Photographers I really can't stand... [Rant]
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- Опубликовано: 14 янв 2017
- Hey guys, this is just something I've been wanting to get off my chest for a while. Not the most positive video, but I feel it needed to be said.
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Girl, you just said exactly what i have had on my mind recently.
Thank you for this video!
+Irene Rudnyk Haha so many of us photographers think alike. No problem! 😊
Are your photos even that creative though...
SelphieFairy i think she's talking about her approach. Her process isn't bound to the ways that are formally taught.
I'm a technical photographer, I know a lot about not just gear but the physics of light (diffraction, dispersion, polarization, phase and other cool stuff that defines how lenses and sensors fare in specific situations) and digital signal processing (AD converters, SNR algorithms, time-compression and maximum likelihood methods, and the rest of nerdy things that make digital cameras nowadays so much better than 10 years before). And I would never call those gear enthusiasts a technical photographers. Knowing prices, part numbers of cameras and lenses and 'the right way' to use them, metering the exposure for 18% gray is not being technical, it's being a talking gear datasheet.
The only 'right way' of using photography gear is the way YOU intended to use it. Knowing technical aspects and possibility/limitations will give you ability to assess the situation and find the best way to do things in order to get the desired result, but it will not give the idea of what that result should look like, that's on you.
You can learn the technical aspects of photography and they will absolutely help you in achieving what you want, but you can't learn to be creative.
P.S. The "wide lenses are a must for landscape" is bullsht, telephoto lenses are great for landscapes too.
Pavle O totally agree on the landscape part too, in fact often stitched telephoto shots for landscapes IMHO produce better shots than wide angle :)
Trav Hale His comment probably meant that you can shoot tight landscape photos to get a different more compressed perspective and not to use a long lens to achieve a wide angle by stitching.
True, i was sort of combining them both. The compressed perspective and then wide i find quite a good way of doing it, but that is just me.
Pavle O - To someone who knows all this stuff, what do you think about DSLR's, Mirrorless, and the future of cameras on an Autofocus basis. Do DSLR's have an inherent advantage due to having larger phase detection sites that can't exist on a mirrorless since they share the site with the image sensor. Also, The mirror/ f stop equivalent that allows the phase detection sites to see a larger depth of field than on mirrorless because most dslr's phase detection points see at an equivalent of something like f/32.
it's an "Art". we're learning rules not to follow them but to break them in a creative way. If you mastered technical issues and your photos looks like rubbish! then that means noting. i'm not saying that technical knowledge is not important, but it means nothing if you creativity level is "zero". It's a combination of both which makes a great photo. that's my personal opinion.
The rules.... learn them, practice them. Use them as tools to build your creative work. That is a simple path to better photography. Once you understand why they exist you will find your creative options expand exponentially. Don't be cruel in your critiques. Be honest, be helpful and fully prepared to explain yourself in a positive way.
However many if not most of the people today don't want to take the time to actually learn the skills. But then that is also why they don't book the huge campaigns. It's also why their skies are ALWAYS blown out etc....
Hi Kayleigh, I have no idea why this showed up in my RUclips feed, but I'm happy that it did. I'm sorry this has so bothered you that you've had to create a video about it. BUT, please find comfort in that you can do very VERY well by following your own cretive instincts. You are absolutely correct, that many photo "technicians" simply cannot produce fresh creative images because they are trapped by rules they have been bound by for decades. I personally, would never EVER critique someone else's work unless they ask me specifically to offer criticism. Kayleigh, you will find that those most critical of you, will be those who are feeling left out, those with empty schedules, those who have lost jobs to those with a new and fresh eye. I will now be looking at your channel to see what you're creating. Side note, never ever step on someone who is learning, instead, just bring them into the circle of learning. Even at my age... ya, I'm older, there are other photographers who won't speak to me and usher their clients away when we cross paths in public spaces while on photo sessions. They are always the photographers who are constantly concerned about competition.... the same struggling photographers who sit anonymously in their computer chairs and slam those who are successful and enjoying the craft if image making. I hope they all watch and consider the impact of their words in person, or here on a digital media outlet. I wish you all the best.. in closing, I will tell you what I've told hundreds of my past students - I can teach every one of you the technical aspects of photography and darkroom work, what I cannot teach, is the ability to see the world as an artist, the artists see the world in a different way and those instincts are already in you, no matter if you convey what you see with a pencil, brush, pastel, or camera. Artists are born that way. I can only assume that you, Kayleigh, are a born artist who has all the time in the world to learn the technical aspects, which are secondary.
