Fear Universities producing more "Professional Photographers" than Professionals

Surprisingly, owning a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera) is kind of like having the best fountain pen in 8^th grade, and the latest smartphone in high school.

A trend which continues to spread like wildfire in universities and colleges, almost everyone throwing their Cybershots & Olympus (such good cameras) away for the expensive DSLRs to capture the very same moments but in high resolution.

My personal assessment is that three out of four or perhaps more own a DSLR because their peer got one, who recently uploaded a random picture on facebook which got a dozen likes and if he/she can then why not me. Ouch! Did I hurt anyone? I am not sorry for that! This is the same lot which would wear an expensive wrist watch observing you wearing one or buy an expensive parker pen because you used a US$5 pen. Don’t worry! You were smart because that pen consumed less ink and earned you max marks. Expensive pens consume more.

Once I had approached an institute to know about photography and I was told that I need a digital camera (cybershot then) and would require to take some beginner classes for three months and this would all cost me close to US$ 200 (excl. the camera). Unfortunately, these professional institutions are filing for bankruptcy as many of us believe that owning a DSLR officially makes one a professional, so who needs to go to a learning institute.

Youth creating official groups with a copyright sign on facebook (as they fear their professional photography might be the Da Vinci’s code) naturally run around everywhere with their cameras – leaping into random spots and not only fiddling with the buttons of the cameras but with the joints & limbs of individuals being photographed. (You got to read more)

The empowering part of the DSLR: It really doesn’t matter you take a picture of your friends posing awkwardly with someone picking nose in the background or capture stray dogs as part of your ‘Wildlife’ album, they will fetch some very encouraging comments.

Comments like:

“You are such a talent, I shall hire you for my wedding”

“The picture is beautiful bro, dogs are my best friends”

Add a few likes in the range of 70 – 100 which is equivalent to a GPA of 3+. – Is that what you live for? Cheap Huh!

A parents point: Each picture their son or daughter clicks is heavy on their pockets. Prior to joining the university many planned to become doctors, engineers & chartered accountants but these guys are busy clicking, sharing & liking and by now they have included it on their facebook description that Photography is an area of interest to them. Imagine a kid saying: Dad, I went to the top business school, punctured your pocket, gave you sleepless nights, and look what I have learned - the art (photography) because that’s what I did most of the time. I have got all girls in it and have made mom’s work simple.

Very few of us will take the pain to go through the hassle of learning techniques & improving skills to convert a hobby into a profession. But for the majority, their expensive DSLRs are the loves of their lives – until University ends.

Hence, owning a professional camera & creating a page on social websites with watermarked snaps is not enough to be termed as a pro.

To ensure I stick to the purpose of the blog: Smartphones are increasingly substituting professional cameras and 2013 witnessed close to 10% decline in camera shipments compared to 2012. Smartphones continue to enhance capability to produce images with minimum input requirements.