out there making it work. Maybe not getting rich, but making enough to pay the rent on home studios or small galleries, or at least enough to support a traveling lifestyle of getting out there on landscape adventures and making a modest income. Do you see that space under threat as (or moribund) as well? Or do you think that will continue to have some life in it as well?
I think you’re exactly right. I can’t imagine socials replacing the art on our walls. (Unless we get to a point where we reside in empty apartments with blank walls and a mattress on the floor just waiting for our next fix from the little screen.)
That said, even that has changed. I have heard from landscape photographers and the traditional sources of income for many have changed from prints and licensing to workshops and training.
It all strikes me as the kind of thing that will become crystal clear in hindsight, but is difficult to parse as it’s happening.
Well, here's to the artists then - may they be keep this craft real and viable for all of us. Cheers.
This piece hit me like a lightning bolt of recognition. Thank you for articulating what so many of us are feeling :)
At 46, I've spent my creative life in a constant pairing between animation in the film industry and photography work, one always supporting me when the other struggled. But now, both lifeboats seem to be taking on water simultaneously. Despite having contributed to several Oscar-winning films, I'm watching the animation industry implode before my eyes: fewer jobs, slashed budgets, mass layoffs, and relentless outsourcing. Many talented colleagues have been adrift for two years or more without work.
Photography, once my reliable fallback, has ironically become my primary income source, yet it feels less like steering toward opportunity and more like navigating a slowly sinking vessel toward any safe harbor.
Here in Los Angeles, I'm witnessing a curious migration: artists and creatives abandoning their passions to embrace the trades (HVAC, electrical work, plumbing) seeking the stability that creative fields increasingly can't provide as AI tools advance relentlessly.
I persist because photography still ignites something in me that nothing else can match. But your piece captures perfectly this strange moment we're living through, where mastering our craft over decades has somehow led us to this crazy crossroads, forced to question everything we thought we knew about creative careers. In my own newsletter, I've been documenting this evolution of creative work, how we adapt, what we preserve, and what we reluctantly leave behind. Your words make me feel less alone in this journey, so thank you thank you thank you :)
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment. It is a strange feeling, a strange place to be. I vacillate between optimism, pessimism and paralyzation on a daily basis.
Good luck to you.
Yeah, it really sounds like a common feeling these days 🙏
Great analysis of the current state. I’d add that becoming a photographer back then was a bad idea too. Haha Any “cool” career is high risk. Wish I understood that when I was younger. Your point about the “and” job is spot on. I’ve been telling prospective photographers that now for a decade. But the same thing is happening with video, too. It has also become an “and” job. Basically, all jobs are becoming “and” jobs. Specialization is dying, which is really sad. Just furthers enshittification along
Interesting. I hadn’t thought of it that way, that specialization is dying. I’ll have to keep an eye on that to see where else I encounter it.
Thanks for commenting.
I also have to say, I'm horrified when I see grifters posting on Threads looking for photographers for 'collabs' and vague assignments and the sheer number of new photographers jumping on board.
I'm putting myself in the 'must' category.
During and after the pandemic I really beat myself up for failing to make a better living at photography. After a prolonged slump, I pretty much gave it up, and my way out of that morass was to build a totally unrelated business to find some feeling of productivity.
But after 2-3 years of very minimal creative output and a loss of confidence as a photographer, I started shooting a little bit again just for the heck of it with no expectations. Without the weight of feelings of failure my work got better and I found new clarity on seeing what was important and what wasn't and now after being back at it solidly for about 6 months, I'm twice as stubborn about making it work both as an artist and financially.
Channeling my energy into my own Substack (thatmilliondollarbash.substack.com) gave the work a focus and platform. I'm still only monetizing about 3-4% of what I need generate, but at least there is a potential path forward. And being inspired and producing good work has brought with it a lot of socializing, networking and visibility and with that more commissioned work. The landscape is still abysmal, the path forward is 100% uphill, budgets are nil, but I'm still fighting for something I believe has value.
I'd also call myself a photographer-writer-musician. And I fucking hate video. Won't do it! :)
You sound like exactly the kind of person who can make it work. Good luck!
Also, it sounds like you learned a lesson about the difference between creating for yourself and creating to pay the bills. The irony is, the for yourself stuff is always better (imho).
Pretty much spot on.
Absolutely do not think there are going to be careers in photography in the future. Yes, there will still be a few photographers working in wildlife and fashion photography but for everything else (mostly) the ship has sailed. Even then I'm not sure. I could do an AI generated shot of a model in front of the Eifel Tower and I don't have to leave my comfy chair or pay travel, make up artists, location gaffers, permits, model fees etc. etc.