Thanks Frederick! So great to hear your thoughts on the topic.
You're very welcome Kayleigh, I was an art and Design for Business teacher many years ago and I always deplored having to critique student work as, if done wrong, it can be absolutely crushing. You do a great job of making the "sandwich" statement... something good - the constructive criticism - something positive. Jealous or mean-spirited comments simply reveal the monster within some artists. Stay awesome!
I agree, artistic aspect has to come first and there's all the time in the world to learn the technical aspects :)
Amen.
It took you a full 3:30 mins to get to your point - brevity is your friend
When I was a novice photographer and still learning, I seemed to focus on the technical side of things. As Iv come along in my journey, I have found that you have to break away from the technical side and just have fun! Sometimes you have to be silly and make mistakes. Soon you'll find your technical understanding working in the background of your mind without even thinking about it. You'll just enjoy photography. Great video!
This video came up as a suggested video at the perfect time. For a few months as I was learning, I was so obsessed with getting the rules. At some point, I basically said "This sucks" and didn't touch my camera for about 7 months. Within the past couple of months, I've started just using my phone to take pictures of things, not worrying about rules. I've been having the time of my life just enjoying photography. I've started using my camera again now with the same mindset and it's the greatest thing.
I am a highly technical photographer. I've been shooting with everything from a 35mm Rangefinder to an 8 X 10 View. I know all the stuff from chemistry to the mechanical physics of the equipment to the physics of light. I pretty much have learned all the rules over the past 40+ years of shooting. I keep a list of all these rules in my mind so that I can be sure to break every one of them. Photography is NOT science, it is ART. If you follow all the rules, you paint yourself into a box of non-creativity. The people who ram the rules down your throat have no sense of creativity on which to base their art. They are just mechanical hacks. Enjoy light leaks, shooting through coke bottles, developing color film in coffee and vitamin C, pinhole cameras, egg white emulsion and a million other things that keep art alive, fresh, and interesting!
Jerry M If you took a rally bad shot and are able to make it a good shot in post then you are an artist to. More of a painter than a photographer but its okay, as long as you don’t act like posting unaltered photos.
This speaks loudly. I'm self-taught and have never taken a photography class let alone i don't really watch many tutorials really. I've been shooting for about 3 yrs. A buddy of mine goes to school for photography and recently graduated with a Bachelor's. He recently told me that he's glad he went in already self taught because a majority of the students in his class all had the same style, framing, ideas.. etc.. Goes to show that learning everything in the same place as well as taking the rules Serious all the time produces people who are stuck in a non-creative box, like you said. I'm glad that i don't apply the ruled to everything i've ever shot, I love being my own person, and having my own distinct way of shooting :)
Can you really develop color film in coffee?
I've never dared to break the rule of using champagne for that!
Chris Cunningham Art is science.
Chris Cunningham Photography IS science, but what you do with the science can be art.
You nailed the rant mentioning ' stepping outside the box'. Those who live life staying within the box, following all the rules, will do nothing but inhibit their photographic creative streak. Take images the way you feel records 'your' vision, not the images that others 'think' look better.
I always see clashes between technical vs. creative side. I love the mechanics of cameras and lenses and the tech side, but I do not let that leak into my work and stop me...Hell, I shoot in manual and cannot for the life of me calculate f/stops, I just do what I feel is right. :D
But I do not like tech/gear snobs. In the end, photography is art, and art is subjective!
