What to avoid

[back alley]

being unique is not the end all and be all...to me.i think we are born with a certain degree of talent and we can nourish that and practice it but i doubt that we increase it.
so, with my limit of talent (whatever that might be) i want to try everything that interests me...even if it has been done to death.
i'm in it for me and if others like it, great, but that's not my reason for being.

 

[Sparrow]

being unique is not the end all and be all...to me.i think we are born with a certain degree of talent and we can nourish that and practice it but i doubt that we increase it.
so, with my limit of talent (whatever that might be) i want to try everything that interests me...even if it has been done to death.
i'm in it for me and if others like it, great, but that's not my reason for being.

Yep, there's a lot to be said for taking delight in being a craftsman, and simply letting the artistes get on with writing their statements and having their visions things

 

[Thardy]

What is the high contrast thing everyone's doing? Example?

 

[it'sawhat?]

I shoot foma 100 and fuji acros with pentax gear. High contrast is a given, but you deal with it. I agree with Joe I do this for me and only me if others like it great if not so what. Whether or not a photo of mine is good depends on how well it conveys what I want and I'm the best judge of that.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I avoid taking pictures that suck 😛

 

[sevo]

Quite. From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps critique.html

It's somewhat in the style of Martin Parr, though perhaps more formal. But be brutal: ask yourself why anyone is going to be interested in your version of Martin Parr when they could do a book by the real Martin Parr?

Of course the inverse fallacy is that carefully avoiding all others' styles will generally make it near impossible to find your own...

 

[Roger Hicks]

Of course the inverse fallacy is that carefully avoiding all others' styles will generally make it near impossible to find your own...

Indisputable!

But you need to ask yourself the question anyway. (A general 'you', not 'you personally', obviously.)

Cheers,

R.