10 Ugly Realities of Being a Photography Addict

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Photography is the most wonderful hobby imaginable with so much scope for creativity and problem solving, not to mention travel and gear lust. But it isn't entirely without its challenges. In fact, there are a few things that get downright annoying at times. We put together a tongue-in-cheek list that we think most photographers will relate to. Add your own in the comments or check out our another article on photography addiction!

 

1. Your Camera Gear Will be Worth More Than Your Car 

When you start getting serious about photography, your priorities change. Things like comfortable living space and transportation become secondary concerns. This is especially acute in the early years when you don't have a partner or kids, but it will persist to a degree for the entire stay of your photography addiction. For some, it will be a lifetime.

As long as the car has room for all of the photography gear that you might want to take with you, and that it can actually get you to your destination, then it is good enough – you'll want to spend the money you saved on your cheap car upgrading your camera, getting extra filters and maybe a lens or four.

2. Your Family and Friends Will Want You to Work for Free 

You're going to be “the guy or girl with the camera” – get used to it. That means you will be expected to shooting weddings, family gatherings, birthdays, baptism, bat mitzvahs, Christmas, Easter, Passover, Ramadan, school plays, graduations and occasionally just because it's Tuesday.

For free. Forever. Get used to it.

3. You Will Judge All Activities by the Quality of Light Available 

When you start becoming obsessed with getting great shots, you will start to look at every situation as if it were a photographic opportunity. Lunch, the office, driving – everything becomes a thought exercise in “how would I shoot that?” When you start muttering about kelvins or Golden Hour, your friends will become worried, but it's part of the journey.

Just be ready for the blank stares from your loved ones.

 

4. You Will Only Enjoy Travelling With Other Photographers 

And your friends and family will hate travelling with you. You're in a tropical paradise. The kind of exotic destination with sand, calm waters and warm climes that you and your partner have been dreaming of getting away to for years. A relaxing first evening, the best seafood meal you have ever eaten and a couple of glasses of wine and you turn in.

Next thing you know ALARM. It's 4AM and it's time to get up and get ready to catch the amazing lighting before and during sunrise! You only get here once in a lifetime so you have to catch the light!

For some reason, your significant other will not appreciate your enthusiasm for getting the shot of a lifetime. For some unknown reason they would have preferred to sleep in and catch a leisurely breakfast at the resort's complementary buffet. Nope! It's time to get in position for blue hour! Everyone should know that!

Trust us when we tell you that only other photographers will understand you.

5. People Will Assume Your Shots Are Good Because You Have Good Gear 

We have talked about this one before, but the sad fact is that you will often hear it from people who see your photography – “Wow, that's a great photograph. You must have a great camera.”

Yes, it's irritating and no, they don't realise the years you have put into perfecting your craft, but get used to it because it's a common line.

 

6. You Get Good at Pretending a Heavy Bag is Light 

This is almost a mandatory skill necessitated by the restrictions placed on you when you fly. You see, your photography grab bag will probably approach the 20kg mark (44lbs) which is well above the “carry-on” luggage restrictions of most airlines. However, you'll also be carrying $10,000 to $30,000 worth of relatively delicate gear which you won't trust to the aggressive tendencies of the average airline baggage handler.

Dilemma!

The only option is to take your prized possession with you into the cabin of the plane.

Enter “Flight-Attendant-zilla” – a mild mannered, petite and friendly airline worker who suddenly turns into Genghis Khan when you attempt to get on the plane with a heavy piece of hand luggage.

The only way to fight this injustice is to sling your pack onto your back and stroll down the walkway to the plane like you're carrying something that weighs enough to contain only a magazine and iPhone to entertain you on the flight.

Of course, that means pulled back muscles, possibly some cartilage damage and serious damage to your posture in the longer term, but whatever it takes to protect your gear-baby. Right?

7. You'll Never Enjoy Snapshots Quite the Same Way 

Remember when you were young and you would get a great belly laugh out of seeing snaps of yourself and /or friends having a great time? Remember the smile that would come across your face when one of your buddies got you in a photo and have you “bunny ears” with their fingers? Remember being so happy with looking at the squeals of joy your kids were letting out as you got that snap of them on the water slide?

These are the real gems of family photography. And when you get into photography, they aren't quite the same!

