Like many an individual turned pro photographer, I spent a great deal of my starting-out-days addicted to forums. I chose a particularly low-volume, friendly one as my forum du jour, but MAN, did I spend a lot of time there.
I learned a GREAT deal about pricing, packaging, marketing, shooting, and all the rest while there. Don’t get me wrong — forums can be great.
One day, though, I realized I was done. The conversation could be helpful, and yet: I had grown up! Taken wing! Moved on! I no longer needed to ask questions of others in order to grow MY business.
Because it’s MY business. And I’m the boss of me.
How many photographers does it take to change a lightbulb?
25. One to do it, and 24 to say, ‘I could have done that better.’
If there was a tough question, I would have to come up with the answer myself. A problem? I was solution-finder-in-chief. And really, I never cared about what others thought of my images. They’re an expression of me, and thus — only *I* can judge them appropriately.
Why are we so damn insistent on the approval of those WHO ARE NOT AND NEVER WILL BE our clients? Who cares if NikonLuvR73 thinks your white balance temperature could be tweaked by 4 degrees or your exposure could be compensated by 1/4 stop? What does PixelQueen6577 know about your business policies, and what makes her the expert worthy of judging yours? Why why WHY do we seek others’ voices before listening to the still, small, sound of our own?
This is an urgent plea. Please. Pretty please.
Expand your craft. Go out there and shoot from the heart. Create. Innovate. Aspire. And refuse to let others’ opinions drown out the sound of your own.
Thank you!
Quite possibly the single most enlightening blog post I’ve ever read.
This took me way too long to realize as well. At some point, I figured out that these people didn’t have any more experience than I did. I was basically asking a pool of other people just like me, so why should their opinion matter more than my own?
I adore you! Thanks for being the spade caller.
Thanks for your kind words, ladies…I want people to get their lives back, and stop worrying so damn much about what everyone else is doing!
If you go to forums looking for approval of your work, then I think it says more about you as a person (not YOU personally…hope you know what I mean!). I think forums are great, as you said they allow you to learn marketing, technique, all kinds of things that you just can’t come up with or “tweak” on your own…and they also understand the difficulties that many of us face when we are trying to run a buisness, a home, manage children and a career! ….I find the forum I am on to be incredibly supportive and wouldnt’ be where I am today without the member’s there BUT I don’t NEED their approval of my work…yes I ask for cc if I’m stuck on something, but usually we know what we’ve stuffed up anyhow!
I also love that the members there shoot all different kinds of work…and different styles…they don’t want cookie-cutter kids with sharp eyes! ….so on one hand I agree with you, on the other I don’t….I’m sure people get to the place where they can move on from forums…in this industry none of us should stop learning (either on a forum, via training courses or by yourself)
Hmm…and following on from what Mands says, do you not feel that once we get to that point where we no longer need the forums, we should stick around and provide the same sort of assitance that was so generously provided to us? I’m not disagreeing that anyone who measures their worth by the opinions of people on a forum is bound to end up feeling jaded, but to make a forum successful, and a real community, it requires some give and take, rather than just the take and run, surely?
Mands & Janine — I ABSOLUTELY believe in the power of small forums to make a difference! I actually stuck around for a full year after feeling ‘done,’ had 25 photographers over to my loft for a full day of sharing, and now see 4 of the local photographers in person a few times a month. I’m not implying that you ‘take and run,’ simply that you allow your own still, small voice to weigh more heavily than others upon you.
(Read: I heart Beyond Just Images, promise! It’s the big, mean forum I have to frequent for my other job that makes me a little bit sick.)
LOL to be honest I didnt’ think you even knew of Beyond…and I wasn’t even defending that…promise! I love what you are doing here and what you have written is SO TRUE! We all see it everyday with people coming to forums saying “do you think this shot is good?”…well, if YOU like it, then who cares what other’s think? I hate it when I see people dump images they love cos they are disapproved of by others….that’s how you develop your own style in my opinion! Technically there are some things that we all need to know, but then look how many photogs know the rules and break them! I think the key is that they “know them” in the first place.
I do love Forums, but honestly I can’t cope with more than one….cos your right, too many and you get confused….not to mention wouldn’t we all rather be out shooting???
Hugs and thanks for the thoughts you post here…this blog has helped us so much with our new branding…and the ups and downs we have had with it….
Agreed, sorry I didn’t mean to imply that you were advocating taking your fill and disappearing from forums! I totally agree that they can become breeding grounds for insecurity, and that you really only have yourself to please, and to be accountable to. I think what Mands says is true though, I do believe that if you take that type of cc to heart, or allow it to alter the way you view your own work, then it’s likely a sign of some deeper confidence issue! It’s a very liberating moment when you realise that you no longer need that validation
Tell it how it is, Sista! Thank you. In the words of Seth Godin, “if you want warm, take a bath. I’m trying to get you to do something. Today.”
Cheers!
I totally agree. When I realized that I cared more what people on an internet forum said about my work than what my actual clients said, I did a complete 180.
There is so many resources out there, but they’re a double edged sword. If you let yourself be sucked into them forums can suddenly define your style, business, and your identity as a photographer.
I’m finally able to be content in my own work, whether it gets 6 pages of replies or not. Often you’ll see those who are able to not care what people think are the ones that people end up following in the end anyway.
However, I do agree with Mands that forums are a great place to give back and nurture those who are just starting in the business. I HATE the attitude that many photographers get after they have a few years under their belt. The attitude that they need to “educate” the newbies in the industry. This “education” is done in a way that is harsh and rude, all in the name of helping out the industry. How quickly we forget where we ourselves were just a few short years ago, and how we had no idea what an f-stop was or how to write our own business policies.
I think when people can see past themselves to actually extend a helping hand to the influx of new photographers we have in this industry it will be a positive influence not only on those who are JSO, but those giving the help.
Anyway, back to the original point.. I think you’re totally right. If you can’t be secure in your photoshoot without running to a forum and posting for accolades and pats on the back then maybe you need to re-examine why you’re doing it. I didn’t go into photography business so that Mommy2my2beutifulkidsandmyNikon would praise my work, I did it to make some $$ and because I love taking pics.
My finding of this post is so incredibly timely. Thank You.
thanks so much for posting this! i hope many many others read this and think about it. I realize it is only human nature to want/need approval of our peers but it is soooo draining. i am so glad that i have not changed my style, regardless of the fact that most photographers dont approve of my style!
as far as forums go, i have one that i frequent quite often and has helped me dearly, i truly love most of the people on that forum and we are like a family. i love to give back as much as i can and i hope its appreciated. i learned so much, i feel so happy to give back.
thanks for your post!
I cooled on the forums about the time I asked for advice and got an unwanted website technical critique from someone who didn’t know how to “View>Page Source.” I suddenly realized the self-styled experts weren’t always what they were cracked up to be.
I still get a lot of entertainment value out of some of the forums, though!
Bravo. As artists we can crave approval to the extent of almost losing our own confidence. There has to be a balance.
I agree with 100%, you pretty much have to follow your own path. At the end it only matters if you are happy with the quality of your work.
Thank you for writing this.