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Author Topic: How self-critical are you about your work?  (Read 2225 times)

batmura

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How self-critical are you about your work?
« on: November 03, 2013, 09:03:13 am »

I was talking to a friend of mine and he asked me how pleased I am with the photos I take. After giving it some thought, I said I actually don't like the images I take after a while. I listen to others' opinions and feedback and see how much better I could haven taken them. What I do really like, however, is the moment I take the shot, or even the few hours before I take them. Driving to a certain location through muddy roads, asking the locals for directions, and finally finding the location give me chills. Then, racing with time to find the perfect spot to shoot, trying different angles and settings... seeing the image I had envisioned on the back of my camera... These I like. Upon returning home, editing and sharing the images on forums like this, I already start critivising my work. I should have shot wider, the sky should have been better emphasized, I wish I had taken a couple steps to the right, etc.

Is this normal? Anyone have anything to say on this?
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Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2013, 09:13:00 am »

The more you ask questions, the more you will get answers ......
You really have to find out yourself.
I just want to say that:
Avoid the extremes: Don't overciticize nor undercriticize yourself. The first will kill vitality and fun, the second will make your work flat.

Cheers
~Chris

Iluvmycam

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2013, 09:46:17 am »

The more you ask questions, the more you will get answers ......
You really have to find out yourself.
I just want to say that:
Avoid the extremes: Don't overciticize nor undercriticize yourself. The first will kill vitality and fun, the second will make your work flat.

Cheers
~Chris

Good advice!

For my own work the question is not if the photo is perfect. The question is if the photo is good enough for inclusion in my portfolio or to be offered to a museum's permanent collection.


Over 44 years I have heard all sorts of criticism about my photography...

"I don't like color."
"I don't like BW."
"I don't like HDR."
"I don't selective color."
"I don't like diffusion."
"I don't like Hyper-Real, it is too cartoonish."
"Your photos are too contrasty."
"Your photos are too grainy."
"Why don't you take pictures of something pretty like flowers or a sunset instead of those ugly things."
"Your trying to make something out of nothing."
"Your photos are too sensational."
"Don't photograph the homeless."
"Don't photograph kids without their parents permission."
"I find photos of people boring."
"Your not a good photographer."
'Your exploiting the homeless."
'Your photograph does not work."
"I don't like flower photographs they are boring."
"I don't understand what were you trying to say?"
"Digital photography is not real photography."
"You work is not museum worthy."
"Your work is over processed."
"Don't take pictures of people in public without their permission."
"Don't photograph anorexics."
"Cover up her breasts."
"Your photos are staged."
"I don't like your photo because it leaves nothing for the imagination."
"Your photography is vernacular."
"You should trash that photo."
"I don't like fisheye photos."
"I don't like wide-angle distortion."
"Don't send unsolicited photos to museums."
"She (the person in the photo) is a drunk…she is fat…she is an attention whore…she needs to go to the gym…she is trailer trash."
"Your self-centered"
'Your self-absorbed"
'Your inconsiderate"
"Your a phony...your all talk...you don't know how to take photographs." (When I don't send in any photos to the forums.)
"Your a troll...your looking for attention...your trying to boost your website traffic...your an egomaniac." (When I do send in photos to the forums.)
"Your goofy"

After you learn the basics, you have to learn to trust your own instincts. If you can't trust your own instincts, then you must follow the critics and shoot for them and not for yourself.

« Last Edit: November 03, 2013, 09:49:54 am by iluvmycam »
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Alan Klein

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2013, 09:54:21 am »

I was talking to a friend of mine and he asked me how pleased I am with the photos I take. After giving it some thought, I said I actually don't like the images I take after a while. I listen to others' opinions and feedback and see how much better I could haven taken them. What I do really like, however, is the moment I take the shot, or even the few hours before I take them. Driving to a certain location through muddy roads, asking the locals for directions, and finally finding the location give me chills. Then, racing with time to find the perfect spot to shoot, trying different angles and settings... seeing the image I had envisioned on the back of my camera... These I like. Upon returning home, editing and sharing the images on forums like this, I already start critivising my work. I should have shot wider, the sky should have been better emphasized, I wish I had taken a couple steps to the right, etc.

Is this normal? Anyone have anything to say on this?

That's me.

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2013, 10:00:42 am »

Here is one more (in "iluvmycam" collection):

"Your understanding of the difference between 'your' and 'you are' sucks" ;D
« Last Edit: November 03, 2013, 11:22:53 am by Slobodan Blagojevic »
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langier

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2013, 11:11:23 am »

Perhaps it's time to shoot, let it ait a week and view with a fresh set of eyes and no longer influenced by the passion of the moment and then analyze what works and doesn't work objectively. Perhaps take on a mentor to guide you.

Then with this in mind, repeat your venture again with fresh ideas.

I return to many places again and again each time with fresh eyes and new ideas and approaches. Sometimes they fail, but mostly, I find something new and unique.

Another approach I use to to shoot with a friend or colleague like I did with my Sacred Expedition work a couple of weeks ago. I'd miss many details if my friend was not also shooting. He's from a different culture and uses an iPhone to its fullest while I shoot more methodical with larger cameras. It's more fun and interesting this way and the synergy makes us both better.
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leuallen

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2013, 11:15:06 am »

Sounds like me.

I can still remember the feeling of standing in a wide open harvested corn field with bales in front of me and the sun just coming up through the swirling fog. It felt like I was transported into some alien world. The pics seemed initially OK but became so-so with the passage of time but the feeling of being there is still powerful.

