Question for professional photographers - discouragement?

[Ohmy]

I am a "rising" editorial photographer, constantly pushing myself aesthetically and creatively. I live in a very very very small area so currently my options for work, models, hair/make up artists, stylists, and other such resources is extremely limited. I have a minor following online (blog/instagram), people wanting to "do what I do" which, to them, is "take pretty pictures". Is it wrong to be discouraged by this? My audience doesn't understand my concepts, or the hard work that goes BEHIND the image? Even the "models" (not real models just pretty girls I approach to shoot with) I work with don't take me seriously as a professional, I suppose because I don't charge them, they think they can hound me for hundreds of photos per shoot. It is so frustrating because they don't understand, no matter how much I try to explain, that if I am not 100% satisfied with the photo I do not want it out there with my name on it, as this is what I want to do for my CAREER. When they can take pictures of themselves with their iphones and call that a photoshoot and have 10/50 pictures where they look good, throw an iphone filter on it and then they're a photographer. They have their parents go out and buy them 2,000 dollar DSLR's they don't know how to use. Is it completely absurd that this discourages me? AND I AM ONLY 20. I can't even imagine how you older, more experienced photographers feel about this up and coming generation of "photographers". I can't stand these kids that hop on the bandwagon of "selfie photography" where they get a camera , take "artsy" pictures of themselves and gather tens of thousands of followers on instagram or flickr that all think that is the creme de la creme of photography! Is this where photography is going and I just don't understand? I guess, what I am asking is how do you deal with being discouraged with photography to the point where you want to give up?
Thank you all for your feedback.
fhotoace - you're right, I do feel like my audience isn't the right audience, but hopefully it will grow into something more.
Bobby- it doesn't seem like you actually read my question? It doesn't have anything to do with my career or my client, any mention of where I am as a photographer was just a baseline for you to know where my opinion is coming from.
B K - yes I do have my own website, you kind of missed the point of my question though.
joedlh - I completely agree with you, I'm not sitting around twaddling my thumbs and staring at my camera waiting for someone to hire me. I have a real job haha, but it would be nice for photography to be my full time job, but that isn't in my near future.
Steve P - thank you for your constructive input, I will look into it!
Matt - I do agree with you, I am shooting little fish in a small pond. I never said I wasn't getting paid for my work, and who I am and how well I do it is besides

[fhotoace]

Do not be discouraged. Your goals are just different than others. Maybe your "audience" is the wrong one.

Attempting to teach people to learn the fundamentals photography, how to compose compelling images and use light to enhance their images can take years and willing students.

There are far to many people who think that the more they pay for a camera, the better their images will be ... automatically. Or they like to hang a $6,000 camera around their neck, a Rolex on their wrist as they climb into their BMW 700 series sedan. They are nothing but a group of status symbols.

Adding live view to cameras only encouraged people to use dSLR cameras as expensive P&S cameras.

However you are right about where "photography" is going. The sad thing is that the photo editors of many magazines have no format training either, so the cannot tell the difference between professionally produced images and snap shots.

It used to be that the work produced by working pros was so brilliant, it was easy to see the difference between images produced by a pro vs. an amateur vs. a hack vs. a person who only knows how to press the shutter release, producing thousands of snapshots. I like to call it photo-mud; no form, no clarity, no clue

[Bobby]

If you're serving people, you serve people. "The customer is always right." Not to sound scoldy, but do your art on your time. People just want pretty pictures.

[Harry Potter]

I agree with the 'sentiment' of your post...

I'm an ex-Dj...and kids dream about doing that too...honestly i'm laughing as i'm typing this because I get it from both angles...both my passions and interests are looked upon by 'kids' as being 'cool, hip and trendy' and they all think being a Dj or photographer will transform them into highly paid celebrities...

Now that i've got that off my chest...

When you are being paid in a professional capacity to perform a service...there are expectations...a disc jockey doesn't play their favourite tracks...they work through a 'play list' and they play to the crowd...if they are any good they will keep their jobs.