Why not?

Blown out highlights, strange compositions, over-saturated colours, clipping in the shadows! Ghastly photography sins that you will notice every single time!

Don't get me wrong, you will still love the shots, but you will always notice those little things that non-photographers don't care about. And then you'll be annoyed at yourself for noticing.

 

8. You Start Judging TV 

I am not talking about thinking the latest Kardashian horror story is terrible, I am talking about looking at each still shot and judging it for its quality of composition and light. It actually ends up distracting you from whatever you were watching in the first place.

The upside of this is that it draws you towards watching and appreciating high quality production shows like BBC wildlife documentaries and steers you away from the latest episode of Big Brother. You won't enjoy any of them the same way again, but at least it's a small upside!

9. You Will Occasionally Get Chased by People 

In the age of the internet, the sad fact of life is that photographers are often mistaken for criminals, terrorists and pedophiles. Witness any number of Youtube videos of unsavoury incidents or the rise of sites like Photography is Not a Crime.

You will start to get a thick skin when people accuse you of these things. To be fair, it doesn't happen too often, but it happens often enough to be very annoying.

10. If You Put Your Photographs Online, They Will Almost Certainly Get “Borrowed” 

The internet is a largely visual medium and that means that a lot of people, due to the ease of sharing, will “borrow” your photos to share with their friends, put on a social media account etc etc.

Now, while it does happen that sometimes companies do this too, it's mostly a case of individual people not realising that there is anything wrong with sharing your shots (as opposed to actually stealing them for a commercial outcome). Whatever your feelings on it, it is simply a reality of the internet age.

About Author

Rob is the founder of Light Stalking. His love for photography started as a child with a Kodak Instamatic and pushed him into building this fantastic place all these years later, and you can get to know him better here.
Rob's Gear
Camera: Nikon D810
Lenses: Nikkor 14-24 f/2.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

Excellent article, couldn’t stop laughing at some of the points. Funny when you read, you actually relate and think, yes that us me.

Excellent article, couldn’t stop laughing at some of the points. Funny when you read, you actually relate and think, yes that is me.

Yep, that’s me to a tee.

In my youth (35-40 years ago) I wouldn’t be seen dead without perfect make-up and the right shade of lipstick………now I wouldn’t dare leave home without a camera.

Even taking a bus to go to the supermarket, I see everything I pass as a potential photography subject.

Guilty, guilty, guilty, but worth it for the laughs. And, I don’t move my car from the driveway to the garage without bringing my camera.

A lot of these are so on the money but I think that when you adopt a more mirrorless philosophy you carry a lot less…When I travel now I take my Olympus EP2…my adaptor and my Nikon 24mm, 50mm 1.4 and the 35-105 film era non A1 lenses and that is it….

Ha! Spot on on every account! You can add, “You plan your family vacations on what the weather and light is likely to be at the destination”

I am going without a car entirely in order to fund my passion. I share a 9-year-old car with another family member. Sometimes we have scheduling conflicts, but it’s working for now.

OMG.. This is ME!! My wife almost had me convinced I was losing it and needed counseling…. YES.. I’m not an ANIMAL.. I’m a PHOTOGRAPHER!!!!!

I posted some photos on facebook 2 days ago and the second comment i get is ” Awesome photos, you must have a great camera “

Every time I share a good photograph the query I receive immediately is – “which camera do you use?”. Is not easy to get used to this response????

ahahahaha indeed! I guess most of my friends were already used to me carrying the camera around and stopping to take pictures, what they were not used was my other half to join me. Many times, when in a gorgeous place or with gorgeous light I just wished my friends would decide to go somewhere else so I could enjoy that moment and make use of my camera. But have to admit all our travels – and can even be city next door – are all about photography and food. Ah let’s wait a bit to get out, so we can take the most of blue hour (me) and nightfall (him) 🙂

On my travels as a motorsport and commercial photographer the most common thing i hear at hotels and Bed and Breakfast is Your photographs are great you must have a great camera,i always leave my response until the next morning and when finishing my breakfast and i am asked if it was okay i always respond with Yes it was great you must have a brilliant frying pan ….

#5 Then they invite you over for dinner. On your way out say that was a great dinner. You must have an excellent stove.

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