There is a very exciting new publication about to hit the market, “Female Photographer Magazine”. When I posted this on my social media sites, there were some expected comments referencing that photography should not be about gender. My answer to that is, “You are correct, it should not be about gender”, but sadly, as a professional or semi professional photographer it is. Here is why.
A study was done in 2008, five years ago; I suspect these numbers have increased.
42.8% of the industry is made up of female photographers. Professional photographers under the age of 35 are 65% female. We are the largest growing consumer audience in the photography industry. This means we are purchasing about 50% of the industries products and probably more. You know the cliché , “Women love to shop.” However, open any photography magazine, online publications, ebook store company, events venue, teaching companies, galleries and tour companies and you will find 90% of those published, teaching, speaking or leading are male. Take a moment to think about that?
Is this done deliberately? NO and yes. The industry has been male dominated for many years and the reasons are not important. Most of the industry product and service companies are male owned. Relationships have been built for many years and we all know the importance of networking. The guys get together and promote themselves, making it very difficult for a female photographer to have her work seen and her voice heard. They want to promote their buddies, friends, wife’s brother, uncle, nephew, etc. There is no preplanning to purposely shut us out here; it just is what it is. That’s the fact Jack..LOL. However, most of us that are semi- pro or professional have had experiences of deliberately being blocked out. You know, there is always those few bad apples in the barrel.
What many of us have seen in the past few years is that companies are looking for female photographers. Often there is a shout out, from the owners of male company’s, “who is the best (genra) female photographer?” If you are on social media enough, you have seen these questions appear. It is hard to know who we are, when we are invisible through the above mainstream industry venues.
This new Female Photographer Magazine is important for many different reasons.
We have different issues than men do while shooting in the field. We want to be able to address these needs, which it is difficult in the above venues. This platform will give new insights from a different perspective, which will help inspire all photographers to grow in their photography. This platform will make it easier for gallery owners, editors, event planners and educational companies to view our work professionally. This will give us a platform to make it easier for product companies to find us, support us, and sponsor us, so we can continue our work in the field. It will let product companies know what is lacking so they can address these needs and create new products for us to purchase…LOL
We also need our hero’s and mentors. Our challenges in the industry have been different than men. It will be nice for us to be able to share these challenges to help those coming behind us. Through the magazine and website, we will have a great place to hook up and collaborate on ideas and projects. I have connected with so many incredible female photographers through social media that I would never have met through the traditional mediums. I am excited to discover the talent of some of the female photographers whose work I have never seen published.
“We all see things differently and express them differently….
The road you travel is your own and your view of the world is unique because of the experiences you have had on your own journey. Your outlook on life comes from your past, your religious and cultural beliefs, what you find interesting, beautiful, and ugly in the world. The way you express your unique view through the lens makes it new and interesting.” Excerpt from Dream, Plan, Go
Seeing and hearing all things photographically from a different perspective, can only help everyone improve your “craft and vision.”* This platform has nothing to do with shutting out men, gender or race; it is a wonderful and positive addition the photographic industry. I hope you see this for the positive change we want to bring. I hope you will support and share this wonderful, exciting new publication. Embrace this; it is not about gender, it is about filling a void in a large industry.
*Craft and Vision – a David Duchemin quote and ebook store.
All of your points are excellent and common to a wide range of professions. Sometimes gender exclusion is overt but often it is hidden and not even recognized unless pointed out like you have done. Good luck to the new magazine.
Ian Bell, Australia
Good Morning Piper,
First, I was directed to your blog and website by a friend and outstanding female photographer Kathleen Clemons.
I, as a male, applaud the new magazine and I suppose i understand your feeling a need to defend its existence.
Women photographers have had a strong influence since the beginning and I certainly see where they have been neglected in the periodical, professional associations( Definitely boring boys clubs) and in the hardware end of the industry. So, as you have noted, they are a significant and soon to be dominant part of the buying part of the audience. At my age (61) I have noticed in my career that the problem with gender is not limited to exclusion by your male counterparts but that women themselves are frequently more destructively competitive with each other than the males. I sincerely hope that this publication and similar ones that may arise will encourage and inspire the growth of independence in women in photography. The alpha female is a force that is both driving and inspiring. BTW, as I mentioned, I am a recent signee to your blog and look forward to following it.
THanks for your support. To be clear, this is not my project, but one that I am helping to promote. You are correct about women being more destructive to other women and another reason it is challenging to be a female photographer, particularly in nature and wildlife. However, in the past few years I have met so many incredible female photographers and I think they will out shine the few bad apples. I hope you will enjoy the blog. I like to have discussions like this, share my photography, discuss the business of photography and encourage people to passionately take risks to follow their dreams.
Just to be clear, different Dale than the MD:-)
Only two women Photographers? I have at least a dozen books by different women Photographers!
I have the pleasure of friends as well, like Joyce Tenneson and Kathleen Clemons. Living here on the coast of Maine we have many of many genres, Cig Harvey, Allison Shaw, and far too many to list. With regard to Ms. Leibovitz, I question how much of her financial woes were from trusting “business” people.
