Why you won't succeed in photography
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Success requires work. It also requires understanding how to get people's attention.
I got a question from a viewer about how to succeed in photography. This individual is somewhat frustrated and its completely understandable. I personally believe that everyone in the world has the power to do anything they want. There are countless people who are proof of this. But the bottom line is that most can't/don't/won't which is why my advice should fire you up even more.
• Define what you are trying to succeed at specifically. Chase that goal, but don't close yourself off to other opportunities.
• Be careful about "creating work for yourself"
• Do the work. This is the most obvious, but its the most difficult. Its also what makes people ultimately give up. Do the work.
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Ted Forbes
The Art of Photography
2830 S. Hulen, Studio 133
Fort Worth, TX 76109
US of A
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Michael Jordan
Excellent quote.
I needed that. Thanks.
”All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
i tear-up a little every time i read this.
That's so inspiring, that helps a lot.
My tip is to don't forget about your local community. Success doesn't have to come from just online eyeballs. I've had my best opportunities and success by creating work that's relative to my area and targeting it to locals. There is a lot of interesting stories to tell around you, and as a photographer you are in a great position to document them!
I agree with this.
Do your work and do not get obsessed with social networks. If Jesus were on instagram now, nine of the apostles would be bots.
This morning I hit a low point with my depression and I posted all of my gear for sale. Then I watched this video and took it all down. Then booked a wedding video that I wasn’t sure I was up for doing, thank you.
shocker7721 I hope you keep going. Please take care of yourself.
Try something different with your style to find what got you into photography the first place.
Hey if you need another photographer to talk to who has experience with weddings. Let me know! We can connect!
Aung of the Oo not sure how to message ya on YT. Reach out to me @stephenwhelchel on Instagram
airscrew1 my wife would shoot me before the first climax
I find few photographers who want to turn it into a business, a viable business and instead they want people to come to them. That is backward, assuming client is going to solve your problem....by discovering you.
Another, more success oriented approach is doing an inventory of your assets, what do you do with skill and competence. Shoot often, be very critical of your work. As you have a realistic view of your skills,put all that away and go out into your community find out what problems with images they have...for example a restaurant with blah images on their menu, a furniture store which could sell more furniture if only they had great images that show their products in the most appealing scenes and image styles, go talk to everyone, not about you or your work but their work and figure out how to solve their problem. They might even know they have a problem with image but they know sales are poor. What can you do to take that problem off their shoulders and solve it. If you make their life easier, increase sales or lower stress or create a new image for their product, you have value to them. It is a value they are happy to pay for their problem to disappear. One key trait of people who succeed in creative work is that they solve problems for customers who value the problem disappear. Within walking distance of your studio or home, there are at least 100 businesses, social organizations, government offices, schools and sports activities which are dealing with a problem no one has solved. Product photography and corporate headshots are two of the most profitable segments of the field and a heck of a lot easier than weddings. I prefer doing portraits and fashion but created the most profit by seeing a high end furniture manufacturer whose glossy catalog was not up to the level of the furniture, which was reproduction of 18th and 19th century pieces in major museums and palaces, ...$50k clocks, $100k dining room tables using the same craftsmanship as the original 300 years ago. I simply went to the offices and talked to the owner about their furniture being so much more spectacular than their catalog reveals and volunteered to take some shots with my lighting rigs to see if they got a better response from the clients. It paid off, and ended up redoing their entire catalog in a week of intense worked. Despite the city being in a country were the average salary is $1000 a month or university grads and very low cost of living, that week earned me $18,000 and I get calls now from museums and mansions for additional sessions. That one session lead to taking headshots for an international corporation, the biggest company in this country, hired one assistant and MUA and did 18 board member shots in 3 hours portal to portal, at $300 a piece.
I have given talks and workshops for years for young business people and everyone seems to have a distorted or incorrect view of what business they are in or who their clients are. That is the biggest disconnect, particularly for those who took business classes in college. They think they are in the business of selling something when the only thing of value they can offer is taking away a problem that a client thinks is important enough to pay for it to go away.
Years ago I got into music recording and found everyone in the industry looked at it like photographers to....if I do good work clients will discover me. I bought a famous studio that had never made a profit, It was designed for a very top artist but he died before ever using it. But the family had managers to deal with it and they milked it and never build up a reason to exist. Wanting to be in an industry is no reason to exist, "reason" comes from what customers value it at. No matter how good you think it is unless the clients value it, it is worth nothing. I got the studio because it was draining the family money supporting it. So I spend all the money I had buying it and had no money left to run it so had to come with a business plan that allowed it to break even the first month...some would say an impossible task but by approaching it from the customer's perceived needs instead of industry practice it became very successful and for 1 period, the peak of the record industry, 79-86 had more hit records than any other studio in the world and at least 1 song in the Billboard charts in the top 10, and some weekly charts having up to 6 of the top 10 all by different artists.. No one had approached from the customer's point of view before and we became known for fixing stalled or over budget album projects started somewhere else.