It's much the same with photography especially in an editorial context...whether you actually agree with something or not isn't the issue...it's how you 'spin' it to make it interesting...if you want to complain or 'moan and groan' about the 'selfie' craze...you'll lose your 'audience'...nobody enjoys being slagged off...and doing the 'selfie' thing is popular...i'm sure there's a very recent one getting a lot of attention that was taken at the 'Oscars' by Ellen DeGeneres...and from my own experience of being a 'kid'...don't kids like to pretty much 'copy' what their idols are doing.

http://celebrity.uk.msn.com/features/cel...-best-ever

I don't think photography is heading in the 'smartphone camera' direction...it's new, the novelty factor is still there...as long as the big companies can make huge profits by marketing phones with 'Mega Megapixels' then this culture will exist...the good news is...kids eventually grow up...and if they are still interested in photography will invest in something more decent to record their memories.

I don't like the 'selfie' groupies myself...in my opinion anything that helps promote photography is good...'I Think'..?

[B K]

If your audience is "Instagram" - it's the WRONG AUDIENCE.

If you want to promote your work online, have you though about setting up your own website?

[joedlh]

You should judge yourself by your pride in your craft and what you have produced, not by what others are doing. I look at what many others produce and see flaws. Whether or not they have received great acclaim is irrelevant to me. So it doesn't upset me.

As for making photography a career, it's probably not wise to put all of one's eggs in that one basket. It takes a long time to become recognized to the point where your have enough contracts to keep you busy and pay the rent.

[Steve P]

I'll put my two cents in here. The frustrations you are expressing are things we deal with on this forum day by day. Yes, it is a sad state that the once respected craft and skill of photography has been reduced to the garbage that much of it is today. What this has forced is for the good, serious, photographer to become a MASTER at MARKETING. As much as we want to consider ourselves artists and wish the "selfie / cell phone / Facebook fauxtographer" culture to not exist, the fact is that it does. Believe it or not, there ARE still people that respect and recognize proper photography. You just have to know how to find and work with only these people.

Marketing photography is a skill that needs to be learned the same as your camera skills, at least if you want any chance of success in this world where everyone thinks they are a photographer.

Charles Lewis is the best resource I have ever found on how to market photography.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I am NOT in any way, shape, or form connected with this site or Mr. Lewis. I only supply the source as a help to you. Becoming good at marketing will not happen overnight, just like you did not become good at photography overnight.

You are going to have to make up your mind if you want to put as much time and effort into marketing to the right people as you do your technical skills. Personally, I despise what HAS to be done to survive as a photographer in today's world. It is simply not "me". I long since gave up on forcing myself doing it as a bushiness. Photography is an artistic / hobby outlet for me. Money comes from other sources, (though I have made some income from print sales, it is relatively small, ... not something that would support me).

Here is the link to Charles Lewis. I suggest you take plenty of time to study what he teaches, and yes, it can come down to costing some money to join his "Inner Circle" but don't think it is a scam, ... not in the slightest. However, if you get on the mailing list, you will, in time, get tons of good marketing info that will cost you nothing.

http://www.cjlewis.com/starting-a-photog...sines.html

steve

[Matt]

Lets get real here. You are not a professional photographer. You are not a "rising" editorial photographer. You are an amateur photographer with hopes of making a living at it. Since you don't post an images, we can't even tell if you are any good, but let us assume that you are.

You are shooting little fish in a small pond and not getting paid for your work, nor are you paying your models. For the most part, the girls that you shoot are going to value the photos exactly that much. Free.

Your older self is going to look back at your younger self and think that you were a fool to be bothered by these people. You need to find people who are willing to pay for your work, or at least expose it on 3rd party sites. Blogging your own images is not the sign of greatness.

[Photofox]

The trouble is, digital photography has become so simple that (as you say) everyone thinks they are a great photographer.
In the days of film, photography was a sort of Dark Art, understood by only a few!

But is it a bad thing that anyone can take, and print, a reasonably good photo these days? I understand how professionals (and us amateurs) get frustrated seeing teenagers trying to take selfies with a DSLR but the fact they are buying expensive gear does keep the camera industry alive!