This isn't a gripe saying "I can take the same photo, why can't I be paid what HE gets for it"?

But... I can take the same photo, why can't I be paid what HE gets for it?

Seriously, I have seen a well known photographers landscape photo of an area I have visited before, I truly believe given the chance I could take a photo so similar that the layman on the street could not tell the difference between mine or his.

I do also realise value is "whatever someone will pay for it".

My only response to this is "branding". He has built a name for himself and therefore has a brand that people buy (a bit like paintings) there are tallented people out there who can copy a painting almost exactly yet the original will sell for millions, the copy will be used as a drip pan under my mini.

I realise we need to pay our dues and get out there to make our own brand. That we cant expect to ask for thousands the first time we take a photo of a shipwreck under a sunset with a 3 minute exposure.

The other solution could be "exclusivity" he sells only 50 to 200 of each photo, which I guess ups the value. So if he can sell 50 for $5000 each, does that mean I can sell one of mine for $250,000? LOL.

I'm not having a cry over this "Whaahh, whaahh, pay me thousands for my crappy photo of a sunset over a landfill"... I am actually curious to get other people opinions on why your photo is worth "nothing" but the same one taken by another person is worth thousands.

As a complete sidenote... Once a photographer has made a name for him/herself, do they become lazy? Stop trying and just produce anything knowing the masses will buy it?