Pretentious Newb Photographers.

[Onyx]

There are a lot of great photographers here and we are all learning. However, I don't understand why some of the beggining photographers are so full of themselves and they don't take criticism well. I'm not refering to anyone in particular. I think one of the most obvious clues of this pretentiousness is smacking a copyright and tacky border on a picture. As if the picture was good enough that someone would want to frame or steal it. Am I alone in this perspective?

 

[Reefbabe]

Well....coming straight from a noob's mouth, I think that I slap a corny signature on my photos because I personally believe that they are good according to my very own artsy eye. Why else would I have shot it in the first place or decided to post it. We have to remember that our standards for appreciating beauty are different and will vary greatly. Something that may not appeal to one...may touch the heart of another. I find this especially true for newbies because they haven't yet been tainted with that keen professional eye.
For those who are more advanced and find this particularly annoying...try to remember back when you yourself was a so called "noob". It takes time to learn, we are not all born with this knowledge. I suggest that for those giving critism....to give it in a teaching manner such as explaining your reasonings for such an opinion.....explaining why you believe it may be to the benifit of the photo. Not just stating that it totally sucks.

 

[Onyx]

I don't think a signiture is neccesarily a bad thing. I was talking about putting something of that sort on a low quality snapshot. I myself am a noob( a not very good one:blushing. So this isn't really a "I'm better than everyelse" type thing.

 

[Torus34]

Whoops!

It seems as if there are several topics confounded here. These include as a minimum egoism, the art of providing constructive criticism and pictorial art aesthetics. Each can be a major point for discussion.

 

[panzershreck]

maybe because noob photographers are still so attached to what they make, because they have not made a lot of great photos, and they still feel they're learning, therefore they become more attached to what they do or have made, at least

that's what i felt when i first really got into photography, now i don't really hold much attachment at all because it's just another photo in a long line-up

not that attachment is a bad thing, but it's just like in drawing classes where everybody just loves the line they put on the page, they're too worried about what they do put down, than what they could put down... and you don't really make progress until you've detached yourself from the line, and can then go back and make corrections or be more free with it in the future

the results are noticably better, but something i hear a lot freshmen art students say all the time at the beginning of their first classes is how much art they've done in the past, how creative they are, and when they do a drawing early on, how great it is... even though in a few months down the line, they'll be looking back and saying how gawdawful that stuff was, and that usually is the case

 

[terri]

There are a lot of great photographers here and we are all learning. However, I don't understand why some of the beggining photographers are so full of themselves and they don't take criticism well. I'm not refering to anyone in particular. I think one of the most obvious clues of this pretentiousness is smacking a copyright and tacky border on a picture. As if the picture was good enough that someone would want to frame or steal it. Am I alone in this perspective?

Nope. But try to be tolerant. Everyone has to start somewhere, and what you are viewing as pretentiousness is, at best, misguided enthusiasm for what a beginner might think is pretty damn good work...for a beginner. You might find yourself becoming annoyed when they leave off those last 3 words to themselves.

Think, too, of the digital user who is simply learning PS at the same time, and wants to try different borders, etc. They're just learning what works, and maybe what doesn't. Sometimes the borders really enhance an image, but I agree they can be overdone, like anything else.

 

[slickhare]

There are a lot of great photographers here and we are all learning. However, I don't understand why some of the beggining photographers are so full of themselves and they don't take criticism well. I'm not refering to anyone in particular. I think one of the most obvious clues of this pretentiousness is smacking a copyright and tacky border on a picture. As if the picture was good enough that someone would want to frame or steal it. Am I alone in this perspective?

i think that most people can't take criticism well. especially if they've looked at their work for days and finally posted it proud of their work only to be shot down... i could see why they might not be good at taking crit. some people just can't handle it period. but when all you're used to seeing on your threads is "omg! nice shot!" it can be hard to remember what it's like when people tell you your pictures suck.

as for the border and copyright. it's not an issue of "oh i'm so good people will steal my stuff" i don't think. i think it's just taking pride in your work. it's a good feeling when you have a "nice" shot and you can say "yeah i took that!". and what's wrong with them putting a copyright? it's theirs isn't it? as long as they're not trying to pass someone elses work as their own im fine with it.

