The Truths In Photography No One Wants to Talk About
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
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The technical side of photography isn't overly complicated. Learning how to see light and how to sculpt your subjects with it does take time, however. Now, taking great images that other people want to look at and admire is bloody difficult. That requires some talent, some imagination, and a considerable amount of practice.
Bloody!... very! You'll leave your sking and blood trying to get some of the really good shots hahahaha quite literally 🤣😱
Cinematography is a thing, to view photography as less is a mistake. The painting comparison and belittlement is unfortunate and wrong, it took centuries to get it down. Photography came along and instant “accuracy” painting imploded to the point of worhol and banksy using cardboard cut outs. It’s ok!!! Equipment ehh your phone works AI encroaches, figure it out. None of it is your fault fk these misguided truths
@@TrggrWarning What an absolutely arrogant, elitist mentality. This is EXACTLY that kind of crap he's talking about here. I'm incredibly fortunate that the photographers I shoot along side aren't this prickish when it comes to welcoming in new people, because that attitude is just so negative it would drive people away from expressing themselves. You can be the "elite" if you want. I'd rather live in the real world.
I love this!
@@Bad_Wolf_Media elitist and arrogant huh, rather extreme take, well okay. Either that or you didn’t understand what I wrote, there is no other possible interpretation.
When I first took up photography at the age of 56 I knew absolutely nothing about the art so my wife persuaded me to join a camera club -
Thing is , I didn't even know how to transfer photos onto an USB stick at the time and while they did try to teach you stuff it was always through Show And Tell and the 3 experienced photographers amongst them always won Photo Of The Week - I wasn't learning anything , just made to feel small - I went 4 times then thought ' I have to learn more of the basics before going to these classes ' and never went back - I studied UA-cam videos , I bought every book under the sun , I bought photo magazines and eventually became half-good .
Light - Composition - Post Processing , learn those - try not to blow the highlights and you'll have a half-decent photo - experiment with your Spotmeter , expose for the highlights , have fun , shoot , shoot , shoot , practise , practise , practise , but mostly have fun .
Lots of good advice! I would add print out your work. There is just something about having it in your hand, there is the satisfaction but also another perspective to learn from. And the new high ink capacity printers have made this much cheaper!
I had a similar experience but it was made worse by the fact that I still shoot film and make photos in my darkroom. And the contests! I really do not care about contests.
@@marknicholson5293 Before deciding whether Photography was for me I bought a Nikon F80 and took a few photos of the surrounding areas - unbeknown to me my wife sent away one of the negatives and had it blown up onto one of those acrylic type frames - she gave it to me as a birthday present - it actually looked very nice and this gave me the confidence to buy a brand new digital camera and lens , a Nikon D7000 .
I still have the F80 , in fact I have around 36/37 film cameras .
Mark , it sounds to me as though you were the only ' real ' Photographer there , my friend - if you can develop your own film in your own darkroom then you already knew more than most of those folk attending that Club - more power to you , mate .
Jichael M - I bought an old Canon MG6250 the day I bought my D7000 kit , the lady Manager at Jessops thought her Christmas had come early , bless her as I spend nearly £1800 that day - I used to print out loads and I really should choose one or two to print out at a larger size - I'll do it soon .
Excellent advice, enjoy the process.
I been a budding photographer for some years now and I find that from the beginning it was hard to find good advice on how to use a camera and like yourself I got a bit put off so I just started to watch UA-cam and instergram and reading on the web and to me I found an old saying true . “ beauty is in the eye of the beholder” good luck and thank you as I’m 57 and still learning 😅
My experience of a photo club (40 year ago now) was that it was focused on photo competitions, gear snobbery and a fake hierarchy of "experts" (they weren't) based on in groups within the membership. I didn't remain a member for long and never bothered with clubs again. In my opinion, a club should focus on enabling photographers to take photographs, by organising events and trips out to take photos. Comradery, mentoring and sharing expertise is all important too. A club focused on competition and competing spoils the joy of photography by turning an art into a competitive sport.
My experience entirely - I tried two clubs and never got past a few visits, cliquey, gear obsessed and very set in their views on what is good and what isn't.
My first visit was my last. Everyone was talking about the new Leica. I had a used Nikon. I snuck out at the break.
My club is totally different. We spend a lot more time talking about famous photographers and influences and very little time talking about gear (unless it’s something a person has built themselves). Nobody bashes gear, nobody bashes other people’s photographs and everyone tries to create an inclusive environment. Gear snobs don’t hang around our club for very long.
40+ years of shooting both professionally and non, I have visited one Camera Club meeting on the behest of a friend who was just getting started. As the overall consensus here is that Camera Clubs tend to be “clicky”, I concur. I was extremely underwhelmed by the participant's “elitist”, gatekeeper mindsets. After the meeting, I suggested that he take courses at local, small community college, where a friend and former colleague taught classes on film processing, basic photo/camera techniques in a friendly environment where egos were kept in check, as most of the classes were full of beginners as well. Some 30 years later, he is shooting editorial and assignment work for a variety of publications.
Hi Alex.
I was a photographers assistant in the 80's (2nd then 1st) and had the time of my life. I learnt on all camera formats and lighting, plus studio and location.
I also learnt from having access to printers, stylists, hair & make up, and art directors who were all connected to the photographers I worked with. And watching how the photographers behaved with and retained clients.
Working and collaborating with these people is what opened my eyes, looking at how they solved problems that arose on shoots or solved briefs from clients. It was the interacting with others and sharing knowledge that helped me to improve the most.
So, no, learning how to operate a camera and take pictures isn't hard. However, finding the people to help you who are also a positive influence can be the hard part.
Sending good vibes to all.
That was my experience too. Exactly the same.
One of the best photography videos of 2022! Lets create a community with mentoring and constructive feedback. Lifting people up is what we all need these days instead a feeding the narcissistic monster within. Happy New Year to all photographers out there!
If more experienced photographers don’t help the less experienced and the new photographers, how can we pass the torch. We need to encourage the next generation, or photography as a whole, may suffer.
100% What suggestions can you (or others) make that would help make sure all the hard won knowledge isn't lost?
So true, in all areas, not only photography...
@@ThePhotographicEye Unfortunately, a lot of what is taught on the internet belongs in the bin. Rule of Thirds? . Foreground interest? . Focus 1/3 of the way in? .
I like framing, I like strong lines, I like contrast. Choice of lens is so important that I put one on my camera (often a prime), and shoot all day. Recently I was away for a week, used two lenses. 24mm on my Lumix S1R, 60mm on my OM-D E-M1 II. I also quite like to obfuscate, if you can't recognise the subject, that's good.
I focus where I want to you look. I might use a smallish aperture to get a decent depth of focus, but if the subject is sharp, does anything else matter?