It does not take a lot of money or fancy office, but it does take understanding the problems the clients have that they might even realize it is their problem and if solved, makes you very valuable to them. I have 3 going successful businesses now in a country where I do not even speak the language very well after I retired in the US and moved to a country everyone thinks if poor, St Petersburg Russia. But having a very high quality of life for almost everyone unavailable to all but the wealthiest back in the US. The photography is just a sideline for fun but I netted $47,000 last year from it part time were a very good income allowing debt-free home ownership, very low cost of living, long foreign vacations and top opera, ballet, concert, dining etc nightly on$12k a year. So in the US that would be earning from a part-time photography business about $400,000 after taxes income.
It might seem boring taking photos of furniture, real estate or headshot, babies but each is a craft that takes every bit as much creativity as glamour fashion shot for glossy fashion magazines. Do other common work, the photography everyone with a camera wants to do as a hobby shooting top models landscapes or fine art on your free time.
Woooowwwwww
Great comment and I wish I could save it
I am old guy, pushing 60. This is some of the very best truth I have heard in the 30+ years I have been a photographer. Thank you sir!
Congrats on the 10 years Ted. You're constantly working hard, evolving and improving. Great thoughts. Just keep working people. Never surrender!
Thanks David!
I'm bored of people on UA-cam moaning they don't get attention on Instagram or Flickr as if they expect to make a living out of their photography ("Oh, I'm giving it up because I don't get enough attention"). If you truly love setting up lighting, seeking out locations and pushing the shutter, you'd find myriad of ways to satiate that thirst. One thing I went into initially was food photography. Did it satiate my narcissistic desire to be a Bruce Davidson, Fan Ho or something? No. It was a job where I had to use a camera. I could use the money to support other wacky adventures, form groups with other like minded people and put on self funded shows within art communities.
Anyone who thinks they'll automatically become famous, rich and respected via Instagram and Flickr is deluded. I see so much amateur photography on these sites that is amazing and these people aren't even interested in making a living out of it. You might get some luck, but the goal is about fulfilling yourself and your craft and what you want to say with it.
If they decide to call it quits and post a UA-cam video whinging about it (I've seen so many of these), to me, that tells me they are a dilettante and were never really interested in photography in the first place.
Edit: type in 'Giving up Photography' in the search bar and you'll see what I mean.
spread this message
"Eighty percent of success is showing up." - Woody Allen
Ed Ruttledge 20 % is showing up on time.
@@bngr_bngr I am an old HR Dir. ( retired). You got the rest of the equation!
The other 20 is marrying your daughter?
bngr bngr Showing up on time = being late.
Showing up early = showing up on time
I do photography "projects" I'm way to old to keep doing weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. When people wish me "good luck," I remind them that it is hard work; luck is scarcely a facet of work. Fortunately, I love the work. I make a few hundred dollars a month but the work itself keeps me....well, working and enjoying life.
Photography is an art. Art, first and foremost, should fill your soul. What others think of your art is secondary. Whenever I do any creative endeavor, be it photography, music, painting, etc, I do so with the acceptance that it is for me. Having others see your talent and hard work is a great feeling. Being able to live off of your art is an amazing opportunity that most artists would kill for. However, you have to take chances and risks and go out of your comfort zone if you intend to snatch that opportunity. Take for example a friend of mine:
She is a fashion photographer in rural England. Not a lot of opportunity there or consumers for her talent. But she took a job teaching English to kids in SE Asia. The school paid for the flight and basic living, not anything big. She flew over there, taught, and after school and on weekends took her camera EVERYWHERE. She not only grew her following on social media, not only made a ton of connections, not only got jobs in the industry that she can put on a resume, but most importantly she grew as an artist.
No matter where you are in the world, no matter what your situation is, no matter how limited you see yourself, if you get out of your comfort zone (maybe take a job that has nothing to do with photography but can take you places where you can grow personally) you can find fulfillment and success.
Vaf q
Well, yes, art should "fill your soul", but to create art that you envisioned, it takes A LOT of practise, often reserch, learning (how can I achieve what I envisioned), patience and often a lot of intense consumption of other art to get inspired. I'd love to be able to draw true-to-life images. I won't be able to do that until I read a lot of books on drawing, take classes and probably practice for a couple of years. Without tihs, it won't become art, it will just stay an idle idea.
