Infographic: How Photographers Actually Spend Their Time

If you've spent even 30 seconds hanging out on any social network in the past few days, chances are high you've bumped into a few different versions of a new Internet meme in which different professions are given the "What ______ think I do" treatment. For instance, here are ones about graphic designers and directors, the latter of which seems to have started the trend. There's also one about photographers, but since we're much bigger fans of fascinating, informative charts than crudely designed jpegs, we'd like to share the chart below, which compares how people think shutterbugs spend their time with the actual nitty gritty specifics of a career in pro photography.

When we first came across the chart, we thought its numbers might fall into that infamous 73% of statistics that are made up on the spot, but after a little research we discovered that they are actually the results of a survey conducted by the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers. Whether they shoot weddings or not, we think the chart provides a thought-provoking contrast between the realities of editing, office work and marketing and the preconception of photographers as leading lives of endless glamour, traveling and creativity.

Next time you're out at an event and spot that photog snapping away on her DSLR, you can still be jealous, but don't forget the other hard work that goes on after the party is over.

-- John Ruscher