I for one find a great deal of joy in passing on information, watching someone improve and finding their own style is a reward in itself.
I really enjoyed this.
I have been a professional photographer for over 50 years.
I give it all away, and I love doing it.
Making photographs is fairly easy, being in business is very hard.
It takes a great deal of perseverance to be in the business of photography.
And if I can help in any way, I do.
But there are fewer that want to hear the tough stuff than I expected there to be.
And I for one love watching your videos
@@Mark.A.Waller Thank you Mark.
Hi Alex, thank you for this. It is so true that photography does have a lot of egos that rely on their personalities to create that separation or elitism, and take great pleasure in lording their abilities rather than applauding their peers. I bought the studio from a photographer who considered himself quite famous within the industry and probably put my photography back years by tearing my experience apart and demeaning it against his own history. Over the years this eroded my passion for the art,. However, it launched my daughter's career until she now has her own studio, is a director of one of the significant photographic associations and was named portrait photographer of the year by that association. For many years I believed I must be missing something, that style or technique that raises me to that level. When in reality it was my own imposter feelings and not believing in myself. You're absolutely right! Photography is not that hard, yes you can know all the physics of light and that may help (it may also hinder and make you overthink). The truth lies in self-belief, having a vision and evaluating the advice and comments before taking them to heart and understanding why they said what they did. Keep up the great work, I now intend to work through your back history and see if I can get that passion back.
Watch Alex’s videos and you will fall in love again with photography. And you know what ? 2023 is the year when we get rid of our imposter feeling and enjoy photography for the sake of it.
if you want that passion back, stop thinking, pick up the camera and do what you want. That passion returns quickly, I know, I've been there and I only shoot for personal pleasure - best of luck
i’ve always told people the major difference between amateur and professional is the ability to recreate something great you’ve done before. we can all take a great shot; a professional knows how to do it again.
To a point yes. In simple terms one earns a living from it, the other does not. This is not always proportional to ability. I know many average pro photographers and many amazing amateur photographers.
This is a great comment. This is true. This is why you have guys who specialise in certain areas such has sport or fashion. They get better & better at it with each passing job. It’s all the same at the end of the day. I mean how many times can you really make an athletics meet look incredibly different from the last one you shot. In writing they say all writing is rewriting. I have noticed with professional photographers working in the realms of sport & news is they are at best very bitter people. Horrible people. And yes they very reluctant to share their knowledge. The only photographer who shared his experiences with me was Arko Datta a World Press photo winner in 2004. He was good. The rest were crap.
Boy, you hit the nail on the head! Had a few older professionals tell me that because I did not go to school, for photography, that I could not compare to them. Thank you for your sound advice! I entered a contest and won 1st place against 2 professionals in the portrait category. I am still learning, but with a renewed sense that the vision is half the battle! Blessings in the new year!
There are parts of photography that no amount of schooling will help with. Photography is more complex than many think. The best way to learn photography is to DO photography. But don't do it blindly. View it as a learning experience. Don't be afraid to experiment. Learn what works for you. Don't be to proud to take advice, however.
Slow down. Don't use your camera as a visual macine gun. In fact, I would recommend investing in a twin lens reflex film camera. Why?
You only get 12 shots per roll (on some cameras 24.) You have to think about what you are doing. You have to learn to "see". You cannot just blast away. The negative is bigger giving you a higher quality image and the ability to crop in numerous ways. I say a tlr because they are sturdy and relatively inexpensive.
Too many photographers think it's about having a latest and greatest camera. It's not. It is about knowing what you want and how to get it.
That's so ridiculous. It's one of those subjects that you can learn yourself probably a lot better than in formal and rigid academical environment. Also studies are so expensive and in all likelihood won't lead to any other career other than photographer and even then won't make you all that hirable.
I disagree with the premise that it isn't that hard. Yes, with modern cameras an image can be created with the push of a button. Creating excellent images, however, requires so much more. Especially an image derived from film. Most important, is learning to see what becomes the image or imagining it in your minds eye. Of course there is understanding the technical side of photography- how film works, how chemistry works, how optics work, the mathematics of photography, the physics involved and much, much more.
Even digital photography requires understanding many disciplines. Good or great photography is a mix of many things. Some are intangible and cannot be measured.
“Why are we so bitchy?” Love it. I feel fortunate in my rediscovery of photography that I’ve found communities of people who are supportive. I’ve grown so much in 2022 and I feel I owe it to those photography communities.
I tried here in my area town to join the local photography club or at least get involved . It was very closed and unwelcoming . I went once or twice and got shut out . I never went back .
It felt like they were just wanting to not have new comers . I do wildlife photography and landscapes,macro photography stuff. Not so much people portraits only once in awhile but mostly the other stuff .
Oh BTW I have a wall of my best shots still building that up and do a showing of them to get both good and bad critiques.
Not that I care but just to get the art works my form of art out there and pass along the beauty of photography wildlife photography etc.....
To be fair, like never before I feel like society became very bitchy in last 5 years.
Taking a picture is easy, taking a meaningful picture is incredibly hard. I think the opposite point is true. Too many UA-camrs say a career in photography is easier than it is. Taking pictures you will still want to look at in 25 years is incredibly hard.
Rubbish …. we have had a digital camera for around 25 years in one form or another and have most of those images uploaded to Google photos.
When some of those photos appear on our telly via our Chrome-cast screen saver I look at them and go wow I remember taking that it’s a meaningful and satisfying experience when they come up. Yeah there is a hell of a lot that are meh but there are a quite a few I sit back and enjoy.
My photos now are a lot better and I am much pickier about what gets sent to google photos. My dad taught me the basics on a film camera years ago and I personally don’t find it hard to take a satisfying picture that I want to preserve that moment.
We don’t have a single photo album we get way more enjoyment out of the screen savers on the Chromecast amd PC that pulls random images out of my photo vault on my local network.
@@PubRunner You are talking about holiday snaps. To be like Henri Cartier Bresson is very, very hard.
@@ChrisWhittenMusic actually no sure there are a lot of everyday snaps. There are also some deliberately set up shots of both family, sport and landscapes.
To be fair your OP didn’t mention a master or any people group.
Meaningful???? In whose eyes ??? Yours ?? Even photo ever taken in the history of photography has meaning to someone !!!! Chris I have a funny feeling your one of the people Alex is referring to !!
@@julianmcwey866 Not my eyes. I'm not elite at all. I am tough on myself. If I get one great photo a year I am very lucky.
