Ming Thein's camera profiles are not intended to be a universal solution, but rather, as he states, a neutral starting point from which to build what we need for a particular image. Think of it as we think of Sony's S-log3 in video work, a neutral starting point from which to shape an image into what we need. Try them. I have. If you have not even tried them, you don't know what we are talking about here.
I have followed several different photographers who do their best to make a living from the kind of work that Ming Thein and Lloyd Chambers do and I am certain these folks struggle to take care of their family. It seems we like to eat our own children, so rather than cheer someone like Thein on, we do our best to belittle him, while at the same time suffering the same fate (if you are professional) of trying to support yourselves with photography, when the whole world has become photographers via cell phones, etc.
When I was the director of AMG (music and film data and criticism), I worked not only with a staff of about 150 full-time people, but also with over 500 freelance music and film critics and writers, all of which (it seemed) were trying to make a living doing what they loved. They never seemed to have enough money and the work they did was work that only someone who passionately cared for the subject could produce.
So, I may have a different view here, one certainly tempered by years of experience working with hundreds of talented free-lance writers. It gave me a sense of compassion for those who walk the fine line of sustainability. Does no one else not see this?