I am successful when I take a step today from the step I took yesterday. My success is measured not by money or acknowledgement of my peers, but in the knowing that I have continued to better myself and the craft I am passionate about.
How you WILL succeed in photography: WORK HARD and be a friendly/humble/amazing person.
do you ?
Ben Aqua This is completely immature. This is the kind of bullshit inspirational speaker on UA-cam say. Truth is there is a shitload of more talented photographer than you, and thousands that can do exactly what you can shoot. It’s competitive, and let’s face it very few people make it
Never...ever...apply the word 'humble' to yourself, nor advise it for another.
The word, 'humble', for an individual equates to, 'weak', submissive', 'dominated', subservient, etc.
In the game of Life it equates to 'second place', or lower.
Michael Andrews Absolute nonsense.
Or just pay to let you pop over others people, this is how it works, unless you are a really talented guy and at the same time lucky enough to know people big than you that can help you in the exact same branch, so = 0.1%
"Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear" - Jack Canfield.
The biggest struggle I've had in my photography and life in general is my fear of failure. Because I thought I was going to fail at whatever I tried my hand at, I simply didn't try in the first place. Which actually ended up ensuring that I failed.
The past year has been my big changing moment. I put myself out there. I started a business with two friends whom keep me accountable and motivated. I arranged and shot with my first model and share my work much more freely. Which has landed me some photo jobs.
It has been amazing to see what I can achieve. But never did before because I was scared.
Thank you Mr. Forbes for the inspiration, the punch of reality. Also for keeping me motivated to push on.
"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
Clear and focused point of view on how to increase your chances for success in any field. 👏👏👏🙏🙏
Thanks for another encouraging video Ted!
I forgot about Flickr!
In run a SkillsUSA chapter for my high school media students, and out of the 200+ competition areas in every vocation you can think of, Photography is by FAR the most competitive. It’s insane.
It’s a very intense field to break into, love your insight here.
The Enthusiasm Project everyone forgot about Flikr, that’s the problem, lol.
500,000 subs coming up fast. Congrats, Ted, and thanks for the inspiration.
Eating and sleeping in your car is probably defined as success in photography these days. Or get a sugar mama/ sugar daddy. For some, narcissistic photography with 100k instagram followers qualifies as success. Once again, sugar mama/ sugar daddy.....Or you could have a real career and do it as a hobby and sell to your friends and have your work hang around town in local businesses and that could be success! Always remember kiddies, liberal arts doesn't pay the bills for most. Cheers!! Oh yeah, #whothefreakknowswhattohashtag
Hi Ted, I have to say this is one of the best given advise I have yet to hear its down and to the point. You hit the nail on the head with this video. I have been a photographer from the age of nine and I have always given 100% into going after work. Use what every you can to get a job (Within the law). More truth about photography, its not about gadget's its about finding the people who would like to pay you for your work. Just go after it! It will be never ending trust me, I been on TV and I still have to let people know who I am, All the Best André Felix
I feel like so many of us try to sell the wrong thing. We try to sell our art for art's sake. Most people or companies are not interested in buying art, they are interested in solving a problem. If you can sell them your art along with a solution to their problem then you will find success.
Example from the videography world: I used to try to sell single videos to businesses. It was a struggle because I was competing with 30 other freelancers all trying to sell the same thing. Now I've joined a team and we sell commercial campaigns that include video production. Clients are happier because these campaigns get views + results. We're happy because they hire us every month to create new video and setup new campaigns. We're no longer competing with every other video guy out there because nobody else is delivering what the client actually needs.
I will never give up ! I am taking photos for more than 3 year as much as I can , the highlight of my career was to see one of my photos featured in your channel when it was the photo assignment about motion. I do keep posting some Facebook groups, get some high scores and compliments there (sometimes) , my Instagram for more than 2 years keeps geting 140-to 260 likes, per post. So far is not good, but one day I get the right path.
Eduardo Lima whats your Instagram?
Peter McKinnon is switching to the EOS R.
Nice point! Sometimes it's really hard not to get frustrated, but then I try to think of all the great images I am going to take in the future and it makes me feel better :)
I think you should start a podcast.
i agree
I don't take photos for a living, but I live with photography since I was able to hold a camera. So it's more a hobby and a passion for me. Success is also a bit different for me. Of course I take photos mainly for myself. I love taking photos, I love to get great results and I love getting better and better. But I also want others to appreciate my work. For me personally success is when I like my own work and when others give me honest and hopefully positive feedback. Success is also when one of my photos shows up in photo assignments (I'm really looking forward to October) or when someone asks me if he/she could use one of my photos.