"Photography is the easiest art, which perhaps makes it the hardest." -Lisette Model
You're right. The technical side of photography isn't that hard. It's certainly no worse than learning to use a computer program (which digital editing essentially is - learning a computer program). I think what separates the average from the exceptional photographers is knowing how to create the image they have in their heads. That takes practice, experimentation, and sometimes - better gear. My own photography skills have been transformed over the last few years - mostly because I started my own photography UA-cam channel and I was FORCED to learn new photographic techniques, try new editing skills, and push my gear to its limits.
Thank you for pointing this out. The art of living is enjoying the process, not the tool of the process.
I like to say: gear doesn't matter, until it does. High-end camera gear won't make you good; but the better you get from experience, the more new possibilities you see. It's a lot like golf. A hacker can't hit blade irons with XX-stiff shafts, but when you approach a scratch handicap, you're good enough to get the most out of such clubs. Disclosure: I suck at golf. 😉😂
The painting workshop idea for teaching knowledge is a good comparison. The key though is for people to learn the skills to realize their own vision, not to copy another's. Museums are full of paintings by "School of Rembrandt" but whose actual authors are unknown. Some are so similar to the master's that they've been erroneously attributed to him, and vice versa. We need to find out own voices.
Camera clubs into general are the worst - mostly pixel poopers, err -peepers...and then talking all day B$ about CAs, distortions, etc. about at 100 to 400% about lens xy on body xyz...way boring. Not about composition. And everybody thinks they're the best. Soo many ego trips, narc's...but less art. A freakshow. 🙂
Hi Alex, Your video couldn't have come at a better time. It hit the spot. I retired earlier in December. The years were mounting up and I became more disillusioned with my role and the cooling off of my working relationship with my colleagues - the age gap became ever more prevalent and it was time for old father time to call it a day. The shining light was my photography. I was only ever fare to middling but I knew that I wanted to do more and be more expressive and effectively be myself and break that mould that often work and society as whole, wants to put you into. I've taken photographs for most of my life but never had a clear direction as to where I wanted to go with it. Now that I have the time I'm dusting off existing skills and learning new ones. I'm thinking more about my photography, looking back over older images to see how they make me feel now and compare them with what I'm doing now. I'm learning about myself in the process. I think I'm breaking many of the rules of photography, but I've got to a part of my life where I want to see where my photography goes if I just do what I feel for myself is right for me. I love landscape photography and that is where my heart is. There doesn't appear to be any rules out there so why should I introduce something which is not caprice. Have a great New Year Alex, and many thanks for the advice.
Photography is like a chisel. In the right hands, you can create amazing work.
Well it's easy to get the photo, getting good one is another story.
While technically easier than painting simply because camera is easier to deal with than learning to manually paint, only means that one aspect of photography is easier than painting for example.
Throwing words like simple and easy can lead to devaluation of art, how can we expect people to pay us for creating art if we are gonna wank and say it's easy, if it was anyone with a cellphone could do the job.
Sorry if I got your intention wrong, but while I would always recommend people to try photography I would never say to try it because it's easy, I would say try it because it's fun, and you can express yourself.
Just saying but programming is also easy, you just have to learn it to see that it is ;)
This is a very interesting video, but I can't agree with all of it. Where I agree is that you can learn the basics of photography in a couple of hours, but you can learn the basics of drawing or painting in a couple of hours. Your work may not be great, and you certainly are not going to be a grandmaster, but you can create something, and have fun, which is what everybody should be aiming for.
Becoming a great photographer is similar to becoming a great artist, it takes time and skill. Yes, that skill can be technical, but it goes well beyond that. I am currently doing my masters in fashion photography, and the examples in the lectures are all about creativity. Now I think creativity is great, but what bugs the life out of me is there is, more often than not, very little technical skill in the examples being given. I am not suggesting that everything should be technically masterful, but we have the opposite, where technical skill is largely absent beyond the basics.
So when I hear about don't worry about the technical skill, it does get me worried slightly (I am not talking all about gear) because discounting technical skill is a way of holding back photographers and how they are able to create*.
In the end, it is all about options. When you have the knowledge, you don't have to use it; when you don't have that knowledge, you don't have that option. But for me, the biggest skill in photography is knowing that whilst you can do something you don't have to.
As for photographers helping. I was a member of the MPA, and I have to say that the photographers who were a part of that were, in my experience, always willing to help each other (from the very top (I am sure you know who I mean)) all the way down, with members who have experience in different mediums being able to give advice on certain things they know which are outside the normal photographer's knowledge.
*I do acknowledge that there are photographers who don't have access to anything beyond the basics, and they are able to create great work.
💯 What ONLY matters is what sells. 50 pros can tell you it's a crap photo. But if one customer loves it. That's ALL that matters.
Gear absolutely matters but a photographer who knows what he wants in his shots can work around the limitations of gear.
And conversely a person can drop thousands on bodies, lenses, strobes, modifiers, etc. and still only get mediocre images because he just doesn't have a vision of a good photograph to start with.
People who are really good at anything - according to my experience - gladly share their knowledge and their skills with others. It is the people who are mediocre, or even less, who selfishly conceal the little they know. If they were to do otherwise, an intelligent listener would rapidly recognize how very little knowledge they actually have.
It’s like playing poker. It’s one thing to know how to play. It’s another to know how to win.
It's a lot easier to paint a picture of a blue whale giving birth to a calf in the Great Southern Ocean than it is to take a photo of it.
Critiques of photos by the professionals may be as meaningless as the ratings of Paul McCartney's RAM album, when it was new. Beatle's skills being unique to the norm, was a solid advantage in their success. The ability to produce an end result which is most pleasurable is what we strive for in photography. The best baby or wedding photographer in the world, is not necessarily one which would find street photography an easy win. Can't believe how fast the years go -- Happy New Year, 2023! Take care, Loren
After working in many industries, this one is the worst for not helping. Quick enough to say your doing things wrong, but don't say way or how to help you.
Thing is if I help someone then they do something better than me. Then that would push me to be a better photographer (if that's what I was after) sick and tried of the older ones saying don't shoot that. They have been done to death. Be original, yet you look at their work and its full of what they tell us not to shoot. I get a massive buzz helping out others. Let's all help this industries to grow and keep growing 🙏
It is the master's responsibility to instruct the apprentice.
As a photographer and an artist, photography has taught me to be more aware of the small, unexpected things and details around me, instead of just the "Big Picture."
