Well, apparently I’m not the only one thinking about my work. I got some nice emails from readers here and even some post about the situation. Oh yeah. it’s a situation alright. It’s bi-partisan also.
I happen to really like the above photo. No matter what others think and or feel….I like it, I feel it and glad that I made it. Enter the Flickr crowd. No I am a Flickr-ite so it’s ok for me to comment about the madness there cause, I’m maybe the most madneser guy there.
It’s not easy to stand up for yourself amongst the crowd. We all want to be accepted and appreciated.To let that influence what and how and why we do things is a problem. Actually it’s many problems on a multitude of levels.
Ok ok… check this stuff out…… your looking at someones work. You check the meta data out and see that person is working with a Fuji X100T You don’t have that camera BUT YOU KNOW YOU NEED IT!
That shooter was in Paris and you can’t walk there….BUT YOU HAVE TO GET THERE! That shooter is very sensitive to the darkness and you always do bright sunny or overcast light…BUT YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO SHOOT IN THE DARKNESS.
C’mon, I’m the worst of the lot of us. I have 1400 cameras, airline tickets to every city in the world and a guide in each city to show me the streets cause I’m too fucked up to know ANYTHING ANYMORE!
Ok, so here’s something for youse to chew on. In my interviews for the Inspired Eye Magazine, I ask a question about going out to work alone of with others.
99% of the interviewed answer, alone. Now I find that a very interesting question and the answer seems so simple but it’s the most crucial question you will ever be asked. Your answer to that determines how in touch with what your doing you are.
Here’s what I mean. Photography is a 2 dimensional art form. I rather think it’s really a 3 dimensional art form and the 3rd dimension is not space but the mind. Of course those with a spaced out mind, are ok and this applies to them also.
When you go out to work and your alone, just you and your NAMED camera and your in a place you like to work, are you alone? Most of course will say yeah, I like to work alone.
You are not alone. You are out there with all the things people say about your work, all the things you see in other peoples work, all the stuff that you want to improve upon, all the energy that is churning around in your mind and much of it is placed there by others.
It’s the unheard voices in your head that will overcome you and make you surrender your self to them. Those voices dictate what you see and how you see and why you see it and what you use to capture it.. They do not have your best interest at heart. They are there and they force their will upon us in many ways, location, camera, processing, everything.
Ever hear the expression….”Misery loves company.” It’s true. Why do you think we all get married?
It’s the weekend. Olivier and I have the presses going strong to get the new issue out to everybody. I will seeya all very soon…
chew on this stuff and don’t be afraid to let me know your thoughts…..
….to be cont’d………
I realized exactly what you said. And even I tried not to be influenced by others, I caught myself I am still slaved. And I am kind of tired of it. But anyway, there are photos I uploaded to these Flickr sites, that are not liked so much, but I would be really satified with them. But, I realized that the fact that my photo, my favorite, is not liked, I would be a little disappointed. Thats why I am saying I am not fully cured yet.
And often I would upload not so favorirte photo , people would praise me, they say nice things, but I would not be happy. Not that it is not pleasing, but I am not connected to it, it is not speaking to me. It is speaking only to my eyes, I would says.
I mean, there are those photos that I made, because I saw I liked some “style” or “theme” or “idea” or “…” from other people, and I started to make something similar.
I have my head full of the photos I saw here and there, and than I would be walking out there and I think, hmmm, John made a similar photo lately (on Flickr) , so I would make this photo because it looks good, and people would like, But is it my photo? Well, you are right I am making photos through the eyes of others, Well, not always, I am trying to detach from it, because I am realizing it.
“Those voices dictate what you see and how you see and why you see it and what you use to capture it.. …”
But is it possible to get rid of it?
Pavel.
The question is not how to get rid of it but how to live with it and make it a device you can improve upon in your own work.
I’ll post more on the weekend and it’s already Friday.
Go easy my friend….. your on it.
It is difficult to recognize a border between mine and not mine in “my stuff”. Sometimes.
Key seems to be a motivation. Why do I like this picture. Why this photo is important or interesting to me. Must answer it myslef.
Thank you.
Pavel,
Your a day ahead of me on my post. I guess it’s the time zone stuff. I am writing more on this subject cause I want to….
don
Glad I stopped by cause I get no notices that you post, but my toes tingle and I have to stop and have a look see. Glad I did. I’ve never been to Paris. Great images here Don. Thanks.
Dunno Keith. I’ve had my issues with WP since the update. Maybe check your subscriptions list. Glad you like what ya see… likewise be sure.
It’s always harder for me to defend a photo I like than to have people convince me that a photo that I only feel lukewarm about is a good one. Probably because to some extent we all want approval from other people regarding our work. Sometimes I really have to step back and decide for myself if I like the photo or not.
To be honest, I care about others feelings but not enough to let those feelings influence what and how I do it.