Don’t Be “That Guy With a Camera”: A Photographer’s Responsibility

In the photography world there’s a term people throw around when describing a certain type of photographer: GWC or “Guy With Camera”.

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Most photographers know exactly what it means the moment they hear it. It usually describes someone who got into photography for all the wrong reasons. Scroll through Instagram or almost any social platform long enough and you’ll eventually land on a page that feels like the definition of it: a feed filled almost entirely with half-naked or overly suggestive photos of women. And more often than not, the photography itself isn’t particularly good.

Now, every once in a while you’ll see technically solid images on those pages. Good lighting, decent composition. But if the entire portfolio still leans in that same direction, it usually just means the person has been a GWC for a little longer and had time to learn the technical side of the craft.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with photographing women. There’s nothing wrong with sensual or tasteful imagery either. Fashion, portraiture, editorial work, those worlds naturally live in that space sometimes. But there is a very real difference between tasteful and smutty. Most people can feel that difference immediately.

I’m not writing this to knock anyone or start policing what people shoot. Photography is art, and art has always lived in subjective territory, but I do think this is worth talking about; especially for the sake of younger or newer models who may not know the landscape yet.

The truth is: who you choose to work with matters. If you’re a model just starting to build your portfolio, take time to really look at the photographer’s work before saying yes to a shoot. Not just the one or two images they highlight, but the overall body of work. The patterns; the tone; the way women are presented in their photos. Ask yourself a simple question: Is this the kind of work I want attached to my name?

Your portfolio says a lot about you. It communicates the kind of jobs you want to book, the direction you see your career going, and the standards you’re setting for yourself.

And here’s another piece of advice I always give newer models: bring someone with you when you meet a photographer for the first time. A friend, spouse, or anyone you trust. A professional photographer should never have a problem with that. In fact, they should encourage it.

Another thing I always tell models is something that sounds simple but can feel hard in the moment: never do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Even if someone insists, or say it will help your career, or because you feel pressure in the room. Being bold doesn’t make you difficult. Setting boundaries doesn’t make you a jerk. It just means you respect yourself.

This topic means a lot to me personally because over the years I’ve known a few GWCs. And the more I learned about how some of them operated, the more distance I intentionally created. Photography is something I care deeply about, and the last thing I want is to be in the same category as people who treat the craft, or the people in front of the camera without respect.

When I work with models, especially someone for the first time, I usually try to have my wife there or another female friend present. Not because it’s required, but because it often helps the model feel more at ease. And if that’s not possible, I almost always suggest they bring someone they trust along. A comfortable subject almost always leads to better photographs anyway. But more importantly, it’s just the right way to work.

Photography already asks a lot from the person on the other side of the lens: vulnerability, trust, presence. The least a photographer can do is create an environment where that trust is actually deserved.

Maybe if more photographers approached it that way, the phrase “Guy With Camera” wouldn’t exist in the first place.