Daily Grind of the Photography Business
I felt trapped. One of my greatest pleasures was quickly becoming a daily grind. I was spending more time talking to potential clients, and completing business tasks, than I was photographing and collaborating with other artists. I was rapidly falling out of love with photography, and it was becoming a “desk job”. How did this happen? Somehow I had forgotten why I took up life as an artist in the first place. The truth is, I am a born storyteller and photography offered me a medium to interpret and express the world around me. As much as I professed to be an “artist”, I had ceased shooting personal projects altogether, and I was only picking up my camera for commissioned work.
I found myself "playing it safe", and second-guessing my instincts. In this respect, our works as artists lose the sense of urgency and passion that inspired us to photograph people and their remarkable stories in the first place. This phenomenon happens to most artists, particularly after producing a body of work that merits critical or client recognition. Soon after your success, everyone wants to see you to reproduce the same thing, over and over. The selective saturation effect in Photoshop was initially cool and creative at first, and it quickly became the “bubble gum” choice of everyone and their brother. In film, actors call it being typecast. When I say Daniel Radcliffe, do you know who that is? (hint: he’s famous for playing a boy wizard at Hogwarts). Now, try picturing him playing any other role - you get my point. Playing it safe can be the result of a once respectable and creative decision. This choice is made even when everyone else seems like they’re doing the same thing too.
It’s very easy for an artist to become jaded. A common scenario for many photographers I know is "equipment envy" and / or outright jealousy:
"If I get THAT lens or THAT camera, I will take even BETTER photos."
Or:
"Why does he get paid so much?! I don’t get what the big deal is - I can do that!"
Let’s face it, no camera or lens ever made ANY photographer great. The price a photographer charges to shoot a wedding is their business - literally. Unfortunately, these thoughts only help to cement our insecurities, and cause us to doubt our abilities as artists and professionals. Honestly, when my phone isn’t ringing, and my email isn’t buzzing, it can feel a bit personal. Pretty soon, many photographers find themselves altogether disgruntled with an industry that can be very superficial - only if you base your value on the opinions of others. Refusing to become a jaded artist, I decided it was time for a change of pace.
Trip of a Photojournalist's Discovery
In June 2007 I found myself reading the most interesting article about a visionary leader named Chandran Nair. As a former CEO of ERM (the world’s largest energy consultancy firm), Mr. Nair was quite familiar with the role of leadership. The article addressed his newest commitment, “To advance understanding about the complexities of globalization”. Focusing on the geographic region of Asia, Mr. Nair founded the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT) in 2005. With the endorsement of the Clinton Global Initiative, he was able to broadcast this message westward. I decided to email the folks at GIFT to thank them for creating such a dynamic and innovative solution to an international dilemma. This began my long (yet often amusing) email correspondence with Chandran Nair. Less than three months later, I was packing my bags and heading to Beijing to document the amazing work of GIFT. Traveling to the Hebei Province of Beijing, I was inducted into the 2007 Global Young Leaders Program (the YLP was created for business professionals and academics ages 26-36).
The thirteen-hour plane ride was more than enough time to let the reality of the situation sink-in; I was a long way from home. Yet even in the middle of downtown Beijing, a group of YLP participants and I were able to find a hip-hop club that featured a DJ from New Jersey playing everything from Jay-Z to the Punjabi MC. From a photography perspective, China has so much to offer. There was never a dull moment. However, to my surprise this trip had little to do with seeing the sights. I did not go to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, or Tiananmen Square. I spent the majority of my time in daily indoor workshops led by Mr. Nair, and his longtime business partner Dr. Thomas Tang.
The group consisted of approximately 24 participants from over 10 nations. Fortunately, English was the official language of the program. Professionals visited us from other local non-profit organizations. They spoke about topics such as business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. Corporate speakers from Nike, Boeing, and DLA Piper also participated in the daily workshops. They constructed a deeper framework of how globalization affects business, governments, communities, and the environment.
The conclusion of the project brought us to the estate of a local pig farmer who was seeking to expand his current farming activities. He also wanted to create green energy by converting pig waste into bio-gas via a generator (a fermenting chamber). This revolutionary approach to sustainable farming was met with outstanding support from GIFT. We created an extensive business plan for him. Working closely with these individuals for two weeks allowed me to tap into my love and passion of photojournalism. Initially some people were all too ready to "cheese" the camera; in time I was able to apply my usual unobtrusive approach, and shot more naturalistic and true to life images. The two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, I was back home.
Next: (Page 2) Search for Inspiration - Beyond the Photography Business
About Wedding Photojournalist - Parris Whittingham, NY
Parris is a native New Yorker with an international perspective. Raised in New York City, he has lived in Brazil and studied in the Bahamas and Beijing. Artistically, he aims to produce work that explores, inspires and expresses the range of human emotions and empathy. With over a decade of training and study in the arts, Parris remains passionate about excelling in his craft, collaborating with the best in the business and ceaseless creative exploration. You may directly access Parris's Wedding Photo Portfolio, Photographer Bio, and the New York (NY) Wedding Photojournalists Index.
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