Does anyone feel discriminated against because of there age, race, or sex?

[paul_nguyen1]

Does anyone feel discriminated against because of there age, race, or sex?

 

I'm a young Vietnamese wedding photographer - 23, ( but I look more like an 18-year-old.) And I receive

my B.A. in Photojournalism and have also attend commercial photography school, during that time I

assisted several local photographers in the area and have shoot over 40 weddings with them. Now I work

for several companies -Bellapictures, Cadence Photography, bla bla bla .... And am starting to book my

own weddings but I feel that many of my clients don't trust in me when we meet in person. (This isn't the

case when they see my work online and when we talk in the phone.) I am very professional and I think my

personality is great. But I sense that my age and sometimes "concerns" people. Maybe they just don't like

my work, or my personality, or maybe I'm just being paranoid.

[steve_levine]

It gets worse at the other end. Once you hit 50, brides and employers in general start looking at you as if you were Methuselah.

 

 

If your work is good, people will over look your age at either end. In your case once you prove yourself to a few brides, word will get around.

[michelle a.]

I've never felt any discrimination because I'm a female.... but I am also caucasian, and will be 40 years old tomorrow! I started this career late in life you see....

 

Because you appear to be younger than you really are, people may at first feel hesitant..... they are probably wondering how someone who looks so young, could possibly have so much experience, but if you are as professional and good with people as you say you are, I'm sure that you will soon put their fears to rest.

[michaelging]

Happy Birthday Michelle.

[kiro]

try using humor to offset it some... understand that if you look too young to trust with such

an important day, the initial appearance could be a setback to some... so when meeting in

person, perhaps try making a joke about how young you look, but keep it mature, so that it

expresses "yeah, I know I look too young for the part, but there's nothing to worry about."

sometimes discrimination is genuine, but just as many (and hopefully more) times, it's about

visual or perceptual expectations vs. reality.

[conraderb]

Paul - interesting question. I am only 25, and when I first started some of my clients didn't trust me at first.

 

IMHO, you need to build trust with your clients by showing them an awesome portfolio, awesome references and that you are trustworthy and know what you are talking.

 

young age can be an asset - at least you aren't an 'old fart' yet.

 

As far as race, well, there are some cases when you probably don't want to have a client's business if they have problems with people who are different from them!

[scot]

Look at it this way: At least your problem is going to correct itself. For those of us on the other side of the hill, it's only going to get worse.

 

scot

[kelly_m.2]

Paul, I feel the same way because of my age. I am 22 but look 18. Im sure I will appreciate it later on but right now its hard, especially when clients ask me outright, umm How old are you??!! But before I get to that point I try and wow them with my portfolio and then sound as friendly and professional as possible on the phone. Alot of times (mainly with couples under and to mid 30s) I find it works to my advantage as I try to relate and connect with the people on a personal level. However being female helps I think to connect well with the brides especialy the younger ones. (Although I have never experiaced meeting a client as a man) so I would be interested to hear from a mans perspective if they feel differntly or have a diff. approach on meeting with brides and making them feel confortable. Especailly for the "getting ready pictures" where the bride is changing in in her skivies. As far as race goes I am from a pretty diverse city and havent come into contact with anyone who has seemed to have a race issue but I have to agree with Conrad that I wouldnt really want to deal with anyone who had those types of issues anyway.

[bdp]

Michelle, happy birthday to the 2 of us tomorrow!

 

Bob

[paul_nguyen1]

I always try to impress them with my portfolio. I would say 90% of my clients hire me

before they even meet me in person. Usually the wedding day is the first time we actually

meet because they are from out of town, and they are in for a shock because they see such a

young face. Kier - I'll definitely try to throw in a few more jokes, not a bad idea at all. And

happy birthday Michelle and Bob!!

[adw]

I was roped into shooting a wedding when I was 19, I hated it! The photos looked okay, but bossing about large numbers of middle aged French family members was not fun!

 

At 23 I find it fine, although that might just be my confidence. I don't think its really a discrimination thing, just a common sense thing - how experienced can this kid be type thinking.

[kevin cook - stratford upo]

I'm alos 'over the hill', but I think it's my thoughts rather than my clients. Once they see beyond my age they get comfortable and we get on fine. Being over 50 isn't the end of the world anymore than being too young. Experience over youthful fitness any day LOL.

 

Ooooooh was that my back going again? :-)

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste1664880652]

The couples like the fact that I'm closer to their age. The parents prefer people their own age. Luckily it's usually the bride who makes the choice but I have lost weddings due to older and greyer winning over a superior portfolio and package. You win some you lose some, market towards the people who would rather you than someone else.

 

Let me put it this way. I have a huge advantage being an Orthodox Jew in marketing to Orthodox and traditional Jews. Far more than any non Jew might have. Reason being that people are more comfortable with someone who a)knowns all the traditions/customs/ettiquete first hand b)is 'one of ours'. I don't know if the same thing applies to muslims or sikhs or African Americans or whatever though I wouldn't be surprised. On the other hand with my skullcap I don't exactly get requests to do weddings from other faiths, people don't and wouldn't think of me as catering to the wider community.

 

So I market to my little niche market where I know that I don't have to jump any hurdles to get accepted. It works for me. I have 8 weddings and 3 barmitzva's next month and event photography is my full time profession. That said I'm not suggesting that everyone has to cater for a niche market, but denying that their is a lucrative market for you to aim at due to whatever factors, it's just not good marketing. To put it into a broader perspective, if you are young don't market to people twice your age, don't market as an international photographer before you have your home town wrapped up, etc, etc.

[surfidaho]

Howdy Paul!

 

I looked at your site, and your work is very nice indeed!

