EvKar Loc: Middle of the Good Old USA

Sorry if this topic has come up before, but let me stir the pot.

Call me Disappointed…

Been taking pictures for the last 50 years or so, and there was a time that I felt my pictures meant something to someone and that someone was appreciative of receiving them. But is it just me or have any others noticed that people don’t care about the pictures that you’ve taken… it is just your thing?

I enjoy taking pictures at events like Grandkid’s sports, musical, birthday parties; and as I think they are worthy pictures, suitable for someone’s album or wall, I’ll put them on an online sharing website (Nikon Image Space) to distribute them. Via this method, I’m not able to tell if anyone makes the effort to view or download the pictures, so I’ll purposefully set the settings to not allow downloads and I’ll write in the email with the album’s link something to the effect that these are low-resolution pictures for viewing purposes, but should you desire a copy, I will do further post processing and send you a link to an album that has the higher resolution photo and is downloadable. Instead of allowing downloads of the lower resolution pictures in the first place, I handle this extra step, as it allows me to know if anyone really desires a copy or not. And this is where I’m disappointed… none of the family members desire to download any photos. I’ve even taken group pictures at family reunions… and my pictures are good to great… not of National Graphic standards (working on it)… but is it just me or do others feel that people don’t care about quality (printable) photos anymore… or collecting photos for keepsake purposes?

Yes, I know cell phones make everyone feel that they are photographers… but what gives?
EvKar

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I'll post images I like on Facebook and my website.
If others like them, great, if they don't, that's fine also. Everyone has different tastes, and the photographer always likes what he takes (posts).
Not everyone feels the way the photographer feels about an image, but most photographers will think that they do.
A lot depends on the image and the audience.
I like to think people like my images.....

HamBar06 Loc: Philadelphia, PA

Call me Disappointed…people don’t care about the pictures that you’ve taken… it is just your thing?


Hi Karl,

No, it is definitely not Just you. Mostly I now just forward some snapshot photos of family events to the family. I have no idea how welcome that the really are, but I don't care...I feel I've discharged any obligation.
As far as travel photos, I know that NO body in my circle of acquaintances, friends and relatives has any desire to even look at these, let alone keep any.
So, what I have been doing is sending frequent batches of those to UHH and have received enough interest to keep me doing it. At some point, I will just delete stuff from my computer..... life goes on!
Good luck in whatever you decide to do with your collections.
Larry

Tote1940 Loc: Dallas

I think we are suffering a trivialization of the image that may lead to many being lost.
When my grandparents were little photos could only be done very expensively (and very well ) by professionals, talking late 1800's and early 1900's. Very few, carefully placed in albums ; have inherited a few still in perfect conditions and treasured by all, may be not so much by my grandkids (teens).
In mid 1900 everyone shooting B&W, inherited boxes of them, most without any notation of date or who is there.
Then came color , more photos slides and negs; have boxes of them. Kodachromes well others fading bad.
Now in digital age , more volume. Probably most will die when HDs or PCs fail.
Cell phones:more pictures daily mostly kept in cloud, no hard storage, for sure being so many most will not be retrieved ever and doubt cloud will persist in current form over 100 years like those studio prints.
More and more image captures, becoming trivial so people (read young) care les and less past few days of taking them.
Old curdmungeon still scanning

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Well, I hate to be the one to inform you, but unless you are sharing photos of your family with other family members, people won't care about them! That's just a fact. Unless the photos are of a cute baby or kid with a puppy.
To appeal to a wider audience, you will need to offer photos with a wider appeal. Beautiful landscapes, animals, flower close-ups ETC. Everyone likes GOOD photos of birds! And, apparently, a lot of people like sorry photos of birds too!! Just my observations!!

titoeric

Ah, ozymandias. The quest for immortality is so frustrating. Just enjoy your hobby and don't fret about whether others value your products.

BebuLamar

You want to be a professional. You want your images wanted by others.
I don't care about others. I almost never show others my images.
My music teacher told me something. If you want to be a pro you need to spend at least the same amount of effort to study your audience that you spend on studying your music. I got it so I never want to be a pro. I learned from him that if you want other to like your stuff you have to know them and do it their way.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I shoot for what I like.
Luckily, my wife likes most of them.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Yep!

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

I remember the cringe-worthy moments when I was a boy and we had company over for dinner. After dinner the room would suddenly go quiet when my father decided to pull out the slide projector and the screen to share his photos with our guests. We were all subjected to at least an hour of being somewhere we didn't want to be. I enjoy taking photos and of course the urge is to share with friends and family. But I recently put my photos on a password-protected page so I could try to sell some of my best work on another page. Alas, no family member has requested the password. I think that speaks volumes to their interest. Such is life...

EvKar Loc: Middle of the Good Old USA

So it isn't just me... thanks AZ and others... I'm feeling better already... or maybe not!

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

Simple supply and demand! The more photos taken and shared electronically the less emotional value all photos have. I read a while ago, and I believe it was the year 2015, more photos were taken that one year than all of the 20th century! Needless to say, a large percentage were probably selfies! For many years, and going back to the film days, my wife and I had a good parttime photography business photographing portraits, families, kids, basic lifestyle shooting. People wanted to buy prints and enlargements, hang them on their walls, add to their albums, etc...today, people only want to view photos electronically, and you don't make any money trying to sell a digital file for the same amount when you once got $125+ for an 11x14 enlargement. People just don't see the value of a digital file compared to a fine print. The sad part with people not printing much today is the joy that we once had in looking at our old family albums will soon be gone. There is no guarantee that digital files produced and saved today will even be viewable 20-30 years from now, technology just changes too quickly. Imagine if you had stored family records and photos on floppy disks...be pretty darn hard to view them today! But, a print can last over 100 years if kept well!

EvKar Loc: Middle of the Good Old USA

Wholeheartedly agree. It is the way time has evolved. I guess I'll just keep plugging along, enjoying my hobby.
But when asked again at the family reunion, to take the group shots... what to do? Remind the group that no-one desired a copy last reunion, why bother? Maybe they are asking me, just to patronize me. I don't know? Why setup all your lights and equipment, and listen to others as they complain about having to get into position ... knowing very well that no one is going to desire a copy.
Wow, this is turning into a downer of a thread... sorry!
AutoFocus... I followed your flickr link... wow, excellent work. Quality of pictures that I'm trying to achieve.
EvKar

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

You are not alone. I take great pictures that nobody wants. I learned quite a while back that I create images for me, with no expectations from anyone else. Such is life, and photography. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but I will continue to take pictures, competing with cell phones and wannabe image makers,