Why bad photographers think they are good???
Dec 29, 2019 20:00:30 #
If a bad photographer was a great marketer and sold his lots of his/her work, he/she might think he/she is a good photographer. Why do You ask? Good or bad it's always in the eyes of a judge.
Dec 29, 2019 20:31:33 #
mwsilvers wrote:
Actually, there are a number of standards that hav... (show quote)
All this airy fairy nebulous stuff is horse feathers.
It's easy to tell if a photo is good or not.
If you enjoy looking at it, (or if it holds your attention if it is a documentary or commercial work) it is good.
If you look at it and immediately go to the next image it's bad.
Dec 29, 2019 20:34:55 #
Abo wrote:
All this airy fairy nebulous stuff is horse feathers.
It's easy to tell if a photo is good or not.
If you enjoy looking at it, it is good.
If you look at it and immediately go to the next image its bad.
It's easy to tell if a photo is good or not.
If you enjoy looking at it, it is good.
If you look at it and immediately go to the next image its bad.
Thnx Abo ... that about sums it up ...finally short and sweet ...
Dec 29, 2019 20:44:59 #
oregonfrank
Loc: Astoria, Oregon
Abo wrote:
All this airy fairy nebulous stuff is horse feathers.
It's easy to tell if a photo is good or not.
If you enjoy looking at it, (or if it holds your attention if it is a documentary or commercial work) it is good.
If you look at it and immediately go to the next image it's bad.
It's easy to tell if a photo is good or not.
If you enjoy looking at it, (or if it holds your attention if it is a documentary or commercial work) it is good.
If you look at it and immediately go to the next image it's bad.
I take a different view. Most human events that involve perception, emotion, and thinking are multi-factored, that is are complex. Reacting to a photo or any other product of creativity fits here.
Dec 29, 2019 20:52:50 #
I think I saw a good photograph last night while driving home last night. The Air was clear and the moon was a crisp crescent with one bright star (planet) near by. At times there was a foreground which worked. Of course I was driving and didn't have my camera or my tripod with me.
More often than not I find the stage but the subject is missing but thats ok i need the practice. More often than not I am dissatisfied with the photos i take. Should I not press the shutter button?
I guess I would be a bad photographer if I confused the best I could take at the time with a good photograph, its so easy to become confused.
More often than not I find the stage but the subject is missing but thats ok i need the practice. More often than not I am dissatisfied with the photos i take. Should I not press the shutter button?
I guess I would be a bad photographer if I confused the best I could take at the time with a good photograph, its so easy to become confused.
Dec 29, 2019 20:54:20 #
Fotoartist wrote:
But, what is it about some photographers whose work consistently excels all the time. How do they maintain their consistency?
They have found the secret to all professional level performance: a well-trained "idiot subconscious".
Think of your subconscious mind as a RISC processor - not very complex, but fast as lightning on a limited number of tasks.
It takes care of the mundane, repeated tasks without you having to consciously think about them.
This leaves you free to think about WHAT you are doing, while it takes care of the HOW.
Train yours well.
Dec 29, 2019 21:58:46 #
Some of y'all talk about "failure" as if you are surgeons and lost a patient during open-heart surgery. Any photographer even experienced top-professional, that tells you he never messed up a shot, and entire project or contract or screwed up something badly is not telling the truth! Bad things happen to good people, everyone makes mistakes and some of them are costly. It's especially bad when your livelihood hangs in the balance! You are a good professional photographer if MOST of your work is successful and satisfied you, customers and yourself.
I have covered many weddings where part of the ceremony includes a sermon by the officiator where there is mention of life's successes and failures. My silent reaction is always "tell me about it"! Of course, this pertains to marriage but it also pertains to the photograhy business- big time! I have covered many hundreds of weddings- I suppose I could do them in my sleep- but I don't. Even after all my experience the "albatross" of failure is always flying above. I have been out on commercial jobs with all kinds of money being spent on models, set builders, art directions- big projects and I could feel the entire job quickly going into the toilet- along with my paycheck! And my reputation!
I have experienced successes and failures in business. In a small enterprise, if you become seriously ill- well- you don't
wanna know!
Many of my teachers were top guys and gals. Folks like, Peter Gowland, Monty Zucker Philippe Halsman, Joseph Zeltsman, Milton Green, Arthur Rothstein, and many more admitted that they have had bad days and failed assignments. They all encouraged their students to learn from their mistakes and for everyone to learn for their own mistakes.
Monte Zucker was one of the greatest wedding/portrait photographers of all time. At one of his 5-day intensive seminars, he was asked by one of the students if he ever flubbed a wedding coverage. He said yes- it seems that his flash synchronization failed halfway through the job- back in the film days there was no chimping and if you did not check synch- you would only discover the bad news when the film was processed. He called the bride and told her that he had some great images for her BUT not very many of them! Fortunately, his insurance covered re-staging a good portion of the event for the pictures!
So... y'all who are doing photography as a hobby or strictly for the "art"- LIGHTEN UP! A bruised ego heals faster than a demolished bank account or a destroyed reputation. If you don't allow your ego to overpower your intellect, take your mistakes in stride and use them as learning tools to your advantage.
I have been doing photography since I was a little guy and professionally for over 55 years. I think I am pretty OK and generally consistent at what I do. Someone once suggested that I should write a book about all my "colorful" experiences. I told them that the chapter on screw-ups would require a second volume! I guess I would need yet another volume for the remedies.
