PHOTOGRAPHY
LIFESTYLE
INFLUENCE
A question I’ ve been asked many times since I took up photography a decade ago is:‘ Now that everybody carries a camera on their phone, how are you affected by the ease with which people can take photographs?’
After the first year, as you’ d expect, it became tedious, but I am aware that is it a relevant question! If you meet an off-duty traffic warden, aren’ t you compelled to ask them why they’ re so zealous in their duties? Or do you opt for the swift kick in the shin and leave option?
Back at the original point, I find myself regularly bombarded with social media’ s onslaught of visual fodder to brighten my day like a 7 year old boy’ s trip to IKEA with his mum. And before you smirk at that analogy, it is a good one. Because even a 7 year old can find the odd item to touch, play with and be periodically entertained by, as is the case with most offerings from Instagram, Facebook and the like, it’ s quickly forgotten as you approach the exit and the food counter!
My answer to the question however, even though it may seem I may not have one, is this. I think the fact that everyone is their own photographer is actually very good for my industry and for a number of reasons. Most obvious is that everyone now sees photography as more than a picture in a catalogue, a foolish moment immortalised for posterity, a billboard or awkward family snap. Even without realising it, people not only take pictures, but become involved in what is needed to take a picture. Photography is therefore much more accessible and that can only be a good thing.
Another benefit of the snap happy society we endure, is that when a selfie doesn’ t quite cut it, it is soon abundantly clear why photography is a technical and artistic business and a lot more than point and shoot. This saves me the
bother of explaining to the client’ s guests that standing with your back to the sun doesn’ t often help an image look more picturesque.
There is however a dark side to our love of taking images, especially of ourselves. It’ s bad enough that we are bombarded daily with images and stories telling us that we can find happiness by doing that bit more and spending that much more. But now we have the means to quickly capture that image of ourselves, at the right angle, with the best light, when the hair is right, the makeup on point and the dress looking like a million Euros,( indirect reference to BREXIT, sorry). If that isn’ t a machine for breeding vanity, I don’ t know what is. The only consolation, especially for women, is that seeing how easy it is to pass a filter over an image, hide the blemishes and look like a Karadashian facsimile, it should ease the pressure of wanting to look perfect, ' like the stars in the magazines '.
This last point is important, because modern society gives women a bloody hard time. What is considered beautiful is disturbing in the least. Above all however, and you can trust me on this, the stunning women you see in all those magazines … when they first sit in the chair to have their makeup done, that isn’ t them. Furthermore, you’ d be horrified at just how“ ordinary” most of these stars actually look. There’ s nothing wrong with that, because as your camera will tell you, your version of beauty might look good, or it may not. But when you put your damned phone down and engage with the people around you, your real beauty has an opportunity to shine through for all to admire!
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