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Ethics Still Exist In The Photography Business

Ethics Still Exist In The Photography Business

Ethics Still Exist In The Photography Business I recently came across an article talking about the lack of ethics in the photography industry and as I read it I kept thinking to myself… “Is this person serious?”

The article talked specifically about a group of photographers that I know personally. These photographers aren’t just full-time shooters. In fact, many of them put aside their photography (shooting) business to teach other photographers instead.

For example, one person mentioned in the article is a very successful photographer who had many clients when her only job was photography sessions. At one point the photographer started to write a blog that educated other photographers about business and marketing. When that website picked up the photographer slowly downsized her photographer business with the intentions of educating photographers as her full-time job.

Now the photographer has a second website which is an online course for photographers to learn how to improve their photographs businesses.

Does that make her less of a photographer? Less of a person? Less of a business person? No. It makes her smarter. The photographer took what was obviously doing very well and went with it. Improved it, and is making a good living from it.

Does being a part-time professional photographer who make it unethical to teach other photographers?

Let’s move on to me now.

I’m a freelance professional photographer. I don’t have tons of clients and don’t take on every photo job that comes my way. Instead I work for Photocrati teaching other photographers about photography, about their business, SEO, marketing and websites. Does that make me less of a photographer? Heck, I’d prefer making photographs because I love it rather than accept money for it. But I also have bills to pay so I went with a job which I also love (working at Photocrati was the 2nd best decision of my life) and still take on paid photography work here and there.

I’ll ask again, does being a part-time professional photographer who make it unethical to teach other photographers?

What about the rest?

There are tons of photography and photo business educators that will host in-person classes only to leave important information out. That’s unethical as people are paying to learn. However, to say having a sales pitch at the end of a free webinar (on the Internet mind you) is unethical is just flat out wrong. It’s part of marketing and business.

So when someone says there is no ethics in the photography industry because someone is teaching someone else about the photography business and not shooting full-time… well – it just makes no sense.   Wouldn’t you want a teacher who has time to teach you?

I think the bigger question is where the ethics are when someone has to complain about another photographer finding his/her area of expertise and succeeding at it. Where’s the sense of community and support? Stop the jealousy. Stop the hatred and move on.

If you would like to learn from some of my favorite photo business educators, please check out the following online courses:

Each of these courses include all the information you want and leave nothing hidden. I work the same way with my education. So of course please also join me at the Photocrati blog for articles that I write about the photography business.

Thanks for reading and happy learning,

Scott

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