Why Do Photographers Fail?

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noisycheese

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Food for thought:
Why Do Photographers Fail?

By Scott Bourne

I apologize in advance for this lengthy post. It may be too ethereal for some of you. But when I get the urge to write these sorts of posts, I’ve learned to just go ahead and let it rip. I usually get feedback later on that someone has been helped and that is always my goal.

I’ve been studying (almost from the standpoint of an anthropologist) why photographers fail. Why? Because I’ve dedicated the last 15 years of my life to helping photographers improve. But there are some who just can’t make the cut. And I wanted to know why.

While I am not in a position to write a white paper on the subject, I do have a few ideas that I’d like to share.

My empirical research leads me to believe that most photographers fail for one of these similar reasons.

1. They have very low self-esteem.

2. They lack confidence.

3. They focus on what they don’t have or what they don’t do well instead of what they do have and do well.
Click to expand...

This is a good essay, well worth the five minutes it will take to read it. Click over here to read the rest of Scott's article: http://photofocus.com/2013/07/20/why-do-photographers-fail/
 
Speaking as someone who is in the photography business most fail because their work simply is not up to par. It doesn't matter if they use film or digital most work I see come through our lab (not a 1 hour lab, we service working photographers) is well below snapshot quality...and they call themselvies professional photographers..

Many can't even nail focus with a static subject..
 
colyn said:
Speaking as someone who is in the photography business most fail because their work simply is not up to par. It doesn't matter if they use film or digital most work I see come through our lab (not a 1 hour lab, we service working photographers) is well below snapshot quality...and they call themselvies professional photographers..

Many can't even nail focus with a static subject..
Click to expand...

Colyn,
You are right of course. I think the authors intent is touching on why photographers can not come up to par. In a nutshell... they are in their own way.
Identifying how to get out of your way is a big deal for almost every freelance worker in any field.
 
Thanks, this made my day...

I've no talent and no technical knowledge of photography?
No problem!
All I need is high self-esteem, confidence and no thinking about things I'm not able to...

Nice.

(The sad thing - it seems to be true in today's world.)
 
Constant comparison to others will kill your motivation, unless maybe you are an excessively spiteful person and then it might actually inspire you.

It is easy to become disillusioned looking at other people and asking things like "how do they get attention for making that crap?". Forgetting that perhaps they don't actually. Maybe they've marketed themselves well, maybe they even just have friends in the right places who helped them get attention. I don't mean that in a bitter way, but if somebody looks at a crappy artist, and then falls back and thinks "if that's good enough work for them, then my work is fine too" they're not going to be inspired to try harder - and when they fail to get the attention/money/respect or whatever it is they're looking for - they will chalk it up to being chance - out of their control. It's a bad way to go, but it's an easy mindset to fall into if you keep comparing yourself to others - especially if you compare yourself to the famous but not so good.
 
f16sunshine said:
Colyn,
You are right of course. I think the authors intent is touching on why photographers can not come up to par. In a nutshell... they are in their own way.
Identifying how to get out of your way is a big deal for almost every freelance worker in any field.
Click to expand...

Thanks to the OP for the link.

It is interesting that many of us get 'in our own way' all too often and within RFF it is notorious. It is know by many names and is summed up with the word GAS.

All that is required is a camera and a lens and Go! If you are no good then you will know (if you can't get focused at least). Having said all that, what with threads on Knives and guns and other shiny and 'manly' goods that shout 'Get Out of My Way' what do I know. 🙁
 
colyn said:
Speaking as someone who is in the photography business most fail because their work simply is not up to par. It doesn't matter if they use film or digital most work I see come through our lab (not a 1 hour lab, we service working photographers) is well below snapshot quality...and they call themselvies professional photographers..

Many can't even nail focus with a static subject..
Click to expand...

This is so true. Digital cameras are so "talented" and are "improving" so quickly that users forget Photography has a 150 year history. That's time enough to raise the bar awfully high. I'm both terribly grateful for and, at times, terribly frustrated by, that.

s-a

"I bought a camera that's so advanced you don't even need it."
- Steven Wright
 
noisycheese said:
Food for thought:


This is a good essay, well worth the five minutes it will take to read it. Click over here to read the rest of Scott's article: http://photofocus.com/2013/07/20/why-do-photographers-fail/
Click to expand...

First fail in the article is of course that there is no explaination of what a fail is......

What is the goal we fail at?
Who has this goal?

E.g. Maybe the goal for most is to have a good time?
And the process, internet, forums, gas etc results in a good time?
I see no fail.......
 
Many fail trying to stake a claim with their own business. What I find most forget is that it is a business first, then a person needs to figure out how to bring in money so as a decent quality of life can be had from it.

Qualities are needed to succeed with each business. Customers/Clients are needed who are willing to part with money to get the products made or served.