Hi Alex, I follow your videos and enjoy what you have to say most of the time, but unfortunately you've just crossed the Rubicon moaning about camera clubs! I belong to one of the friendliest in Cornwall and have been a member for over 25 years and I can assure you the LAST thing we generally talk about is gear. Yes we often ask new and established members to bring in their own cameras from time to time along with their instruction manuals in order to assist them in getting to grips with their camera's menus and settings, but it's all about getting the photos and it really doesn't matter whether it's the latest smartphone, oldest DSLR or the latest all singing/dancing mirrorless. We REALLY don't care less what cameras our members use and we never tell them what's "Wrong" with their photos but just like you, we try to educate them about the various styles and genres of photography. We also critique one another's work and enter club competitions, but we always try to emphasise that the judge is just giving a personal opinion and if you prefer your photo the way it is, that's absolutely fine. We certainly do celebrate and share one another's work and my experience is that club photographers, especially other speakers we have, are the most generous people with extending their knowledge and experience to anyone who asks.
Thank you for your comment.
As you may have noticed, I prefixed it with 'in my experience'. I'm please to hear you're in a club where ppl are supoprtive and friendly. That's awesome to hear and I wish there were more like that out there.
Like a lot of club based activities (and again in my experience, Scouting springs to mind) the club is only as good as the people who run it.
Alas there are many clubs run by people who follow a doctrine if you will, and don't wish to deviate from that. It's great to hear your club is fostering and encouraging new photographers.
I kind of disagree, photography is hard, not the technical side, as you say, that bit is relatively easy, the imagination and the realisation of that idea/imagined imaged onto a digital or printed image, that's the hard part, I have a particular image in mind I've wanted to capture for more than 5 years now, it relies heavily on the weather and clear skies as well as timing, I've been out dozens of times in the middle of the night, sometimes driving many miles to get it but alas it evades me, then there are times that are very rare when I imagine a scene and it only takes a few times out to capture what I saw in my head.
For me photography is seeing an image in my head that I want to get into print/digital then creating or finding the opportunity to get that image, the technical side is simple, UA-cam is full of tutorials not only on using cameras but on post processing, what the internet cannot do is give you the motivation to go out at 2am in the winter and wade into 2ft of very cold water to get the right angle for a shot.
On that note, I fear there is a huge nail in the coffin looming over photography and that is AI image generation from text prompts, combined with the normalisation of seeing AI generated faces.
the irony is that it's the chase of those imagined images that keep you going back...and then it's bitter sweet if/when you do finally nail the shot you've been chasing!! But - because it's difficult IS what makes it good - and arguably - and accomplishment and then! arguably: meaningful. Now - think about this: How we now live in a meaningless society because we've removed difficulty from everything. BOOM!!
Hey Alex. Photography is easy like bowling is easy. You just roll it down the lane.
What is a challenge is running a business and earning a living from the craft. Like any business you need to understand marketing, selling, opportunities, competition, bookkeeping, tax, investment, depreciation, employing others, advertising, contracts and continuous professional development.
The actual art of photography is well understood by many.
1 Beginners need to make beginner mistakes as part of the learning process on the way to journeyman and hopefully, master. Assuming normal intelligence, if they make the mistake repeatedly, it can be assumed that they have made a stylistic choice and like it that way. The style of quite a few famous photographers hinge on things commonly identified as beginner mistakes (eg. Dolron over processed skin, Eggleston banal subject matter, Corbijn poor film stock choice).
2 The sort of folk who point out this lens or that is not sufficiently sharp, are the same sort of folk who claim using a 100mm macro lens for portraits is bad because such a lens is too sharp. For simplicity in the absence of a psychoanalysis, these can be categorized as twats.
3 Those gifted with creativity and the 'photographic eye', often find the technical aspects more challenging, and those who find the technical aspects easy tend to struggle with composition, creativity and subject choice; this is human nature. However, it's easier to learn technical competence than it is to learn creative flair. Very few renowned painters aim for the Leibovitz look, but quite a number of photographers strive for the Rembrandt look.
4 My Nikon F2 with a small selection of prime lenses is capable of making the same shot as my Canon R5 with a trinity of fast zooms, but it's a lot quicker, easier, cheaper and more repeatable with the R5. You don't think it's cheaper? You haven't adjusted for 40 years of inflation and processing costs.
Jeez, Alex, when I saw the title I really perked up... then you talked about photography... not being 'hard'?! I thought maybe you'd delve into an actual 'truth that no one wants to talk about', like deceit, which is pretty rampant.
I have a friend who worked for Nat Geo retouching photos, 'taking out cow pies' and so forth. Just for example. Or how about the fact that a chimpanzee is capable of making a 'great' photo (I suppose, in deep subtext, you almost said that). I know you know that HCB's most famous pic was shot without his even SEEING the guy jumping the puddle. (Why not mention that, given your subject matter?)
Worse, the subject of blatant 'arranging' of 'street photos'. Still worse, the addition or subtraction of visual elements (aside from Steve McCurry). Contact me at my blog if you want some specific examples of that (a photog you've raved about in one case). 'Photography is hard'??? Jeez, Alex.
Great points about being a teacher of photography. I never ask any of my family and friends to critique any of my photo's. They will either give a thumbs up or not say anything at all. When nothing is said then I know that the photo didn't fall into their category likability. I was a teacher/Instructor in the military, and I had to learn to read people who would struggle with the subjects I was teaching. I would get them to tell me where it is they are having trouble. I would try to get them to solve their problem by giving them thoughts to the solution. I love teaching and photography is just another subject that I have learned and can teach others.
I am happy to ask family and friend. I don't trust their judgements as to whether my photographs are good or bad, but they are representative of the classes of people who my buy my photographs, and if I want to sell my photographs, I need to please prospective clients. I am also comfortable with the notion that your appreciation of my photographs will be different from mine, I'd be happy for you to choose between alternatives of one subject.
What camera did you use, he asked, impressed by my beautiful photo, printed A2. I replied, did you ever ask a sculptor what hammer and chisel they used? It's not important until it is. Yes, you can hear one painter ask the other what brush they used to get those extremely fine eyelashes. It doesn't matter until it does.
The hardest aspects are creativity and seeing something in a different way than 99% of the other people taking photos. It's hard to be a great photographer. My daughter struggles with the technical aspects, but wow, does she have an eye for composition. Different aspects are hard for different people. I definitely agree that gear is secondary to composition, lighting, creativity and the other less concrete aspects. Great photos were made long before 100MP digital sensors existed, before Kodachrome existed, before color film existed. Those are not what make photographs great.
On some photography forums you see a lot of people criticise absolutely everything about other people's work, and yet never even invite critique of their work. In my experience, 96.2% of them are people in their final third of their life. When you question what they're saying, the come back is always the predictable "I've been doing this since the dark room days". Problem is though, that people are usually very poor at distinguishing their own competence level. Having 40 years of experience in something is not a validation of any kind of performance. Longevity has no bearing whatsoever on quality of product.
And I've always wondered whether the truth is that really they're split between either genuinely not knowing how bad they are themselves, or knowing it but having no intention of making any changes to improve and so they defence their little lump of sand to the death.