+Carly Hunt Omg, calculating f stops, haha I feel like I've never been able to do this properly. This is most likely due to my terrible math knowledge 😁
Here's the thing, I'm quite technically minded so I like the technicalities but (there has to be a but, it's the rules lol) photography is foremost about taking a great picture and that is far more important than any technical gobbledegook. One little tech thing the pros use that I do find useful is 'bracketing' as it allows you to mess up the exposure a bit and still end up with at least one good photo of the scene you were trying to capture.
I agree with everything you say here... I'm an extremely creative photographer, and everything I do related to art is from a basis my ability to deeply connect with atmospheres and moods-you can find that the stories I write or the music I listen to all correlate with each other, and when I first started photography, it was obviously kind of rough going on pure instinct, but I gradually taught myself the basics like the exposure triangle, and once I learned that my pictures definitely took off. Photography is an art, not a formula, and unfortunately your creative potential is what dictates your photos, while your technical skills can only enhance what is there.
I definitely agree about the way people comment or talk should stop, but in regards to guidelines and rules themselves they are a thing for real. They exist and you can't break the rules dependably before you learn them
Well said, can't stand the negativity and snobbery you get in all walks of life. The thing I love about photography is that it can literally be what ever you want and no one can tell you you're doing it wrong.
"They're usually the ones that don't have much work to show for themselves " YESSSSSSSSSS. I literally had the worst convo with some guy that was obsessed with specs and expensive gear and trying to look professional but all I can think about was "but like... where is your work?" Ugh.
I really enjoyed this. I am kind of on other end, I tend to be obsessed with the technical side and often have to remind myself what is important about an image. I get humbled when I see people shooting amazing things with cheaper cameras or even some folks just using phones. It's good to step back and remember that this is a field of subjective work after all and the important thing is that the customer love the images; whether it's someone paying you, or you yourself.
One of my best friend is a photographer in the south of France in a tiny village. And there's only one other photographer there that have been doing his work for years. He's got all the knowledge etc. She's started off knowing nothing about photography. She was using her dslr in auto mode and getting his clients because she was really cheap. So that guy spent years learning Phoyography basics and building a client base and my friend just ripped him off really. The guy was upset. And I don't think it's just jealousy. As you said it's 2017 and that's a big part of the issue. We celebrate the fact that there's no rules anymore but at the same time I think that it's good to know them, even to break them afterwards. My advice to my friend was, read the bloody instruction manual of your camera, watch tutorials, learn how to use your camera. Then I'll be proud of you to get that guy's clients doing real money. Cause that's not fair, which is 2017 as well. It's the jungle out there. And if you're creative anyway you're gonna do so much better by learning just the basics! That was my friend's case. She learned more about cameras, lenses and technique and her work is so much better, she can exploit her creativity even more!
Sorry for the long comment with not much of a point ^^
Well said, Julien.
Couldn't agree more! Saw the title for this video and fully expected to be grinding my teeth -- because I was expecting exactly the kind of criticism that Kayleigh is talking about. And then I found she was commenting on something I've seen many times. She is absolutely right!
In the end, the big question for any creative person is: Did I get the result I was trying to get? That can mean pleasing only yourself or pleasing a client or friends or family.
Kayleigh reminds me of a poetry workshop I took 20 years ago with the great poet Galway Kinnell. We wrote each evening and read and discussed our work at the start of the next day. On the first morning of reading, Kinnell stopped people and tried to redirect us to give _constructive_ criticism, as Kayleigh also suggests. Sadly, "crit" in many art schools often amounts to little more than humiliating the student.
Absolutely true, I totally agree wholeheartedly. I know loads about the techstuff of photography and been shooting for years.
Most important thing I learned is that there is no box, there are no rules. Because photography is personal.
You shoot with what you like and with what you love to shoot what you like and what you love. And for me... that's all there is too it.
Learn the rules then learn how to break them...
no
I'm very glad to hear this. I've been doing photography for very long time since I was 14 years old. I had made mistakes, learned from them. It is nice to learn a little bit of technical because it help you understand a little bit more; however even when you follow the rules in which most do then it gets boring because you find a lot pictures in the same way, then you come across with something different by breaking a rule or not following any rules but being spontaneous. At times we should think like children, express yourself no rules, experiment, be creative, create something new that is only yours. Be yourself. Great video !
