The Viewer

[W.Y.Photo]

How important is the viewer to you?

 

[Designer]

What viewer?

Do you mean my vast and sophisticated audience?

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Exactly!! I ask the question broadly in hopes of a discussion about the topic. The People who look at your images. Do you care who they are, what they think, or how they may interpret the images you make?

 

[fjrabon]

Of course I care what potential viewers think. Otherwise I wouldn't ever show my work to anybody.

There's often a subtle tension between showing what you want to show and giving what the viewer wants to see.

Most compositional theories (leading lines, clear subject, etc) are based around there being a viewer that needs to be guided.

Now sometimes I'll show work that I know won't be well received, simply because it's something I feel a need to communicate. Other times I'll show work that I'm not all that personally invested in simply because it's pleasing to others. It's a continuum.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I wondered if you meant the viewfinder or the person looking at the picture! lol

I don't quite think of it that way, I shoot whatever I see that seems like it would make for some good pictures. And I enjoy using a camera so usually I'm enjoying taking pictures. Not that it isn't work sometimes, but it's work that I enjoy. I may have in mind if something would work as a submission for a call to artists if there's something coming up that I'm considering.

For example, I was shooting some B&W Polaroids of the last of the snow and experimenting with some double exposures of the pattern of the patchy melting snow and the pattern of the clouds and tree branches. I was getting some that I thought were pretty good but wasn't completely satisfied yet; decided to try a couple more before I finished up and finally I got 'it' - the one that I knew - I nailed it, it was what I wanted, I'm done, that's it! lol I know it's good, I'll still have to decide if it will be what I might enter for an upcoming submission or not and maybe use it in some other way later on. (I know I'm going to scan it and print out an enlargement and see how that looks.)

Then sometimes I may not get anything I'm thrilled with from a time out and about with my camera and oh well, that's how it goes, I just try again another day. So those are the ones I'd likely not use for anything particular.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Well I guess I should give my input on this topic since I started the thread..

I think my mentality is very different from a lot of peoples here because I'm very invested in the viewer. Not that I don't shoot for myself.. but shooting for myself I involves shooting for the viewer or my intended audience.. even with my personal work. I am constantly considering who it is that I'm trying to make the image for or get a message to using the images I'm creating.. It's never just about the photograph for me.

When I'm making "Art for Art's sake" I don't usually just express myself with a completely laid back attitude but rather with an intentional expression directed at whatever audience I may be thinking of at the time.. for me to consider an image good or worthy of my time It has to express not only what I am feeling or thinking about but it also needs to lead a viewer to sympathize with that feeling or way of thinking in some way..

I hear a lot of people saying it should be for yourself and I completely get that the process of making it should be for myself but It makes me wonder sometimes if I'm crazy for thinking about my audience so much. (especially when "my audience" is a lot smaller than I'd like it to be )

Am I missing something or am I just overthinking it?

 

[Designer]

Am I missing something or am I just overthinking it?

Neither.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Am I missing something or am I just overthinking it?

Neither.

Cool. Thanks! It's all subjective anyways right?

 

[Designer]

We have, for better or worse, chosen a visual medium. Without a viewer, the art is utterly wasted.

As for those people who say: "Do whatever pleases you, after all; you're the only one who really matters." I say this:

Any time somebody puts something up for critique they should expect criticism, and I've seen it, so I matter. Even if you "don't care", my reaction matters to me.