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CraigC
4th December 2013, 05:38 AM
Hello all,

I have been doing a bit of photographic philosophizing over the past couple days and thought I might try to broaden my perspective a bit.

I have only been doing ‘real photography’ on and off for the past five years or so. I am fairly comfortable behind my camera (I know which end to hold and I know that if I turn the turn-y things the picture looks better) and I am fairly comfortable and enjoy being the alchemist that hides in that little room, but it has never really been the goal to show and sell the images I come out with.

I have recently been asked by a friend of my wife’s, which got this whole philosophizing started, to participate in their art show (she is a painter and part of a small group of artists that put on a show every year just before Christmas).

Short time frame aside, I find myself unable / unwilling to commit. As I’m sure is the case for a lot of people in creative areas, I am by far my own worst critic…sometimes stiflingly so.

I’ve had very favourable feedback on a bunch of my images from friends and my wife, but to me, it always feels like the dutiful parent praising their child, “Oh, that’s lovely little Johnny, we’ll just put that right here on the fridge next to the finger painting.”

I know it’s just my own inner critic, finger wagging at me, and I know the answer is subjective, but I have a really hard time being content with a ‘final’ print. I’m not looking for a perfect print, but I’m always thinking it could be just a little bit better, so how can I ask someone for money when it’s not quite finished yet?

After all the rambling, I guess the question is…how have you managed to silence the inner critic? When is good enough…good enough?

Thanks,
Craig

Argentum
4th December 2013, 06:41 AM
You'll never know until you exhibit. The buying choice is so personal and subjective that what you think is likely to be completely different to what the buyer thinks (who obviously thinks it's good enough) if you're lucky.

p.s. Just limit yourself to perhaps 5 prints max first time just to get some feedback. And make sure there is a visitors book so people can leave comments on your work if they so choose. And ask the other exhibitors to give an objective critique.

RichardWarom
4th December 2013, 07:03 AM
Very good advice Argentum, I for one will keep that in mind for the future. I know how you feel Craig.
Richard

MartyNL
4th December 2013, 08:18 AM
My philosophy/criteria tends to be quite simple; if it's good enough to hang on my own wall then it will be good enough to hang on someone else's.

Personally, I don't hang photographs that I don't like or that I don't feel say enough about me and my style of picture taking. I must be able to live with an image almost indefinitely including all of the flaws and not get bored with it.

There are no other standards or benchmarks for me just pure emotion which reflects how and why the photo was taken in the first place; simply because I liked it.

What better, greater or higher justification do you need?

Brock
4th December 2013, 09:10 AM
I know exactly how you're thinking, Craig. I was a good darkroom printer then went digital for about eight years. I started back seriously early this year and it's been a real struggle. For months I never felt really happy with any of my prints. Some were OK but I could normally find fault with them. The key for me was to study these prints until I could identify exactly what was letting them down. Sometimes it was obvious and sometimes subtle. Then I'd go back and have another go. My prints have gradually improved until I feel the last few have been just about spot on.

Maybe you're a bit like me in that you can't quite figure out what has to be done to get your prints exactly as you'd like them. An experienced photographer pal might be able to help you identify their shortcomings or perhaps you just have to keep studying them and trying different things. Looking at great prints in a gallery can be a shortcut to knowing how your own prints should look.

CornishPaul
4th December 2013, 09:50 AM
I don't think any artist, in any medium, is every 100% happy with what they produce. Perfection is an unattainable goal but always strive towards perfection. Saying that, I also think that good painting or print making is like healthy eating; always leave the table feeling that you could eat a little bit more.

Show your work at this exhibition, if for only this reason, your darkroom prints are being accepted as an art form alongside paintings, which , in these days of mass produced digital imaging can only be a good thing for analog photography.

Alan Clark
4th December 2013, 12:46 PM
Craig,
Grasp the opportunity! Think of the positives. Seeing your photographs framed and displayed with other images will allow you to evaluate them in a differrent way. Seek feedback. Use the experience to find some positive motivation. Go for it!

Good luck.

Alan

Steve Smith
4th December 2013, 12:49 PM
However good or bad you are, you can be certain that there is someone worse than you with prints in exhibitions!

The people who wait until they think they are good enough before doing something, often don't do anything. Just do it!


Steve.

howfilm
4th December 2013, 12:49 PM
Many, many well known actors never watch their old movies. They see the flaws in their technique even though they may have won numerous awards.
There is no law that says you must exhibit. I resisted the urge until 67 years after I had taken my first photos with a box camera. Prints that I thought were killers got the ho hum from the gallery viewers and ho hum prints flew off the walls. It seems to me there is "art" and there are "decorations."