The best teachers always give lots of knowledge without reservation.
You hit the nail on the head! (?) I’ve experienced this so much it has scared me away from photography groups etc. because they are so bitchie. I have a very hard time with the maths of photography because I have severe dyscalculia, so everything that has to do with numbers is very difficult for me. That doesn’t mean that I give up, I love taking photos, creating. But when I mention this in different occasions I’m told I’m stupid, that I might as well give up on photography, haven’t tried hard enough etc. It’s like telling people with bad eyesight that they are stupid and haven’t tried hard enough.
In Sweden we have this expression” If you can’t grow on your own, you cut the legs of the others! “
These negative people are doing just that, they see an opportunity to grow a little, to show off, thinking that this path will lead them to success and leave others behind. Nowadays this triggers me to think: If my photography+ gear was that bad you wouldn’t get so upset by it, so I must be doing something right 😜. Also I’ve never learned anything useful from negatives than to not be one myself. It’s much better to do as you suggested, get an opinion from someone you can respect and who is respectful to you. I feel that I get that a lot here, I’ve learned so much and I feel that you do this because of your love to photography! You are also confident enough with your work that you are not afraid of sharing what you know. By teaching others, one learns a lot also. So thank you for making these excellent videos! 👍🏻❤️
I’m really glad that you found this a helpful video. Upsets me greatly when a lot of people in photography are actually very unkind to people who are just trying to learn to improve their photography. I hope there is some small way. This is helped you find a space where you can improve your own images.
What was the party? Found the most helpful?
@@ThePhotographicEye What I found most helpful about this channel is that you’ve opened my eyes to see photography in a much more relaxed way. I have never had the aspiration to become a professional photographer, I just want to watch what happens in the world through a camera. I’ve always seen in pictures, colour, textures etc and this channel has highlighted that by presenting different photographers, different styles. I also feel encouraged to find my own style. For me you are the opposite of these poor negative people, you’ve made me think that what matters is that I’m happy with my photography something I’m very thankful for! ❤️
When I first started to get serious about photography there was a cranky guy working as a photographic technician at the college I was working at. One day we were lookuing at man Ray's photo of Kiki de Montparnasse with an African mask. He said that the people who'd taught him would pick out all these faults with the photo, too many points of light on the mask, things like that, but fail to see that it was a lovely masterpiece. They couldn't take a photo half as good. That was a pretty good lesson!
Hi Alex, a thought provoking video. One of my passions is music photography (learnt a lot about lighting doing this). Doing this I met a new photographer who started photographing at the same venue. They started by investing in expensive gears and one evening we were chatting and I was asked what camera I had - a DSLR app-c - they had a full frame Canon. They were very quick to dismiss my camera and ability as a photographer and when I said that my current project was just using just my iPhone … “you will never wee a wedding photographer using and iPhone”. No interest in why, no encouragement.. Personally I love helping people, encouraging them and enjoy watching them grow and become more confident. On the flip side, sometimes people don’t want to be helped…
Its not that you can't take good pictures using an iphone. Its just that its not reliable enough to use on a money making venture. Further, you have to be able to separate yourself from Uncle Bob. And having something tangible to show your clients, is the simplest way to do that.
@@krane15 I agree. My comments were more about the lack of encouragement. That said I have read about pros trying it. I will stick with my pro kit for weddings but occasionally use an iPhone for some candid moments - very unobtrusive for spontaneous moments.
Taking pictures is dead-easy ('easy-peasy'), that's right. So I have been "a photographer" since my 7th year of age. The handling with a simple 'Box' was playful, not in the least serious or 'incredibly important'. Skills are growing by doing and self-criticism. I like it to motive friends and even children to have fun with a camera no matter what kind it is. Children of about eight or nine years are pretty able to take agreeable portraits - sometimes more stunning than those well known photographers had made from well known celebrities which are only respected because of this celebrity but for the rest static, dull, boring, uninspired, blockheaded, mainstreamed. The best advice: Free yourself from role models and do your idiosyncratic thing - such as those kids I mentioned above. "All you need is a bit of luck and enough muscle to click the shutter", David Seymour says.
Untold truth about photography and why YOU are not as popular as famous photographers: MONEY.
photographers, the popular ones, the famous ones, the ones who make great works of art, historically came from affluent families.
That fancy photo you saw, with the elaborate set, immaculate lighting, amazing make up...well.
The set cost money, to hire a bombshell model who just naturally photographs amazingly, cost money, the makeup artist cost money. The wardrobe cost money, The studio is MASSIVE and a bunch of lights, cost a TON of money, the lights are set up by an assistant etc.
It all cost money, and honey baby, if you have a budget of $100, against some well to do spoon fed guy/girl who can throw cash around for whatever their vision requires, you're going to lose 10/10 times.
I have many great ideas, I simply cannot do them, or have to half ass them, because my studio is my living room, and my models are 10th rate from what I can find on facebook model pages, and my lights come from amazon and my modifiers are limited. I have to think of wardrobe, make up etc all by myself, the model has to do their own shoddy makeup, and bring whatever is in their closet that kind of fits.
That's what no on talks about.
The street photographer who is living on family money and can go out every single day and travel to far off places with tons of people, yeah, that cost a TON of money.
We should start talking about that. We don't talk about that enough (if at all).
It's a bit like teaching someone to drive. The basics are easy, are a good skill to have, and gives the learner a bit more freedom and joy out of life. There are the odd specialist skills if you are in a particular area say winter driving / basic portraiture, but getting from A to B is enough for most.
In either case - if you go pro or semi pro then the gear, training and experience matters (and cash). You can slap a turbo on your family sedan, but if all you are doing is getting groceries, why would you except to show off ;)
Yeap. I used to join an online facebook photography grouop when i first started out learning to shoot at 15/16, absolutely horrendous. No actual advice, only "advice" i ever got was "what are you trying to photograph" which did not help (admittedly i was quite bad back then). The photos taken within the grouop were mostly either bad or decent, on rare occassions youd get good photos...of sunsets. Ended up studying on my own from observing the works of Sean Tucker and the likes, could not have learnt more.
Gears matters in the right hands
Simplistic, mundane photography is easy. Not everyone learns to use a real camera easily. Phone cameras have gone a long way to giving almost everyone experience in lighting (ambient, anyway) and composition. I know you’ve tried to teach a total novice how to use a modern camera in such a way that they can focus on the point they choose and get a proper exposure. Maybe you take for granted all you already know about exposure, depth of field, proper focusing and how differently a camera sees light from the way our eyes and brains see. At the same time, I do take your point that photography is way more than proficiency with their gear. And picking nits over noise or position of a hand or resolution is kind of arrogant. 👏✌️
The individual components of photography are not all that difficult. Bringing them all together, from posing to composition to post processing to.... etc., that is what separates the men from the boys. For the Studio owner it also brings in business acumen , client analysis, administrative knowledge, etc. If its not difficult, why do so many fail ? Some even have to resort to making videos for you tube......
