If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's
work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
Hi Michael,
I begin by saying that I am a serious amateur, and that while some of my images have been exhibited, I am not actively trying to sell images or otherwise publicize myself. So, the circumstances are limited in which other photographers or non-photographers generally might even become an audience for me. That said, I agree with David Meiland. I am only trying to please myself. There are a few people close to me to whom I can show my work and get a truly honest opinion, meaning they know they can criticize without offending me. When they don't like something, I actually get constructive criticism. "It's too dark." "Not enough contrast" or [ouch] "It's dull." They do not always agree with each other. But I have often made better images after hearing what they have to say about the ones I've shown them. In the end, though, it has to please me. Francis A. Miniter Michael Scarpitti wrote: Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
J C wrote in message ...
On 14 Oct 2003 09:07:34 -0700, (Michael Scarpitti) wrote: Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? Michael: Is that a serious question that you cannot answer yourself? Or are you just trying to get a thread going? I have my own opinion, not that I'm open to persuasion, that a 'good' photo should appeal to a broad range of people, but not always is this possible. My work has always been well-received by its intended audience. I don't think enough consideration is being given to this concept by photographers. I personally find some other photographers' work boring or unappealing, and they feel the same way about mine in some cases... but non-photographers love it... So? Perhaps you've not heard this story.... A young violinist travels to the master to play for him and have his work judged. The master listened and when the young man is done says, "That was horrible. You'll never amount to anything. You'd better plan a different career." The young man drops the violin and becomes an accountant. Years later he bumps into the master on the street. He goes up to him and says, "Thank you for helping me not waste my life." The master is confused. The young man says, "Don't you remember? I played for you and you told me to stop wasting my time." To which the master replies, "Oh. That! I say that to every young artist who comes to play for me. But if you really had the fire of an artist, you'd have ignored what I said and strove for greatness anyway." -- JC |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
(David Meiland) wrote in message ...
(Michael Scarpitti) wrote: Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? As a sign of advanced self-absorption, I'll admit that it's only important to me that I like it myself. I had the very interesting experience of showing my portfolio to a panel of well-known photographers at an organized critique event. During a 2-hour period I showed 6 people my stuff, in private 15-minute sessions. Some of them liked it and said so, and some of them did not like it and said so. No doubt most photographers have the same experience--they find that a certain number of people like their work, and others don't. That's always going to be true, so the question to me is, do you like your own work yourself? --- David Meiland Friday Harbor, WA http://davidmeiland.com/ **Check the reply address before sending mail I shoot primarily for my own pleasure, but it is always with an 'assumed audience' in mind. My practices are based on publication work more than anything else, so I shoot lots of vertical subjects with tight cropping. I like simple, bold compositions and lighting. The subtleties are there, but the photo cannot rely on subtleties for its main thrust, which must almost always be simple and bold. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
First, I have to like it, then anyone else. If I print what I don't care
about, with other people in mind, I get bored, and turn out boring stuff. But, to each his own. "Michael Scarpitti" wrote in message om... Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
(Michael Scarpitti) wrote in message . com...
Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? Hi Micheal It's always satisfying to be positively judged by your peers. But the problem with any art is that response can be subjective to the individual. My view is that I always try to create pictures that I am happy with. Thought I admit that I do prefer some of my work to others. Saying that listening to both photographers and non-photographers can lead to ideas that be incorporated into the creative process and lead to better work. The worst thing to do though is try and target an audience too forcefully. I'm convinced that doing so can only lead to bland and passionless photographs. All art needs to come from the heart Robert Davies www.findingviews.com |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
(Robzilla) wrote in message . com...
(Michael Scarpitti) wrote in message . com... Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? Hi Micheal It's always satisfying to be positively judged by your peers. But the problem with any art is that response can be subjective to the individual. My view is that I always try to create pictures that I am happy with. Thought I admit that I do prefer some of my work to others. Saying that listening to both photographers and non-photographers can lead to ideas that be incorporated into the creative process and lead to better work. The worst thing to do though is try and target an audience too forcefully. I'm convinced that doing so can only lead to bland and passionless photographs. All art needs to come from the heart Robert Davies www.findingviews.com The point of my question was that making photos that are pleasing to other photograpers above all is not necessarily the way to make the best work. When making photographs, it helps to have some 'purpose', some 'use' in mind. Since I began taking pictures seriously in high school in the mid-60's for our school newspaper, I have always had a journalistic orientation to my 'seeing', rather than the more recent 'fine art' (what a term!) 'seeing' that seems to have beome so common. Many of these so-called 'fine art' images leave me cold, if not nauseated, in their tritenes and one-dimensionality. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Waht is your audience?
On 14 Oct 2003 09:07:34 -0700, Michael Scarpitti wrote:
Is it more important that 'other photographers' think highly of one's work, or one's intended audience (meaning primarily non-photographers)? If you are shooting professionally, the only opinion that matters is the client's :-) If you are shooting for pleasure, the only person whose opinion matters is you. If you want to have feedback, however - and this is always useful - try to find other photographers whose work you admire and who you think might understand what you're trying to do. To put it simplistically, if you ask the opinion of someone who insists that all subjects in the picture should fall 'on the thirds', yet this is a rule you feel should be broken, how valuable is that opinion? |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|