Portfolios – Why Portfolios Lie About the Photographer
Today evaluating the quality of the photographer using their portfolios has become impossible. As there are tons of “professional” photographers out there, that have marketed the hell out, especially when it comes to fashion photographers in LA. As there is a great demand for them, you just simply cannot find one easily. If you search the term “Los Angeles Fashion Photographer” you will get 5,010,000 results. Yes, they might not all be fashion photographers, but it does not mean they are all professional fashion photographers.
[pullquote]Keep in mind that these fake portfolios are mostly used by photographers who are getting started, and wish to show off their “skills” by using someone else’s work.[/pullquote]
The main problem we face today is that, there are so many fake photographers; that have used stock images or simply “borrowed” images from other fashion photographers that you or anyone else cannot tell if they are fake or not. These fake portfolios are so convincing that one can easily be fooled. Keep in mind that these fake portfolios are mostly used by photographers who are getting started, and wish to show off their “skills” by using someone else’s work. The first issue with the situation is that this is illegal, and the second issue is that these fake images will not get them far. As the viewer will notice how they have not been offered the same quality images.
What I fail to understand as a professional is that how could you offer up something that is not yours, to begin with. How could you possibly imagine to build a career based on lies? The matter is just getting worse by the day, as it is becoming impossible for viewers to tell the fake photographer apart from the real ones.
The reason behind asking for a portfolio or setting one up is that it must showcase your work, skills, and capabilities. So that the viewer could judge your work and then make a decision based on your work. This was a simple process that has now been over complicated with lies. It is so common to find social media accounts that are filled with images that were actually taken by a professional and uploaded by an amateur.
If you cannot respect the hard work and dedication someone has put to build their career, then how can you expect others to respect you? Think about it the next time you feel it will be easier to take a shortcut. As this is not the kind of career where you can take shortcuts, and make your way to the top. Being a professional fashion photographer takes all you have, and if you start by stealing and lying, you might get a good start. But your career will soon come crashing down, and you will find yourself at the bottom and will be unable to make your way up. As there is only one chance, which is why you must give it all you have got. There will be hard days, and then there will be days when you find it impossible to make through, but there will come a time when you have forgotten about the hardships you had had to face.
