Yuletide – Photographers attribute low patronage to use of smart phones

Photographers at the recreational venues in parts of Lagos on Wednesday attributed the low patronage of their services by fun-seekers due to the use of their personal mobile phones.

The photographers said that fun-seekers now preferred to use their smartphones for easy upload to their social media accounts.

Mr Olanrewaju Hassan who was at the National Theatre, Iganmu, said that most of the fun-seekers were usually seen taking pictures with their smartphones instead of approaching professional photographers.

“Fun-seekers don’t approach us anymore, they just use their phones and sometimes ask us to take them pictures using their smartphones.

“I always try to tell them the differences in quality but they will say there is no time for processing a picture when their followers are waiting,” he said.

Mr Olayemi Adeoti also at the National Theatre said fun-seekers seekers that patronised them usually keep the pictures for the records.

“Some of those that need the pictures for record purposes now come out with their digital cameras which are really affecting our patronage,” he said.

Mr George Ajetumobi at Leisure Mall, Surulere, said that a professional photographer would need a very good camera to convince fun-seekers into taking pictures.

“Even with a good camera used by a professional photographer, fun-seekers will still prefer to use their smartphones and only patronise us for studio shots, maybe their birthdays or pre-wedding shoots.

“I think it is the urgency that makes them look down on us, not necessarily the camera. The urgency to immediately put their pictures on social media,” he said.

A photographer at the National Stadium, Surulere, who gave his name as Azeez said smartphones were really spoiling their business as they now used soft copies to market their services.

Azeez added that photographers still needed highly sophisticated and expensive cameras to generate the soft copies fast which were often unavailable.