Posted on 13. Mar, 2009 by Paul Burwell in Everything, Top Ten Lists
Last week’s list of the Top Ten Annoying Things to Say to a Wildlife Photographer was quite popular and it generated a lot of great comments. That has inspired me to produce another Top Ten list for this week. Today’s list compiles the top ten things that other photographers have said to me that I’ve found to be annoying. And, the more often I’ve heard something the more annoying it tends to be. That’s just the way I am.
If you’re a photographer who is easily offended or you can’t take a little bit of sarcasm, please don’t read any further. I don’t want your delicate sensibilities to be offended.
With that out of the way, presented in traditional count-down order, here are today’s Top Ten Annoying Things that Photographers Say to Each Other.
10. What are you shooting at?
 Red-necked Grebe sitting on a nest
- Get a group of photographers together shooting the same subject and invariably one of them will ask one or more of the others this question. I believe it stems from a sense of insecurity where a less than confident photographer is worried that he’ll miss the shot that everyone else got. Why not just ask me to send you my shots?
- In a learning situation this could be a useful question although differences in equipment can make the answer moot. But, in a group of peers, this question should never be uttered.
|
9. Did you see my shots in National Geographic?
- Is there any photographer who doesn’t want to be published in National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Cosmo, etc? Why risk a severe beating by flaunting your awesomeness?
|
8. Dude! Dude! You’re in my shot!
- And your feet are nailed to the ground? Seriously? Who calls someone “dude” in the first place? Seriously!
|
7. I’m a Fine Art photographer.
 Fall morning at a beaver pond
- If someone can help me understand the difference between a “Fine Art” photographer and a portrait, wedding, landscape, photojournalist, sports or wildlife photographer, I might rescind this item, but the whole term strikes me as a bit pretentious.
|
6. The new K-tel Autocapture 5000 looks good but I noticed there’s noise in the shadows at ISO 102,400.
- Maybe the pixel peeping will never quit but do we have to examine each and every pixel of every new camera to find a flaw only evident at billboard sized prints? Besides photographers more obsessed with pixels than photos, who really cares?
|
5. …in these tough economic times…
 Ruddy Duck displaying on a lake
- Okay, this one isn’t specific to photographers but I’m sick of hearing it. I propose that the world set up a giant swear jar. Every time someone utters the phrase ”…in these tough economic times…” they have to put one US dollar into the jar. Not only will this reduce the use of this annoying phrase but the funds could be used to solve the current economic crisis.
|
4. All of my work is available as limited edition Giclée prints.
- So your printer sprays droplets of ink at the paper? Wow! That’s exactly what my inkjet printer does.
- Giclée is French don’t ‘cha know. It’s pronounced “zhee-clay” and it sounds pretentious. IMHO.
|
3. Oh that? I can fix that later in Photoshop.
 Black Bear cub trying to get to the bottom of things
- Not only is it annoying to hear, it is the calling card of a lazy photographer.
|
2. Oh, you’ve got the K-tel Autocapture 3000? I just got the Autocapture 3000 Mark II.
- And that makes you a better photographer how? Oh, that’s right; the Mark II finally introduces the “no sucky photos” setting whereby the camera will simply not allow the creation of a poor photograph.
- There are some people I know that would think their Autocapture 3000 Mark II was broken when it never let them take a picture again!
|
1. Dude! Did you get this shot?
 Pair of goslings swimming in a pond
- This is a common question from the serial chimper. You know, the person you’re out shooting with who is continually chimping their images (looking at the LCD and then pointing and saying ”ooh, ooh, ooh” when they see something they like). They’ll call out when they find a photograph they think is great and you might have missed. And, don’t call me dude!
|
I’m betting that if you’re a photographer who has spent any time photographing around other photographers that you’ve got a few of your own sayings to contribute. Go ahead. It’s very cathartic.
Tags: annoying, list, photographers, say, ten, things, top
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Friendsite]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/friendsite.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Sphinn]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/sphinn.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Email]](http://www.paulburwell.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
Jennifer
29. Mar, 2009
Love it! Very funny.
Frank
30. Mar, 2009
” What a fantastic shot!, check out my flickr, i have the exact same shot ”
” What lens did you use to capture that shot? ”
” What’s your setting? ”
” You shoot raw or jpg? ”
” IS on or off ? ”
” Is my lens sharp? ”
While strolling down the street with your dSLR, someone came up to you and said ” Hey, nice camera, my brother has an “L” lens “.
LOL!