For photographers there are qualities needed in order to succeed.

Dean Collins once said, "beauty is in the eye of the checkbook holder." How true is that?

I advise most to keep their day job or keep having the significant other employed and have fun with photography.
 
haempe said:
Thanks, this made my day...

I've no talent and no technical knowledge of photography?
No problem!
All I need is high self-esteem, confidence and no thinking about things I'm not able to...

Nice.

(The sad thing - it seems to be true in today's world.)
Click to expand...

I think you missed the point of the essay - that, or you were referring to the photographers described in post #2:
Speaking as someone who is in the photography business most fail because their work simply is not up to par. It doesn't matter if they use film or digital most work I see come through our lab (not a 1 hour lab, we service working photographers) is well below snapshot quality...and they call themselvies professional photographers..

Many can't even nail focus with a static subject..
Click to expand...
As Colyn noted, there is indeed a lot of photography being displayed these days that is just plain crap. Why? Because of -

1. Ego.
2. Ignorance of what makes a good image.
3. Ignorance of how to effectively edit.

There are also alot of photographers who have much potential but hide in the shadows, never letting their work see the light of day. Why? Because -


1. They have very low self-esteem.
2. They lack confidence.
3. They focus on what they don’t have or what they don’t do well instead of what they do have and do well.

The afflictions of both camps boil down to Ego or Insecurity, which are two sides of the same coin. The key is to avoid being infected with either of these maladies as they are both equally destructive.

JMHO.
 
I think this is a blatant and biased smear against GAS. moderators, can you lock the thread 🙂 ?

Seriously though, the assignation of insecure to those people who enjoy process over end result is a bit of a stretch. I enjoy doing, and knowing and learning and mastering different aspects of the process. Sometimes I get a good result, an image, that I proud of. Often though I find satisfaction and enjoyment in trying new cameras, old cameras, or techniques I don't normally use (macro, night photography, strobe use).
I'm a simple hobbyist with too much equipment, but I'm happy, I don't consider that a fail.
 
noisycheese said:
...
As Colyn noted, there is indeed a lot of photography being displayed these days that is just plain crap. Why? Because of -

1. Ego.
2. Ignorance of what makes a good image.
3. Ignorance of how to effectively edit.
...
Click to expand...
Isn't this the main proposition/advice of the essay?
1. Have elf-esteem (Ego)
2. Have confidence (Ego)
3. Don't focus on what you don’t have (knowledge what makes a good picture/edit)

Nearly every Photo Mag have nowadays such a column by a marketing advisor ... which read often in short (malicious interpretation):
Don't be bothered if you have no idea what you doing - as long as you know how you can sell it.

Everybody is free to take such a advice - it's simply not my cup of tea.
 
haempe said:
Isn't this the main proposition/advice of the essay?
1. Have elf-esteem (Ego)
2. Have confidence (Ego)
3. Don't focus on what you don’t have (knowledge what makes a good picture/edit)

Nearly every Photo Mag have nowadays such a column by a marketing advisor ... which read often in short (malicious interpretation):
Don't be bothered if you have no idea what you doing - as long as you know how you can sell it.

Everybody is free to take such a advice - it's simply not my cup of tea.
Click to expand...

If success is to be measured by such things as attention or money, then "goodness" must be measured in accordance. 😉

If you want to sell photos, then you need to make photos that are good for selling. This sometimes means making photos which are not technically good, but can be marketed well.

Good is relative and a subjective judgment. Simply saying "make good photos" tells one nothing. Good for what? Is the real question.

If one defines their success as technical quality, then "good" means technically good photos. What sort of success the photographer is after is key.
 
First fail in the article is of course that there is no explaination of what a fail is......
Click to expand...

Very true. If this is about making money from photography, then I can state from my own experience that photographers fail because they are determined to be photographers and not businessmen. I earned a good living when I realised this. Photos that many members of this group would consider rubbish generally made the most money. Photos that might earn praise here, seldom made back their costs.

That was my market (local press and commercial). The experience of others will be different.
 
noisycheese said:
...
The afflictions of both camps boil down to Ego or Insecurity, which are two sides of the same coin. The key is to avoid being infected with either of these maladies as they are both equally destructive.
...
Click to expand...
This sums it up pretty good ... but it falls a bit short in the essay.
 
noisycheese said:
Food for thought:


This is a good essay, well worth the five minutes it will take to read it. Click over here to read the rest of Scott's article: http://photofocus.com/2013/07/20/why-do-photographers-fail/
Click to expand...

to me that is unintended sincere BS.

Replace "photographer" with "people"

Why do people fail ?

The reasons why people fail are as varied as endless as the humans on planet earth. We all can fail at anything. Get over it.

Pick yourself up and try again.

Stephen
 
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