Photographer problems: Other photographers who make it about the $$$

Much love to my fellow photographers. This post isn't about the majority of the industry. It's for those few who have lost sight on the whole point of art.

If photography is about the sales, not the art, then this is about you.

I drove down to San Diego for the weekend, and my boyfriend and I were looking through different local artists' booths in Old Town and La Jolla this afternoon. The BF has a preference for cityscapes and deserts (I'm more of a water-and-greenery kind of gal). Anyway, he was admiring this cityscape by a local photographer of the San Diego skyline, and the photographer was pushing the sale: "They're $20 each, but if you buy two [prints] I'll knock off $5 for you." So I replied, "Oh, thanks, but we're just in the looking stage right now. I love admiring your work."

So what does he say? "Well, I need to make some sales here...."

I'm sorry. I'm not going to buy your work out of pity. And why are you as a photographer sabotaging your own value by saying something like that? Immediately I just wanted to move on from looking through his prints. I had even been tempted to buy one print for my boyfriend, but once the photographer said that, I was so turned off.

I get it, I really do. I wish more of my clients would choose their prints through my preferred photo lab instead of ordering prints from Walgreen's or Wal-Mart — premium photo labs naturally yield a better product, thus making my photos look significantly better. But, PEOPLE: don't ever, ever push your client to buy a print because you "need to make a sale."

1. That devalues your work
2. It makes your work seem like a commodity instead of an art and service
3. Suddenly your artwork is only about the bottom line to your customer's face (and what kind of customer service is that?)

Maybe I am being idealistic here. But I'm going to let customers or potential customers feel free to make whatever choices they want. If they want to look at my prices and my portfolio, then decide to go with another photographer, then fine! I love what I do, and I love my art. Hopefully other people think so, but if they don't, it's not their responsibility to make my art profitable.

Credit: Quickmeme.com

Not to mention, profitability isn't the reason I engage in photography anyways. Whether I make a profit is important to the investment I made in the hobby, but I want someone who genuinely finds my work intriguing, special, and personal to them to buy my prints.

So, fellow photographers:

• Give yourself some credit and sell your print for what it's worth, BUT
• Give your potential customers some genuine service and DON'T try to push a sale for the sake of making money 
• Treat your customers with respect and put their interests first  — if they don't like your style of work as much, recommend the work of another photographer to meet their tastes! 
• Selling your art is about finding your target audience, or conforming your art to meet mainstream demand: the choice is yours

Anyway, end of rant. But really, I'm rooting for the average photographer who is trying to make a living while doing something he or she loves. I'm there too! But please, understand that your customers are more important than your number of sales, and your bottom line will find more growth. Also, photographers should only expect print sales to come from their appropriate target audience; don't be disappointed or discouraged by the 'wrong' clients not buying your work. 

What do you think? Am I being too harsh? Any photographers out there who think profitability is more important than taking care of your customers? Share your thoughts!