 

[markc]

I think people need to experiment. There are certain photos that I see pop up over and over again. They are photos that most people need to make as they progress. I made them, and I see a lot of other people that have made them. It's all part of the process. With Photoshop being an integral part of digital photography now, experiementing with borders is now part of that.

I can also look back at some of my work and see where I went overboard in other areas. But it was something new to me at the time and I had to experiment to learn how to use it. Learning often involves going too far. If you don't go too far, how do you know where you want to stop? As time goes on, the scattershot approach refines itself into a more focused goal.

 

[markc]

i think that most people can't take criticism well. especially if they've looked at their work for days and finally posted it proud of their work only to be shot down...

That's what I see as the difference between a critique and encouragement. If they also say something like "please be nice" or the like in the thread, then they probably really want encouragement. The main difference comes down to expectations. If they want the image to be liked, they want encouragement. If they want to learn something, they want a critique. We often want both, which is where the conflict comes from. The trick is to get the balance over towards the learning side, and that comes from time.

 

[D-50]

Just because someone is a "noob" to this site does not necessarily mean they are new to photography, someone with a vast amount of knowledge who found and signed up on this sight yesterday would be a "noob" in the eyes of the forum but not in photogrphy. If people are putting signatures and borders on things maybe it is because they are practicing putting borders and signatures on photos. I would not stress over people treating a crappy snapshot like a work of art, personally I find some well established photographers photos to be ridiculous and unimaginative does that make the proffesional not good? no..they are just not my taste.

 

['Daniel']

i think being pretentious and putting a border with your name on around an image are different things. Just doing that could be that you are following a trend or like how it looks. I don't think you should assume that because they put the (c) sign that they think their photos are "good enough that someone would want to frame or steal it"

I think that you can read too much into some things. some people are arrogant and usually a good slap gets them in order for ever. As said some people can't handle critique. Those people don't succeed or progress much.

 

[Onyx]

yeah i guess ive stopped being patient with people that cant take criticism. when i first started to try to take nice photos a pro photographer friend told me they were crap and told me why. i think that was probably the most helpful thing she could have done. i learned quickly that just because i like it doesnt mean its good. it helped me to be more objective with my own photos. to this day i still like to hear that my photos suck because i see something i can work on:mrgreen:

 

[D-50]

If you ever think you have reached the top you are wrong, there is always room for improvment. People who brag about their work in any field tend to not be that great. the best people are their own worst critics and will rarely admire any of their own work, rather they will point out flaws in it.

 

[PlasticSpanner]

There are a lot of great photographers here and we are all learning. However, I don't understand why some of the beggining photographers are so full of themselves and they don't take criticism well. I'm not refering to anyone in particular. I think one of the most obvious clues of this pretentiousness is smacking a copyright and tacky border on a picture. As if the picture was good enough that someone would want to frame or steal it. Am I alone in this perspective?

It's a personal thing.

BTW Why is it pretentious? I'm sure that nobody posting on TPF is concerned about having their 600 X 400 pixel 72dpi image printed & framed on someone elses wall!

 

[Hertz van Rental]

If someone wishes to stick a flashy boarder around one of their pictures and write their name all over it, I don't see why they can't. It is their picture after all so they can make it into a paper aeroplane and throw it out of the window should they wish to.
My personal view is that borders, signatures and all of that detract from the image itself and become more important than the photo - you are quite often reading the name instead of looking at the picture - which I feel is counter-productive.
I always advise people against doing it. But that is just my opinion.
For the same reason I don't give my pictures titles or any other reference. Pictures exist in their own right and don't need labeling.
But if we all thought the same way it would be a boring old world.