I agree about doing it however you want. That's creativity. Some folks just get caught up in a tunnel of what they believe is the only way.
Wasn’t sure what I was gonna get when watching this video but I completely agree with you. Photography is an art and should be judged off the feelings or beauty of the final image, not whether not it was taken with the ‘wrong’ ISO or if the lenses is slightly out of focus round the edges.
Liked and subscribed, nice one Kayleigh 👌🏻
Wel said Kayleigh - far too many gear freaks who insist if you dont have this camera, this lens, shoot raw , must use photoshop/lightroom etc-- saying if you dont do what they do you are not a proper photographer and so on. If you are happy with your pics, thats all that really matters!
i'm totally agree with your opinion but those kind of people will always exist, we just have to ignore them. btw your photos are amazing
There are a lot of people out there who are obnoxiously insecure, and need to put others down to validate themselves. They seek comfort in becoming institutionalized, because it far less challenging personally than to continue to push and grow from failure. But all progress has been from thinking outside the box.
When it comes to photography, those who can't be artistic at it, fall back on the technical aspect to be authoritative. Some have no personality at it while compensating for their results.
The most important critic that matters is yourself.
All others who have nothing but negativity to offer can STFU. But the bright side of this is that this side of the world will always exist, and learning to deal with it is something that will help you succeed as a photographer and in life.
Thank you for your words and sharing your thoughts. The good thing about photography is actually variety and I think the more different type of photographers are out there, the more interesting the world of photography becomes. If we don't like something we see, let's just skip it, and that is it. Keep up your nice work. And BTW, you are so pretty and talented.
Here's is the thing. People lean on their strengths and often critique works in comparison to their own strengths. When one leans on their technical side, that also means that they might not be focused on the subject or mood as another. And lets face it, most photographers are better off in the field and let the graphic technicians focus on theirs. Either way, there are an unlimited ways to use tools and that is how a style is formed. These styles are often used as a system to help the artist in whatever type of creative field to move through the work quicker.
Why go to a photography class on a Tuesday night to be told by a person who sits behind a desk all week that you've cut a limb off incorrectly when framing. These are stories I hear from people I teach and they're totally gobsmacked when I say " if it looks right and pleases you, then it is good shot, end of" However I do believe technical settings are important as you'll be quicker at creating a shot that you see in your head. But it shouldn't take over your creativity. Keep doing what you're doing and the tech stuff will drop in.. you're obviously a very intelligent woman who should be very proud of your achievements.
you can do a good tech photo, without cutting joint or fingers, and still be creative
Love this video. It’s 100% accurate. I hate when photographers say someone was wrong for doing something they wouldn’t do. That’s why I like Peter McKinnon who’s of the mindset that you take what you have at your disposal and make it work.
As I learned that there are only three rules in writing, there are only three rules to photography. 1. Have fresh batteries. 2. Take the lens cap off. 3 Keep your fingers away from the lens. Other than that, shoot the pictures YOU like, and have fun with it.
I couldn't agree more! I wondered a while back, if everyone is so busy trying to follow the rules and those people who quote the rules at you keep throwing them in my face... doesn't that mean we will all start to create the same kinds of images? Where is the creativity in that? I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Thanks for posting your thoughts!
Well said, Kayleigh!
But there are people who are ready to critisize not just the technical, but even the art side of others work. For example I was told once I wasn't posing the model the right way and I was shooting too low than the eye level, and that the retouching wasn't right, and as a begginer that kind of made me a bit insecure about my work. And guess what - the same photo that was criticised was chosen to take part in an exhibition in my hometown next week!
So I'm just saying: We (Photographers) are artists and the right people will appreciate our art.
Wonderful rant Kayleigh! You are correct - there are no rules; just guidelines. I wish to add a variation on an old parable:
An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.