There are many ways to define success I think. ;)
I feel like you're talking more about being successful on IG than photography. I know many photographers with 10's of thousands of followers but I make more than them on 1 shoot than they have in their whole IG career.
I agree. Being successful on IG is distinct from being successful in real life. Like most social media it is fake attention, loves, likes etc.
one of the great problems of Instagram is collective hysteria. If you have thousands of followers people will like your pictures even if they suck. In my country I noticed that the influencers with mediocre work but with hundreds of thousands of followers receive cameras and lenses for free and opportunities to exhibit their "postcards" in galleries that were previously reserved for the great photographers. It's really sad, especially when you know people with incredible work that will never be known or have recognition. I decided to stop using instagram because it is too childish, people creating stories, screaming and begging to look at their pictures ... and then we have the instagram algorithms that seem to decide that your work will not be successful even before being published. The last time I went to my hometown I decided to print some photos and talk directly with the director of the museum of photography ... and voila! We had a nice conversation, He liked my work and you are now preparing the exhibiton. I prefer to have my work shown with real printngs, with real people, without algorithms or shadow banning deciding what people should see.
braumann2 There’s too much importance placed on Instagram nowadays for photographers. You could take the best photo and only get a few likes, yet I’ve seen some rubbish photos on there with thousands. It doesn’t seem like a fair platform. Too many photographers are getting depressed and giving up because of IG. They need to step back and remember that there were successful photographers before IG. Might seem old school nowadays, but exhibiting your work amongst true enthusiasts is really the best way.
I think one of the tricks of Instagram is to make people frustrated, so you keep posting over and over again. And the worst that can happen is to start imitating the uninteresting style of the famous IG users. Nowadays I appreciate more and more the photographic process, for me the final image is just a proof of a long trip where I had to make a series of decisions. Why am I taking this picture? What camera and lens will I use? what film am I going to use, black and white, color negative, slide? And then develop my own rolls, scanned and edit them. Some pictures take some time until I can see them, that's why it does not make sense to me to post in instagram because after 10 minutes the publication is dead. Social media is a shortcut to a illusory sucess.
Does money define your level of success?
I REALLY like the point you made about connecting with your audience, not leaving the image alone to speak for itself. Something I’m definitely going to work on. Thank you!
The art of Photography and The art of Success
Yes, finding a personal realistic definition of success is important. It can be the difference between finding fulfillment and happiness or defeat and misery. Also, do some study of what success means to others and the path they have taken, especially those that are very successful, not just in photography, in a variety of fields. That can be helpful.
Self-awareness is also important. One’s temperament stamina and drive. What are my assets and liabilities in social and working situations? How much rejection can I handle. How much do I crave attention fame recognition?
Let us not forget; practice, practice my profession and avocation my love my joy my art. Practice, make it a habit but don’t make it an obsession.
Being able to accept, forgive, let go and move on. Thought experiment: I can play Beethoven’s - Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106, if you know it you know it is not easy to play. I can play it but not great. I practice it every day till my fingers are raw. I want to be the lead piano player in one of the words major symphonies. I get a job at one of those symphonies but as the third piano player. I am miserable.
Now tweak this a little; I love playing the piano I am good not great I can even play Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major… I don’t want to practice all day long to better that Sonata it is a pleasure to just play it. There is a local small-town symphony and I play lead piano for them every season. All my friends and neighbors enjoy my work. I don’t get paid much but make enough. Off season I play jazz with local bands. I have a wonderful life.
For me, in the past, when I put a picture up on Instagram Facebook Flickr or other platforms I spent way too much time checking to see who is liking it, what comments I got or if I got any accolades. I would enter juried photo submissions for expositions and I submitted photos for critique. All this affected my work. I wanted to pleas rather then create. I stopped most all of that. I still put photos up on Flickr but I rarely look back. There are photographers I enjoy online and off. I look to see what they are doing or have done. I, on occasion, submit my work locally, My best fans are my grandchildren. My family and friends are my favored subjects. I practice just about every day. I remain teachable and open. I work for the people I love, for people that have curious childlike open eyes and myself too. This is my path.
My we all find our way to success.
I needed to hear this today, thanks Ted!
On that note, I want to ask... With all the supposed drawbacks of social media do you believe the benefits, if any, would exceed the amount of work/effort it takes to become successful on (for example) Instagram in todays climate?
Thanks again for another great video.
Ted youre right on point with this advice. perfect bro. by the way your camera is sharp I can even make out the cat hairs on your shirt lol.
