If you had the opportunity to shoot a presidential nominee for a year knowing that the rest of your photography business would die, would you take it? Ray Reynolds of RAYzor’s Edge photography did. He’s been shooting Donald Trump for the past year after a fellow photographer invited him to shoot an event last August. Reynolds seems thrilled about the chance to shoot these historical campaign events, but laments “My photography business is dead... Nobody will use me for photography now.” Well that’s a shame for Ray, especially if Trump loses.
This video from WSLS news tells Reynold’s story, and in it he shares quips like:
“(Trump) just looked at me and smiled. I said ‘You got big hands.’ He said ‘I know,’” and “He’s real funny, but he’s serious.”
If you ever wondered who purchases those silicone camera covers in bright yellow, now you know.
While covering Trump on the campaign trail would have been exciting, and an historical addition to anyone’s portfolio, I don’t think it’s worth losing the rest of your business over.
His portfolio is a joke, I can't even take it seriously. Like what is that even?
FStoppers please fire the writer of the article! He wrote a political clickbait, not a serious article with facts and their explanation!
Taking photographs of politicians is a job, and he lost his because hist photos were bad. It has nothing to do with Trump(I don't like him but it's clear it has nothing to do with him).
If trump makes it into the white house ... shudder ...maybe this guy will replace Pete Souza?
In all seriousness, I;d have a bit more empathy for this guy except that this is a disaster of his own making. Photography businesses already have trouble and then you go and neglect it for a year?
I make a very large part of my income shooting politics I'd say it's at least 1/3 of my biz. First thing I'll say is, if he is shooing as many trump events as he seems to be, he should be making good money from that. Shooting a pres candidate is a pretty big deal weather or not it's someone most people like or not, it should be a huge bump to your work, I know plenty of people who have shot trump and none of them has had there biz suffer for it. I think this dudes main problem is his website is horrible and his work is very average.
I wonder if he's been working for "exposure". I'm not saying he did, I'm seriously wondering.
Who is paying this guys to shoot these events?
Looking at his portfolio, I don;t think he was hired by Trumps capaign team ... they could choose much better photographers than him (or me for that matter, also basing that off his portfolio on his site).
This makes me think that maybe he isn;t getting paid?
"He’s been shooting Donald Trump for the past year after a fellow photographer invited him to shoot an event last August. Reynolds seems thrilled about the chance to shoot these historical campaign events"
INVITED by a friend ...
Thrilled about the CHANCE ...
No where does it talk about being contracted ...
Probably pretty likely. Goes to show you how far shooting for exposure will get you.
Down and dirty way to compensate for not knowing how to set white balance manually?
Story seems fake.
I looked up his portfolio (he has a couple of sites) and he doesn't seem to have a big set of professional work, the site doesn't seem to be updated since 2013, and the broken links make his site almost unusable. Those aren't signs of someone who was ever a full-time working pro.
I also don't think he would lose 100% of his customers even if he was really vocal about liking trump. Trump has huge amounts of support in the region.
Yeah, especially not in Virginia
Oh good, another political article.
Did anyone check out his website? I don't think he had a lot of business to begin with...
Wow, my comment was deleted. I guess no freedom of speech in here. Even with Pete Miller crying all over this chat thread.
You have the freedom of speech to cry. You also have the freedom to back an absolute nut. Watching you cheerlead for Trump is pretty hilarious.
We don't delete comments unless they are just super vulgar and offensive. Perhaps you didn't hit publish or it didn't go through?.
I remember checking where it was on the page after posting. Good to know, no worries. Thanks.
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Here's why this guy lost business: it's not because he photographed trump. Photographers and photojournalists photograph a wide spectrum of subject matter they do and do not agree with, but it's never assumed you agree with what you're covering. This guy is very clearly not just a working professional, but he's also a Trump fanboy, which is fine, but it's unnecessary to brand himself as a pro-Trump photographer. It makes sense that he's losing business because he clearly has poor judgement. If I was hiring a photographer, there are so many to choose from, and I'd definitely not give my money to an avid and vocal Trump supporter if given the option. He didn't have to mix his business and politics but he did.
I clearly don't have the answer to what actually happened, but you made my point for me; by planting his flag with Trump, he has alienated half of his potential clients, and depending on the kind of work he wants to be getting, maybe more. People hate Trump so much they will pass up a photographer because of it. So while someone who hasn't chosen sides has the full field of potential clients, he now has (at very best), half. Or he sucks as a photographer.
This Trump discussion is totally besides the point. The real point is that this guy left his business for a year, and he is also a terrible photographer. That's why he lost business: http://rayzorsedgephotography.photoreflect.com/store/StorePortfolio.aspx...