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04-08-2015, 02:55 AM   #1
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Rejected for being a Pentax

Hi guys,

Just some backstory about myself:
Been shooting for a while now and starting to do some more events. I've co-shot a couple weddings, family portraits, etc, with pretty good results.
I'm moving into event photography because I enjoy the candid shots and the party atmosphere a bit more than the stressful wedding environment.
I've never really done contracts, cancellation clauses etc, but will be going forward. Especially after today.

Story:
So, I was subcontracted by an event company and am supposed to be hired to shoot a year 12 formal (Senior prom for you Americans). Today, however, I got a call 24 hours before the event, that I was no longer needed. I asked why, and they said that firstly, they had booked on too many photographers, and secondly, when I asked why they cut me instead of someone else, they said because my gear didn't match the others. The other photographers all shoot Canon. Unfortunately I didn't have an official contract, and don't want to kick up a fuss because we've had pretty good relations in the past, so I've just got to just take it and carry on.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had a similar problem in the professional world, where you're limited by the brand name of Pentax. I love pentax cameras and wouldn't change unless something groundbreaking came out from another system, but being overshadowed by the Canikon name sucks.

tl;dr. Have you ever been "discriminated" against by having a Pentax instead of Canikon?

04-08-2015, 03:03 AM   #2
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wow... jeez. I mean... what!!!
04-08-2015, 03:09 AM   #3
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You were not limited by the brand name of Pentax, but by people's stupidity (I assume you were all shooting independently, thus no need to have "compatible" equipment).
I hope you'll get many proper customers, so events such as this would be quickly forgotten. Good luck!
04-08-2015, 03:12 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpho Quote
Hi guys,

Just some backstory about myself:
Been shooting for a while now and starting to do some more events. I've co-shot a couple weddings, family portraits, etc, with pretty good results.
I'm moving into event photography because I enjoy the candid shots and the party atmosphere a bit more than the stressful wedding environment.
I've never really done contracts, cancellation clauses etc, but will be going forward. Especially after today.

Story:
So, I was subcontracted by an event company and am supposed to be hired to shoot a year 12 formal (Senior prom for you Americans). Today, however, I got a call 24 hours before the event, that I was no longer needed. I asked why, and they said that firstly, they had booked on too many photographers, and secondly, when I asked why they cut me instead of someone else, they said because my gear didn't match the others. The other photographers all shoot Canon. Unfortunately I didn't have an official contract, and don't want to kick up a fuss because we've had pretty good relations in the past, so I've just got to just take it and carry on.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had a similar problem in the professional world, where you're limited by the brand name of Pentax. I love pentax cameras and wouldn't change unless something groundbreaking came out from another system, but being overshadowed by the Canikon name sucks.

tl;dr. Have you ever been "discriminated" against by having a Pentax instead of Canikon?
Sometimes you just have to accept nonsense as a personal issue, and leave it at that.

04-08-2015, 03:13 AM   #5
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I'm always told I should move to Nikon...I'm just a hobbyist who would do a shooting or two...not a semi-pro but..I know what it feels like..when people think you don't have a SLR..they have thought I have a M4/3 camera..
EDIT: I head that a small camera and a small lens can't be good.
04-08-2015, 03:18 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kunzite Quote
You were not limited by the brand name of Pentax, but by people's stupidity (I assume you were all shooting independently, thus no need to have "compatible" equipment).
I hope you'll get many proper customers, so events such as this would be quickly forgotten. Good luck!
Yeah, we're all independently shooting, but they have some equipment you can borrow if you need - of course, those are in Canon mount.

QuoteOriginally posted by JohnBee Quote
Sometimes you just have to accept nonsense as a personal issue, and leave it at that.
That's true. I guess when they need a reason to cut, any will do.
04-08-2015, 03:55 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpho Quote
....... when I asked why they cut me instead of someone else, they said because my gear didn't match the others. The other photographers all shoot Canon. Unfortunately I didn't have an official contract, and don't want to kick up a fuss because we've had pretty good relations in the past, so I've just got to just take it and carry on.
I would not take this too personally, even via Pentax. Could it be that he reasons are likely to be practical? Maybe they want to be sure they could ask you to shoot with a specific lens or interchange cameras with one of theirs on occasion or they want the PP photos to all have the same 'look' etc. There are many mundane yet professional reasons to make a decision like that. Especially when there is a need to 'cut' someone, these reason will take a bigger share in the decision.

Just another take...

04-08-2015, 04:06 AM   #8
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I have this problem, being banned for not shooting with Canon/Nikion, but it's like being banned for shooting Leica. It's just hilarious, because camera brands do not make the good composition/lighting for you. That being said, you can still buy yourself a Canon 24-105 coffee mug and say that you have a canon gear.
04-08-2015, 05:28 AM   #9
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Would you have been the one processing the images?
Another factor that might have played into it could have been the post processing workflow. Pentax colours are different to those of the cannon sensors. Additional work on the editing side of things might be involved. I dont know, I am clutching at straws here
04-08-2015, 05:34 AM   #10
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Perhaps they are frightened that your higher quality images will show up the others....

