Chances Are, You Suck

I Still Suck...

I Still Suck...

...Most of the time, anyways. 🙁 One of those "uh-oh" moments for me was a critique of my photography by a colleague at the Museum where I work. He is a well known professor and professional documentary film maker in Alaska and when I found out he was interested in what I was shooting, I was elated until it came time for the sitting session. I've never been so uncomfortable in my life! He was gracious enough to begin with a photograph of mine he really liked and he thoroughly explained why. What followed was a mixed bag of hope and abysmal regret and some great advice on how to make my future images better. (He also gave me a terrific video of Henri Cartier-Bresson as encouragement.) The InterWebs are not nearly as curt and honest a judge nor as helpful a teacher as an accomplished "mentor," willing to make the most of an opportunity to enrich someone else's life and art.

Moral of the story: seek out professional opinion, if possible, and speak uncomfortable truth (gently) when it may be of real help to someone else; it is part of your legacy as an artist!
 
I have to agree with the statement that most people suck.

I think the problem is too many people took Winogrand at his literal word, even if they didnt know they were doing it.

Im pretty sure Gary looked at whatever was in front of him and immediately understood how to draw out the elements that pleased his personal aesthetic. When he said he just wanted to see how things looked as a picture, I think he was just judging whether or not he succeeded in imposing his aesthetic.

But, most people just take pictures of stuff. Or at least that's how it seems to me.

And honestly, if you do a certain thing and that's what you care about try living without it. I haven't done any "serious" photography since I left Boston and even then I did it in a very short period. Frankly, I am right now just taking pictures of stuff. I love my animals, but for the last year I really have only taken pictures to try out new lenses that I can buy as a function of having a part time job.

As a matter of completeness, my photographs on flickr overwhelmingly have less than 10 views and no comments. I don't bother posting to groups and I don't care much to have people comment on my pictures. All anyone does is complement me on my color management anyway, and they do it on pictures I dont particularly like out of my own. I do like that I can see what other people are doing though. I probably have

And I just want to say Michael Darnton most certainly does not suck.
 
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