The Photographer

[DanOstergren30 5]

Ok, so I finally had time to go look at your work, Dan. You stood out for me as a name I remembered here on TPF, but couldn't remember why. I knew it wasn't because you were a trouble maker, so I assumed it was something more cool. It was.

Your work is stunning.

You commented on the natural light thing... and from what I see, you do use a lot of natural light in your work, and you do so SO beautifully. Your work is a model of what "natural light photographers" are probably striving for. I certainly wish I had your skills. I don't think I do. I don't honestly think I'm at a point in my artistic career where I could execute as you have here.


So here's the thing... you're railing against people telling you "you're doing it wrong".

Why?

I mean seriously, why in the name of all things good and holy would you POSSIBLY care? Your work is amazing. As you said, your work has gotten you some great opportunities. Who gives a crap if someone on TPF says "you need a fill flash! this is bad!" You know who you are, you clearly have a style that is all your own, and you have an artistry that few here on TPF could hold a candle to. Know it. Embrace it.

Don't get me wrong- everyone produces a clinker now and again, and I don't think the picture in this particular thread in ANY way compares to your work on your profile, but so what?

My take on this whole thing is that you are a great artist who needs to ACTUALLY accept that you're an artist. You don't quite yet have thick enough of a skin to shrug off the slings and arrows of people who don't get it. You know FULL WELL that a significant portion of the population here on TPF is mired in "rules" and purely technical assessments of images that go far beyond the technical. You know FULL WELL that you are well beyond that. And yet, you let them get to you anyway?

Pfft.

I say this with respect and admiration... Dan... grow a pair.

We need folks like you around here to gently guide those who are mired in the foolishness to become ARTISTS rather than gadget-hungry rule-burdened followers. We need folks like you to barrage us with ART so we can see what art really is- in all its forms and flavors. We need people like you to have a thick enough skin to be able to stay around even when you know full well you've outgrown most of us.

Thank you for your honesty; every once in a while I need to be reminded to eat a slice of humble pie.

That being said, I find it a responsibility of mine to encourage different ways of seeing and thinking. When someone gives a critique that I disagree with, I will vocalize WHY I disagree with it, or vocalize why I disagree with them bullying someone who defends their own work. In this forum it has resulted in me being blocked, told I was completely wrong, and that my inexperience discredits any opinion of mine. This is where I have become a little jaded and aggravated with this forum, especially when I see someone saying "avoid dappled light like the plague" or someone saying "you need to use fill flash" to a natural light photographer, and then that person getting railed into for disagreeing with that opinion. The OP of this thread was commenting on how common this sort of thing happens here, and I was agreeing with this observation wholeheartedly.

That doesn't mean that I don't agree with you that I should grow a pair; my sensitivity has been a trait that I have very recently started to confront. Again, thank you for pointing this out so eloquently.

 

[manaheim]

Dan, I'm a musician, a photographer and a writer.

In EACH of those areas I've been taught a number of things and many of those things are common between the different art forms. One that shows up time and time again is never defend your work and never argue with a critique.

It unnecessarily creates a hostile situation, puts you in a defensive posture that you don't need to be in, makes you less likely to listen to people when they may have something useful to say that may put you on edge, and makes people less likely to offer you their opinions when you need or want them.

Defending your work is a poor choice for ANY artist. No matter what the medium.

You don't need to defend the work for your work to stand. Your work will defend itself.

There's also the matter of defending others. Don't buy trouble. They need to learn the same lessons we all do, and your defending them isn't going to help that.

And sometimes... you may actually be wrong.