Save the Photographer Campaign

Bit early for April 1st isn't it? They aren't seriously suggesting people would go to a pro instead of sticking a couple of quid into a photo booth?!
 
They're logic assumes people want to pay £20 for their driving license photo. Jog on.
 
I recently renewed my drivers licence, had the option to do it online or go to the post office, take my own photo or let the post office do it, i went online, and was surprised to see they used my passport photo! Bargain. Was done in ten minutes came in the post in three days and was much less hassle, who gets their passport/drivers licence photo done in professional studios!
 
How vain would you have to be to book a photographer for ID photos?

Mine were done in a booth at Tesco well before this legislation came in.
 
I see that the EDM calls for the installation of scanners in post offices. I do hope that these will carry a notice pointing out the laws on copyright theft. Or will photographers shooting for passport, ID, driving licences, and so forth, be asked to give up their copyright? Or will the punter have to state how many copies they intend to make, and pay a royalty?

Still, these are members of parliament. So they're certain to have though this through. :thinking:
 
Simon photo said:
I recently renewed my drivers licence, had the option to do it online or go to the post office, take my own photo or let the post office do it, i went online, and was surprised to see they used my passport photo! Bargain. Was done in ten minutes came in the post in three days and was much less hassle, who gets their passport/drivers licence photo done in professional studios!
Click to expand...

I spent a while trying to get my wife to photograph me whilst trying to hold out of site a white sheet over a cupboard to act as background. Took a while...

Then went online and yep, they used my passport photo as well, much more efficient but doh!
 
I hate photo booths. I have a huge head and very tall so adjusting chair and making sure my ugly mug is in frame is...awkward, lol.

Personal photographer may be a bit costly, but the results are pretty much guaranteed.

The campaign on that website is embarrassing though.
 
I can't believe I'm reading this, how many jobs throughout the world have been lost due to modernisation?
Do you honestly think anyone is going to give a flying fig about a few photographers taking passport pics?
And whilst their at it (The PMA) why don't they ban digital photography then all those lab technicians can get their jobs back and all the film companies back in business.

FFS :bang::bang::bang::bang:
 
Luddites - destroy your computers, you are taking away the jobs of artists, shopkeepers, teachers.:D
burn your car , you are taking away the jobs of bus drivers.
 
Luddites indeed.

We all demand "more" and so basic economics tells us that this is only possible if items cost less.

I doubt if these same photographers would pay more for a UK hand built car or the real price of UK grown food...

We are all hypocrits to be honest and before starting down a road of selfish self interest, try applying the same logic to other aspects of your consumer life.
 
jpwild said:
I hate photo booths. I have a huge head and very tall so adjusting chair and making sure my ugly mug is in frame is...awkward, lol.

Personal photographer may be a bit costly, but the results are pretty much guaranteed.

The campaign on that website is embarrassing though.
Click to expand...

when you say results, What exactly do you mean? The pro photographer can't manipulate your head into a shape its not, cannot add or subtract from your appearance and cannot use artistic lighting methods to create any illusion that would enhance your features. The images have to be standard, evenly lit head shots.
Now! If protogs start charging the same or thereabouts as a photo booth then yeah, i would happily spend my money with the said independent. And don't give me the old, they have to cover overheads! If they are worth their salt then they shouldn't be relying on things like passport photos to pay the bills.
 
The photo booth ones they are using now are quite sophisticated. It adjusts itself to your height without you having to do a thing...
 
I took my own passport photo (well, the lady did :))
I also took hers, we then got 5 printed on a 4x6 print each, costing about 25pence (asda probably)
Was a bargain, bit of hassle, but an amusing process.
I dont like photobooths because they cost a lot for what it does.
(photos we took got accepted too, it was like a challenge)
 
It'll have a big effect on high street minilabs - we have a shop in a village of 2,500 and we'd take in around £2,500 a year on passport sized photos - which are needed for driving licences, gun licences (our biggest single market - being in the country and they need 2 sets every 5 years).... some weeks we'll do none - and others could be a couple of dozen... Now, some minilabs in cities at the right locations often have a member of staff almost full time taking passport photos....

You might find you'll start to loose your local minilabs as these are a vital part of their product mix....
 
MARK AMIES said:
No it is not. Why do you think it is?
Click to expand...

I think the answer you are looking for has been described multiple times so far in this thread... but by all means, seek further clarification if you like :thumbs:
 
To get this straight, I put this story up , because I do give a damn about the photographic industry, of which I have been a part of for over fifteen years. Before I worked in photographic supply , I worked at photographic agencies. It has feed and watered me.

The industry is getting a pretty good kicking right now, and this story is just another example.

