You are a great photographer. I love your work and find it inspiring. When was the last time you said that to someone? Evidence proves that the more you praise others, the better your own work will be.
Although there seem to be many mean people in the world of photography, they are a very small minority. They are just very noisy. Always snooping around, these cynics who constantly look down on others will miss what’s staring them in the face. Their fiery, unkind comments say a lot about them. As my middle school principal used to say, empty pots make the most noise.
Research has repeatedly shown that creativity is directly related to positivity and kindness:
The mood-creation relationship is two-way; emotion is both a predictor of creative behavior and a creative behavior that affects the emotional state of the creator.
Ivcevic Z, Hoffmann J. Emotions and Creativity: From State to Emotional Trait and Capability
Likewise, numerous studies have shown that pro-social behavior, such as encouraging and supporting others, is the food for our emotional well-being. Taken together, these findings lead us to the unequivocal conclusion that those who excel creatively are most likely to be the most supportive. The same is true in reverse: people who encourage others are most likely to succeed creatively.
Thus, the opposite also applies: people who express negativity towards others are less likely to succeed creatively. Indeed, in the creative industries, including photography, it is well known that most naysayers, who are always quick to criticize and condemn others, are often not very good creatively. Next time you see a negative comment from a photographer, check out their gallery and you’ll see what I mean.
This is perhaps not too surprising. We have all met people who mistakenly believe that the only way they can make themselves beautiful is to disparage others. I have worked in many toxic workplaces like this.
Most photographers who are worth their struggle accept their work as good enough. Although most people are always trying to improve, they know that helping others will also make them better.
But they also realized something was not working. It is age-old knowledge that you should not ask a family member if your photography is good enough to be a professional because they will always say yes. Also, if they post a nice photo on social media, it will attract more little red hearts than a nicer but harder photo to judge. While those unusual shots are the most gratifying for the photographer, they are still pressured to produce more crowd-pleasing shots.
So where should you turn? On the one hand, some people will praise your work no matter how good it is. On the other hand, some people will take every opportunity to hit you back.
The obvious answer is to look for awards or prizes in photography societies. But this is not without its own difficulties. Many judges rate images within widely accepted ideal parameters. On the contrary, it can limit the photographer’s ability to develop creatively. Furthermore, it is not unheard of that club judges detest good work because it threatens their place in the treetops.
An entire industry has formed around patting photographers on the back. Whether this is an award from a national organization, an award in a photo contest, or using psycho-marketing tactics to encourage you to post on social media, that support will help increase awareness. confidence of the photographer. But should we also treat these rewards with a bit of skepticism? After all, they all rely on the subjective decisions of others. Furthermore, there are no regulations. Worse, therefore, it has resulted in online businesses selling expensive, low-quality, unaccredited courses claiming that they are awarding a diploma when the award is nothing more than a certificate. only attend.
You can find great training online and from professional photographers, plus established and accredited educational service providers. But I’ve had clients come to me after getting a diploma from an unaccredited online course who didn’t understand the basics of exposure.
If you break away from the establishment and dare to do something different, you may be penalized and frustrated. However, many new and successful art and design movements are initially condemned by the establishment, although that may eventually lead to the movement becoming more successful. An extreme example, the Bauhaus was condemned by the Nazis, which led to designers and artists fleeing Germany and spreading their aesthetic ideas around the world. Their designs are still very influential to this day.
It is therefore necessary to strike a balance between these two opposing forces: we should both encourage others and accept encouragement, and we should also be careful with both well-intentioned but false praise. arguments and malicious criticism.
Of course, here I am referring to photography taken purely for its artistic merit. The motivation behind some professional photography needs to be within rigid boundaries. For example, a professional product photographer for a business may have a certain degree of artistry in creating photographs, but there will still be limitations; Customers will likely want their products to be recognizable and at the forefront of photographs. A wedding couple will also have expectations of what their image will look like. While someone providing photos for a bird identification book is likely to provide widely disparaged – and unfairly – bird photos.
Successfully challenging accepted standards is not easy because everyone will criticize. However, diff for its sake doesn’t work. It’s like building a wheelbarrow with square wheels. However, pneumatic tires have greatly affected the usability of wheelbarrows, so perhaps we can look for the visual equivalent of inventing that.
What areas can we get away with trying to do something different? What transform elements do you need to take a great photo? There are two areas that we can think of.
First, it’s the design of the photo. This includes the mathematical rules that make the placement of objects in an image pleasant, including different approaches to using contrast in color and tone.
Second, it’s the art of the photo. Art is the intuitive, instinctive aspect of the image. It includes the mood, subject, movement, lighting and story the photo wants to tell. Those are the aesthetic decisions you make.
Take control of these things and break free of the norm, and you’ll be a great photographer. I will find your work even more inspiring.
