Brooks Alberta Photographer – Encounter with a 'Bigshot'

As many of you know, I shoot a lot of nightclub photography. I love it – the challenge to create cool and unique images in a difficult lighting situation, the chance to socialize with patrons and some of my own business clients – its tons of fun. Plus, with the local economy the way it is, this niche market has carried me through some trying months. The winter stretch is traditionally challenging in the professional photography world, and our area is heavily reliant on the oil and gas industry. With the downturn in that industry, people are cutting back on spending on what they deem to be luxury items.

Recently, I was shooting an event for a client in a nightclub. It was a typical evening, highlighted by an injection of patrons from the nearby Ladies Night Out event. These ladies were easy to pick from the crowd, with some very unique dresses and accessories. Needless to say, they made for some very cool models!

At one point, I started chatting up a group of ladies and asked if they would mind being photographed. One lady in the group had a look of disgust, replying in a very snobbish tone, “I’m a PHOTOGRAPHER!” Her insinuation was that nightclub photography takes little to zero skill, and anyone shooting in that genre was somehow beneath her.

Wow. Alright, then.

I carried on with the rest of the evening, garnering images for my client (who is one of my best regulars, I might add). But the words from that lady stuck with me for some reason. I quickly realized, “who cares what she thinks,” reminded of the quote, “if someone is trying to bring you down, it means they think they are below you.”

Yes, it’s a competitive business out there, but there’s work for everyone. I love working with fellow artists in collaboration – it’s a chance to talk shop, discuss different styles, or just hang out. I doubt the person I encountered would be so open, or even realize the benefits of collaboration. In the few brief minutes of our interaction, it appeared as though she could benefit from some mentoring – especially in the field of customer service and communication skills.

Oh well. Can’t please them all.

For those of you that we can please, feel free to contact RyKie Images & Events any time to book your next session, to schedule a mentoring session, or to just say hello!