Dec 22, 2012

What Instagram and SmugMug don't get about "pro" photography - and GoPro does

It is ironic to see two businesses built on photography, demonstrating such a lack of understanding of what the democratization of photography means:  Everyone is a "Pro" photographer.  Doesn't matter if they are not. They THINK they are and that is enough.  Smart businesses like GoPro get it and capitalize on it.  SmugMug and Instagram are still struggling with it.

Back in August, photo-hosting ecommerce site SmugMug pulled off a Netflix in its unilateral price increase, as high as 60% while taking away the ability to sell photos online for the "non-Pros".  

In its explanation, SmugMug's CEO cited rising storage costs (which did not make sense as storage costs for everything are declining, not increasing).  More importantly, he cited "Pros" using more storage.  There were some snobbish "Pros" who jumped to SmugMug's defence saying any "Pro" who makes a living by selling photography would not mind paying $100 extra to do so. 

The problem is that everyone thinks they are a pro!  Not just those who carry 3 cameras to a wedding photography shoot to pay their rent.  Every consumer is a prosumer, every prosumer is a pro.  It doesn't matter if the snobs don't think so and if the "real" pros don't agree.  Every consumer sees themselves as a pro, their photography as art, their Friday night drunk shots in a cheap club as images worthy of celebrity worship in People magazine... and so on.  

Are you with me Instagram?  You are not stealing these drunk fools' photos.  Your privacy policy changes were perceived as stealing these pros' art!  You are not doing ad sales.  You are involved in an art museum heist!  Fire that dinosaur executive from the 1980s who just wants to "monetize" everything.  Connect to your customers over social media networks -- like yourself -- to understand what they want. 

Eventually there was an exodus of customers.  SmugMug reacted in November and gave back the "non-pros" the option to sell photos. And Instagram reversed its policy changes. 

Welcome to the democratization of "pro" photography.  The memo was sent 10 years ago. 



 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting and perceptive thoughts. Thanks.

Ang D.

ideas@corporatesoothsayer dot com said...

Thanks Ang!