Suzy Walker
06. Apr, 2009
lol. two v funny lists. Thank you for compiling them. 8 & 4 made me laugh out loud at my desk and everyone looked at me! One of the best things about underwater photography is you dont get all of this while you are actually shooting – the silly comments have to wait until everyone is back on the boat
sandy cathcart
07. Apr, 2009
I LOVE your photos, and your comments made me laugh. It was actually one of the few times I could actually use the acronym that makes me wanna scream most of the time…LOL.
You touched on a few things that I need to change in my own vocabulary…oops!
Dude. ha! that’s one I think you and I will both have to learn to deal with while working with the public. It’s a generation thing. Best to just start calling them dude back. Pretty soon, they quit using it and shut up and look at ya funny.
ross millar
07. Apr, 2009
Calling oneself a fine art photographer is no more pretentious than calling oneself a photographer just because one owns a camera.
I find the post disturbing, either you are saying photography is not an art whatsoever – which is an argument that was settled decades ago, or you are stating that all photographs are art – a snap shot of little joey playing ball is hardly art, nor a photograph of a wedding.
There are many definitions of art. I define art in the intent: the intent of the artist to invoke an emotional and or intellectual response to the artwork. A fine art photograph will stir an emotion or thought significantly more substantial than “ooo, that’s a pretty picture.”
The barriers to entry are so low right now, I would argue that we are living in an unprecedented time of pretension.
Paul Burwell
07. Apr, 2009
I think the difference for me is that by definition, a person who takes a picture is a photographer where there is no agreed-upon definition of a fine-art photographer.
Werner Maurer
08. Apr, 2009
I like to go to locations that other photogs don’t go to, so I never have this prob. I try to keep an eye out for the seldom-noticed. Now, if I could just shoot pix as good as theirs….
Kimberley
09. Apr, 2009
I find it annoying when other photographers comment on my use of burst mode. I use it a tool, not just on action shots, but on still scenes when I have no tripod or resting surface handy for my camera. The implication is I don’t have enough skill to just take one precisely-timed photo and get the image I was trying for.
The reality is, my goal is to get the image I’m trying for, and I will use whatever tools or techniques available to get it. For instance, if my use of burst mode on a macro assures me shots 2, 3 and 4 will be crisper than the first shot, then so be it.
I don’t go into a restaurant and nitpick with the chef about how to prepare my meal. I give him creative license as long as the food ends up satisfying my palate.
Keith
16. Apr, 2009
wear a ipod w/ your fav music playing and a t-shirt that says “shut up and shoot”
ian
17. Apr, 2009
Funny list, #1 and #8 are very true, PLUS what Deborah aka Loxly said.
And next time I’ll do what Keith said
Jim Esten
28. Apr, 2009
#4 – ‘giclee’: I don’t wish to offend, but the best way to take the wind out of those sails is to tell the person what the French slang meaning is: sexual ejaculation. Jack Duganne should have used a better French dictionary.
‘Dude’. Notice to Stephen and other younger photographers: don’t address older people that way, and we promise not to say “Well, when I was your age…” Come to think of it, that would be another great Top 10 list: obnoxious inter-generational statements.
George Slusher
28. Apr, 2009
People calling themselves, “fine art photographers” have wrankled me, as well, though not because I don’t recognize that there are such things as “fine art photographs.” The problem isn’t with the photos but the person making the statement. It comes across as pretentious. (“I’m better than those unimaginative photojournalists and wedding photographers, not to mention the whorish commercial photographers.”) Of course, pretentiousness seems to be rampant in the world of “art.” (I don’t “do” art, myself, but I’ve bought a lot of it.)
Anyone can call himself/herself a “fine art photographer,” so the term is essentially meaningless. Did Ansel Adams call himself a “fine art photographer”? Did Picasso call himself a “fine art painter”? if you’re really good, you don’t need to call yourself much of anything: your work will speak for you.
On the other hand, labeling a business as “fine art photography” is different, as that focuses on the photographs, not the phtographer. It differentiates that business from wedding photography, nature photography, photojournalism, travel photography, portrait photography, fashion photography, etc. I’d much rather see a business card that said, “Jane Adams, Fine Art Photography,” rather than “Jane Adams, Fine Art Photographer.” The first says what Jane produces and sells, which is the point of a business.
araya
08. Jul, 2009
great article. thanks!
A. Cast
06. Aug, 2009
While discussing about the difficulties to expose for high contrast light at noon, some really pretentious commertial photographer told me once:
“I don’t know about your amateur camera, but the digital back of my professional Bronica medium format camera can register 12 stops of light”
Mei Teng
29. Dec, 2009
Great list! I have to agree that #1 is utterly annoying.
a giclee printer
27. Jan, 2010
#4 makes me laugh as that’s what I do!
Would pigment ink on archival paper be any better?
lol
Ant Gray
17. Jul, 2010
Most popular in Russia (sort of mem): horizon tilted