Is it the end of the professional photography?

Technology’s evolution

What we see these days are people with new technologies, with cameras more and more developed (cell phones, iPhone…). Furthermore, the major brands of SLRs (reflex camera with interchangeable lenses) create entry-level devices for anyone to get an SLR. An article on the website “Planche Contact” said that more than 450.000 SLRs and hybrid camera were selled in France.

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Evolution isn’t disappearing

But I think that the professional photography won’t die even on those conditions. See, people might photograph everything everywhere, who wouldn’t pay for a professional at his wedding, for example? The newspaper Metro from Canada showed the Service Canada’s point: “it is largely the demand for portraits that keeps photographers busy. People always want to have memories of important events in their lives: marriage, graduation, etc.”

And you know why they won’t count on random friends to take pictures of those kind of events? Because taking a picture isn’t just pressing a button! It’s more than that, more complicate. It requires a particular eye to have a frame, a guideline, something that catches the eye! It is an image construction and the need of an artistic sense. And not anyone can have that! The fact that you can’t draw too badly doesn’t make you a painter. That’s the same for photography.

For all those reasons, I truly disagree with Guilhem de Lépinay who think professional photography is dead. His point is even worse, because he thinks even SLRs are dying.

My personal point is that more and more people have access to photography, but also more and more people are trying to stand out in this discipline. The fact that everyone does not become an essential photographer after four snapshots taken at random, proves that it is not so easy.