A few weeks ago I had to politely explain to a photographer from the Cleveland area why he was not allowed to shoot the contest or solicit business at the venue. Unfortunately this is something that comes with the territory... I love my job but the downside is that some people dont respect the fact that it IS my job. Here is how it breaks down............. I, along with a very select few other professional photographers are THE official photographers for the greatest organization in the sport of Bodybuilding and fitness.... The NPC and The IFBB..... Now I have busted my ass for 12 years to build a solid reputation of being at these shows year in and year out and also offering a great product to all the competitors....whether it is myself, JM or Isaac or another photographer at the show, rest assured we have set aside our entire weekend, driven hours or flown in from another city just so we can be there to get you THE BEST images from your competition.... odds are the next day while the competitors are busy eating everything in sight and resting, we the photographers are busy resizing, organizing and uploading thousands and thousands of images to get them out to magazines and websites within a day.... this is the part of the work that no one sees because often times its done when we are alone at home or at the office. So I take it as an insult when other so called professionals think they can just waltz into the venue, set up shop and shoot stage shots, pass out business cards and solicit the athletes for shoots..... This is exactly why there is an NPC policy regarding photography at the events. So the other week in Twinsburg I had to tell a certain photographer that he was not allowed to shoot in the venue because he had been doing this at other shows in the past. I politely explained to him that there is NO professional photography in the venue, but he chose to be argumentative and challenge me. When that failed he even lied to my face telling me that the show promoters had invited him down to shoot not only the show but even backstage!!!! I suppose he figured this was my first rodeo? So in the end he was told that he could not shoot the contest and instead of leaving it at that he chose to post on social media about how the NPC photographers work sucks compared to his and that we are all sweating him or intimidated by him!!!! Well my friend....You obviously suffer from delusions of grandeur and the fact that you think I, or any other NPC photog is intimidated by or sweating you is purely comical. Trust me when I say to you that I am DEFINITELY NOT sweating you or at all intimidated by you.....HAVE YOU SEEN MY WORK? ......No one is sweating anything..... its simply a matter or PROFESSIONAL COURTESY! Obviously something you have yet to learn or just plain choose to ignore. I would not show up at a wedding that you are shooting and start taking pics of the bride and groom and then tell them that I will give them images for free...... Here is another analogy for you, try pulling up in an ice cream truck and parking in the parking lot of your local dairy queen and start selling or giving away ice cream cones and see how long it takes before they tell you to GTFO. If you wish to call yourself a professional photographer then please show respect to your peers.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 02:11:55 +0000
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