This is not just photobooths, owned by faceless corporations, this is high street minilabs, photo retail store, pharmacists, and many more who are finding tough enough out on the street right now. If you consider for one second that the Post Office could end up having a virtual monopoly on passports and id photos, and that the UK Governemt is very keen to have the Post Office sold off then you might look at it differently.

I consider photography to be a family of many parts, maybe some of you guys feel differently, I really don't know.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
:thinking:

Ok....


well, it smacks of "please don't move with the times and leave us behind"
Click to expand...

Out of interest, is photography spomething you rely on for a living?

Yes , I know the idea of moving with the times, but you may want to consider that the cost of putting this gear into Post Offices is fgoing to come out of taxpayers pockets. Remember those images of RAF Nimrods being broken up?
 
Last edited:
MARK AMIES said:
Out of interest, is photography spomething you rely on for a living?

Yes , I know the idea of moving with the times, but you may want to consider that the cost of putting this gear into Post Offices is fgoing to come out of taxpayers pockets. Remember those images of RAF Nimrods being broken up?
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter one iota whether I rely solely or in part on photography for a living, the simple fact is things move on. From a consumer point of view placing booths in post offices to supply passport photos etc sounds like a great idea and would no doubt provide an extra revenue stream to that (very) hard pressed sector of the economy.
 
That sector being a state supported business that is losing money year after year , that has a very poor record with it's staff, that has problems actually delivering , and that within a few years will no doubt be sold off to a foreign company?
 
Equally though, if the Post Office doesnt find a way to remain relevant in the 21st century, it will cease to exist, costing tens of thousands of jobs and leaving some of the most vulnerable in society with no access to a wealth of government services.

The trifling figures on that website would be dwarfed by such a move.

Do you know any Post Office workers? Do you know any elderely or disabled people who rely on Post Offices?

I'm not saying that any effeciency drive doesn't contain tales of individual hardship, but we are talking about part of a plan to maintain a public service relevant for the 21st century.
 
Not the right section for this post by the looks of it , or indeed the right forum.

My mistake, sorry guys.
 
I cannot believe the replies....

As someone who has been in the industry for over 30 years let me point out a few things...

As I said earlier many camera shops/minilabs rely on sales from passport photos - and this would, in some shops cover more than one employees... for my own it accounts for the electric bill...

Now I can tell you many of the people who come to me have been in a photobooth - and perhaps tried a few times. They show me photos of 2 week old babies which, in all fairness would be better scanned in a photocopier.

Someone working a passport camera has a brain - and a sense of timing.

Now, if all of a sudden you HAVE to go to a main passport office (which in parts of Wales and Scotland could be well over an hours journey by car or twice that by bus) its very inconvenient to many people who can have a photo taken locally (sometimes I ever go to folks homes) and post it in.

And to those of you caught in long queues in post offices waiting for ages - how long will this take? If you have to go in person, and you work will you want to give up a Saturday morning to queue in a Post Office? What about the kids - you'll have to take them in too!

And since there is no choice, will Post office employees care what you look like? Chatting at my local Post Office they said the machine will be at the counter with a background hanging out behind you - how will they photograph young children, let alone babies or people in wheelchairs?

I spoke to the person who had the "Snappy Snaps" franchise in Leeds, which is now closed - due to increases in the rent and rates, How many more empty shops do you want on the high street..... ??

The website does leave a lot to be desired - and yet again the failing of some designer not thinking about content - but the message is a sound one...
 
Last edited:
I'm sure, had the internet been invented, there would be similar posts from blacksmiths when the automobile started to gain popularity.....
 
But they aren't OUTLAWING other forms of photos - thats the crux here, they are offering a service which consumers have the ability to choose.

Had they said its this choice or nothing, then maybe I can see an argument.

For all your criticism there David you have presumably already decided that the bulk of the customers will be happy with the Post Office service - or at least quite frankly not care, so your arguments about rubbish quality are already over no?

Now, quite what happens then to the remainder either not happy or not able to use the Post Office is a different question. In a shrinking market it rarely sees an entire type of business vanish, it just lowers the number of players.

There are still blacksmiths out there, you just don't have one on every street corner.
 
My son is currently working and living in China, he recently had to renew his photo card driving license so he took his own photo, emailed it to me, I re-sized it and I stuck it on the form and sent it off for him, job's a good un.
 
Just for a bit of perspective, as a post office customer I used their fully inclusive service when it came to renewing my photocard licence.

Very quick, very efficient and I didn't even have to fill in any forms, it was a superb service IMO. All done in one hit, and only took about 5 minutes. New licence arrived in two days.

I've never considered going to a pro photographer to get a passport photo done.

Interestingly, the kit in the photobooth was a canon xxxd and the kit lens!
 
Last edited:
Didn't mean to offend, but surely of you need passport photos you put a few quid in a machine in boots or something?

Going to a professional? For passport photos? Really?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top