Larry
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NancyP

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2013, 04:32:40 pm »

I need to be more critical. I just get out there, shoot a bunch based on the "hey" factor (if it catches my eye, there's a reason for it). I go over the images quickly upon downloading, subtract stupid technical mistakes, and then....wait...for an unoccupied decent slice of time to pick ones with potential, maybe do a global adjustment or two. Then I wait....and wait...to get to the detailed image evaluation and processing. So I feel that I get good technical feedback that can change my shooting, but the strategy of the shoot is left until a long time later. I am an amateur, and would guess that this disjointed workflow is typical of amateurs with full time jobs.
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David Eckels

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2013, 06:15:52 pm »

I understand the feeling, but have to agree with almost all the comments. It's a journey--getting to the shoot and returning with a trophy. FWIW, like hunting, it's not always a great trophy and sometimes we return empty handed. I can only say, post your uncertainties here under "User Critiques" and I think you'll find, as I have, terrific feedback, from bouquets to brickbats, but it's almost all useful and almost always well-intended.
You say, "after awhile," is that because you're ready to move on, you're bored with it, or you develop some idea of why you don't like it? I would say the latter is growth and insight that can be applied in later shoots; I'd rejoice in that, frankly. A friend of mine, Mark Alberhasky, once said to me, "You're not the photographer today that you were a year ago, nor the one you'll be a year from now." Is it Jay Maisel that says "10,000 hours" or someone else? Vincent Versace quotes Vince Lombardi, I think, with "Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect."
Hope this is encouraging.


iluvmycam: TOO FUNNY!!! LMAO!

Shakyphoto (Slim)

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2013, 12:36:21 am »

I always know I could've done a better a job afterwards.  But I'm not that critical.  As you said it's about the journey and process and if you are improving that's good.  Remember that the criticism that you are getting from this forum are people with higher standards.  I think the masses in general would be pleased with most of the photos.

I was talking to a friend of mine and he asked me how pleased I am with the photos I take. After giving it some thought, I said I actually don't like the images I take after a while. I listen to others' opinions and feedback and see how much better I could haven taken them. What I do really like, however, is the moment I take the shot, or even the few hours before I take them. Driving to a certain location through muddy roads, asking the locals for directions, and finally finding the location give me chills. Then, racing with time to find the perfect spot to shoot, trying different angles and settings... seeing the image I had envisioned on the back of my camera... These I like. Upon returning home, editing and sharing the images on forums like this, I already start critivising my work. I should have shot wider, the sky should have been better emphasized, I wish I had taken a couple steps to the right, etc.

Is this normal? Anyone have anything to say on this?

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NancyP

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2013, 11:30:04 am »

I get a certain satisfaction from trying new techniques, new equipment, new subjects, and coming up with big flops. It is a successful shoot if I have learned what not to do. This is a luxury that an amateur has - time to fail. Two recent examples: 1. going through a shelf full of legacy film lenses and testing them in different situations to learn about their color rendering characteristics on digital 2. dang, it is hard to shoot at f/1.2 or f/1.4 (legacy manual focus lenses, again). Waiting in the wings: what can I do with a FF camera, swing-shift bellows, and reversed enlarger lens?

I find it harder to go from "competent" to "compelling" than from "disaster" to "competent". I don't really have the language or analytical tool set yet. I need to "hit the books" and examine series of images from master photographers.
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David Eckels

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2013, 12:41:23 pm »

Your getting some great comments from folks, about which I am enjoying reading and thinking. There's an inverse rule to remember that the last 10% requires 90% of the effort. I think I've heard golf pros talk about the last 1% requiring 99% of their effort. In that perspective we all have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I think Nancy makes a great point about failure being informative. We have a saying in science that you can never prove something, only that something is not; science is an organized process of failure so that we can learn what not to do. FWIW, photography may be similar. Keep shooting!

Isaac

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2013, 02:31:27 pm »

Upon returning home, editing and sharing the images on forums like this, I already start critivising my work. I should have shot wider, the sky should have been better emphasized, I wish I had taken a couple steps to the right, etc.

Is this normal?

Is it healthy?


I need to be more critical. I just get out there, shoot a bunch based on the "hey" factor (if it catches my eye, there's a reason for it). I go over the images quickly upon downloading, subtract stupid technical mistakes, and then....wait...for an unoccupied decent slice of time to pick ones with potential, maybe do a global adjustment or two. Then I wait....and wait...to get to the detailed image evaluation and processing. So I feel that I get good technical feedback that can change my shooting, but the strategy of the shoot is left until a long time later. I am an amateur, and would guess that this disjointed workflow is typical of amateurs with full time jobs.

So how can we overcome the problems of disjointed workflow and infrequent practice? How can we transform recognized mistakes into corrective tactics that we will use in the next shoot? It's too easy to subtract stupid technical mistakes without changing the behaviour that causes them. Maybe keep a diary, recording how well what we did matched what we were trying to do, and pick-up the thread of those reflections before we next venture out camera-in-hand.

The last 2 weekends, my "hey" factor photography failed in numerous ways, the most irritating being not taking the photograph and not taking the photograph enough. Maybe there's a corrective tactic that will help when I don't have my wits about me -- Work 5 variations every time. (Work 10 variations sounds better but doesn't seem believable yet.)
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NancyP

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2013, 04:54:02 pm »

"Science is organized failure" - YES! I have run a research lab, and boy, the list of ways to fail is endless. One's success depends on intelligent failures - I think that the same applies to photography.
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gerafotografija

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Re: How self-critical are you about your work?
« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2013, 09:38:08 pm »

I was reading "on being a photographer" from Lens Works today, and thought one of the observations rings true and applies here. If you put in the time required to get it right, your love for  photographed subject will show through.

I guess a photographer needs to find something to both love and to to love photographing? Loving to snap just any photos doesnt cut it, and neither does loving the subject if you dont take the time to do it right.
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