The measure of success in photography

[Hsg]

All new photographers go through a period of struggle as they learn and improve their work. At first their measure of success is success among their peers, mainly how better is their work compared to their peers, some outgrow their peers while others remain there forever. But those who do outgrow their peers and suddenly find themselves with a changed measure of success, how do they define the next stage of success for themselves? I mean, how do one maintain motivation when there is no goal to reach?

Is success really a lonely place in photography?

 

[bonatto]

I suppose it's a pertinent question if success is an end goal. I have, however, heard on more than one occasion and with varied phrasing that the end goal is getting the best possible picture of a given scene. If that's the end goal, then it seems to me that it's quite an intense endeavour as the absolute maximum should be aimed for on any occasion. No small fear and lots of frustration.

Some get fed up with it all and go do something else. HCB drew till death. Robert frank went to film. Gary winogrand got bad. Viviane Meyer died before it.

 

[FrankS]

Hopefully you're not just basing success solely on extrinsic rewards. IMO, your photography should first and foremost satisfy yourself and you have fun doing it.

Once that priority is straight, external validation is nice to get from contests and exhibitions, and sales of images. Satisfying paying customers doing portraits and weddings is also a measure of success.

But again, most important is your enjoyment.

 

[dave lackey]

Hopefully you're not just basing success solely on extrinsic rewards. IMO, your photography should first and foremost satisfy yourself and you have fun doing it.

Once that priority is straight, external validation is nice to get from contests and exhibitions, and sales of images. Satisfying paying customers doing portraits and weddings is also a measure of success.

But again, most important is your enjoyment.

There ya go...🙂

But first, as in almost all threads, please define success, which is rarely done. Nothing in my life has anything to do with the definition of success as a measurable quantity or, if it could be measured, it doesn't matter. If, however, you need to measure, one needs to be specific and define what one is measuring. Not my concern, though, it may be for others.

For a broader perspective, what is success in life? Certainly you would measure me as a failure in every regard. 😀

 

[sjones]

Sensing success can arrive at multiple layers. I am not in the business and my friends are not into photography, so my main point of reference is typically provided by those whose work I truly admire, whether it be an amateur or one of the masters. Success in reaching their level remains elusive.

However, there is success in personal growth; seeing a photo indicative of improvement, irrespective with how it compares to anyone else’s work or opinion. This often centers on the ability to see something photographically compelling that I might have missed previously; which in itself is part of expanding my ‘vision.’

But as others have noted, without “success” in attaining enjoyment and fulfillment, I would be out of the hobby.

 

[daveleo]

For me, I have 2 definitions of success with my pictures, because I have two categories that I tag them.

If it is a personal / friends / family picture, it has to be well exposed, have really nice structural composition and a pleasant look and feel. I never let anyone look at my garbage (which is why my friends think I'm a good photographer !).

If it is a picture that I want to be "artistic", my criteria become very undefined, except that it must finally be fascinating, somewhat mysterious. I produce maybe one of these per year, and it's getting tougher every year.

 

[Moto-Uno]

Is this a question that comes to mind as one prepares for a northern winter ? Peter

 

[02Pilot]

As long as I'm still interested in my photography, I'm calling it a success. If anyone else it interested, that's a bonus.

 

[Richard G]

There are professionals and certain professional standards. But in artistic development if you got to a point where you were satisfied you were on par with your peers, then I suspect you were sunk some long while before that. Backing your own development independent of your peers and everyone else seems to be the secret.

 

[FrankS]

You simply need to push yourself to be the best you you can be.

 

[lukitas]

Success is over-rated. It's mostly empty. A moment of appreciation... and then it's gone.

It is conceivable, that I am a reasonably acceptable photographer. But I can never be good enough. It is like walking towards a horizon : you can walk as much as you want, the horizon won't get any closer. It isn't about the horizon, it's about what happens on the way there.

The quote I live by :

“From the age of 6 I had a mania for drawing the shapes of things. When I was 50 I had published a universe of designs. But all I have done before the the age of 70 is not worth bothering with. At 75 I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am 80 you will see real progress. At 90 I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At 100, I shall be a marvelous artist. At 110, everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before. To all of you who are going to live as long as I do, I promise to keep my word. I am writing this in my old age. I used to call myself Hokusai, but today I sign my self 'The Old Man Mad About Drawing.”
― Hokusai Katsushika

Cheers

 

[Hsg]

I define success in photography in terms of succeeding to use photography as a medium of self-expression - finding one's voice through photography.

But once the photographer finds his/her voice through photography, what next? In today's image saturated world of social media how is he/she going to find an audience to 'speak' to through photographs?

That is the essence of my question in this thread. It seems like an impossible question but it is worth thinking about because there is still a long way to go after the photographer has succeeded to use photography as a medium of self-expression. In fact by achieving that level of success in finding a voice through photography, the photographer has to face the loneliness of successes, because there are very few others like him/her who has found their voice through photography.

 

[icebear]

I like some of my shots. Sometimes others like them too.
I like taking pictures.
Since I'm not making any money with photography that's enough for me😉

Thanks lukitas for the wonderful quote!