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Are photographers "in the wild" such a rare sight in the States?

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aerts1js

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Has anyone living in the States noticed the complete lack of photographers in "the wild" these days ? Outside of the couple of major cities (NYC, Chicago) I rarely, if ever, see another photographer taking photos out and about.

I actually feel like people are staring at me while I'm taking photos in the smaller areas around Pittsburgh. It's not like I have a giant system (A7RII 35mm). I think it's just that it's such an uncommon sight.

Before I get the snarky responses like "they all use cellphones!" I wanted to make a comparison to other places that I have lived.

I lived in South Korea for four years (arrived back to the states a couple of years ago) and during my time there I would often take photos around the countryside and it would be very common to see other photographers taking photos. I have also spent time in other countries (China, Russia, India, Romania) and it would also be pretty common to see photographers there as well. I don't feel like it's simply due to me visiting touristy sites either as I've been to a lot of really random locations.

Not sure if there is an overall point to this thread. I guess I was just wondering if anyone else out there has noticed the same observation as myself?

--
Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
 
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I am in Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe AZ in the US and it is common to see folks with cameras around town. Then again this is a pretty touristy place this time of year. There are also quite a few camera clubs and 'Meet-Up' groups.
 
aerts1js said:
Has anyone living in the States noticed the complete lack of photographers in "the wild" these days ? Outside of the couple of major cities (NYC, Chicago) I rarely, if ever, see another photographer taking photos out and about.

I actually feel like people are staring at me while I'm taking photos in the smaller areas around Pittsburgh. It's not like I have a giant system (A7RII 35mm). I think it's just that it's such an uncommon sight.

Before I get the snarky responses like "they all use cellphones!" I wanted to make a comparison to other places that I have lived.

I lived in South Korea for four years (arrived back to the states a couple of years ago) and during my time there I would often take photos around the countryside and it would be very common to see other photographers taking photos. I have also spent time in other countries (China, Russia, India, Romania) and it would also be pretty common to see photographers there as well. I don't feel like it's simply due to me visiting touristy sites either as I've been to a lot of really random locations.

Not sure if there is an overall point to this thread. I guess I was just wondering if anyone else out there has noticed the same observation as myself?
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In rural areas I don't see many, if any at all, except for in State Parks. In the city, it can be difficult to manage a photo w/o a photographer or few in view.
 
aerts1js said:
Has anyone living in the States noticed the complete lack of photographers in "the wild" these days ? Outside of the couple of major cities (NYC, Chicago) I rarely, if ever, see another photographer taking photos out and about.

I actually feel like people are staring at me while I'm taking photos in the smaller areas around Pittsburgh.
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I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "the wild" or "smaller areas around Pittsburgh," but if you mean taking pictures in suburban neighborhoods or random areas between towns, then no, I don't see anyone taking pictures either. Depending on where you're at, people staring might find your behavior intrusive or just plain silly. There are places and events most people associate with picture taking, such as family picnics, graduation day, opening Christmas presents, scenic views, zoos, parades, boat shows, commercial roadside attractions, maybe the campground you stayed at on vacation, a child's sporting event, and so on. Without some such clear reason for getting out the camera, photography can seem a strange and rather suspicious activity.
 
Only to the excessively paranoid.
 
I live about 40 miles NW of Pittsburgh and have seen plenty of folks out taking photos when I go to places and events that seem worth photographing. I also see a fair amount when I go into Pittsburgh as well, so in my experience I'm not seeing what you are.
 
People with honkin' big cameras are less common around here than a couple of years back, and people with point-and-shoots have become pretty rare. On the other hand, I see more people making pictures than ever - it's just that most are using smart phones.

How many of these people could be called "photographers" is anybody's guess - regardless of the choice of instrument. I know people making interesting and compelling photos with cell phones, and I know people cranking out garbage with high-dollar DSLRs.

Gato
 
Chikubi said:
I live about 40 miles NW of Pittsburgh and have seen plenty of folks out taking photos when I go to places and events that seem worth photographing. I also see a fair amount when I go into Pittsburgh as well, so in my experience I'm not seeing what you are.

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Well, yes, "events" always have photographers. I'm just talking about some guy walking around the city taking street shots. Outside of Mt. Washington, it's uncommon to see a photographer in this region taking random shots compared to other places I've been to. It sort of surprises me because Pittsburgh, as a whole, is pretty scenic.

--
Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
 
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as opposed to snapping with a cellphone. I live in Baltimore, MD, USA, and work in Washington DC, right on the mall. I see almost no one doing photography in Baltimore , unless they are associated with MICA, but interestingly I see fewer people taking photos in DC now. It used to be just about everyone had a camera around their necks, and tons of tourists photographing. Much less now. Of course there are the selfies, but even in these cases it seems like the takers understand that these are throw-away shots.

Furthermore, I was on 2 trips out of the country this year: Ecuador and the Galapagos and Japan---that camera mad country. In these places also I saw few serious photographers making images. Often I was the only one. That really surprised me. So, based on this anecdotal evidence, I think the camera market generally has reached its high water mark and is now receding. From now on it will be the enthusiasts, serious hobbyists, the few artists, (not the commercial pros...) who keep it alive. Obviously, just my opinion. But thinking back a bit to recent trips to Turkey and the Netherlands, I do think a corner has been turned. Pity---just when the gear has gotten fantastic....
 