Later, they passed some people that remarked: “What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.” They then decided they both would walk!
Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So, they both rode the donkey.
Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and then the donkey fell into the river and drowned.
The moral of the story? If you listen to the crowd, you will lose your ass.
.....
I love this!
I'm a bit of a technical nerd and I wish I was more creative. But never mind, I'll keep learning.
My son who works in media says the only course he regrets taking is photography because for whatever reason giant egos are tolerated - even in the classroom.
It's a very human mistake - thinking people are just like us. Thank God we're not all the same. How we handle our gifts says a lot about us ultimately.
Hey Kayleigh I've been enjoying your videos for over a year and a half and first want to say thank you for that. But also I literally went through somewhat the same situation yesterday. I asked a friend to model for me and she did great and the photo came out great. Or so I thought until someone who is "in the business" shot them down and said they were not good photos and not flattering of my friend and to not give them to her, that I have a reputation that I'm going to need to protect. I'm still fairly new in the business of photography and I'm still trying to find my niche but I it didn't sit well with me when I was told that. Anyways great work and keep it up. Btw I'm sending the photos anyways.
+Chris Poblano Thanks Chris! Oh that's horrible, I'm so glad to hear that you still sent the photos. I feel like photographers don't need to be told such harsh things, we can also learn for ourselves instead of feeling like other people are trying to bring our work down without much constructive input.
The best photography advise I every got was from a highly accomplished photography teacher. They said to learn all the technical rules and such, for example the rule of threes. Then they said once you've learned the rule; go out and break every single one. Probably how Dutch angles came about; by breaking straight horizon rule.
It's always fun to actually examine the work of the critics. Their technical photography usually just sucks. No emotion, no artistic fluency, just perfectly executed shots void of warmth and beauty.
I have to agree - I've spent hours reading the manuals for my cameras, shooting test charts, micro-adjusting focus etc, adjusting every setting to see what visible difference it makes - it has given me a good understanding of the capabilities and limits of my gear, and for sure has increased my hit rate, but sometimes despite planned intentions all that knowledge means nothing and the best images are often the ones I didn't really plan on shooting. I also don't like the brand snobs who insist on Canon or Nikon or Sony or Pentax or whatever, and think any other than their chosen brand is utter rubbish. I've had zero criticism, but then my photos only appear to my friends on Facebook and a couple of other sites so few other photographers are there to critique them - I'm happy with my eclectic collection of used bodies and vintage lenses and the shots I get from it all (I could get the same out of *any* other equivalent gear made by any maker I believe), and my friends keep on writing positive comments - that is what it's all about to me. There are so many awesome photos out there, in so many different styles, genres, and if someone wants to bag some else' work, they only end up wasting their own time and energy with that negativity.
Kayleigh, completely agree with you about these photographers giving destructive criticism to others, that really doesn't help anyone to be better. And of course, people need to understand that to critic someone elses work, first, you need to do it if the other person asks you, and second, it needs to be constructive. The rules are there to give you a hand at the begining, to help you improve, and I think once you have arrived to certain level and comprehend it, you can start breaking these rules. The only think I don't agree with you is that "technician" photographers can't be creative. Actually I think that if you are creative, you should learn a lot about the equipment and how to use it because it is going to help you improve your work.
Great words. We can all be respectful and help others .
There is so much to learn.
What Brene Brown Said was great:
"if your not in the arena getting your butt kicked too, Im not interested in your feedback"
Since hearing her ted talks i have been more courageous in getting my work out there to be seen.
Now i need to work on getting in front of the camera rather than behind it..and develop my youtube content
Hi Kayleigh, I could not possibly agree more! Did 'people' forget photography is 'art' and as you say, guidelines hmmm okay, but 'rules' please just keep it to yourself. I know it's difficult but please try to put these people on 'ignore' and don't let them drag you down into the misery pit they wallow in. Have a beautiful day!
