What makes him so good?

[goob4114]

What's with all the hating? It's just embarrassing. If the photographer didn't like what he was doing, he probably wouldn't do it. The fact that YOU don't like it could not be any more irrelevant. Making a point to let the world know that YOU don't like it as if YOUR opinion is preferred or somehow superior over someone else in an artistic field where preferences are INHERENTLY different is just childish - and ironic. It's art. If everyone's preferences were the same, art would be very boring.

As for the OP's original question, I don't know. Nobody does because it's not something you are supposed to be able to answer. You either like it or you don't. Apparently, a lot of people do. Why? Because it speaks to them in some way. Ultimately, it's none of your business why - I don't mean that in an arrogant way. I look at a picture, and I like it because it speaks to me in a personal way. I don't need to justify it to you. Nobody does. I will say - I wish my pictures looked that good.

 

[Vtec44]

What's with all the hating? It's just embarrassing. If the photographer didn't like what he was doing, he probably wouldn't do it. The fact that YOU don't like it could not be any more irrelevant. Making a point to let the world know that YOU don't like it as if YOUR opinion is preferred or somehow superior over someone else in an artistic field where preferences are INHERENTLY different is just childish - and ironic. It's art. If everyone's preferences were the same, art would be very boring.

As for the OP's original question, I don't know. Nobody does because it's not something you are supposed to be able to answer. You either like it or you don't. Apparently, a lot of people do. Why? Because it speaks to them in some way. Ultimately, it's none of your business why - I don't mean that in an arrogant way. I look at a picture, and I like it because it speaks to me in a personal way. I don't need to justify it to you. Nobody does. I will say - I wish my pictures looked that good.

Haters gonna hate. He shoots what he loves, and share it with people that value it. Apparently, 185,000 people on Instagram like his work enough.

 

[imagemaker46]

I think there are some nice images there, would I hang one on my wall, no, but others will. It comes down to personal taste. I like that he is playing with different angles, some work, others don't. Some look like he stopped the car got out and banged off a few tourist frames, others look like they were well planned out and took time. It all ends up looking the the same as many other's I've seen. But then lots of people say the same about my images.

 

[fotodoug]

Goob4114 couldn't be more right. Why does it make you feel better to tear down someone?...does that make your pics better?

 

[JacaRanda]

...but my advice is not to take photos to get likes and popularity. Take photos for yourself.

For some people getting likes and popularity are why they take the photos which is done for 'yourself'. One in the same.

 

[JacaRanda]

his photos are cool. but my advice is not to take photos to get likes and popularity. Take photos for yourself.

But what if 'myself' WANTS likes and popularity?

Seriously tho, if you sell your photos, you'd best understand what is popular, shouldn't you?

He seems shrewd to me. I have no problem with his business model.

Ooopsie. Did not complete reading the thread before I commented similarly.

 

[JacaRanda]

I really haven't seen much if anything here I consider hate. Rather several that state his work is not particularly a style they like.
Is not okay to do that?

 

[fotodoug]

The way I see it is I have 35,000 reject photos that look better than most of his work at the same locations and yet he's the one winning the awards...

I worked hard, I had good images, I had a successful studio, but that damned Richard Avedon....

 

[elementgs]

So it's been a while since I created this thread and in that time, I did my own little experiment.

I went through and selected one of my "reject" photos and applied a hipsterish filter to it and posted it to Reddit.

I'd say the results speak for themselves. It's kinda sad really because I don't really like the photo at all but that one photo yielded more views in less than 24 hours (it crossed 1 million in 24 hours) than my entire portfolio did all of last year.

So there is definitely something to be said about the style of his work being popular with the current denizens of the Internet.

I hate this photo btw.. lol.. look, even the horizon is slightly tilted.. it has so many flaws I want to delete it and yet, front page of Reddit/All, 5000 upvotes and 1 million views. Kinda says a lot.

 

[fotodoug]

Let me understand this...you hate your own work? When you apply "hipsterish" filters to your photo, people love it! It seems that you have a bad case of ENVY for someone whose work you don't even like! If you spent half as much time promoting your work as you do shouting "LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME....I'M GOOD TOO!!!", maybe you'd get somewhere. There will always be people better, and worse than you, in all things....stop whining.

 

[Peeb]

BTW, if there is a 'hipsterish' filter available which would transform my images from ignored to 1 million views overnight....

what, again, was the name of said filter if I may inquire?

I'll take three.

 

[paigew]

What do you hate about that photo. That seems to be a pretty silly experiment. It's a nice photo of a sunny beach. Actually a gorgeous beach that any one could appreciate.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Kinda says Reddit is ridiculous?? lol I don't put much online or use those type sites but it seems like people like 'everything' that crosses their visual path... So what? How many fads and trends have we had that are all the rage and then are done and over with in no time? plenty.

I'd do your own thing instead of what you think 'everybody' will like. Popular isn't necessarily good. I guess I'd rather it be good and get positive feedback from people whose opinions matter, that I'd value. What photographers' work has stood the test of time and is still considered good long after they're gone? I doubt much of the fake looking instagrammy photos will be around long or be particularly valued or considered all that good years from now.

 

[vintagesnaps]

And I forgot what this guy's stuff was, it isn't that impressive. The scenery is, the space needle in the clouds is kind of cool. And that's probably it - the novelty of it, where I live there's no sweeping vistas of scenery, so people might like the thing more than the quality of the picture of it. A spectacular snow covered mountain peak etc. might be impressive even in a crappy photo.

(And he's got these on 500px and probably didn't read the terms so by now they've all probably been stolen anyway! lol well it's funny but it's not.)

Looked at his site and it's way too slow to load so I gave up. He may be good enough to get clients etc. but I don't find what was posted on 500px to be all that great, guess some people like it. He may have built up a reputation regionally and marketed himself and had success with it.

 

[mcap1972]

For me the pictures look interesting. Good simple composition.