Great Video Ted! It has always been difficult! The thing I try to remember is to enjoy the journey and know that it will take a lot of effort. If you enjoy the journey, all the hours and effort will never seem like work. I look at every new creative endeavour as an opportunity to grow, learn, meet interesting people and do what comes from the heart. That is the essential part.
Good advice, Ted. It's also easy to get bogged down looking for advice/inspiration through youtube videos and social media as well. I think people spend too much time gathering information and not nearly enough out growing their craft and business. This is the first photo related youtube video I've watched in a year. I took 6 months off social media last year. In that time I was finally able to make the jump from part-time to full-time photographer shooting the things I want to shoot the way I want to shoot them. Social media has gotten me nowhere. I have very few followers and get few likes...it doesn't matter. I started gaining ground when I went directly to editors with my ideas until they started publishing my images and articles in print. I wrote regularly on my blog and my reader base has grown several times over. I've also spent more time in the field and have grown my portfolio with the larger image libraries substantially in the last year. So, things are finally starting to happen for me...with barely any time spent on social media.
Persistentcy is very important in what we do. The moment we give up is the moment we fail. Never give up because the success we have been waiting for is coming closer and closer. Don’t stop move on! Don’t worry too much because worry is like a rocking chair it doesn’t takes us anywhere! Life is an adventure! Creativity is life, look around, meet more people, learn from mistakes!
So true... I'm glad you spelled this out for photographers!! Love it!
Digital cameras have made photographers out of idiots and idiots out of photographers. Roughly 1.8 trillion photos are taken each year. Each year. When a fraction of all those photos are posted in social media so that you can 'gain traction' there are far too many channels and accounts and your work is likely to get lost before they stand out.
How do you find one tree in a forest of millions? You don't. Since photography is art and since art is subjective how will you know if your followers have an eye for art and can honestly promote your work. You don't.
I believe its more difficult to succeed as a photographer because the average person doesn't have an eye for art. The average person will argue that you don't need to hire a 'pro' to shoot your wedding, a family reunion, etc. because cousin Johnny with his fourth hand EOS 10D can take photos that are just as good as Ted Forbes. We know that's not true, or is it.
They'll argue that these photos are for benefit of family only not for global publication so why spend the money?
Maria and I married in mid-2020 during the lock down. The gov't in its infinite wisdom limited no more than 10 or so at a given wedding. We were married in our church and didn't hire a photographer due to the restrictions. So I asked our wedding coordinator to take photos with my LG V20 phone camera.
She did a wonderful job considering she's not a photographer and was using a finicky cell phone camera. She took about 45 photos before, during and afterwards. Honestly those photos are not that bad and at the very least we have photos that didn't cost us a dime.
We shared our wedding photos with our family and close friends. They made kind comments about the photos then the conversation went in a different direction. At the end of the day they didn't care who took the photos wither it was Ted Forbes or our wedding coordinator, to be honest we didn't either. We were happy that someone was able to take photos of an event that won't ever be duplicated.
My mom and dad hired a wedding photographer. He took great photos in black and white film. The photos in our opinion are very good. Its been years since he passed away but at the end of the day No One mentioned this photographer, my parents don't recall recommending him to friends or family nor did they hire him again to capture births, birthday parties, anniversaries, graduations, Easter, Christmas, or any other events. They were captured by my father who is conspicuously absent in most of the photos because he's the one behind the camera. I don't know whether it occurred to him to use a tripod and timer.
Most photos are taken in house by family or friend bypassing the need to hire a photographer.
So there you have it. In the face of a tsunami of 1.8 trillion photos taken each year and many of those published to the point of over saturation, how does your work stand out.
Decide what kind of photography you want to do. I transitioned from military photography to food and product photography. No one, other than my clients, know who the hell I am, but my clients call on me over and over and over. I don't put photographs on Instagram or Flicker though. I send copies of my best work to buyers of the type of photographs I take. There is a difference between being well-known and being successful.
The two faces of photography. Customer facing and self fulfilling. Customer facing feeds your face. Self fullfiling feeds your soul. Social media is the mistress of them both.
Being a photographer has changed since the Avedon, Cartier-Bresson, Mapplethorpe days the same way being a novelist has since the Hunter Thompson, Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk days. Becoming the “rockstar photographer” doesn’t exist the way it did anymore, the same way being the rockstar novelist doesn’t, there’s just SO MUCH content out there, so remember to be realistic. So, while you CAN BE successful as a photographer, it is also important to realize that you don’t have to make a living doing that one thing you like, you can make money somewhere else and try to do the photography thing and see where it goes but be realistic.
