With proms and graduation season coming to an end, wedding and outdoor events will graciously trade places with them. As a photographer, photo-journalist, hobbyist or journeyman, our creativeness will be challenged by fashion selections, crowded environment and “armatures” getting in the way can lead to a frustrating experience.
My most frustrating moment when I repeatedly requested that the attendees stay to one side of the lighting and as fate would have it, one of them knocked my strobe down. Fortunately, the umbrella absorbed the shock and took a beating.
At that moment, remaining calm and professional was no longer an option. That actually ended the session.
What did I learn from that experience? Nothing new. But, it did serve as a reminder to only take assignments where I have more control over the space that I am assigned or designated to shoot.
I have had other moments over the years, but that was the most recent and I make it a point to protect my own investment at all times. Even my time is important to me and I won’t waste it on clients that want $1,000.00 worth of photos for $100.00, no matter what the season..
Please, share your “war” stories with us.
Thank youk/d/morris
‘It’s easy to be a leader. It’s harder to be trusted.’ – k/d/morris (poet) 2011
kdmorris photography 
In my opinion Photographers (and sometimes professionals in general) aren’t respected in our community. Im not trying to stereotype but it doesn’t seem that Photography is respected much in our community. For a community that produces alot of artistic types, we have a very limited pallatte in terms of what we respect in the arts. Popular culture Singers (Gospel and Pop music) and Rappers are the only artists we tend to hold in high esteem. Its the same thing with young jazz musicians. No respect. With the technological advancement of camera phones and pocket cameras, people are even less likely to respect you.
Part of the respect issue is that people have no clue about photography and photographers in general. They think, I can do what you do with my camera, so who are you. They don’t understand that capturing the moment is not always about taking posed shots but actually “capturing the moment”. Capturing the moment of surprise, the moment of joy, the moment before people decide to take a posed shot. I had a bridesmaid yell at me for taking pictures of her when she wasn’t “ready”. I had to explain to her that that was the point. She had no idea what the word “candid” meant.