you are a great photographer. I love your work and it inspires me. When was the last time you said that to someone? There is evidence that the more you admire others, the better you do your own work.
There seem to be a lot of mean people in the world of photography, but they are in the minority. they are just very loud. Always willing to dig into others, but these constant cynics who nose down others miss those who stare into their own faces. Their loud, unfriendly comments say a lot more about them.
Research has repeatedly shown that creativity is directly related to positivity and kindness.
The relationship between creativity and mood is a two-way street. Emotion is a predictor of creative behavior, and creative behavior influences the emotional state of creators.
Ivcevic Z, Hoffmann J. Emotion and Creativity: From States to Traits and Emotional Abilities
Similarly, many studies show that prosocial behaviors, such as encouraging and supporting others, feed our emotional well-being. Taken together, these findings lead to the clear conclusion that creative people are most likely to be cooperative. The same is true vice versa. People who encourage others are most likely to be creatively successful.
So the opposite is also true. People who display negative attitudes towards others are less likely to be creatively successful. In fact, in the creative industry, including photography, it is well known that most naysayers who constantly criticize or blame others are usually not very creative. Check out their gallery if you see a nice comment. You know what I mean.
This is probably not all that surprising. We’ve all met people who mistakenly believe that the only way to look good is to put others down.
For most photographers worth the trouble of accepting their work, that’s good enough. Most people are always striving to improve, but they know that helping others helps them improve themselves.
But they also found it disappointing. The reason you shouldn’t ask your family if your photos are good enough to be a professional is because they will always say yes. Plus, if they post a pretty photo on social media, it attracts a lot more little red hearts than a better photo. Despite these rare photos that bring photographers the most satisfaction, they are under pressure to create images that please more people.
So where should we turn? On the other hand, there are people who will praise you no matter how good your work is. On the other hand, some people will use every opportunity to knock you back.
The obvious answer is to seek prizes and prizes at photography associations. However, this is not without its own difficulties. Many judges rate images within a range of widely accepted ideals. As a result, the growth of creative photographers can be limited. Furthermore, it is not known that club judges denigrate good work because it threatens their position at the top.
Entire industries have been built around giving photographers a pat on the back. Whether this is an award from a national community, a prize in a photo contest, or using psychological marketing tactics to encourage posting on social media, the support boosts the confidence of the photographer. But should we treat these rewards with skepticism, too? Ultimately, they all rely on the subjective decisions of others. Also, there are no regulations. The result, even worse, has led to online businesses selling expensive, low-quality, and unaccredited courses that claim to award diplomas when the award is merely a certificate of attendance.
We have excellent training online and by professional photographers, as well as excellent training from established and accredited education providers. However, after getting my diploma from a non-accredited online course, a client came to me who didn’t understand the basics of exposure.
If you dare to step away from the norm and do something different, you may be punished and discouraged. Still, many new and successful art and design movements are initially condemned by the establishment, but may eventually become more successful movements. As a result, designers and artists fled Germany and spread their aesthetic around the world. Their designs are still influential today.
Therefore, a balance must be struck between these two opposing forces. We need to encourage others and accept encouragement. Also, beware of both well-intentioned but false praise and malicious criticism.
Of course, I’m referring here to photos taken for purely artistic merit.The motivation behind some professional photos must fit within strict boundaries. For example, a professional who does product photography for business may have some artistic leeway when creating the photos, but there are still limitations. Clients probably want their products to be identifiable and at the forefront of photography. Couples photographing their wedding also have expectations about what their photos will look like. I may provide a photo.
It is not easy to challenge accepted norms because people criticize them. But being different for it doesn’t work. It’s like building a wheelbarrow out of square wheels. Nonetheless, pneumatic tires have had such a big impact on the usability of the wheelbarrow that you may be able to look for the photographic equivalent of the one that invented it.
What areas can you get out of when trying to do something different? What variables do you need to capture that great shot? There are two possible areas.
The first is the photo design. It consists of mathematical rules that please the placement of subjects in an image, including various approaches that use color and tone contrast.
Second, there is the art of photography. Art is the intuitive and instinctive aspect of images. It includes atmosphere, subject matter, movement, lighting, and the story your photos are trying to tell. It’s an aesthetic decision you make.
If you control these things and break away from the norm, you will become a great photographer. I find your work even more inspiring.