The majority of people that moan to me about IG not working for them (or even getting work-selling work) when asked: "have you tried doing .........?" most havent. They havent uploaded, they havent DM'd, they havent interacted, they basically havent done anything other than put a photo online. You have to hustle. Most of all you have to actually reach out and TRY. It doesnt just fall on your lap.
Sifting through the wilds of youtube for something meaningful or even just useful is not hugely dissimilar to pissing into a strong wind. You must know this sentiment very well because your videos are devoid of all the hallmarks of the garden variety, amateur, over-opinionated, poorly communicated youtube videos. THANK YOU for standing apart from that morass of useless shite and giving us something not just practical and informative, but humble, self-aware, and honest. It's not just what you do, it's How you do it.
I am not a photographer but I am trying to become a mediocre one. I’ve realized that alot of people who want to try instagram don’t start the right way. There are a lot of talented pages out there that have very little amount of followers. The problem is that their page doesnt tell a story. I realized this very quickly (luckily) ! My personal page has been growing quite fast. I went from 150 followers to 4500 in around 6months. I never though I would gain so much traction! But I realized that its because I am telling a story throughout my pictures. I gained most of my followers with an iphone 6s plus camera. Nothing fancy! You just need to be smart about how to gain an audience’s attention. Anyways thats my opinion!
Success happens when you meet with the right people. Now where do we meet "the right people"? Is a good question. But part of the answer is in the question itself - you’ve got to meet people that work in the domain you aspire. Rare are the “Artists” that pop up from nowhere, like Vivian Maïer. And even then, it only became apparent when her work was found by “the right people” (someone who saw their value) once she passed away.
Another part of the answer, is How much time and energy are you investing to meet those people (or find ways to meet these people). And if your aren’t happy with your answer then maybe it’s because your current work is not up to the task. Still, again, an answer is found: You now know what needs to be done!
All of these facts demonstrate that one needs to “Work towards an objective”. Doing the “Work” (your photography) ain’t enough. There are other “skills” needed - just as there are different skills needed to the type of photography you do. A portraitists needs to communicate what he wants to his model, not the “landscape photographer”.
You see what I mean! To build success one needs not to rely on his Art only.
I really needed this video right now. I've got my photos up, right now just from a photography class on my Instagram. I was a bit embarrassed at first to use all the hashtags, but I knew that was the only way to get my stuff seen since people can actually follow hashtags. And I've gotten some interesting followers. So this "Ted Talk" has assured me that I am going down the right path as far as the 'Gram goes. I've been thinking about a youtube channel (I wouldn't use this one I'm commenting with) but I don't know what the "niche" would be right now. Right now, I'm just trying to shoot and learn.
I want a jpg t-shirt !! I agree with what you've said, succinctly and nicely stated too. It's the same with many modern innovations e.g., rock n roll, selling 45s, AM radio stations etc., all of that has changed. But one of the things that remains constant Is the distinction you alluded to between art and profit; art is never profitable until it's commercialized, so with any kind of medium, in order to commercialize it, it has to be marketed - hyped - or be interesting enough for someone with Cash, Credit and Juice to market it. That's how it's similar to rock n roll. So it's a matter of numbers: you either have a situation with too many dollars chasing too few goods - the best chance of selling something - or too may goods chasing too few dollars where it becomes akin to a lottery. In a capitalist system you always have (1) people that want to hang something on their walls or else to retail or (2) people that want images to sell things with. So I think it's important to recognize that. Personally, I just like to practice and perfect things that I like to do, there will always be people that stop and appreciate that; and have no expectations. When I used to spend a lot of time Fly Fishing a guy that did way more of it than me told me this - the most important thing, more than anything else is this - are you having fun? Because if you're not? Then why are you doing it?
Good words, sir. I've also read some of that War of Art book too. He was right about defeating distractions and just doing your craft everyday. That guy Pressfield was such a prolific writer -- I read some of his book about Thermopylae. Its huge!
I actually wound up taking one of my fastest growing instagram posts over the last weekend The creativity for that wasn't light that shone or something that just came up and bit me... unless you count the mosquitoes and ticks. I grabbed a handheld GPS, my camera, and the coordinates to an old nike missile site (which I was unable to reach, so I'll be trying again later) and I set out on foot. Creativity required about 7 hours of perspiration, and a handful of minutes for everything I decided to photograph.
Towards the end of the segment, Ted talks about perseverance, and that reminds me a of quote from Walt Disney: “The difference in winning and losing is most often…not quitting." Disney was not a "shooting star", he too had to deal with getting turned down, self-doubt, etc. Therefore, his quote is very apropos.
This might be a little of topic, but I'm hoping it will be close enough.
I just got back into photography after having break (for something like 10 years, due to reasons) Back then I worked freelance just to make a little money on the side while in school.
