I don't understand the connection. What am I missing?
Well, to put it bluntly, I and (without speaking for others) possibly
some others were discussing how this guy that started the thread
treats potential customers like a horse’s a$$.
It's very easy to read the thread and what was said, by whom, from the start.
You "Suntan" are the one that made the ASSUMPTION as to how this man treats his customers. There is NOTHING in that OP that indicates exactly how he interacts with customers. His OP is about trends he is seeing.
I believe the terms
were something along the lines that they want “Screaming Monkey”
pictures, and that they are all a bunch of “Jerry Springers” and
“Rosanne Barrs.”
Go back and look, this is NOT what he said. You've twisted it from a general comment about society to a specific judgement.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1014&message=28473453
Although he doesn’t seem to get it because he just keeps talking
about how wonderful his photography is,
Really? Where in the OP does he say that? Quote it please!
like that makes up for being
an arrogant a-hole.
Apparently you are mistaken here too. I don't see enough info on this thread to determine whether he is arrogant or an "a-hole".
What I DO see is someone that prefers a certain type of client/commission, and seeks to produce a certain style / quality of image. There is nothing wrong with being selective, or working with a specific style. Doing such is the mark of experienced, professional photographers.
Which it doesn’t. Now if he is lucky, and he can
find enough other arrogant a-holes that don’t mind his attitude and
hire him anyway, he should be fine.
Huh? Are you expecting him to take any job, regardless of budget, style sought, and compatibility with client/customer? The only reason I can see that anyone would do that is because they are hungry or inexperienced - most likely both.
The relationship with a customer/client is a mutual fit, either side has the choice and option to go forward or not. Both sides have choices. That is a good, healthy way of functioning.
These kinds of threads come up a lot and it usually revolves around a
photographer that thinks he is too good for everyone around him.
"usually"?
It seems you are making some sort of assumption, or coming into this with a bias.
What
these photographers would do well to remember is that they are hired
for their expertise,
"these"?
May I suggest you treat each interaction with each person as one on one, on it's own unique merits. Generalizing all photographers into the same ID does not provide any clear meaning with which to communicate.
but they do not have cart blanch to do whatever
they want. The client is still the one calling the shots whether they
like the client’s taste or not.
Let me explain something to you. There are generally three things a couple look for
in photography services. Not all value these with the same priority.
1) Price/Value
2) Emotional comfort
3) Style/product
For some price is the only consideration. That usually means lowest price, but not always. If price is the #1 proirity overshadowing all other considerations, one often finds the budget extremely low (often below the cost of doing business), and the couple have no understanding or sensitivity about all the subtle differences in both the manner that the photographer interacts and the style of photography which he/she has developed over the years. The are buying a gallon of gas, and it's all the same to them, so why pay a higher price. This does NOT mean I have to lower myself, by treating them poorly, but I DO have the option of either educating them, or passing on the commission.
I might pass for a number of reasons:
- poor fit of my style to their needs/wants
- their budget will not cover the costs/needs of my business model
- I perceive the event/couple to be too much trouble (bridezilla/etc)
- I decided to go hiking on that Saturday
As there are 3 basic considerations and literally thousands of subtle -subjective- nuances that each couple have in their own needs and identities . The interactions can and often are much more complex than what I described above. Often the couple can be very particular about style, yet they want to pay for it as a commodity (gas). Ideally a photographer has a business model, knows what he or she can provide. Knows when to say "NO", and also knows how to interact with the couple in a way that allows them respect - regardless of whether they are creative directors at xyz ad agency, or off the farm in the midwest.
It's a mutual interaction - both the client and the photographer make choices, with a similar (often collaborative) goal in mind.
V 