MalcolmM
4th December 2013, 01:06 PM
Try joining a small group of like minded but experienced photographers who can give honest and hopefully constructive comment. I have only been back in the darkroom for a few years after a long break and joined such a group in my area. We meet once every six weeks to critique each others work. Comments and advice from experienced members of the group has been very useful and encouraging.

Argentum
4th December 2013, 01:25 PM
I would add to my earlier comment that if you really don't want to exhibit then don't get pressured into it. But on the other hand if you want to give it a shot then do. Don't raise your expectations then you won't be disappointed but may be plesantly surprised.
But whatever you do make sure you know clearly in your mind whether your work is art or craft and stick to it.
If it's art then you may well have to justify that to potential buyers and that can be problematic as the justification usually doesn't match the potential buyers perception of what the print is about. Personally I stick to my work being craft and that way the viewer can make their own mind up whether your work is art for them. I just don't tell them it's art or promote it is as such. Or to put it another way, don't try to intellectualise something without good foundation just because that's what the public like to think they're getting. But then again, if your work is art then by all means promote it as such.

skellum
4th December 2013, 09:22 PM
Craig, DO IT!
Someone with an artistic temperament has asked you to take part in a show. They clearly believe in you. What's the worst can come of it?
You don't get famous? You don't sell your photographs? Don't worry- a mob with pitchforks and burning torches won't come round your house and burn your camera. You might just get some positive feedback, and might meet some like minded people.
Get in there my son!

EdBray
4th December 2013, 10:04 PM
Craig, DO IT!
Someone with an artistic temperament has asked you to take part in a show. They clearly believe in you. What's the worst can come of it?
You don't get famous? You don't sell your photographs? Don't worry- a mob with pitchforks and burning torches won't come round your house and burn your camera. You might just get some positive feedback, and might meet some like minded people.
Get in there my son!

Great post. Very uplifting.

CraigC
5th December 2013, 03:13 AM
Thank you all for the encouraging responses and advice.

My wife will be the first to confirm that I am far more comfortable behind the camera and hiding in the dark than seeking out public approval.

I think Brock kind of touched on something. I feel like I've reached a bit of plateau and maybe this is the nudge I need to get off of it. I've notice with some of my images lately, there is something that I just don't like about them, but can't quite put a finger on it.

There are a handful I am quite happy with and I've got about ten days to prepare, so I could probably handle 4 - 5 images without too much trouble. What's the worst that can happen...right?:mob:

Thanks again everyone for your comments and the warm welcome here.

Craig

big paul
5th December 2013, 01:59 PM
my take on this is that I print for myself and if looking at the prints make me happy they have done there job, I like people to look at my prints ,but if they think that they are rubbish that's there problem ,remember that every body's got there own style ,and if you look at some of the most iconic photographs there is something that makes them iconic and that is not quality its content .
so I can look at a badly made print and get pleasure from it and I can look at a brilliantly printed print and get the same pleasure .
so as the saying goes you cannot please all the people all the time ,if only we could ,so what I do is take and print photographs for my own pleasure ,and I enjoy doing it ,I have also got my own website and I also have done this for my own pleasure ,if others like it good but if they don't who cares I don't ....well that's my opinion. .and whether we are good or bad photographers one thing we have in common is that we love doing it .....


www.essexcockney.com

Paul Glover
6th December 2013, 05:41 PM
Craig, DO IT!
Someone with an artistic temperament has asked you to take part in a show. They clearly believe in you. What's the worst can come of it?
You don't get famous? You don't sell your photographs? Don't worry- a mob with pitchforks and burning torches won't come round your house and burn your camera. You might just get some positive feedback, and might meet some like minded people.
Get in there my son!

^^^^ What Skellum said!

Someone believes in you sufficiently to ask you to take part, don't just sit there, get printing already! :D

To give my answer to your original question: My inner critic might never be silenced, but I'm OK with that now. I am my own worst critic by far, but I've tried to turn that toward the goal of continued improvement, recognizing where I could do better, rather than just letting it be limiting and destructive. Not easy, as I tend to be cautious and failure-averse by nature. But it's definitely improved my ability to edit down to a small core of my (subjective to me) best photographs, which can't hurt any.

I've learned to assume comments of close friends and relations are always going to err on the side of charitable. I've also learned to assume that people giving fluff comments on the social photo sharing sites like Flickr are probably more interested in having me go see their work than they are in following mine.

cliveh
6th December 2013, 07:30 PM
There are some people who have egos the size of the Empire State building and very little talent and there are some people who are incredibly talented, but have little confidence in what they produce. Where you fit on this scale may determine the amount of work you sell.

CraigC
7th December 2013, 05:31 AM
Thanks for all the comments everyone. I have posted one of the images I am printing for the show in my Albums (not sure if I did it correctly), please feel free to have a look and comment.

Craig