Photography & Self-Reflection

Photography use to be a skill. An art form that relies heavily on the skills and ability of the person wielding the instrument. It was based on the person capturing the picture to be able to foresee events and understand lighting conditions before being able to properly set his/her camera to take the photo in a desired effect.

These days photography is all about a persons ability to understand certain words in English. In other words, you really only need to know how to read to work a camera. Technology has made it such that people don't have to learn so much anymore to know how to work a professional camera. Instead, they buy one, test it out a bit, read the manual, figure it out somemore, and then run along calling themselves a professional photographer.

I admit I fall into this new generation of pseudo photographers.

All it takes these days to become a name in photography are the right tools (A big professional DSLR, big professional lenses and Adobe photoshop)and a bit of luck shooting a few big names.

A story was related to me once about how this professional photographer took up a part-time teaching job at a local college, and in his own words "Not for the pay but to give back to the community". Such is the level of modesty that in order to properly give back to the community we need them to know it beforehand?

This photographer was becoming quite the prominent figure in Malaysian photography and shot to photography stardom when he got the chance to shoot Siti Nurhaliza's wedding.

Photography has sold out. It is no more an art form of subjectiveness based on individual creativity but has become something that people can look at and say "You're doing it all wrong!" Since when has art ever had a right or wrong? Who's to say what piece of art is good and what is bad.

Photography is nothing but another business. Why? I think because Chinese people became so involved (Just kidding).

No more is the skill of wielding a camera enough. These days what it really takes to become a REAL photographer is based on how much money you make doing shoots and who hires and where your pictures have gone and at the end of the day, who you know.

There are very few photographers left out there who do it for the passion. I'm talking about real passion. Like Mr. BrainWash (MBW) with his video camera passion.

I'm glad I know at least one even if I'm a sell out.