This is a subject near and dear to my heart, Piper; What really surprised me was just how many female photographers there are in the industry. And yet sexism is alive and well. I had a friend say to me that “women are more interested in buying shoes than photo gear” last year. There’s a major camera gear supplier that won’t put female employees in management or sales positions but keeps them at the register for religious reasons, and I see ads for that store on LOTS of photography blogs. A gallery of a famous photographer displays photos by men, paintings by women, and yet they constantly get a pass from every person I’ve spoken to about this.
Even in the field, I’ve had men set up their tripods after looking at me in the face right in my frame. We are not in a post-feminist era.
I’m off to look up that magazine now. I missed it when you mentioned it the first time around.
Edie
Hi Edie
Thanks for sharing this. I can guess with company you are talking about. Share this with your friends. Exciting thing are happening and on their way!!
My first response to this editorial and the blog postings is, what about t he celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz? She is an amazingly successful female photographer who has made history in her field. I actually never gave it a thought before this editorial. I imagine that the age old conundrum of, “can women have it all?”, which we read so much about now (viz: Sheryl Sandberg) still lives. Apart from the obvious difficulties and dangers a woman faces (think Lara Logun rape in Tahrir Square), I don’t see why there should be any difference in what gender is taking the photograph. Maybe I am just naive.
Dale
When it comes the to art of photography, gender is not a factor, but this post is more about the business side of photography. If you look at it strictly from a business perspective, there is a large audience of consumers that are being ignored. They have now taken it in their own hands to fill that void.
Piper, you are spot on! Yes, Dale Davis…there is Annie Leibovitz but there are many, many talented women in the field who have not been as fortunate as Ms. Leibovitz. It’s time to bring those talented women into the forefront and hopefully, this magazine will help to do just that. I’ve been passionate about my photography all my life but went into the corporate world instead of following that passion where I faced all those obstacles that women photographers face today and most women in the corporate world are still facing hoping I could make a difference and be a mentor to other women in my field. My focus now is back to photography and I’m hoping to see more and more women photographers recognized in the mainstream.
I agree. People always reference the same one or two famous photographers. Like that’s enough. LOL
Thanks Sharon
I am so excited about this platform!! I think it will be tremendously successful. Please share it with all your friends. Go to their face book page and like it.. these will be the first numbers they have to use for marketing and advertising. It is an exciting time to be a female photographer!
http://www.facebook.com/FemalePhotographerMagazine?fref=ts
and share this post using the social media buttons at the bottom!!
I completely see the need and benefit of this magazine and I support it. I have a friend who doesn’t even know much about her own gear but is an incredible artist. It irritates me she’s that good. It’d be great if people like her had an opportunity to be heard.
I do wonder what the numbers are in regards to who is spending the money on gear, as this will greatly influence the advertising dollars required for the success of this magazine. Get those numbers, show you’re a force beyond talent, and you’ll wake up the masses. Money often wakes people up. IMO, money is always the bottom line, unless the rare photographer is famous. And people are always referencing the same one or two that are. Meanwhile, millions have cameras.
I wish everyone involved the best success has to offer. Keep in mind, this is about business. It’ll fuel the talent.
Daniel
Thank you. Those who are behind the project are coming at it exactly as that. There is a large audience of consumers that are being ignored. They have now taken it in their own hands to fill that void. That is what makes a successful business. I had wanted to do a similar project about 2 years ago, but like so many times in this journey, I have chosen to stay focused on my photography -the role of starving photographer…LOL…. As a good friend said to me. “I just want to create beautiful images, tell stories and pay my bills”
I will help all I can to promote this platform and wish them the biggest success.
This is great. I’m happy to see it and will bring this to the attn. of my niece Becky. I have taken Becky with me
enjoying photography and fly fishing since she was little
We gave her a camera as a gift when she was about 8
She has been awarded the Gold Award as editor of
her high school year book and is now a junior in college
as a mass communications major. An accomplished
photographer, she credits us in inspiration and we are
so proud if her. We helped her with her trip to Zambia
last year. This is how you do it. Foster interest and help
people realize potential. She has had excellent advisers
all through school. She has worked very hard for all of it.
Bill
That is great. Have Becky contact me at piperc55@mac.com. Have here send me a brief bio, simple, like what you just gave me. Have her send me a few images, and let me forward them to the Chief editor.
Piper,
Thank you. I have forwarded your contact information to
Becky, expect her response
soon.
Bill Martinson
I would never have guessed that women comprise such a significant percent of the field. While I have recently encountered some very good ones, the bulk of the cards in my digital Rolodex are from men. I expect that to change in the years to come and I welcome it.
Hi Bob
It is overlooked a lot until it is brought up. WHen looking through ebook sites, photography magazines, gear companies, and events its hard to mis. I have met so many incredible women photographers and a lot who are doing some incredible projects! I am grateful for the internet or I may have never known about them. Glad you welcome the change and hope you will take a peek at the magazine when it comes out!
I respect the female virtues …. and masculine attributes. I do not think that exclusive.
The first step to planning an event is determining its purpose, whether it is for a wedding, company, festival, graduation or any other event requiring extensive planning.:^
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Love this post, thank you for sharing. I am curious about that research that was conducted in 2008, where did you find this information? Thank you!