Old Photogs

[<satpimp>]

I see two sides of a potentially valuable coin. The youn guns should use their zeal to motivate not bash. The Vets should impart insight and experience.

I am by no means old (under 40) but am considered by many to be a wisened vet. I remember in my youthful exuberence once thinking a certain photog was lazy. The chief at the time urged me to watch closely and take note. That photog in the end taught me a lot... all I had to do was ask and push a little. To this day we are good friends and now I'm proud to say peers!

I saw him as lazy and he saw me as a wide-eyed punk. He was more right in the end. Take the time to know and understand the dynamics of a person and their role within the scheme and politics of a shop and early perceptions may change a lot.

I later became a manager in a shop that was embroiled in a bitter labor war with it's photogs. Those above me wanted me to believe the union photogs were slouches because I was to be part of the negotiating team for the company. I took the time to get to know them all. Understand their strengths and foibles. I am happy to say through mutual respect I helped bring an end to a 5 year impasse even though my attempt at detente got me bounced from the negotiating team and eventually the company.

I ran many of those guys around the globe on many a pigf**k production and I would gladly take ANY ONE of those old "slouches" over some punk on the next one. Even a tired vet in the field is better than a rookie. There are times in this biz when not knowing what to do or how to handle a situation can cost more than the perfect shot or soundbite!

You need to know when to duck, when to help, when to roll and most importantly when to shut the F**K up. And don't bother coming back if your video is the wrong color or over exposed... that's why it's important to know what an f-stop is. You need to know it so well that when the tracers are flying over your head or the building across the street is collapsing you actually get the image that captures the moment.

THAT'S WHAT THE JOB IS AFTER ALL IS SAID AND DONE! You can be a craftsman, a journeyman or a punk it's all up to YOU!

Sorry for the rant

 

[<DARK SIDE>]

I like how he said punk..hahahaha.
he is just another old lazy photog waiting to go home for the night. Am i right yes? no? yes? no?
come on now im a punk but you still lazy.
cant get the right shot when your taking your time
to get to the scene. keep your buddies dont want
you to pick me. dont want to hear your stories about how the west was won. nope! nope! nope!
and shut the f. up? not my steeeeze pops.
keep the seat warm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[<satpimp>]

Sorry Darkside... more like back in for a network shoot starting my second 12 hours today. Oh yeah and yesterday that was a 4 hour drive two and from the last shoot that another network HIRED ME to do. Catch a trend? I can go slower for you and maybe even use more pedestrian terms if it makes it easier

 

[<DARK SIDE>]

satslut, must got me confused with someone
who giva f###. go on out the door tell your
wife before you split im ready dip in them sheets
while you gone. satslut must need to be b!tch slapped with my tripod handle. because he is hallucinating. wake up pops! wake up pops!
i understand when you get old things dont click
so right in your brain. and you forget to work.
forget to work. and forget to ummm work.
i understand its part of getting old. satslut im here to give you a hug! all i ask. all i ask. is
to keep the seat warm. network just stuck with you old people because you will cry to the union if they dont call you. satslut feel free to come here buddy give me a hug.

 

[Lil' Photog]

I smell a fake post... but this is a great chance to talk about something that's been on my mind.

I'm going to take a guess and say I am probably one of the younger - if not youngest - regulars on this board.

I find this kind of discussion digusting because you are painting ages with the same brush. This stereotyping is no better than racism or sexism.

Everyone is their own person.

The chief at my last station was the oldest shooter on staff and was still out in the field everyday... and he was the best shooter of all of us. He was patient, steady, calm under pressure, and he could see things that even other experienced guys missed. POINT: You don't have to be bursting at the seams excited to be a good photographer.

I'm the youngest in my current shop by far. In the few years I've been doing this, I've watched others in the field and their raw work and saw what they did. I learned to be methodical and efficent, but I also learned where to push the envelope and try new things where appropriate. There are shooters who are older than me, yet have that go-get'em attitude that can be good at times, but can also have drawbacks. They are too busy getting the crazy angles and running around doing other stuff and they tend to miss the little details - usually emotion. POINT: Younger shooters aren't all "overachievers" and older shooters aren't all cool and calm.

I absolutely *HATE* stereotyping like this because it blends age, skill, and attitude together in unfair ways.

I believe my career has been hurt because there's a stereotype attached to young shooters. I think it's the fault of the young shooters to begin with... because they start discussions like this in the work place and on industry related publications such as this.

If you have a green punk of a shooter who thinks he/she is better than everyone else because they have so much energy - blame them - not young shooters in general.

If you have an older, more experienced shooter who doesn't carry their weight anymore - blame them - not older shooters in general.

Blame individuals, not classes.

