You may have seen pictures of Jenni Kayne in a variety of publications and on the web, all with the caption “Is Jenni Kayne a crook?”. You may be thinking to yourself, “Well, actually no… I think she’s actually a very kind, sweet and beautiful person”. The truth of the matter is that Ms. Kayne is definitely a crook. And you might have a problem with Jenni Kayne. Here are a few reasons why.
Photographer
First of all, if you take photos as a hobby then maybe you consider your photos to be art. But if you are a professional photographer then you consider them to be business. You would not take photos of your little nephew blowing bubbles. Why would you want to submit pictures to someone else’s website for free? The photographer never offers free photos, period!
Professional
Second of all, if you want to be taken seriously as a photographer then you need to think beyond just snapping photos. You need to participate in photo shoots. This not only allows you to establish yourself as a professional, but it also demonstrates to your clients that you can do more than just snap photos. It shows that you are interested in working with other people as well.
Third of all, if you want to sell your photography then you need to participate in photo shoots. Not just anyone will do. You will need to have a portfolio that shows your work to be worthy of serious consideration. If your portfolio doesn’t impress them, they won’t buy from you. So what does that say about your work as a photographer? Are you ethical then?
Work Ethic
When a client sees that you have a portfolio to go along with the photos that you’ve submitted for review, they will realize that you have a work ethic that is worth buying from. There are a lot of photographers out there who are only in it for the money and haven’t really put any effort into their photography. But then there are others who really do have talent. They just need a platform to show that talent to the world.
Customers
What I mean by platform is not the money, per se. I’m talking about how you promote yourself and your work. You can promote yourself and your photos all you want but if you’re not participating in photo swaps and contests then you’re not giving your customers the value that they should get from you.
Fancy Cover
So then, how can you really say that you’re participating in ethical practices? Well, first of all, as a photographer, you need to understand that every picture that you take is the product of the labor that you’ve put into it. You might think that this sounds mean, and that’s completely understandable. However, you can’t just point at any old photo, frame it in whatever means you like, slap on a fancy cover, and sell your wares unless that photo is actually worth something to you.
Final Word:
Now then, once you realize that you’re ultimately responsible for the photos that you take and the money that you make with them, everything starts to become a bit clearer. What’s more important than anything is making sure that the photos that you’re presenting are actually worth spending money on. The best photographers out there aren’t doing it because they think it looks good – they do it because it represents something real and valuable to them. Is Jenni Kayne ethical? Well, maybe not… but she’s more than just a photographer, she’s an artist, and her photography business has room for creativity.
