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.

An expensive lunch for Pakistan's Youth

A letter to Maryam Nawaz Sharif (http://youth.pmo.gov.pk)

Dear Maryam Nawaz Sharif and team,

Firstly, I want to appreciate the efforts you and your team have undertaken for the youth and the simple majority of the motherland. The prime minister's youth loan scheme is for the age group 21-45, with CNICs and are well connected to a high net worth individual or a govt employee. The govt has lots of issues which need to be tackled at priority. There are several risks which can cost our govt and our coming generations such as: indebted youth in an indebted nation funded by an indebted govt hence creating a vicious cycle. Refinancing the debt can become a huge task for the future govt and generation as it will be repaid after 8 years when possibly a different govt might be in power. Moreover, such usury driven funding will not be welcomed by many in our society and the cost of monitoring funds to the tune of billions of rupees will be an expensive task for the govt.

I do not restrict my argument to criticizing your plan but I want to add a suggestion which could be a win-win stunt for all.

1 - The govt must establish a SME fund which must be overlooked by the Finance Ministry and the judiciary or any other independent agency which will ensure transparency for the investors

2 - A board must be set up which comprises of individuals from different circles and backgrounds.

3 - Any individual/team interested in a venture must present a business plan with a 5 years projection before the board

4 - Post review the board/jury must acknowledge the review and within 30 days it must come up with the result, whether the fund is willing to provide seed funding or not. If not, then why.

5 - If yes, then certain covenants must be placed and the amount (ranging from 50% to 70%) must be put in the form of equity.

6 - A (put/call) option must be included in the covenant which will allow the fund to liquidate its stake in the venture (post 5 years at a premium)

7 - Don't benchmark your plan with what has been done in the US, but compare it what has been done in the UAE (Khalifa Fund) and many other countries in Africa (Rwanda, Tanzania & etc) are doing it too to create self-employment. Let’s be realistic we cannot print money like US.

8 - After 5 years, the govt must allow these businesses (based on their financial performance and business scalability) to get listed on a secondary listing (like AIM in the UK) and let the locals become multinationals for tomorrow.

Sister - kindly read, reflect and act!