In the world of business, the first thing to be cut when there are budget cuts is always photography. Since COVID, budget cuts are now the norm and used as an excuse and a reason to cut photographers of all fields. Over the last few years, I have been courting a certain private university to do their athletics photography. This has become a mission of frustration. This particular university was using a photographer for a long time. When he became incapacitated, the sports info person reached out to me to pick up the slack. It became immediately clear that my work was much better than the other guy's work. While I don't want to be known as the guy that steals other photographers' clients, I am certainly not going to dumb it down when asked to fill in. When this photographer recovered in the spring, I relinquished my role as his substitute. In the following summer, I was asked to help out with this university's athletics photography as an additional shooter. I declined because I didn't want the other guy to feel threatened. So I took the high road. Mistake. The sports info guy went ahead and hired another photographer anyway. Fast forward a couple of years. A new sports info guy was hired and he wanted me to do their photos. The problem here was a retired "mom" was providing photos to the school for free. The philosophy was free was was better than good. So, again I was out. Every time I thought I was getting involved in the school, something would happen to thwart it namely less talented and less experienced amateurs. That is the problem with pro photography these days. Anyone with a credit card can buy good equipment and a laptop and call themselves professional.
I live in an area where there are several large companies along a certain highway. These companies have over the years needed photographic services. In the '80's and '90's , there were several professional commercial photographers that lived of these companies. There was enough work for everyone. Then came the digital age. Companies figured out quickly that they could use an in house person who could use Photoshop to do their photos. All those professionals were out of work. Several left photography all together. So this is an ongoing problem with my chosen profession.
The other day, the aforementioned university brought me in to do some "specialized" photos of about 300 student athletes. There was a steady stream of these athletes from 8:30 am to about 4:30 pm. The new sports info person made a schedule so jammed up that there was literally no time for a break (lunch, coffee, pee etc.) Imagine standing on your feet for eight hours without having a break to recharge. Even the guys that cut the grass and change lightbulbs get some sort of break. I took this as a sign that this place under this situation was not for me. To treat a photographer with so little regard for his/her well being is inexcusable. While I was doing this, the "free mom" photographer sat at home enjoying her Sunday. After informing the school that I would never be involved in any of there photographic endeavors, I did receive a lengthy apology. However, sometimes, you can only battle a fish for so long until you have to cut it loose. As I get older, I realize that it is better to take care of people who have been loyal to to me versus people that only look at the bottom line. Fortunately, I have several people that are loyal despite shrinking budgets.