This is certainly not off the table. My assumption is that it won’t be that bad, not entirely eliminated, just that there will be significantly fewer jobs, those jobs won’t be solely photography, and because they’re fun and rare they will pay much less. So not exactly great either way.
Thanks for reading!
You're not wrong.
I am lucky. I started my career in the 70's and now I'm in my 70's. I was one of those who saw no other path other than photography. I'm still working because the magic of capturing what I see in the viewfinder still has a grip on my heart. I worked 24 years at a magazine in the Time Inc arena before being laid off in 2013. I started my freelance career at 59. I knew how to produce quality imagery but nothing about the business of marketing myself or bidding and obtaining jobs. As I've moved along and figured that out the industry has continued to evolve. I'm fortunate I have been able to diversify and remain viable doing work as a food photographer, architectural photographer, editorial photographer and commercial shooter. But that's only because of my long varied career. Starting today would be near impossible. I'm truly sorry for those who have found a love of photography and want to translate it into a career. It's been such a rewarding life and I could only wish others could experience the same.
I'm with you there, Art, I was one of the lucky ones and I still carry the fire and pursue the magic, and I miss the smell of fixer. And, like you, I got my start working for the 'Traveler' and the 'Razorback'. You were actually an early inspiration to me as I could see your work in the archives of the publications mentioned, but also see it daily in the Gazette, and then, of course, Southern Living. You and Kelly Quinn fueled my dreams, in part.
We truly were the lucky ones.
very lucky. Hard working but very lucky.
This is all so true. It was quite strange reading this, like an echo of my thoughts. Except I qualified as a graphic designer in the early 1990's - we did photography as part of the course. I changed career years ago.
That’s how I felt about the Times piece. “I didn’t know other people felt this way too!”
Thanks for reading!
A great read.
I remember when this happened to me. Except it wasn't as a photographer.
After school I went into computer repairs. Studied at a local college and got certified as a computer technician. Fast forward about 5 years and I found my certification useless. Anyone and their nephew were building computers. There was a boom and I remember the small town I worked in had 6 computer businesses doing the exact same thing within a 5 kilometer radius.
You couldn't fit a PCI-e card into an AGP slot. You'd have to be blind to do so. It was even color coded at one stage. Same with CPU's. Same with RAM. Same with SATA and IDE.
Long story short because of the ease of building a computer on your own the technician role as I knew it disappeared. And the same thing happened to the web developer. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and other CMS killed so many careers or would-be careers.
But on the flipside they also created so many careers. People started out with a few clients and grew businesses for themselves. People learned new skillsets. This is the perk, or upside (if we can call it so) of advancement in technology. Cameras have become more accessible and the field becomes saturated.
After thinking about this you've touched on an interesting topic with a lot of room for expansion and once I've got some more thoughts on this I'll send them to you and would like to hear your thoughts on them.
Thanks for sharing : )
Man, shrinking job prospects, receding retirement account, more work for less… massive sigh. Well said man, I’m certain that many of us Gen-X photogs know this stuff in our bones even if many wouldn’t admit it. I’m curious - you mention finding more niche areas to focus on, which I agree with. Casting a narrow but longer net instead of a wide one… what specialties do you believe might thrive in the coming decade in the face of declining commercial/editorial prospects? A friend of mine suggested getting into school photos the other day and I wasn’t sure whether I felt like laughing or crying.
Over the last couple years I've been thinking about the niches that might be A.I.-resistant, and I think they're most likely to be social media resistant, too. Not that we want to do them, necessarily, but your friend's suggestion of school photos, or really anything "personal," I think is going to continue on. People won't stop wanting nice pictures of their kid/wedding/family/etc.
I think corporate (my niche) is on the fence. It could go either way. It depends on whether A.I. imagery ends up being seen as distasteful or totally fine. Only time will tell. I'm optimistic that people will still value the "reality" of a photograph when it comes to an organization's people or products.
Anything where people are very serious about the quality of the finished product, that's not going to the lowest bidder or the iphone or A.I.
I think there will be super-specific niches too. (I have a friend who shoots fine art for galleries.) Maybe specific types of food and beverage photography?
Broadly, no discipline is untouched, but I think architectural photography, photojournalism, anything where "real" matters, and where aesthetics matter, those will maybe be last to vaporize?
Thanks for reading, and commenting. I appreciate it.
Thanks for the reply too. Appreciate the insight, and I’ll also be staying optimistic.