Michael Markey
Veteran
Well expect to see more of it ...at least in the UK.
I was out on the street in Manchester today and was stopped by two young girls.
They explained that the were studying photography at college (film Ned ...and they both loved the darkroom work) and wanted to take my picture.
They both loved street photography and that what they wanted to do when they qualified.
I was out on the street in Manchester today and was stopped by two young girls.
They explained that the were studying photography at college (film Ned ...and they both loved the darkroom work) and wanted to take my picture.
They both loved street photography and that what they wanted to do when they qualified.
Sparrow
Veteran
... when did that not happen to you? ... and it's no good denying it I have the negatives!
airfrogusmc
Veteran
Joe why don't you send the work via PM to those whose work you like for some feedback?
Michael Markey
Veteran
...they were from Blackburn .
I sent them off looking for that Gilden chap.
They`d not heard of him before but expect an increase in flash street photography too.
I sent them off looking for that Gilden chap.
They`d not heard of him before but expect an increase in flash street photography too.
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i guess i could do that...but it's frustrating to me...i have posted images on a regular basis here at rff for years, probably on a weekly basis and very rarely get a word back.
i have a long standing project shooting a local farmers market and i regularly shoot in a certain section of town (for years now) so it's not just an isolated image that gets posted...i don't pretend to have a singular talent or a unique vision nonetheless a word back would be nice...
Sparrow
Veteran
... do any of us get much of a response? ... I seldom get any
f16sunshine
Moderator
There is really only one path to getting that.....
Produce and present more and better work until the accolades come.
Every one of us has our own personal guage of when we are doing good work.
If ones gauge includes feedback from others, continuing to grow and share your work is the only way to get that.
Improvement comes naturally through this process so one must be ready to become better at what they do.
(Photography or anything else).
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i see many of the same folks getting something in return...but i can't say how most fare...
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
I like looking at street photographs, especially when decades and decades have past since the photograph was taken.
Whether the photos are great or mediocre or bad (in my judgement) does not matter much.
Whether the photos are great or mediocre or bad (in my judgement) does not matter much.
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i'm not talking about accolades...i'm talking a bout a response, pure & simple.
i know what a response is because i get them when i post about bags...
f16sunshine
Moderator
OK accolades or response (maybe good or bad). I still believe the path is the same.
airfrogusmc
Veteran
Joe if you are serious take it to PM and PM those whore work you like and seem to have a clue. Many good sources might not post because of the bickering that ALWAYS comes from it.
fotographz
Established
Simple and "looks easy" usually is not. Film photography needs good exposure, properly processed film AND know what a great wet-print is suppose to look like. Digital needs good exposure as not to blow out the HIGHLIGHTS. Knowing which post processing software NOT TO OVER-USE to produce images that will look and PRINT like a wet darkroom print. (...and not so over-processed they start to resemble monochrome comics) COMPOSITION in relation to shooting "street"...often as you see that great shot unfold you will NOT HAVE TIME to think about what proper composition is. You get one, two maybe three frames AND THEY ARE focused hopefully. The best possible scenario: you've picked your spot, you've got the "light", your subjects (prey) don't notice you composing them. Consistent great composition is achieved through getting-out-there-practice, hard work and right time-right place luck. Many of us have been out shooting on the street before we knew it was called "Street Photography" ...and needed to be titled:bang:
Hating takes way too much energy...
Hating takes way too much energy...
OP, don't know if it is hated. But most of it is nothing to speak of. Kind of a "Hey...I just shot some strangers on the street." type of thing.
Personally I'd rather look at bad street work than bad family portraits, sunsets and flowers.
Street work is also the easiest to get into. Just walk outside your door. In any case if you like shooting street do it, no photo police to stop you. I love street work, just wish I was in a big city to shoot it. I'm in a town of 10K, so not much hap here.
I'd forget worrying about positive comments. Just please yourself.
Here is a little known masterpiece from Cartier-Bresson's 1952 book The Decisive Moment called 'Tehran 1950'. (I would have loved to have shot it.)
http://blogsearchtest.tumblr.com/image/110263740956
Here are a few comments from a discussion on it...
"Looks pretty marginal to me. Do you want me to bow down to him?"
"I found it more obnoxious than anything else."
"What makes it so great? The crooked horizon? The poor composition? The distracting background? The blown out chandelier? The blown out black-blob of a curtain? The distracting bright triangle from the area beyond the curtain? The poor use of bokeh to make it hard to tell the wall is a mosaic of mirrors? The pushed-too-far contrast to remove any details."
When I looked at the work of these critics it was nothing, absolutely nothing. This guy..."Looks pretty marginal to me. Do you want me to bow down to him?" was a really ****ty photog. Lump all 3 of these photogs together and they could not shoot their way out of a paper bag even if their camera had razor blades glued to it. Yet, they ALL know how bad Cartier-Bresson is. On another forum Bresson's pix had 300+ page views...not one comment. I guess they could not figure out how to tear it down.
It is a common phenomena on online photos forums for the critics to offer comments as if they can shoot 'it' better than everyone else. Many critics can only talk great photography...but they can't produce great photography.
I've learned to not get my self-worth for my photography from online reviews. When it comes to street and doc work if you come home with 70% of what you were after you can still have a great success.