Kayleigh, I completely get it. I loved your comment about wide angle lenses for landscape only. I shot Cambria and San Simeon recently all at 200mm. I got some great shots that a wide angle would have missed, and for a wider shot, I simply sat the camera on the tripod and took several pano shots. They all have their own personality on their own, but still gave me a wide view pano. Keep on vlogging. I am a technical photographer but always trying to get more artistic in my compositions. I do think that getting exposure right for your shot for example, but yes, the rules are "guidelines", or simply rules were meant to be broken. Cheers!
One of the great things about photography is there is no right and there is no wrong. All that matters is catching the image that the photographer intended.
the problem with photos is that people look at photos and immediately think they can take the exact same photo, so out of jealousy they say stupid shit to cut you down or discount what you did. the best way to avoid these people is to never reveal what you did or what gear you use to take photos. i use a 20mp camera and my friend uses a 36mp camera... our other friend literally said that my photos were better only because i had a better camera which i took as a compliment
I have worked both as a photographer and in a photography store for about ten years, and especially in the store I'm exposed to every kind of photographer. My guess on the subject is that it in a lot of cases it comes down to people being competitive, insecure and looking for affirmation. Whether they know it or not they are trying to "establish their place in the hierarchy", often at the expense of others.
Pfffft there is only one rule, if your photo stops people in their tracks then its a great photo; if they just walk past then its rubbish. Technically perfect photos are mostly so dull that they arent worth looking at because there is nothing about them that makes them stand out from the crowd. Mostly great photographers just used one lens. Bresson just used his Leica with a 50mm Summicron all his very long life. Even he broke his own rules; never crop, yeh, he cropped his most famous photo of a man jumping a puddle. Really mainstream photography now just makes me annoyed it has become so dull. People now are taking great photos for social media with simple cameras and phones and are producing so much creativity and energy; also the believe in film community and lomography. The technical mostly male enthusiasts are just producing stuff for their own world and nobody wants to see any of it. As long as people and their friends love their own images and they fulfil the needs of why they take them then that is all that matters. I just ignore trolls now, virtually all of them dont even know what they are talking about and who cares even if they do. Just do your thing love its all that matters; history will judge if it was worth doing, not modern day trolls.
no
For what its worth, my favorite lens for landscape is a tele-zoom and I use my wide angle a lot for close up portraits. Haters can hate all they want but nobody ever came up with innovations by following rules. These folks are just a bunch of salty people with no creativity that they feel threatened by anyone who can be creative with kit lenses. This is why they feel the need to make those comments just so they have something to feel superior about. You just gained a follower btw.
Just seeing this video now. Very well said. I have only been doing serious photography for just about a year now and my belief is, if you get the shot, it doesn't matter how you arrived at it. And yes there are amazing photographers out there that are just the best of the best but photography is also in the eye of the photographer. If you like it that s really all that matters.
I think this was a great, well measured rant. I think that getting into technical aspects is great, when buying gear. Photography is an art form and just like painting, there are “rules,” but the interesting work shows up when people try new things. Thanks for the food for thought Kayleigh!
I was reading a self help book that had nothing to do with photography. I can't remember the author but one line stuck with me."Learn the rules like a pro, break them like an artist".The idea is to make the camera do what you envision. Sometimes it is wonderful other times not so much. Who are we to tell someone they are doing it wrong?
I feel like this happens in every form of creative work. I do music, photography and videography. I feel that every time I post anything there are people that look to nitpick the smallest little technical detail that you didn't follow. Yet, they are sitting home hating on your work while you are out working and creating. Thanks for the video.