@6:24 - I stopped posting in a few “camera” groups, (notice I didn’t say photography), on Facebook because they were so nitpicky. I mean they were pointing out things like the specular lighting in the eyes. I mean literally the only thing they could find “wrong” with the picture was the way the eyes were lit. It’s Frustrating.
Sorry to disagree with you. Consistent results are key. Can only be achieved by understanding and practice. Flash photography, Night photography, knowledge of your subject or product. Concepts. It is hard if your producing what's demanded of modern professionals. The camera needs to be understood. Even auto mode will throw you for a loop if you don't understand the shortcomings and strengths. At the learning level, it's easy because you're not having to produce to eat. If you are then you will get hungry between lucky nearly perfect shots. Printing, Screen display what ever your end result is just as difficult. Getting the right gear within your budget. It's hard to make a living with photography. It's not hard when you don't. I paint and draw as well. To be honest those arts are easier because the materials to start are much cheaper and less complicated. If you are responsible to your client there is much more to photography and it's not easy.
I was told by an elitist photographer not to buy a professional camera. He said start small there's too much to learn. I went straight to a pro camera bypassing amateur camera's. Photography is not an elitist activity.
From my perspective I disagree to some points you made. I don't care so much about the results but the process. I enjoy the making and developing like the dancer or singer enjoys the process (not the end). I like using really old stuff for exposing and developing to make the process of photography as hard as possible for me to have a challenge. Good results are fine but just a bonus. Process > result in the lonely nerds mind. Happy new year.
I wouldn’t say photography is hard I would just say that if you don’t have a talent for it your not gonna be good at it, I can take one look at some of peoples pictures And I can tell immediately they have no talent for it!
As with any art,.. you can take photos with any camera but if you want to take certain photos, you may need a specific lens or filter. You need to learn how best to get the finished product you want.
Having watched some artists on UA-cam,- You can paint with what you buy at Walmart .. however, at some point - the supply you use matters.
A beginner camera set can help you learn the basics but at some point, you should invest in yourself. Invest in your skill.
Like so many things, photography is easy to do but difficult to do well. The technical aspects can be learned but you can't teach artistic vision beyond one's inherent ability (and no training can engender the situational awareness and timing of HCB or Winogrand).
Gear does matter, but only with regard to things like the right FL and if you miss shots due to equipment limitations, so what? Other opportunities abound. Also, a well-composed image of a compelling subject beats a technically superior but banal image every time (Ansel: 'There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept'). Many of the photos considered to be "masterpieces" aren't necesarily sharp, straight, or even well-exposed, they just work. More recent photographers also understand this--look at some of Michael Kenna's Holga images, for example. Programs like DxO FlmPack and Analog Efex Pro enable us to get not only film looks, but replicate alternative processes and “faults” to make photos look less “digital” and this is a good thing. We’re past the point where even entry-level cameras and AI software can produce images that look “too” good (= sterile).
BtW, I got my first camera in 1972 and I'm only too happy (perhaps too happy) to share my knowledge with anyone. Thanks for doing the same-we all need to support one another.
Gear people drive me up a wall. The guitar world is the same way haha. I could listen to someone talk about phrasing and space for hours before i considered listening to some guy talk about his modeling amp.
I think the barrier of entry with photography is one of the lowest of any hobby. Especially now. Someone who recently picked up a digital camera or a new cell phone for the first time can likely take absurdly good pictures right out the box.
I got to be pretty decent at it shortly after buying my first DSLR, but I didn't really start to excel until I really studied others' work and took some direction from other artists in my area. My art mentor is always the first person who ends up seeing my latest works. I don't do this for praise, because I know that he's just as likely to say something nice as he is something constructive. At the same time, he has taught me that validation should never be the goal in creating art. If you aren't doing it for you, why should anyone else care?
Photography is not hard. But good photography is. This is the same with all art. Any 5 year old can paint a picture of a lady, but it Leonardo to paint the Mona Lisa.
Smacking people down... only shows one's insecurities.
Just watch an add during your video saying how not easy it is to take pictures. Go figure lol😅
yes and no, somethings do require experience, sometimes practice is required to achieve certain photos, but anyone can start taking awesome photos really quick
Photography’s like chess…anyone can do it, very few can do it really well. 👍
Great video - you are saying things here that must be said. There is so much in your video that merits comment.
There are far too many people IMHO who see photography as a competitive sport. These same people relish the idea of photo competitions, with some images being judged winners and others losers. I personally find the idea of competition to be absurd within what many see as an art form where individual expression is key.
As technology has progressed over the history of photography, this has served to take out much the guess-work and decrease technical mistakes. This has resulted in the last few years in what we used to think of as mobile telephones becoming extremely powerful cameras. Cameras which, in spite of having a pitifully small and unsophisticated lens, nevertheless incorporate algorithms to massage the data captured to produce images of sometimes stunning quality.
The implications for photographers is not immediately obvious - whether a good thing or a bad thing. As the saying goes, time will tell. What these new devices should do though is give room for more of us to express ourselves in visual terms. In so doing they are proclaiming " This is how I see the world. "
On a personal level, I am much encouraged by this. One of my favourite aphorisms [ if that is the right word ] comes from the carol " Hark ! the herald angle sing. " - which says : " Cease the noise ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing ". We live in a wonderful world, and we would do well to be reminded just what a wonderful place we inhabit by sharing from time to time other's expressions of that wonder [ should I say ' love ' ].
You have to tell people what they're doing wrong and where they can improve. Otherwise nobody will improve
Alex your commentary and approach has me back out taking photos again and enjoying it. I am so enjoying myself. No one needs to see them, I do. I share with a few folk who seem to like them. I'm honestly not interested in getting critiqued for my photos! Having said that, the best criticism I ever received was, less is more. ie don't blast people with too many images. No matter how good you think they are, the audience tires.
Gear, well it does and doesn't matter. It's a toolkit. Having said that, the newer cameras have so much great tech in them, and I so APPRECIATE the in body stabilisation that has me handholding at such a lower speed. It compensates for my aging shaky hands! No longer do I have to schlep a tripod around..
it's not difficult but most people won't get good at it and the ones that get good at it won't necessarily be financially successful because of it.
Looking at your video in one half of my 4K display, there's a YT overview page in the other half. Two of the avatar images in there have a main subject (person) with their head smack bang in the middle. There's no storytelling. Most of the frame is filled with useless details. In one case, the feet are cut off in one foot. There has been no consideration of perspective, framing, position or angle of view, etc. But, yes, photography is easy. Just Ffing Do It. JFDI.
