Is There a Difference Between a Male and a Female Photographer?

Ever since I started my career as an Israeli fashion and advertising photographer I have been asked this question. Each time I am interviewed about my fashion and advertising photography work, this is the main topic. And I also ask myself sometimes, if my career would have been different if I were a male and not a female photographer.

My answer keeps changing all the time and I still feel that I have not reached a final conclusion yet.

When I started as a professional photographer in the late 80’s, I insisted that there is no difference between a male and a female photographer. Nevertheless, the first time I was interviewed for an exhibition at the Israel Museum, I admitted that there were very few active female photographers in Israel. But at that time there weren’t many freelance or self-employed women in other business areas in general.

I was and still am very determined, so I have always been offered big campaigns and complex productions. I have always felt that I have more physical strength and stamina than my male colleagues. I am really not a giant, but especially in the beginning of my career, it was my will power and strong work ethics that made me work 20 hours non-stop and still be precise in my work. I do not recommend working 20 hours in a row to anyone, but it does happen.

And along the way, my two daughters were born. During the first pregnancy I worked all the way through to the day I gave birth, I actually had to ring up a client and cancel a shoot to go to the hospital instead. During the second pregnancy my belly was already much bigger one month before I was due, and I could hardly breathe, and so I slowed down and let myself rest. After each birth it took me about three weeks to return to work.

I did it because I love my work, it is very important to me to creatively express myself and keep a mental balance, but also because of my personal ambitions. I simply find it difficult to define myself without my work. I was breastfeeding each one of my daughters for nine months using all kinds of tricks, while I was back at my studio full time, available for any kind of project. I am not recommending this formula as the perfect thing for everyone; it was simply my own way.

Back then I started thinking that there is a difference between male and female photographers after all.

As a matter of fact, there are many male and few females photographers. So I started thinking about our differences…

Firstly, we have a different mentality.

Secondly, few women actually feel that they deserve success, few women really fight for their dreams and too many of us still define themselves through managing their homes and families.

Thirdly, there are specific differences that are unique to the field of photography. Female photographers are much more willing to experiment for the sake of art, for their own personal process or just out of curiosity and the sake of trying something new.

But women are less focused on targets; therefore they are often perceived as being less serious. Hence the big projects are often given to a male colleague of the same level. In Israel for example, you will find more feminine presence in magazine work and less in the commercial field, which is much better paid.

This is because women refer to sex in a different way. So in the commercial industry, whose main message is sex, the feminine point of view is less popular with advertising agencies and fashion manufacturers simply because it is more complex and less one-dimensional.

But today, in the year 2008, the point of view of the fashion industry has broadened and many campaigns give diverse messages and not just the “be pretty and show a sexy face” message. There is a bigger variety of photographers out there, even though the main message has remained the good old heterosexual way, and for this purpose a male photographer with a male eye will still regularly be preferred over a female one.

Another issue is the technical issue – many girls tend to be techno phobic, some even regard it as some sort of chic. Unfortunately, this makes society regard women as technically incompetent.

I find it obvious that if a female photographer arrives at a shoot, she must be technically minded in one way or the other, since photography is a very technical process in itself and one needs to be familiar with different kind of tools.

But even today when I am working on a big production, being in charge of a lot of people, someone always comes up to my assistant to ask him if he is the photographer…It always amuses me, but it shows what most people really think: After all photography is a business for men.

Finally, networking is really important and most networks are still male driven. This is especially true for Israel where many contacts are from the time in the army… Feminine networks are still very young, but they are growing.

Attached is a link to an interview conducted with GO Magazine about female photographers…

http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3535070,00.html

Have a read what I have to say… but don’t be surprised if I change my mind about this issue again.