Ignore it if it is not constructive, all they are doing is trying to break your passion ... to lose interest. The best way to beat them is to keep working on your art and POST!! I had another photographer at a show that I was invited to do, approach me and ask me what I was going to do with my images, I was a bit taken back but told him they're for me why? He said he was the photographer for that event ... i said lol oh really, I didn't know that. I'll try to make a kinda long story short.. my biz name is "Jeannies Creative Xpressions, I've been a local photographer here for 10 yrs with that name. This guy uses "expressions" in his name as well, maybe i'm wrong but I get the impression he is did this intentionally as he knows a lot of the same ppl I know. also he's not a bad photographer but then neither am I :)
He asked If I knew him and handed me his card, I said I've seen your name, yes .. and handed him back his card :) He asked who invited me to shoot at this event ( it was the same guy that said he could show up, I was invited) When I told him he walked off and stayed in his corner for most of the night. Me, I got a video interview with them which i have posted :)
The mutual friend that allowed him to come shoot doesn't like him either lol and he wasn't the photographer and evidently, has pulled some shady shit. he also looks like a dweeb and is obviously threatened and tried to intimidate me which, didn't work lol
This is great. Creativity is essential! Wish people would critique more compassionately to other photographers, it's a community and helping each other is so important. Great video 👏
I recently worked with one of those people. I found it intimidating but I used it as a challenge and pushed myself to be better. I have also worked with a lot of truly collaborative and compassionate people who did NOT do this. So I am glad I didn't let that experience stop me.
Im an amateur landscape photographer and I shoot on an Canon EoS 100D, which is by all means a terrible camera for what I like to use it for. But you know what? I bloody love it. It's light, I can hike with it, I can get out and about with it and I can do everything I want to with it without even noticing it. So where it might not be the best camera in the world for sensor quality, dynamic range etc etc, its the best camera for ME.
Lenses, I own 1, a 18-55mm I got with the camera and Ive taken some great pictures with it. Not having the option of other lenses has made it so Im able to walk further without gear burdening me, Ive been forced to look at compositions with a different perspective and Ive learnt to get the best out of what I can. Sure, I can spend thousands of pounds on new equipment, but ultimately that means thousands of pounds of money I have less to travel, get out, spend on my car maintenance, spend on my camping gear, spend on my walking gear etc etc.
Hi Kayleigh...I've learned a lot of the technical rules of photography over the last four decades, and even made my living in the past as a newspaper photographer and crime scene photographer. Some of my best "work" is stuff that no decent human being should ever have to see.
I love my cameras, but I'm forced to admit that I don't have an artistic bone in my body, and I'd happily trade everything I know about gear and technique to be able to make some of the pictures my teenage daughter can make with her iPhone, or to be able to have half as much fun with it as she does. So I basically content myself with the enjoyment of using a good camera, mostly old ones, and genuinely admiring those photographers who have it in them to make art, even if it is with a Holga and some expired film.
As a dinosaur who pre-dates the internet, I am of the opinion that the non-helpful trolling and mean-spirited criticism is more widespread than just in the field of photography. It seems to be everywhere now. People will type things on their keyboards that they would never say to you in person, or even over the phone. Don't let it get you down. Just keep having fun with your camera.
Doing something different than others it what got some photographer's notarity.
From your portfolio it looks like you have the right eye for your type of photography you do and a keen sense of exactly what you want to capture in a photograph, nice work.
Photography is like wine...your taste is the only taste that matters.
When looking at someone else's work, I tend to try to figure out what the photographer is doing or trying to say. Then I just suggest how I would have done that or how I would have preferred to see it. Art is subjective.
I understand your frustration. I go to a film school and almost everybody in my photography class always seemed so pedantic and aggressive. Sometimes they don't let me enjoy the creative process because they think they know better. In a way it kills creativity.
I think it's good to also good to shoot on film before picking up a digital camera. Not only is it good to understand the past when working in the present, but it teaches you how to be more specific with your shots. When you only have a limited amount of shots per reel and have to expose manually, it challenges the photographer. Learning the technical aspects will help of course, but letting those "rules" rule your work will not make you better.
I totally agree with you...there are no rules to anything....whether it be photography, music or anything else....who is anyone to judge another person on what they like to do and what they enjoy doing....as long as you like what you do keep on doing it....if others like what we do ...that is just a bonus :)
Nine times out of ten, when someone trolls my videos, I ask them to show me their work. They never have anything to show. As you said, it is all about the work in the end. Jealousy is their motivation plain and simple
Kayleigh, if someone other than my client or my artistic director or an experienced model or a fellow photographer who's work I know offers me unsolicited advice or suggestions I ignore them and my ignoring them is really, really obvious! If I get unsolicited criticism I tell them to FO and tell them to leave my studio and you should too!
