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Maybe I'm missing something........
I've checked out hundreds, maybe thousands of images. Looked through a ton of magazines, websites, etc. I've seen some incredible shots. Latex, sets and props, makeup, lighting, gels, fog, oil, dirt, blood, and goddess knows what else. Images are black and white, photoshopped, solarized, and a dozen other styles I can't even think of a name for. Saw a photo on a site, tall blonde, in riding boots, on a scaffold, wearing a musketeers hat, naked other than boots and hat, holding a rapier, in a hero pose, while anonymous peasants throw refuse up. It was well received. Gushed over in fact as "truly brilliant". Saw several photos of women on the toilet. One of them, black and white, was "a masterpiece". Another morphed a woman into a skull into a man. The background was, disturbing to say the least. I can go on, hundreds of examples....and....I honestly don't "get it". I saw an image, of just a nipple. It was well lit. It was nicely framed, it was a nice photo. But, it was just, a nipple. Looked like mine, just less fuzzy. But mine doesn't see comments like "fine art" and "absolutely perfect.". I looked at this image and thought "its a nipple, big deal. It's out of context." I've been told my shots have potential, once I "find" my own "style". Is it possible that my "Style" is shooting normal people, with a minimum of make up, with a minimum of photoshop, in normal environments, without the aid of thousands of dollars in lighting, reflectors, assistants, etc? Does someone need to use props, and fancy lights, and special doodads, and post op to be accepted and considered "real"? Am I missing something? Is an image of a person standing in a bucket, with a feather in their hair, greasepaint on their body, covered in mud really a better image than an attractive person, on a blanket, looking out to sea on the shore? I would like to understand the thinking behind some of these "weird" (to me) shots, as to what makes them so, "good". Aug 15 06 12:24 am Link To each their own. I'm with you. I've seen some nice photos, but I've never seen one I would call a master anything. Aug 15 06 12:25 am Link I think you've answered your own question in a way: The fact that you feel you don't get it means that, well, you actually do. Some people throw shit on a wall and call it art. Whatever floats your boat. Aug 15 06 12:27 am Link Do what you do.. Get it seen.. People will confuse themselves into thinking you're a genius.. Or.. They won't.. The cottage culture of those who debate what is and what isn't good is a whole f'd up little subculture that has nothing to do with the work itself.. Want to have fun.. Shop your work around.. I have 2 places that say one image is f'ing amazing.. And a third that says I'm a cliched, no talent wannabe.. If I put half the effort into figuring this crap out I wouldn't produce anything at all.. Do your work.. Take the criticism that makes sense to you.. Ignore the rest.. Oh, and ignore all this.. I don't know crap..  Aug 15 06 12:30 am Link My (Model Mayhem) advice to you is this: remember there is a LOT of mediocrity being applauded on this site (for that matter, there is a lot of that in the art world, period). Take well the criticisms from those more technically advanced than you. Don't believe 95% of the praise and glowing compliments you get here (I just saw an absolutely HORRID shot: bad composition, awful light, not even close to being in focus, and with several comments saying "great pic", "gorgeous work", etc). Stylistically, you will find your own soon enough. Aug 15 06 12:50 am Link I agree w/ Jamie ... sometimes praise like that is the most dangerous thing. To get honest brutal critiques is what really helps the most. E Aug 15 06 12:53 am Link Bob Hubbard wrote: Was it puffy or was it more raisin-like? Aug 15 06 12:56 am Link Shoot what moves YOU period..nothing else matters. Aug 15 06 01:01 am Link Bob Hubbard wrote: "I have nipples, Greg, could you milk me?" Aug 15 06 01:01 am Link Style is just something that happens because of habit, one day you shoot using gelled lights to light up the bg and then the photos turn out awesome so you do it from then on in different colors and slowly the contrast changes (obviously im not a photog so this is an example) and then you just do things an a way that not everyone else does or get the same result from, so a "style" is aquired. As for like the fine art thing.. frankly, I have been in art and studying it for years and years and I hate twombly and dont get it and think "god I would love to slash that canvas". Half the time I see cartoons on TV and get angry and think "how do these people have jobs?!" its like crudely drawn chars with little to no shading... i have to stop before i rant. Aug 15 06 01:03 am Link I think I smell an analogy in all this advice.. If people throw flowers.. Ignore them.. They will die.. If people throw shit.. Hope only the shit of the brightest and best sticks and see what grows... *snerk* Bunch of coochiesnorchers.. Aug 15 06 01:07 am Link WG Rowland wrote: My grandfather had a saying..."The empty truck makes a lot of noise". Aug 15 06 01:13 am Link It's all about personal expression. It's all subjective. Be yourself and show what moves you. Aug 15 06 01:17 am Link Bob Hubbard wrote: Is this really so hard to understand? We are all unique individuals with unique tastes, desires, motivations. I go to Barnes and Noble and look at the endless shelves of romance novels,and just shake my head. Who can read that crap? But another