The students are less curious about things now. It’s that trophy generation that wants everything handed to them. “Can you tell me who to contact?” Instead of going out and making contacts themselves.

[…]some of them are very, very good. And the ones that are tend to be multi-talented with interest in photography, design, fashion, art. But the people that just want to make pictures and work for National Geographic, they’re not interesting people.

–Dennis Darling

via I Love Texas Photo.

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18 Comments

  1. yup sounds like me

  2. young people are worse than my generation ~

  3. There is no such thing as a famous photographer….all photographer know certain photographers, just like all architects know certain architects, and just like all accountants will know certain accountants. Being know in an industry doesnt make you famous.

    People will say Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams, but if you stop someone in the middle of the street and ask them who Annie Leibovitz is, they probably wont know. Ask that same person who Kim Kardasian is and they will know. That is the difference.

    Stop chasing something that ultimatelly doesnt matter.

  4. Many photographers chase fame for the same reason people sleep with cell phones in their hands because we need to feel – Wanted. I love freelance because I am “Liked and Rejected” on a daily basis; it’s kind of like dating and has caused me to grow some pretty thick skin over the years. I agree with Jose V that ultimately “IT” doesn’t matter, but fame amongst your peers can gain you a blog post on Photo Editor along with bigger and better budgets. Chase Jarvis/Zack Arias/Etc. are perfect examples – Good Photographers – Great Social Marketers.

  7. I wonder how many photographers do chase fame? I would like to be well known for being trustworthy, reliable, fixes problems, getting the job done. I certainly would not want to be like Leibovitz or even Klinko & Indrani.

    Dennis seems to have a narrow focus yet how he sees what is around him seems to be wide open. My takeaway is, once he see what he wants time is spent but not wasted on shooting, not too much though, a few moments and he’s done looking for the next piece of his puzzle. Great read, should be a mandatory for students trying to figure things out.

  8. Was hoping for some interesting insight in this… nope

  9. You can be as famous as you like but if you can’t even cover your expenses your career in the business will be short lived.

    I think too many new and usually young photographers equate bylines with success. Personally I believe in photography it is really about having the financial backing to do those projects you feel most passionate about.

  10. When we have TV shows/movies/video games for young folks and they see talent, either real or acting, displayed without showing any of the daily maintenance and practice it takes to get to that superstar level, especially for natural talent like singing, then there must be a simple answer to those stars success, namely access. I think we all run into students at different levels of savvy for this industry and the ones that don’t make it don’t cultivate their whole program with hard work coming from themselves. Success is a relative thing especially if your relatives are successful.

  11. WE live in the Age of Celebrity.

  12. Is a big problem in the industry. all the young learn how to manipulate the camera . but they have a terrible influence by the Media this is been destroy all the artistic mind . i fell very sad about cos all this people really have to realise be a photographer is much more then click. if express to the world another direction of your reality .
    don’t look photography with this money in your aye
    express your self. or go and find out another thing to do in your like before is too late .

  13. As a late-starting visual-artist currently working in photography, my frustration is that everyone is looking at what’s coming out of the colleges, not what’s rising from the world around them. You don’t need a photographic degree as proof of talent and worth. Look at FLickr, and you’ll find a many people experimenting in highly original ways often creating surprising results, themes and ideas.

  14. What is the point of a post like this? “All these kids suck, except the ones that dont suck, but the ones that do suck, suck.” The fact that their sucking takes the form of wanting to be “famous” seems irrelevant.

    GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!

    • What is the point of a comment like this?

      • “All young photographers want to be famous” is just a loaded statement. Dennis backpedals in saying “some of them are very, very good.” It just seems like a substance-free kids-these-days statement. The good ones are really really good, the ones who aren’t good, aren’t interesting. Who wouldn’t disagree with that?

        It just makes him sound old and out of touch (I don’t think he is either, which is why it’s notable).

        • And that’s the point of a post like this… since you asked.

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