Photogs can be a jealous bunch. Lots of hatred within many of them. Our work defines us and is an extension of ourselves. But deep down inside many know their work will never amount to anything. Photogs as well as artists are stressed out trying to get attention for their work. All the while the market is polluted with so many images no one person could possibly look through them even part of them in a lifetime.
Bottom line...all this stress can put the photog / artist in a bad mood. But if freezing time or art is in your blood, you must produce and keep producing...whether there have an outlet for one's art or not. Personally, I've learned to forget looking for approval online. Lots of cowards behind the keyboard that will try to tear you down. It can cause more harm than good.
In the few years I have been online I have received, and this is no exaggeration, about 7 positive comments that are fit for someone of my background and my photography. On the other hand I have received tons of negative and hateful comments about me and my work. If it is possible I turn off any comments option on the blogs where I post my pix.
“Never give up! Don’t listen to the haters. Don’t try to be an artist unless you can work and live in isolation, without any thanks....bleak, but needed until you get to the much lauded place."
Scape Martinez
Personally I'd rather look at bad street work than bad family portraits, sunsets and flowers.
Street work is also the easiest to get into. Just walk outside your door. In any case if you like shooting street do it, no photo police to stop you. I love street work, just wish I was in a big city to shoot it. I'm in a town of 10K, so not much hap here.
I'd forget worrying about positive comments. Just please yourself.
Here is a little known masterpiece from Cartier-Bresson's 1952 book The Decisive Moment called 'Tehran 1950'. (I would have loved to have shot it.)
http://blogsearchtest.tumblr.com/image/110263740956
Here are a few comments from a discussion on it...
"Looks pretty marginal to me. Do you want me to bow down to him?"
"I found it more obnoxious than anything else."
"What makes it so great? The crooked horizon? The poor composition? The distracting background? The blown out chandelier? The blown out black-blob of a curtain? The distracting bright triangle from the area beyond the curtain? The poor use of bokeh to make it hard to tell the wall is a mosaic of mirrors? The pushed-too-far contrast to remove any details."
When I looked at the work of these critics it was nothing, absolutely nothing. This guy..."Looks pretty marginal to me. Do you want me to bow down to him?" was a really ****ty photog. Lump all 3 of these photogs together and they could not shoot their way out of a paper bag even if their camera had razor blades glued to it. Yet, they ALL know how bad Cartier-Bresson is. On another forum Bresson's pix had 300+ page views...not one comment. I guess they could not figure out how to tear it down.
It is a common phenomena on online photos forums for the critics to offer comments as if they can shoot 'it' better than everyone else. Many critics can only talk great photography...but they can't produce great photography.
I've learned to not get my self-worth for my photography from online reviews. When it comes to street and doc work if you come home with 70% of what you were after you can still have a great success.
Photogs can be a jealous bunch. Lots of hatred within many of them. Our work defines us and is an extension of ourselves. But deep down inside many know their work will never amount to anything. Photogs as well as artists are stressed out trying to get attention for their work. All the while the market is polluted with so many images no one person could possibly look through them even part of them in a lifetime.
Bottom line...all this stress can put the photog / artist in a bad mood. But if freezing time or art is in your blood, you must produce and keep producing...whether there have an outlet for one's art or not. Personally, I've learned to forget looking for approval online. Lots of cowards behind the keyboard that will try to tear you down. It can cause more harm than good.
In the few years I have been online I have received, and this is no exaggeration, about 7 positive comments that are fit for someone of my background and my photography. On the other hand I have received tons of negative and hateful comments about me and my work. If it is possible I turn off any comments option on the blogs where I post my pix.
“Never give up! Don’t listen to the haters. Don’t try to be an artist unless you can work and live in isolation, without any thanks....bleak, but needed until you get to the much lauded place."
Scape Martinez
FrankS
Registered User
It is more important to some than to others, but external validation is nice to get. I understand that. Here's the big question: are you willing to change your shooting style from what pleases you now to something that may be more popular?
How happy are you with your images yourself, Joe?
Another question: Does changing your shooting style mean compromise or growth?
How happy are you with your images yourself, Joe?
Another question: Does changing your shooting style mean compromise or growth?
airfrogusmc
Veteran
Joe Frank has put up a thread for projects. Post'm there. I'm sure he will comment and I will make an effort to.
Click here.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147549
OurManInTangier
An Undesirable
Joe, I find many pictures get lost either in a thread that gets many posters or in the gallery if it's busy ( admittedly I haven't spent much time there in the last couple of years so don't know how busy it's gets these days) so perhaps you should start a thread of your own in the Street forum, it seems to work for quite a few others ( Chris Crawford's comes to mind) or as Allen suggests a PM to anyone's whose stuff you like, or to Frank.
If you had a thread relating to your Farmers Market project I'd certainly be interested in seeing what you've been up to, anyone putting that level of effort in must be producing something worth looking at and talking about.
If you had a thread relating to your Farmers Market project I'd certainly be interested in seeing what you've been up to, anyone putting that level of effort in must be producing something worth looking at and talking about.
airfrogusmc
Veteran
Absolutely. Putting real thought into a project is more than most do. I would like to see it...
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airfrogusmc
Veteran
Joe I think some editing might be in order but you have a great set of images. I personally think i would stick all black & white but I have a bias LoL and I have seen some really good projects that have mixed color and B&W. I like the way you have given a real feel for what it is like to be there and those close intimate shots bring you in and help the overall group.