Now I find it really hard to find places where I can get good constructive critic on my pictures. Back then there was a good site (although it was only in Swedish but still) but now that site seems to have fallen into the "gear trap" and it's all about the "latest and the greatest"
How can give me some ideas on where to go?
Tx Ted. Good vid. Great channel. Possibly a bit off topic, but still on the topic of Instagram. I see a lot of IG feeds that have loads of followers, but the images are very much shot specifically for the platform. They’re not bad images, in fact some of them are quite good and I follow a lot of these photographers because I enjoy what they do. But I notice a lot of these guys shoot in the same style using the same or similar presets. It’s very “Instagrammy if you know what I mean? If I compare the work produced on IG vs the work being done on 500px, the level, in my opinion at least, is much higher and more pure to the art of photography on 500px than on IG. I suppose one has to create true to your own style and develop that. But what are your thoughts on IG dictating style and creativity for photographers so that they can get thousands and thousands of followers, and is it good or bad for photography?
Instagram especially is tough these days. I made an account in July but got into photography properly back in May, and while I've improved so much since then in such a short amount of time my recent photos barely get more attention than my first few. I use as many relevant hashtags as possible, caption my posts, interact with people who comment, comment on other people's work etc., and still my account has barely grown (less than 100 followers since creating the account). I'm realising it isn't about the quality of the work you post, just about being persistent with posting. It takes time. And it's worth remembering that good work doesn't always equal lots of attention; I've seen many bad photos taken in the city I live in posted to Instagram that got three to five times as much attention as some of my best. Not everyone on instagram is a photographer, including the people who "like" your photos, so many can't tell a good photo from a bad one.
Define success.... thank you. That's the key. I don't make money. I do art. I feel good. I have friends that make money do weddings and pinup and honestly I admire what they've done. Who's the photographer? We all are and we learn from each other. That to me is success.
Thank you for not sugar coating things. In my opinion you cannot be successful in anything if you don't have discipline. You can have the best of talents, but if you're s lazy bum, nothing will ever happen.
There is a flash news. Photography is mostly dead. The present (and future) is video obviously. So no wonder about "why you won't succeed in photography".
What is killing photography is the phone, now everyone can take thousands of images without any clue about what is required to take a great image. They will proudly display screeds of pictures on their phone screen and apart from the odd fluke, they are basically terrible. And then there are the Flickr whores. Ok I use Flickr simply as an on-line medium to save my best pictures and connect to one or two groups. I have taken some pretty amazing images and I get a number of views and some likes and a few comments. And then I see images which are really not that great, but they are like crazy, thousands of views hundreds of likes and comments with awards osted and when I look closely I can see its just the same image being presented in 100 different groups and across the full spectrum of image posting sites, the scatter gun effect. I dont need that, I love what I do and that for me is enough. Maybe that is the true art of photography.
I've been taking photos for 40 years and up to now have just enjoyed taking photographs. Because there is so much photography taken these days with cell phones, I think it would be hard to become famous or having your photos going viral. I look at your site a lot because what you have to say makes sense. Thank you for your insight.
I think my photos even after I'm gone will be still out "there"
I have zero illusions about my photography success. It certainly won’t be for a lack of showing up and doing the work. I’m enjoying it more than I did 40 years ago.
It's like anything you do. In order to get anywhere or make anything of it, you have to put in the hard yards. Success is just the tiny bit of cream on top of a very large, and sometimes bitter, coffee. But, that coffee is going to be the thing that actually sustains you, no matter what happens. So, drink that coffee and if you see some cream, make sure you lick it up. Persistence, even when it things don't look so good, is the key. No one is spectacularly successful all the time and those that say they are, are kidding themselves as well as others. I think the main thing to remember is like what you're doing, and don't be too critical of yourself or let other's criticism define you and your work. In the end, it's only an opinion, no matter who they are. Ultimately, you take up photography (or whatever else you happen to like) because of your love for the art. Not because you see it as a job to make money. If you want that, become a bartender, office worker or a banker.
I wished I could life from photography but I sell only 3 photos over stock agencies ... round about 3$ but spent 1000 times for gear and shoot 10 times more photos...nothing seems to help but at the end I have some great pictures on my walls.
Being a photographer is a hard gig. I struggle, especially this time of year living in Minnesota. As regard to likes and views on IG or Facebook... I get likes but not that much work from social media. Then again I'm not exactly a traditional photographer. I don't judge my success on money or likes but by pushing myself to see what I can achieve. Thanks for this video. It's inspiring.
It's more important to get your name out there. Today it's more about the photographer than the photography. Anyone connected to photography knows who Henri-Cartier Brason is, but how many people could pick out his work. I hope I spelled his name right.