 

I would take this picture out of your online portfolio however. It's just too dark overall:

 

http://web.mac.com/kqualaphoto/iWeb/Kquala%20Photo/weddings_files/

slideshow.html?slideIndex=18

 

If you project confidence, it will help you get past the age thing. Appearance has a lot to do with this. You may already be doing all of these things, but here's some suggestions:

 

- Adopt a conservative haircut.

- Dress "office casual" to meet potential clients. No jeans, sandals, t-shirts, etc.

- Smile and engage the customer with charm.

 

Later,

 

Paulsky

[elisha_c.]

I think this is an interesting post! I haven't experienced much discrimination because of my age (white, 22 year old female that looks more like 18-20), but when initially meeting clients at coffee shops, etc. I've had people leave the coffee shop because they didn't see someone that looked old enough to be their photographer. However, it doesn't seem like they're discriminating, but more that I wasn't what they expected - which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

I've found that if you are comfortable with who you are (age, race, gender, etc.) other people will be too. And if they aren't, you probably wouldn't want them as clients anyway. Sometimes being young can be an asset in photography as well because you can relate to the couples' situation in life and often have more in common because of it. My suggestion - don't worry about it and they won't.

[kchayet]

I'm 22 but most people think I am 27-28..

But yes, sometimes I don't feel I'm being taken seriously, due to my age.

But, I find that I get judged cause I'm female as well. I work at a camera store, and at least twice a week someone will come in and assume my manager is the sales-guy, and I'm just the greeter. Um.. No. It *really* bothers me.

[idobelieve]

This is a very interesting topic to me...I have been considering writing one like it myself. I am a caucasion female living in Hawaii. Not long ago I had a couple turn me down for being a haole (mainlander). Now, I am all for supporting local artists but they flat out told me that all the other "local" photographer's they had contacted were already booked except for one and they liked my work much better then hers. I portrayed to them that I am respectful of the culture here and feel honored to be able to live here and take part in it. We had a very nice long conversation and then they ended by saying thanks but we want a local. Their blatent discrimination left me fuming. I was also pretty annoyed that they had wasted a couple of hours of my time. If they didn't feel a connection with me, ok. But to tell me that they don't want me because I am haole? That's messed up. I smiled politely and showed them to the door. I am definately glad I am not working with them and hope I don't come across anyone that superficial again.

[kimberly_smith___anchorage]

Hi Paul!

 

If you think being a young photographer is bad, my husband was a doctor at the ripe old age of 22. You know, people just don't like "sonny" to tell them how they need to live their life. :-)<BR><BR>

 

Overall, I think you just might be slightly paranoid. Like others said if you're confident in your work, and how your business is run, and whatever color of skin you have, it will show.<BR><BR>

 

I have never really felt discrimated by anyone. I just have to accept that there are very closed hearted and minded people in this world. If someone says a snide comment or does something that deserves a slap, I think of all the other intelligent, kind, and honerable people I know. But again, I'm caucasian and nearing 30 (shudder).<BR><BR>

A few times when I assisted a gentleman about 15 years my senior, the guests at the ceremony assumed I was the "head" photographer and asked how my "assistant" and I started working together. The embarrasing part is that he was right next to me at the time. Thankfully, he has a great sense of humor. We had a good laugh about it later. :-)<BR><BR>

Keep up the photography work, I love the fun and movement in your pictures!<BR><BR>

 

Kimberly

[marv_stasak___southfield__]

Perhaps you might seek some help and advice in changing your appearance. Go to a very good upscale men's store that caters to a younger crowd and find a salesman that you connect with that can help you select a wardrobe that will help you look a little older The investment might be well worth it.

[frolickingbits]

I've never really thought about this much.....i'm a 23 year old white male. I sport a beard and

some wild curly hair, but dress very sharply, and present a polished portfolio, and a

completely branded business image (business cards, logo on the contract, website), so I don't

think anyone has been too put off by my age. I agree that it makes it much easier to connect

with the younger couples and wedding parties. I've shot a lot of receptions that have been

pretty much a big party, so my age is really an asset there, since I can fit in pretty well.

 

I think if you present yourself professionally, people will for the most part ignore your age,

and your race as well.

[kevin cook - stratford upo]

"We had a very nice long conversation and then they ended by saying thanks but we want a local. Their blatent discrimination left me fuming."

 

This is a criminal offence in the UK now, not that it would help.

 

I'm generally of the age of most Mums and Dads and thefore of most of the wedding family so connect very easily for formals etc. I also like to have fun and therefore soon have the younger groups moving.

 

There maybe discrimination but due to laws in the UK it can't be expressed with being charged so it isn't prevalent. I'm sure it goes on though.

[picturesque]

Kevin--I don't think it is a criminal offense in Hawaii. Even if it were, you won't get much legal support if you made anything of it. There, you have schools that only take people with Hawaiian blood, and it is legal.

 

Michelle--I would try to let go of the anger. People discriminate against others all the time, usually for no good reason--they just usually don't tell them outright that they are. Maybe the couple thought their honesty was warranted--conducting business there is slightly different. I always try to determine the intent of people's actions and only get mad if I feel the intent was deliberately negative.

 

I am discriminated against all the time for being female in a photographic world. When I go into pro camera stores, nobody waits on me or thinks I know anything about photography. When I've trained photographers, people think I'm the second photographer or assistant when the trainee is a man. And I'm sure there are prospects out there that I've talked to that didn't like my age, sex, race, or the fact that I reminded them of their evil sixth grade teacher...or any other silly reason. That's life. If you can do something about it, do it--such as dressing "older" and/or change the way you talk to and handle people. If not, move on or find your next prospect to talk to.