I have covered many weddings where part of the ceremony includes a sermon by the officiator where there is mention of life's successes and failures. My silent reaction is always "tell me about it"! Of course, this pertains to marriage but it also pertains to the photograhy business- big time! I have covered many hundreds of weddings- I suppose I could do them in my sleep- but I don't. Even after all my experience the "albatross" of failure is always flying above. I have been out on commercial jobs with all kinds of money being spent on models, set builders, art directions- big projects and I could feel the entire job quickly going into the toilet- along with my paycheck! And my reputation!
I have experienced successes and failures in business. In a small enterprise, if you become seriously ill- well- you don't
wanna know!
Many of my teachers were top guys and gals. Folks like, Peter Gowland, Monty Zucker Philippe Halsman, Joseph Zeltsman, Milton Green, Arthur Rothstein, and many more admitted that they have had bad days and failed assignments. They all encouraged their students to learn from their mistakes and for everyone to learn for their own mistakes.
Monte Zucker was one of the greatest wedding/portrait photographers of all time. At one of his 5-day intensive seminars, he was asked by one of the students if he ever flubbed a wedding coverage. He said yes- it seems that his flash synchronization failed halfway through the job- back in the film days there was no chimping and if you did not check synch- you would only discover the bad news when the film was processed. He called the bride and told her that he had some great images for her BUT not very many of them! Fortunately, his insurance covered re-staging a good portion of the event for the pictures!
So... y'all who are doing photography as a hobby or strictly for the "art"- LIGHTEN UP! A bruised ego heals faster than a demolished bank account or a destroyed reputation. If you don't allow your ego to overpower your intellect, take your mistakes in stride and use them as learning tools to your advantage.
I have been doing photography since I was a little guy and professionally for over 55 years. I think I am pretty OK and generally consistent at what I do. Someone once suggested that I should write a book about all my "colorful" experiences. I told them that the chapter on screw-ups would require a second volume! I guess I would need yet another volume for the remedies.
Dec 29, 2019 21:59:33 #
smussler
Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY
redlegfrog wrote:
Been there, done that!
The more I look at other peoples photos the better I am at judging my own.
The more I look at other peoples photos the better I am at judging my own.
Dec 29, 2019 22:02:24 #
Dr.Nikon wrote:
In this planet Earth we live on ... there is only... (show quote)
That was like trying to read a Trump tweet, bad grammar, bad spelling, and all.
Dec 29, 2019 22:06:40 #
Fotoartist wrote:
OK, I've read all 10 pages and a question about this subject hasn't been brought up yet. Sure, everyone makes bad shots occasionally and everyone can take a great shot now and then. And also true, people improve. But, what is it about some photographers whose work consistently excels all the time. How do they maintain their consistency?
They really work at it.
And as Linda said, we don’t see their bad shots.
Dec 29, 2019 22:09:57 #
Reconvic wrote:
OCD, Over Achiever, competitive, seeking attention, ETC. I don't think that Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods would have gotten to their level of proficiency if it weren't for all the recognition that they received. I don't think that photography is any different.
I think it’s pretty much the opposite. They received the recognition because of their proficiency. Yes they were very talented but they both worked very hard at developing that talent.
Dec 29, 2019 22:23:11 #
Why bad photographers think they are good???
The answer is simple: Their self assessment is faulty same as the reverse that is equally faulty when a good photographer is thinking he/she is bad.
Only few in this thread realized what this is about. Those who did made statements that have whole-fully ignored as many here are too self absorbed.
One went straight to it mentioning that it was about psychology, not skills about anything.
Skills grow over time and experience. Self evaluation starts high*. In most cases this evaluation will diminish as time passes and one is exposed to other folks work and experience. This progression leads to under confidence. Past that point the confidence in one's skill rise again over time but more often than not one under valuates his/her own capacity for whatever reason.
Those who do not change over time, it happens rarely, are somewhat mentally ill.
This has nothing to do with intelligence or social skills - even if there are some similarities -.
If you really thinks about this process it is a life long struggle that covers every aspect of our lives.
-----
* As it must be as one with no self esteem will not try anything simply because they think they will fail.
The answer is simple: Their self assessment is faulty same as the reverse that is equally faulty when a good photographer is thinking he/she is bad.
Only few in this thread realized what this is about. Those who did made statements that have whole-fully ignored as many here are too self absorbed.
One went straight to it mentioning that it was about psychology, not skills about anything.
Skills grow over time and experience. Self evaluation starts high*. In most cases this evaluation will diminish as time passes and one is exposed to other folks work and experience. This progression leads to under confidence. Past that point the confidence in one's skill rise again over time but more often than not one under valuates his/her own capacity for whatever reason.
Those who do not change over time, it happens rarely, are somewhat mentally ill.
This has nothing to do with intelligence or social skills - even if there are some similarities -.
If you really thinks about this process it is a life long struggle that covers every aspect of our lives.
-----
* As it must be as one with no self esteem will not try anything simply because they think they will fail.
Dec 29, 2019 22:28:10 #
Rongnongno wrote:
Why bad photographers think they are good??? br b... (show quote)
Talk about self absorbed. So this was OT a question at all. Just an opportunity for you to post your overly ponderous thoughts. You are a troll
Dec 29, 2019 22:30:33 #
SuperflyTNT wrote:
Talk about self absorbed. So this was OT a question at all. Just an opportunity for you to post your overly ponderous thoughts. You are a troll
Your instant reaction is also typical and meaningless, sorry.
Rejection is simply another aspect of the same thing. You think you are way above anyone who dares offer something new and unexpected.
You are not a troll, you are out of it.
Dec 29, 2019 22:41:54 #
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