Too true Ted. The path is the process, the success. Success (whatever that is) is an illusion, a mirage. I think we need to put or head down and do the work. Put in the hours, the years, the decades and always question. "Who am I doing this for?"
Indeed, I saw Tony Levin three times in 2017 and each time he was touring with a different band, King Crimson, Stick Men & The Levin Brothers (So prog, prog & jazz). I also bought his poetry book but my favorite work of his that year was a photograph of a microphone with the band (King Crimson) as bokeh... The man can do the work! ;-)
Anyone else feel personally attacked by the title? xD
Michael Rutter me
Encouraging... 😂😂
Realistic.
Kinda baffles my mind that ppl think in today’s age it would be harder to be a photographer. Sure, everyone is a photographer now but that’s cuz there’s a demand for visuals everywhere more than ever. Just find what interests you and go at it as hard as you can. (That being said, I’m way too lazy!😓)
I think you completely misunderstood what he meant by "working for myself". He meant he's self-employed.
I wonder if anyone can suggest an application that’s similar to Media Pro by Phase One . I need to import and export XML files
The best artists I've heard over the years always seem to have an end game in regards to the recipient (buyer or fan) of the art; basically, the best artists care about how their art is received, how it may change minds, hearts, and the world in general...they are also humble
Inspirational quotes aside you have to have 2 very different skill sets in order to succeed as a photographer in social media. First of all you have to be a good photographer and most importantly you have to be good at social media. Wondering why you don't succeed on instagram just by posting "good" photos is like wondering why you didn't got voted for president just because you are a good actor.
Yeah, shoving your photos into other peoples faces never helps. Its like when you walk into the shop and the first thing attendants do is ask if they can help you find something, etc. etc. I just instantly walk out.
Please explain why people use Instagram? It’s made and used for phone cameras. Why would a DSLR photographer ever use Instagram?
you need focus, sorry, try photocrowd to enter the competition market, or shoot for stock, become a papparazzi if you stay in a capital city and shoot for wenn, do weddings for free, find a project and complete it then you have a product to hawk about, the point is you will shoot for a reason and become better
A lot like "Nobody cares about your photography" both in title and content... key take away is that "I" have to care more than I expect my audience to care.
the best thing you can do is get a real friend. one that knows photography. let them tell you if your photos are shit or not. without someone telling you the truth you will never get better. you will be in a rut thinking you are good when everyone is just kissing your ass. i would rather put out quality work than have a million followers. face it allot of the photgraphy buisness is who you know not what you do...make yourself happy first. if its not good enough for your walls why should someone else buy it
I think the title should be "Why you would succeed in Photography". Sounds more optimistic and in line with what you said here.
Hashtags, and tags in general, are like the signs that show others where your gallery is. They're not going to make people like your photos, but without them hardly anyone will know you're there.
Everyone does photography and no one thinks they are bad photographers. There must be something wrong with peoples self-assessment.
Wow the cocktail party metaphore was so beautiful I almost cried
Yep. The Muse isn't a shower of inspiration. You must build a relationship.
Give yourself the assignment you wish someone else would give you. And then ask what if it works?
More importantly is how you can talk so much and so fast without breathing.
What fun was that?! Mary Jean B's ex-bro-in law is a blue Angels Pilot.
The implication of the title being that this vlogger who gives the advice is successful?
Ted, I'm here from the iTunes days!
Long time watcher.
If success was too easy, I would have to find something else that was difficult.
Shia LaBeouf "Just Do It" photography mode.
Great advice! Love your style, and as someone who has been full-time for 8 years in the wedding industry and does well.. your right on point. Nice Gary V. reference, I think all photographers need to pay attention to him instead of other photographers.
Like anything else, you get out what you put in.
I think likes on Instagram are too important to photographers nowadays. You will never stand out on social media no matter how good you are, because there is so many others trying to do the same thing. For serious photographers, Instagram should not be your only outlet. Get your name out there in other ways away from social media. Create your own website, exhibit your work etc.
Good advice. You gotta work it and not give up. It's a job -- not always fun. Remember, winners never quit and quitters never win.
I think you're better than this kind of clickbaity video titles.
Hard work hard work, but also focused work.
I would rather be a bad photographer, than nothing at all.
“Put in the work” 🔥🔥🔥
👊🏼
"No one cares about your photography."
"Effort = Success" Roger Penske
You can always buy subscribers... lol
It all depends how you define succeed
Really enjoyed this talk dude, I think number 2 is a really strong point: building a community. Aka gotta provide value! What are you bringing to the table with your work?