individual who loves romance novels looks at the history books that I favor, and can't imagine reading something so boring. Aug 15 06 01:18 am Link Jaime Ibarra wrote: You're right.. I take it all back.. Aug 15 06 01:20 am Link well, there is nothing wrong with simple regular images, specially if they pay the bills, but keep in mind that we all have to give a reason to our customers why we are diferent than others...that said, we have to use creativity to mark us above the guy next door shooting with the same equipment than we have...as someone allready said...to each their own, you don't have to get it...but their customers obviously are getting it if the photographer is paying the bills that way. There is alot of pie for everyone, be yourself and be the best at what you do...keep inproving, never stop experimenting, never think that an idea is too dumb, that may end up been your best shot. Years ago I had an Idea of putting a Model inside a fridge (I guess you missed that one) and it turned out the most comented of my images. I have a friend Photogrpher (old timer) who shoots school pictures, he told me he did not get the point of my images... now he is working for the cell company and I am still clicking. So study images and see what you can learn and why people like what they see.... if you do then your photography willimprove artistically. XP Aug 15 06 01:22 am Link Went to a wine tasting. The most expensive wine was described by the local expert as having the essence of 'poopy diapers'. Wine is an acquired taste, (and I skipped that particular vintage!). When you become sufficiently educated to appreciate that wine, you will 'get it'. Some fine photography is an acquired taste. Expensive like fine wine too! Aug 15 06 01:35 am Link I believe the idea is to stop you. To make you think,perhaps even to change your view. There are really no true great art directors any longer and we are dealing with a point and shoot mentality when it comes to that postion. Having said that, I like the attitude and life,the idea of pokeing fun at the serious world of fashion that the new crop of art directors are choosing to take. I am not sure that it is meant to be understood , just looked at which you did. It's all good. Aug 15 06 04:47 am Link i would say that the very thing all the truly classic, great pictures have, no matter how quirky or weird they may seem, is exactly what u have just descibed.......its a special sense of mystery, coolness, and 'simplicity in the face of creativity' that all the others dont have.......but you are not supposed to know what it is that separates them and makes some better the others....thats a secret, otherwise every tom dick and harry would be producing amazing, iconic pictures! if u wanna be a matser photographer, dont ask how, just shoot until u start to understand how to bring that missing link into your own work, and youl know when that is, coz others will start asking you! Aug 15 06 05:04 am Link Interesting comments. I sometimes think I think too logically, while it seems that much of what is art, is less logic, and more emotional insanity. Y'all have said alot that makes sense, and that I'll have to ponder a bit. Thank you  Aug 15 06 02:24 pm Link There is no rhyme or reason to art. Some of my simplest images (onboard flash, no mua, no stylist are published in a book) As are a few images of my feet just my toes and a tiny bit of my foot. I also just shot for a gallery exhibition that had over ten people on the set all helping in their each own way to get the shots we were striving for. In my experience it is not you who decides if you are good it is the person in front of you. If the person in front of you thinks your work is crap the go stand in front of another person. Best of luck to you. Aug 15 06 03:14 pm Link Art is art brother. I get a lot of nothing on my site as well but I did get a lot of emails about what I need to do. I take it as professional criticisms and work it to my advantage. Its what people are "WILLING" to pay for or call something. We humans are strange sometimes, but eventually you will get noticed. Don't slow down, just keep doing what you do. There are those who say this site gives too much in good comments and not enough critism. Hell I get nothing at all. Not even looks at my site. I've posted three casting calls and got two emails. Thats it. Most of my stuff is paid. So you see the weirdness in this. Just keep going. Someone will notice. I did and a lot of others did. Don't give in at all to the fact that you are good or bad. Just be you. If you care to add me as a friend I will comment. Accept my add as a friend to you. And keep up you head. Thomas R. Schombert Author & Poet PS. Yes I am internationally published. www.mforcep.com www.tschombert.com Aug 15 06 03:23 pm Link Craig Thomson wrote: History has proven that if a picture of a naked girl is posted, no matter how bad it is there will be some guy praising it in the comment section. Aug 15 06 03:34 pm Link James Jackson wrote: LOL. We need a "rec" feature for posts. ;^p Aug 15 06 03:40 pm Link Bob Hubbard wrote: I guess I did. Aug 15 06 03:56 pm Link i can look around me and see the world....i like images that capture a moment in reality that i might miss or to which i might not ever be exposed; i like images that challenge and bend reality. i like things in general that push the envelope. not only is art subjective, reality is subjective. i find all images interesting simply because they depict someone else's vision of the world, and everyone has a different perception. Aug 15 06 04:23 pm Link |
