Everyone is a Photographer these days

Goulburn St Car Park, NSW AUSTRALIA
20 FEB 2016

After a strong dumpling session at DTF (Din Tai Fung) we went to check out the car park on Goulburn. They had converted the top two levels into a Blade Runner themed rooftop cinema. The outfit included lasers, smoke machines, a rooftop bar + food stalls. It was actually pretty dope. Us Sydney-siders don't usually get treats like this. We snuck up to the even through the stairs and dodged the huge queue and entry fee to get in. 

The potent combination of smoke, neon lights & lasers meant everyone was taking photos.

Yep, everyone is a "photographer" these days. This is something that has some professional photographers worried; an issue I believe is completely unwarranted. While it was apparent that everyone was taking photos at this event, it was quite clear that most of them weren't photographers. Taking considered photos is very different from a quick smartphone snapshot - similar to how owning a pen and paper doesn't make you an author.

Photographs vs. Snapshots

Smartphones have made the act of taking photos way more accessible. All that's changed however is the number of bad photos being taken on a daily basis. The number of quality photographs & photographers is still relatively low in terms of supply & demand.

If anything, it's actually increased the world's appetite for quality photography and visual content in general.

Think about it; the same smartphone that has enabled everyone to be able to take photos, is the same device that enables the consumption of photos and visual content. If you're anything like me, you probably view hundreds if not thousands of photos through your smartphone & computer on a daily basis. 

This, I believe, has actually pushed the balance of supply & demand in favour of photographers. There just isn't enough quality photographers & visual content creators out there to satiate the exponential demand.

Visual communication has quickly turned into the universal language of the world where visual content is king. So the next time someone tells you that there are too many photographers these days and tries to discourage you from pursuing a career in photography be sure to educate them. The world needs more quality visual communicators and less snapshots!