There are several influencer photographers in YT that shoot like this and proudly tell you about how they did it. Heads in the middle. Take a pretty girl. Put some fashionable clothes on that girl. Let her do poses in some open shade or softer direct sunlight and it';s always good. Right?
Is that how Ansel Adams worked? Cartier-Bresson? Avedon? Killbee?
Never.
Just Fotograph Digital Images
Buy a cheap small low mega pixel camera use it constantly and if you cant take a decent photo with it photography is not for you.
The medium and the methods of photography is now lore access able than ever. Along with that the access ability to images
About gear: shoot with the bare bones minimum until a specific barrier becomes impossible to overcome. I've seen so many photographers upgrade to a fancy camera or lens and their photos became less compelling as a consequence / result. In other words, in my experience and observations, limited gear makes us work harder for image. So my phylosophy to justify a new bit of kit is that I should work even harder to understand it and make it work for me. If anything, better gear should compel us to upgrade our skills along with it.
totally agree. I blamed new gear for years (or a lack of it rather) for my shortcomings.
Thank you for watching - is this the first time you've watched one of my videos?
The people who say gear doesn't matter always seem to have the very best gear. I guess they mean it doesn't matter for you, but for them, that's another story entirely.
you're grossly mistaking snap-shot taking for photography.
the original film negative processes and printing is an absolute hard thing to create an image well before the digital era
hahaha! I wish it was easy as you say! It's easy to point and shoot yes, but much harder to produce a shot that you really like. The subject, the back ground, the lighting, the lens, the time of the day, the kind of a day. And then there is the camera no how. Ahhhh yes it's always easy when you know how. I try and help everyone I meet on line or off. It's where I get the biggest joy. Being an ex computer programmer, Sing Songwriter and Photographer, I have many things to share and I do.
I am a member of a photo club and have attended many "critique" evenings. You are correct that they are keen to tell you what is wrong but nobody tells you how to fix the issue. Maybe their intention is to get you to research how to remedy the problems but it seems to be all " ho hum ". Love your ideas.
The great Harry Callahan made that great quote. "Being a member of a photographic club helped define the kind of photographer I never wanted to become". I think he made a good point. Judges want you to take photographs as they do, no thanks.
I usually have a rule: if critique doesn't suggest some Improvement, better don't 😀... And it has worked with our groups... And also, before anything, the aphotographer has to explain why, how, etc of the photo... So we have context and no context... (the we start analyzing the photo)
Western Australia has a panel of recommended judges. To become accredited, you must complete a training course, and that training course includes practical experience.
Judges are expected, amongst other matters, to recommend specific improvements. Photos are expected to show a good measure of skill, so composition, exposure, level horizons, focus.
Clubs evaluate judges, and judges evaluate clubs. Clubs are supposed to explain beforehand how the subject(s) should be interpreted, particularly what "open" and "creative" mean, whether gold, silver, bronze are awarded and how many. Should photographers be awarded points? The (late) AIPP employed a panel of five judges, scored out of 100, and those points translated directly to medal colours. Often there was debate amongst the judges, with a high-scoring judge advocating for the photographer.
I remember an architecture photograph where the perspective seemed a little wonky, Judge Tony Hewitt explained, "Actually, guys, I think it's the building." The others awarded a few more points.
@@oneeyedphotographer That sounds a decent set up, but how do they mark creativity. The Paris Salon wouldn't admit the Expressionists, so they set up their own. The RA who gave Turner a hard time with his later work and so on, rule makers stifle creativity.
So true, Alex. I've been guilty, on occasion, of talking a lot about gear but it's never been a priority or competition for me as to who has the better gear. I'm also one of those "old" photographers but have never held back my experience and/or expertise (such as it is, I'm certainly far from professional). The thought that another photographer might take away clients is old school thinking. Every photographer has a different style and look to their photographs as much as every person has a different taste in the photos they like or don't like. Plus, I don't feel it's a competition sort of thing. That goes for street photography, portraits, landscape, nature, and the list goes on. I started in probably the late 1960s, in my early teens with a Polaroid "Swinger" camera (not far off from your Spiderman one). Went from there to a Kodak Instamatic 20 and later an Instamatic 60. Got my first 35mm film camera in the late 70s, a Nikon FM (film, of course). Early 2000s, I bought an Nikon D80 and just this year, a Nikon Z fc, simply because I wanted the video capability as well as the uncanny resemblance to my Nikon FM which really made it a familiar feel right away. But, I digress. I'm always more than happy to share my knowledge and experience because it gives me joy to see another person get interested in the craft. Just this winter, I was chatting with two separate coworkers who seemed like they might be interested in learning because I was able to explain the "exposure triangle" to them. Both of them said they might take me up on showing them the basics. I certainly take no offence in you calling out the "old" photographers because many are a bit unwilling to share. I'm definitely not one of them. Thank you for your great insight, it just goes to show that we all can learn from each other no matter where we are in our journey.
I think part of the issue is that photography used to be an elite endeavor and elitist attitudes tend to be a bit nasty.
I love photography so much and it is my life's passion but I always say that anyone can take very good and well composed photographs in short order if they take the time to learn.
It always amuses me that the people who say that gear doesn't matter invariably have the latest and most expensive gear. I think that it's less of a benevolent statement and more about gatekeeping - as if your basic kit lens could take the same wildlife photo as their 600mm, many thousands of pounds, beast. Implying that you just need to be as good a photographer as they are and you could shoot a Sony prize winner with a milk bottle.
Oh and the "fine art" photography- ND filter, body of water, long exposure= fine art. It's that kind of thing that makes us look bad.
It's a great hobby and there are a few virtuoso photographers who would excel at any artistic discipline but they are rare. For everyone else it's fun and it's easy - just enjoy it and take no notice of the b@ll@cks.
I think the most important question ask another photographer is what was their intent in taking the photo. The next question should be what were the technical constraints they were working under if they are not obvious. Once you know both of those then you can offer advice as how take a photo that might be better.
Another aspect that I think is overlooked in photography is the best photos are taken when there seems to be a strong connection between the photographer and the subject.
Thanks for sharing your experience with great comments.... as a 79yr old hobbyist I just love taking pics of whatever interests me at the time.... when walking around or driving somewhere....I am also a musician (piano & guitar) and gear does not make you a better player... only practice & experience improves your playing over time.... photography is much the same..... cheers from Australia 😀
Thank you for watching
That is exactly the reason I left the community on one of our local photo sites. Everyone tells you what's wrong with your picture but noone telling you how to fix it. Since I left, I am a much happier photographer.