Either that or some people are just tossers.
04-08-2015, 05:43 AM   #11
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Doesn't sound like a very professional rig. The only practical argument is for tethering, that they want the pictures to be put up on a screen at the event for all to see. That's cute but it also means that speed has been placed far ahead of quality; camera JPEGs are ok but never compete with properly processed RAW.

I'm guessing one of the photographers complained because he doesn't know how anything but his own gear works and some management-type believed it because she doesn't know anything either.

---------- Post added 04-08-15 at 06:48 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Chaos_Realm Quote
Pentax colours are different to those of the cannon sensors. Additional work on the editing side of things might be involved.
The colors and look of every lens is different. Unless everyone in the shoot is going to use the exact same lens, this doesn't work either. Oh, then they all need to stand in the exact same spot and hold the camera at the same angle too. Light changes when you move by 1 or 2 steps.

I'm guessing someone doesn't know what DNG is and thinks they can't open Pentax proprietary format. Ah yes, the wonders of the Canon world...people think the Canon way of doing things is how everything is. Turns out other manufacturers have more and better features. Just wait until you have your first argument with someone that crop lenses are no good because they can't be mounted on FF cameras. Convincing that guy that Canon is the only one who does that is impossible, let me tell you--he thinks everyone does it that way because Canon does it that way.
04-08-2015, 05:57 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpho Quote
Hi guys,

Just some backstory about myself:
Been shooting for a while now and starting to do some more events. I've co-shot a couple weddings, family portraits, etc, with pretty good results.
I'm moving into event photography because I enjoy the candid shots and the party atmosphere a bit more than the stressful wedding environment.
I've never really done contracts, cancellation clauses etc, but will be going forward. Especially after today.

Story:
So, I was subcontracted by an event company and am supposed to be hired to shoot a year 12 formal (Senior prom for you Americans). Today, however, I got a call 24 hours before the event, that I was no longer needed. I asked why, and they said that firstly, they had booked on too many photographers, and secondly, when I asked why they cut me instead of someone else, they said because my gear didn't match the others. The other photographers all shoot Canon. Unfortunately I didn't have an official contract, and don't want to kick up a fuss because we've had pretty good relations in the past, so I've just got to just take it and carry on.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had a similar problem in the professional world, where you're limited by the brand name of Pentax. I love pentax cameras and wouldn't change unless something groundbreaking came out from another system, but being overshadowed by the Canikon name sucks.

tl;dr. Have you ever been "discriminated" against by having a Pentax instead of Canikon?

Wonder if you had a 645Z and told them that Canon doesn't have a medium format camera. Oh well, blind ignorance.
04-08-2015, 06:01 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Chaos_Realm Quote
Would you have been the one processing the images?
Yeah, it would've been me. strangely, they prefer we edit our own photos - which is completely fine by me.

QuoteOriginally posted by Sandy Hancock Quote
Perhaps they are frightened that your higher quality images will show up the others....
Thanks Sandy - made my day. I hope its this one, but have a slight suspicion it might be the latter...

QuoteOriginally posted by MadMathMind Quote
The only practical argument is for tethering
Actually, they were tethering via wifi, so got nothing on me there.
04-08-2015, 06:13 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpho Quote
Have you ever been "discriminated" against by having a Pentax instead of Canikon?


Not to my knowledge. Its extremely rare for anyone to ask what I use and since I shoot multiple systems I rarely tell them what I use. I hand people my portfolio, not my equipment list. Is this one of the big companies where you fill out your information on-line and they call you if they need you?


I would recommend staying away from the big event companies unless you're just starting out and really need the experience or want to network with other photographers who are shooting the event.
04-08-2015, 07:07 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpho Quote
Hi guys,

Just some backstory about myself:
Been shooting for a while now and starting to do some more events. I've co-shot a couple weddings, family portraits, etc, with pretty good results.
I'm moving into event photography because I enjoy the candid shots and the party atmosphere a bit more than the stressful wedding environment.
I've never really done contracts, cancellation clauses etc, but will be going forward. Especially after today.

Story:
So, I was subcontracted by an event company and am supposed to be hired to shoot a year 12 formal (Senior prom for you Americans). Today, however, I got a call 24 hours before the event, that I was no longer needed. I asked why, and they said that firstly, they had booked on too many photographers, and secondly, when I asked why they cut me instead of someone else, they said because my gear didn't match the others. The other photographers all shoot Canon. Unfortunately I didn't have an official contract, and don't want to kick up a fuss because we've had pretty good relations in the past, so I've just got to just take it and carry on.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had a similar problem in the professional world, where you're limited by the brand name of Pentax. I love pentax cameras and wouldn't change unless something groundbreaking came out from another system, but being overshadowed by the Canikon name sucks.

tl;dr. Have you ever been "discriminated" against by having a Pentax instead of Canikon?
In my wedding photography days (more than 8 years ago) I shot Canons and I required my second camera to be a Canon. I did all the post processing so I wanted a consistent look. Today, I am all Pentax and do not do wedding anymore. My images are better than ever and I don't care if someone does not like what I shoot with.

If you shoot independently and do all your own post processing and give them processed JPEGs or tiffs I don't see why they should care. Unless your stuff looks better than the rest of the other guys which might be the problem!!!
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