Hi, I am Mareen, a then 23-year-old female photographer from Germany.

This tumblelog started with a question I raised in my personal tumblelog in 2007.
The idea is:

I would like to know why people feel the need to compare me to "real" photographers. Comparing not in the sense of style or something, but as a different demographic (like, 35+ and male).

Just want to save the answers and think about it.

I have had several encounters where clients treated me like a child or thought I was the know-it-all intern of Mareen Fischinger.

So far, everyone here is stating the problem. Need to find a solution. Because letting your work speak for itself only works when the people you are supposed to deal with know it. But then it works really well! :)

More email or repost responses welcome. I will post them here. myfirstname.fischinger @ google’s email service
March 28

Email from Chaely

I fear that we are still living in a world where people see a woman with talent and think “wow, she’s talented AND an estrogen crazed, emotional, hormonal female!  That’s so impressive!”  For whatever reason, people expect less from women & minorities and then expect to be handed humanitarian awards for admitting that you are some sort of exception to the rule for being able to shoot consistently good photos in spite of that pesky vagina.  Or maybe they think that the big, scary male photographers have a way of intimidating all of the meek, little girl photographers.  It’s as if people are convinced (and totally impressed) that you have found the key to overcoming the urge to drop the camera and rush into a nail salon or shoe store.

I believe those wacky feminists, between soap opera marathons and hair appointments, call that unintentional sexism.  I would define that as ”when ignorant people go out of their way to compliment or support those of other races/genders with the intention of looking like the ‘good guy’ but only end up with the taste of toe jam in their mouths.”

Keep up the good work and don’t let the ol’ penis envy get in the way of your shutter finger.  ;-)

skeptictank.tumblr.com