As visual medium, photography relies heavily on the user experience. As a business, photography relies a lot on your client’s user experience. In both cases the outcome is the same, it’s all about the human experience.
You can’t get away from it, photographers are visual people. It’s how we communicate and interact with the world. The devices we use are always judged on their interface. Visual artists are drawn into how a product feels and reacts to our touch, whether that’s a paint brush or a shutter release.
Technically cameras are simply tools of the trade. However cameras create a feeling of creativity, reliability, and familiarity, that reflects in the images produced. A poor user experience means you fight to create images, instead of the camera getting out of the way.
It’s not merely the handling of the camera, how it fits your hand and the environment you work in. With digital photography the software driving the camera, and more importantly the graphical user interface, defines each brand.
Computer software is all about the user interface. It’s no coincidence that software with the best user interface is often those made for creatives.
As a working professional I’ve been fortunate to be invited to consult with major brands in developing cameras systems and software. Working alongside product managers and engineers I’m flattered to see my feedback in the finished products. When providing feedback I’m asked to provide scenarios of how this will benefit the user. They really do listen, are just as passionate about the craft of photography, and how their products affect working professionals.
Camera and software vendors know that when a professional photographer learns a specific brand, they typically stick to it for the rest of their career. Vendors will try to get colleges to use their products to teach students, offering substantial discounts, or sometimes for free.
A client’s user experience is equally important, but not mentioned during formal study. Through assisting professional photographers you learn what clients expect. By assisting a range of photographers you learn how to exceed those expectations. Really, this is true of any traineeship.
In the end it’s how we treat clients; with respect, gratitude, care, and professionalism. As I wrote at the beginning, it’s all about the human experience.