Is being a 'photographer' a new craze right now? :@

[Littlebylittle]

Sorry, i know i shouldn't put others "work" down, but i've had enough!!
On my facebook i have an album called Photography, i love doing it, and looking at my first attempts of 'photography' a year ago i can see i've improved alot, although i still have alot of improving to do, i also have a flickr, tumblr etc.
Right, well there's two girls on my facebook friends, both of which i go to school with, who recently have been making/adding photos to their own albums called photography.

This is gonna be a rant.

DO you honestly think, taking a close up, extremeley un focused photo of a weed, or a pile of dusty, dirty purple stones, or your trainer? is photography?! Or atleast good photography, im sick of people nowadays thinking, oh i have a camera, i take photos of crappy things, lets call myself a photographer. no please shut the fuck up.
They clearly haven't bothered learning, or trying out differen't techniques, angles, features on their camera etc and it bothers me.
I just don't get how taking a photo of a load of weeds in your garden, or a photo of sunglasses- again un focused makes you a photographer.

[Brandon]

You have to start somewhere. Nothing in photography can be considered "crappy" because pictures mean different things to different people. Some may consider it garbage, but some may consider it magnificent. That's why you practice taking photographs because you eventually learn how to do things. A professional photographer may consider a 14 year old ranting about other people's drawings as hypocritical, so it's always best to just focus on your own work and let people believe what they want to believe.

[Littlebylittle]

I just went onto facebook again, and somebody wrote a status about the same thing, saying too many girls are taking photos of nature and its cringey.
Im certainly not claiming to be any kind of fabulous photographer, but im getting better, as soon as i get my new camera (christmas ah, cant wait ) i shall be going off differen't places.
Like i said, i know its wrong of me to put others stuff down, but its just bothering me, you can blatently tell their doing it just because other people are doing it - the same thing happened with one of the girls last year, people started doing all this, then when they stopped she stopped. Ugh it just proper bugs me.

[Snufkin]

Maybe they just enjoy taking photos?

[Heartlines.]

It's not so much that people want to copy others, it might simply be because they are inspired by those other people. Sure, some people do copy, but that's with anything, right?

[Pelios]

See some people like to take on hobbies; you don't have to have the best camera or "know" all the angles to take a good picture. I like to play soccer but that doesn't mean I'm going to go against a fifa player or even get that high in the profession. I don’t care about been the best or knowing all the moves I just like to play and have fun, same goes for the people that take pictures. People take on hobbies and try different things. I’m amazed that at age 14 you know all different techniques, angles, and features on the camera I’m pretty sure that if you showed your pictures to a professional photographer they will critics your pictures the way your talk about the other peoples pictures.

[PutYourHeartsUp]

I agree with the OP. Everyone is a freaking photographer now. I know some people with cameras meant for it while others use like, their phone camera. Pictures of your friends is not photography. To me, if you don't know anything about photography, like techniques or terms or even know how to use a real camera...you're not a photographer.

[Troubled_Heart]

I have a rubish camera and I don't really know much about photography but I take lots of photos, that doesn't make me a photographer though, just someone who takes pictures. I don't think you're a photographer unless you've been trained and do it for a job tbh. I love taking pictures of shoes, its what I'm best at and feel most comfortable doing, shoes and bridges... Sometimes I win competitions but I'm not a photographer...

[Anatidaephobia]

I don't think that they are a photographer unless they do it for a profession. But some people just like taking photos, not all of them are great but at least they are doing something they enjoy. I say let them. There not harming anyone or anything, so i don't really see the problem

[MegaMadness]

It's not really doing anyone any harm, yes it can be annoying but none of us can talk really. We all started off taking crap pictures I'd say. I still take some bad stuff but I'm learning. Being a photographer just means you take photographs. It's not an elite club or anything selective. If anything you should be glad that yours is better.

[Peppermint Tea.♥]

I love taking photos. I know that most of my photos aren't very good, but they all mean something to me. I haven't got a flashy camera, I can't afford one. I post my photos online and yeah, people may not like them, but I do.

How many teenage photographers (or even teenage wannabe photographers) are in the same position? Like above posters said, you have to start somewhere.

I'm sorry, but this post annoyed me. I'm bad at drawing. That doesn't stop me having an album on facebook called drawings, with my drawings in it. Should I take it down because the images in their aren't as good as the ones on some of my friends' profiles?

[Littlebylittle]

As of now, i have not read the replies to this thread yet
I apologise for what i said, i was angry when i wrote it, still am, although not about this.
It's just bugging me,

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

I think it's photography no matter the quality of the work. It can be a photograph so unfocused you cant tell if it's a person or a walrus, it's still photography. People who "shoot" poor photographs may simply know very little about taking photographs, so after their first attempts, they may feel happy about it and post it online like others do in the hopes of getting compliments. This applies to everything, you start playing tennis after watching Rafael Nadal but can barely hit the ball over the net yet you still tell others you play and train for tennis.

There are many people who take a photograph no matter how crappy and post it online, however, it may not always be for the purposes of showing off their talent (or lack thereof). It may simply be an issue of "hey, I gots a cameraz, woo, I'll take a photo of myself in the mirror and a photo of this random flower because it looks pretty". It may not be for the purpose of showcasing their work as an aspiring professional photographer. It's like a hobby, only some people may feel pressured into taking a photograph of the same quality so they can fit in with other FaceBook pages. Such people want to get FaceBook hits and friends, not become professional photographers.

[losing touch.]

chill out a bit. just because you like photography doesn't mean other people can't too. Personally i don't think you should judge other peoples efforts as crappy when you're not exactly a professional yourself. Live and let live, if people enjoy it then what's the problem? If it's not affecting you don't worry about it.

[Anthropomorphic]

How "good" photography is depends on the point of view (no pun intended). One person's brilliance is another person's boredom.

Most people who take great pictures begin by self-teaching. There are many rules to photography, but like most hobbies, rules are made to be broken. I take pictures based on my own interests and inspirations, and I've sold a few of mine.

Almost every single thread on TH with personal photography has a least one or two very good ones. People like Amoroso have many good pictures.

[Acheron]

Originally Posted by TranquilChaos

I agree with the OP. Everyone is a freaking photographer now. I know some people with cameras meant for it while others use like, their phone camera. Pictures of your friends is not photography. To me, if you don't know anything about photography, like techniques or terms or even know how to use a real camera...you're not a photographer.

That seems pointlessly elitist. Just because someone doesn't know the technical terms, it doesn't mean they aren't producing art. By the same logic, Jimi Hendrix wouldn't be a musician.

[Cabron]

Welp, I'm a 15 year old who likes to take pictures. I put these pictures on Facebook. I don't have a super expensive camera, and I pretty much suck. So, uh, yeah. Sorry about that.

[JKmadu619]

Not everyone who plays guitar should be a member of Areosmith. Not everyone who plays soccer should be in FIFA. Not everyone who combs their hair in the morning should be a hair stylist. Just because you think you're great at something and everyone else is rubbish doesn't make it true, and even if it is, who cares!?! People can do stuff just for fun once in a while.

- Justin