It does indeed feel like a corner has been turned. Maybe that's the point I was going for. It's weird to be part of a dying hobby, not that it's going to stop me from doing what I love to do but it's weird nonetheless. Maybe not "dying," but it's certainly in reduction by a very large margin.

I remember when I was a teenager it would be extremely common to see people with DSLR cameras. I never really felt like the odd person taking photos out and about. Now I do. I don't exactly care but it's an interesting/bittersweet observation.


Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
 
aerts1js said:
It does indeed feel like a corner has been turned. Maybe that's the point I was going for. It's weird to be part of a dying hobby, not that it's going to stop me from doing what I love to do but it's weird nonetheless. Maybe not "dying," but it's certainly in reduction by a very large margin.

I remember when I was a teenager it would be extremely common to see people with DSLR cameras. I never really felt like the odd person taking photos out and about. Now I do. I don't exactly care but it's an interesting/bittersweet observation.

Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
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Jeremy - you say you were a teenager and remember seeing people walk around with DSLRs. So, you must be pretty young.

There was a really steep curve of digitial photography growth in the last 12 years. It reached it's peak about 4 years ago and has been going down. A digital camera was a novelty. Lots of people started to use one - people that didn't use film cameras. Those people are realizing that they don't care about printed images even in the digital age. It's not like 25 years ago you would see throngs of people walking around taking pictures with film cameras. I think in the West, things are just returning more to the old standard - the type of photography you're talking about is reserved for the hobbyist - not the facebook posting crowd.

That facebook crowd is still taking pictures with their cellphones in the places where people take snapshots. But that crowd no longer wants to be encumbered by carrying around a digital camera. Their tablet sized cell-phone takes up enough space. And gets the snaps they need to post on social media. In the end they've realized they never enjoyed the hobby of photography and the types of photos you mention never turn out well anyway.
 
MinAZ said:
aerts1js said:
Has anyone living in the States noticed the complete lack of photographers in "the wild" these days ? Outside of the couple of major cities (NYC, Chicago) I rarely, if ever, see another photographer taking photos out and about.

I actually feel like people are staring at me while I'm taking photos in the smaller areas around Pittsburgh. It's not like I have a giant system (A7RII 35mm). I think it's just that it's such an uncommon sight.

Before I get the snarky responses like "they all use cellphones!" I wanted to make a comparison to other places that I have lived.

I lived in South Korea for four years (arrived back to the states a couple of years ago) and during my time there I would often take photos around the countryside and it would be very common to see other photographers taking photos. I have also spent time in other countries (China, Russia, India, Romania) and it would also be pretty common to see photographers there as well. I don't feel like it's simply due to me visiting touristy sites either as I've been to a lot of really random locations.

Not sure if there is an overall point to this thread. I guess I was just wondering if anyone else out there has noticed the same observation as myself?
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I wasn't speaking so much about availability but whether it's actually common to see people using these cameras out and about. From my experience it's becoming increasingly rare to see that. As a person that loves photography I find it bittersweet, in a way.

Oh, and to the poster above. Yes, I'm relatively young (31)
 
aerts1js said:
I wasn't speaking so much about availability but whether it's actually common to see people using these cameras out and about. From my experience it's becoming increasingly rare to see that. As a person that loves photography I find it bittersweet, in a way.

Oh, and to the poster above. Yes, I'm relatively young (31)
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Mark B. said:
aerts1js said:
I wasn't speaking so much about availability but whether it's actually common to see people using these cameras out and about. From my experience it's becoming increasingly rare to see that. As a person that loves photography I find it bittersweet, in a way.

Oh, and to the poster above. Yes, I'm relatively young (31)

--
Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
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I'm still lost on the point about where the cameras are made.

I can't say I've seen a lack of people out shooting, unless we're talking about places where you wouldn't normally see people carrying big cameras like grocery stores or shopping malls.
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? I never raised the point (or mentioned) where cameras are manufactured. Where do you live that you commonly see photographers?

--
Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
 
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aerts1js said:
Mark B. said:
aerts1js said:
I wasn't speaking so much about availability but whether it's actually common to see people using these cameras out and about. From my experience it's becoming increasingly rare to see that. As a person that loves photography I find it bittersweet, in a way.

Oh, and to the poster above. Yes, I'm relatively young (31)

--
Jeremy Aerts
www.jeremyaerts.com
Click to expand...
I'm still lost on the point about where the cameras are made.

I can't say I've seen a lack of people out shooting, unless we're talking about places where you wouldn't normally see people carrying big cameras like grocery stores or shopping malls.
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? I never raised the point (or mentioned) where cameras are manufactured. Where do you live that you commonly see photographers?

--
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Please go back to the first reply I responded to. MinAZ made a comment about looking where cameras are made, and then you responded to my comment.

I'm guessing you view the forums in Threaded View, which makes it difficult to see at a quick glance who is responding to whom, although I did quote the text that I was responding to in the first place.
 
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Well, you weren't with me along the New Mexico/Colorado border this autumn. Every time I stopped to take a photo, I would attract a small crowd.
 
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