Lately, I’m having run-ins with a lot of mediocre photography glaring down at me from overhead at coffee shops, eateries and bathroom urinals. This, in and of itself, is not something that bothers me that much. Empty walls need to have something on them and, I suppose, I’d rather see amateur photography versus an alligator with an eye patch or the contents of a suburb garage sale nailed firmly in place. What bothers me is the audacity that some of these amateur photographers have in their asking for compensation. The above photo is something I took, without looking, the other night at town lake with my phone as a mobile upload to Facebook. It served its purpose, by illustrating to my FB friends where on town lake I was via the view from where I was sitting. And that was all I expected it to do.
Fast forward to this evening: I’m enjoying a Penne Pasta, while watching my brother guzzle merlot, when my same fucking photo, albeit matted and framed, was on the wall sporting a $120.00 price tag (choke). Alright, it wasn’t my photo (though, equally out of focus), but it might as well have been (the similarities were uncanny). We get it, guy, your parents bought you a digital camera for Christmas and you figured you’d go around town clicking off photos to show people how introspective you are, capturing the essence of everything around you. This much of it, I’m perfectly fine with (or, it doesn’t make me vomit, at least), seeing as I’m constantly forcing my opinion and self-discovery on all of you. BUT, when you try to pass this off as art to unsuspecting pasta lovers at a hundred twenty bucks a print, then I have to step in and call you out. Yes, that tree is unique looking and I heart the way those railroad tracks look at sunset, but let’s face it, your Canon Rebel XS isn’t mimicking Ansel Adams the way you thought it would.
So, in the future, why don’t you take a photography class at a local community college or find a retired paparazzo mentor. Then, as you’re honing your craft, sell me a postcard with your images or a calendar representing both your professional and personal growth. But, until you can frame a decent shot, keep it in focus and pull a correct light meter, please don’t hang price tags on your cute pictures. It triggers my gag reflex and next time, I’m probably going to heave a golden sauce native to the Campania Region all over your precut matboard.