I wish your channel existed 20 years ago when I was starting out.
Thanks for saying this out loud. Wish you a great and successful 2023! 👍
This one resonates really well with what i observed with the photography community. When i started off, 4 years ago, i went on a first photo walk with a local group of photographers, i thought it would be a friendly learning experience, boy oh boy, was i wrong!!!! it turned out to be a show off contest of who has the biggest latest gear, bags and criticism of brands, photos, everyone trying to prove they know more than everyone else!!, and there i was with my sony 6400 with a kit lens, feeling shy to even take a picture with it, it really put me off photography groups!!
On another occasion, i posted a picture in a facebook group, and it received a lot of likes,..like 2000k, but there were 3 photographers who took it upon themselves to tear me down and try to point out anything they didnt like with my picture!!! So i challenged them to post a picture without all the faults they pointed out of mine, surprise surprise, ...they were the kind of photos you would cull in lightroom, for lack of a better explanation.
Ive come to realize most photographers are just a bunch of jealous, insecure people, who are afraid of someone who can surpass them or produce better images than them, and so they withhold sharing or teaching any info to anyone, in the hopes of staying on top!! so i say, if you are new in photography, learn the basics, and experiment alot until you reach a point where people like and want to buy your work.
Hey Alex! I hope that your holidays were good :) Thanks as always for the content, I appreciate your candidness! My strategy as a long-time hobbyist shifting towards a career in photography is to ignore these gatekeepers. I relentlessly seek out experienced professional photographers that embrace the concept of community learning. People that aren't afraid of someone else's potential but foster it. We can all learn from each other and when we do, we all benefit! Cheers!
Stop talking and do some photography!
The absolute best photography advice on UA-cam. Love this guy!
The smart phone has actually made photography accessible, at least on some level, for a lot more people. We do lament what it has done to the camera and photographic industries, but they have let a lot more people get their feet wet in photography. If we get past the zero-sum mindset we often have we can definitely appreciate how much people are enjoying photography because of them.
Great video to start the new year!
I totally agree with you on everything! I was generously taught by a mentor who helped me with everything and I do the same whenever I can. Everyone has their own style so I am never worried about others taking work from me.
Good points, Alex. But maybe you could think of ways that would help us to tactfully give critique? I think most of us suffer from 'imposter syndrome' when it comes to photography and feel that who are we to tell someone how to improve their photography. If I see something like a dodgy horizon, I'm inclined to just say that it's a nice photo.
I am absolutely on your side, - worked with a few of the world's best Photographers as an assistant since 1979, I learned a lot from these masters of light and now with 66 I decided for myself to stop running daily business and give my experience to others. This makes me happy and content, to see others succeed in their abilities and don't spend thousands for gear that is not really necessary to create good pictures. Wish you the best for 2023 and go on teaching! best regards from Austria, H.Walter
I am an ambitious amateur photographer but not a professional. Sometimes, other people who do not know that I am ambitious tell me that their camera model xyz makes very good pictures. When they see the critical expression in my face, they usually confirm that their camera really makes very good pictures. When I answer that my camera does not make any good picture by itself and that I have to work very hard to get a good picture out of it, they do not understand the joke.
When other non-ambitious people see one of my best photographs, they usually say that I seem to have a particularly good and expensive camera. But it is not the camera which finds the subject and the proper composition but the person behind the camera.
When I ask those non-ambitious people where a photograph is created, they usually answer “on the sensor of the camera”. When I respond “No. It is created in the head of the photographer and hopefully re-created in the head of the viewer", they think that I must be mad.
Pushing the button is very easy but creating art is really very difficult, no matter if you want to create a symphony, an oil painting, a sculpture, a photograph, or whatever.
Thank you for all your useful comments. Best wishes from Germany and a happy New Year!
Hi Alex: I am binge watching your videos but I am finding this a very informative and beneficial way to learn. For me the biggest challenge in developing my photography is seeking out a person that can properly provide me with feedback on my images. I have found that setting strict guidelines on what I am seeking from feedback has helped enormously, but it is hard to seek out those people. I sometime wonder if I would be better served by asking a non-photographer to give me feedback on my images. Cheers, Keith
Being at the right place the right time is probably more demanding.
Roger Blackwell: Very true !!
I love finding people like you… people who like to talk about the art of photography, not the gear. I’ve found a great group on TikTok of artists (all mediums) and it’s so much fun to talk about creativity and to do art swaps and to learn from each other. I wish more photographers would appreciate the fun and creative aspects of the process, not just the technical and gear driven ones.
Yo can i join your guys?
Great rant. Also your portraits are so exceptional. Some of them have a painterly quality to them and are truly sublime. Thanks for showing so many in this video.
Thank you kindly! I'm itching to shoot more (been a while) .
Would you like to see the process of me shooting them?
@@ThePhotographicEye yes, most definitely
@@ThePhotographicEye yes!
@@ThePhotographicEye Yes please
Yes 👍 Would be awesome. 👍👍👍👍
Photography always had two sides to it. An artistic side and a technical side. The latter used to be quite complicated with photo plates, lens cap off, counting from one to five, and a few hours in the dark room. With the advent of roll film with ISOs around 100, in-camera metering and automatic exposure along with laboratory services for developing, things became considerably simpler. With the arrival of digital photography, auto-focus and affordable post-processing software, technically, there is not much left that can go wrong. Now we have AI taking over the cameras. The only technical responsibility left to the photographer will be to point the camera in more or less the right direction.
In contrast, the artistic side of photography has not really changed. Apart from the nagging suspicion that half of the best photos ever made were due to pure coincidence, at least the other half is the result of outstanding talent. Unfortunately, if an ambitious would-be photographer wanting to see his work hung up in a gallery does not possess this rather unevenly distributed gift, “practice makes perfect” will not help that much. To produce art you need to be an artist.
However, I am afraid the last sentence will not hold much longer. We now have AI producing wonderful art. No camera, no human, just AI. That the AI was human trained may give us some consolation. This particular application of AI is actually the culmination of photographers helping other photographers. Exactly what Alex requested in this video. But I do not think that is what he meant. 😁
Great video especially the part about nit picking at faults - pixel peeping the degree of sharpness etc , it really does my head in but I feel like finally maybe the message is getting through that's it's your artistic eye that really makes the difference that separates us all , our own individual eye which makes our photos unique to ourselves
Great advice once more. I love your analogy of the lead guitarist joke. You’re right, there is so much noise out there where people focuses more on criticizing than giving feedback on how to make better pictures. Many photographers and creators are selfish on sharing their success like their success will be equaled or surpassed by everyone else. It’s that fear to lose their thunder when in reality we benefit more when we share. Thank you for another amazing video.
Thanks for watching