 

[Busabomb]

While I'm not sure if I'd be conciderd a regular poster here, I definitly spend time of ever day reading and learning everything possible from these boards and I am the youngest in my shop. And i'm guessing but I doubt i'm older than Lil' Photog...but that's beside the point. I think that every thing you said in your post is right on. I have takin it upon myself to not judge anyone pre-maturely. I can't even imagine why anyone would...espically younger people judging older people who have been here...There's a guy in my shop that has been at the same station for longer than I have been alive....in fact I think there might even be two of them...and Every day I manage to learn something new from someone. Most times it tends to be those vets...

I guess I just don't like the stereotypes either that in one way or another effect how you can be treated / or how you treat others....

Just my $.02

 

[<Well......>]

I'm not exactly sure it's related to age per-se... We've got a shooter who's been there scince the palce opened (literly)... Anywho, he's about as lazy as can be, hides at the mall for most of his shift.
Well, I've run into some retirees that knew him back when he first started at the station, and they said he was slow and lazy then to. In fact, his nick name back in the old days was "Sleeping Jesus"...
So in sort, I'd say that some people are just naturaly lazy.

 

[<middle-aged photog>]

Here's an idea.....ask an older guy a question. What you see as "crusty" and "lazy" is probably just someone who doesn't get as excited as you do about the local car crash. Why? Experience acually means alot in this business. I started in a medium-sized market at the age of 21 and thought the old guys were lazy, too. But then I got to know them and appreciated their experience and what they added to the staff. The greatest thing about a photography staff is the diversity of styles and differing approaches to news. If you reach out to an older (sorry, more experienced!) photog and ask him some things, you'll be surprised what you get back.

 

[<young but goooood>]

You old guys crack me up. Look, the technology has changed. You don't have to go to engineering school to run a camera. It IS just point and shoot now.

Sure the cameras used to not be so good on automatic, but now the auto settings are so good they do the job better than most of you old farts. Why NOT use the auto settings, when they do the job just fine?

The real skill is to be able to frame up nice shots and that isn't that hard. I'm looking forward to when the full auto cameras like the PD150 are in wide spread use all over and you old lazy bastards are all out of work because you expect to get paid so much just because you once shot on beta.

 

[<Big Fish>]

Older photogs are like fish, when you get one, you are one happy camper. See, older photogs are the reason I am here. They have worked their asses off so I can work here. Now look at yourself sometime and see how much you bitch and complain. I bet just as much! Older photogs still have what it takes...until they get a stroke or something.Give them respect and they will work better for you.

 

[<DARK SIDE>]

yea the pd 150 doesnt take a old photog to take control of that thing. old guys just mad cause
you are old but damn come on come on. you dont have to be lazy. experience experience. show me experience and ill get you a lazy boy recliner.
grumpy old men page what this should be labled.
must suck being out on the scene and us young folk
doing laps round you old men.i dont need to learn a thing from you guys but which way is the break room. yep yep yep..so come one come all and wipe the dust off yalls tripod or take em out the bubble wrap. and take to the streets with pride!
going out to the scene is like going to a nursing home now days. wheel chairs to wounders for track shots..

 

[<OLD I GUESS>]

"young but good", you are obviously a complete moron. i know with jackoffs like you out there i will always get the great jobs no matter how old and feeble i get. no matter how good the technology is ,the job never has been or ever will be "point and shoot". at least when the job is done properly. i'm old and GREAT, i embrace all the new technology and use it a tool not a crutch. if you want to know who i am... i'm the old guy who has the job you want but can't get now.
i'll be the older guy getting the jobs you can't get in the future.
and when i'm ready, i'll be the really old guy who won't hire you to do any job.
still such a pity that youth is wasted on the young.

 

[Lil' Photog]

Busabomb, email me sometime and we'll chat. I always enjoy meeting someone who's in a similar position.

As for "young but good" - I smell a fake post.

 

[<DARK SIDE>]

"sniff, sniff" you go boy! tell em just cuz you
old u dun know nan nada nada naaan!
"im going to get the greeeeeaaaaat jobs"
"sniff, sniff" that was a good one!
damn right we got the youth why the big man
gona waste it on the lazy and the slow?

 

[<all talk u just a fake>]

Hey young darth,

I just have to laugh because your posts are so incredibly bad they have to be a fake. If they aren't I'll just laugh at your level of ignorance too.

I was 25 when I was already shooting docs and vid features in the #2 market. Yet I was very green and knew it. At the time my mentor was a 45 yr old net photog. Without whom, I would have learned nothing about shooting and lighting. I still call him for advice on lighting.

25 yrs later I'll compare my RECENT credits
(I mean last week's shoots, not "old days" stuff) with you anyday. Not to mention paycheck. That's if you're even real and not bulletin board bulls**t.

Go ahead, point and shoot, you'll go real far. Without maturity and experieince and the ability to keep learning from others you're a waste of untrained talent. Far from reality... you having fun with this thread? I gotta go laugh now. Your posts are just so funny.