That has to be the politest rant I've seen!! ;) I've been in the position you are talking about where i posted a photo i did on a forum and was quite quickly told...
- background is killing the shot
- dof is too shallow for something I could look at as an abstract photo
- composition is not good
This was when i was starting out and trying things. As it happens i used that 'bad' shot as a stock photo and its earned the most amount of money for me. So that made me feel loads better.
You said it Kayleigh, people with opinions worth hearing and considering are ones who won't offer negative criticism. Experience and confidence allows us to help others and that's all we should be doing.
I honestly could not have said it better! :)
I am a super technical person but I never comment on work based on right or wrong techniques; I am a computer analyst, I geek out but I am also all about the art of photography. I do get super jealous of other people's work, jealous like any other person. People need to just find their own vision with making their work; when people ask me how something works then I explain it. I have gone on many photo walks where I end up explaining tech bits so people can just concentrate on seeing.
I Had kinda a similar rant from a different view point , this is such a good video ,
''There is no such thing as a bad photographer, only bad photos taken by people not willing to learn.
NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR PHOTOS and IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM - WHY ARE YOU SHOOTING?
There is no such thing as being stuck and not enough time in your life to improve.
You never stop learning but you wont ever invest or improve unless you focus and practice and research and trial.
I HATE some photos I see (not sugar coating it) because I know that the person has given up and is 'comfortable' not being a competitor.
I know that there are people there that work on technique , lighting, retouching down to the last pixel and producing amazing work but falling second to people that don't take pride in their work.
One thing that always resonates with me is , What is your subject? , What is your story? Who is your inspiration?
and WHY are you shooting?
If its for yourself - Improve
If its for a client - Study/Learn
SUBJECT/ COMPOSITION/RETOUCHING/LIGHTING - LEARN IT!
Don't think you know what you are doing, because if you actually learn what you need to know your images will look how you want them to.
You are always the student and NEVER a master.''
Great advice, Kayleigh. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Great points, your argument applies to all art forms, same with music, painting, dance you name it rules are guidelines, and breaking them doesn't always work but it is how we learn and develop our own individual voices.
I would give any photographer this advice:
Find your eye, the way of looking at the world that is unique to you, then find the best tools to compliment that specific vision.
All great craftsmen/artists use special and usually unique, high quality tools, to achieve the highest quality result.
Think a violinist using a stradivarius rather than a K-Mart fiddle.
Once you obtain a certain higher level in your art, a knowledge of the best tools to compliment your art is essential.
The techno nerds you are ranting about could be be called "photography snobs."
These are people that are more interested in getting the latest expensive thing rather than finding that unique thing that enhances their art.
I think the best way of looking at improving your photography is looking at art, going to galleries, you'll see they don't often follow the rule of thirds or the golden ratio. I find it's often more the quality of a good photographer is waiting for the right moment, prepping and paying attention to everything in the frame, of course sometimes a bit of luck always helps, but doing the prep beforehand makes the shots a reality. Unless you're planning on selling large prints, you find consumer grade, even smartphones with auto settings will get you pleasing results.
Dare I say, but I think it's mainly grumpy older men who started with film, who have decided to take up photography more seriously for retirement and bought expensive equipment or failed professional photographers, who are now annoyed that the format has become so widely available and distributed with social media that it's watered down their hobby, rather than embrace it and try to improve their own efforts. In some ways, I can understand the frustration as a young pretty woman who doesn't know necessarily technically as much as they do, is having more success than them, but they miss the crucial fact that they are producing results that the client's want. So the talent and the hard work is there, otherwise, they wouldn't get commissioned. Being noticed and getting yourself through the door is crucial, but if you can't produce the results then you won't last long. Moaners don't seem to understand that point, maybe they lack the social skills or the commitment for self-improvement.
It's unfortunately still a male-dominated industry so this jealousy is quite prolific but luckily it's changing, however as people get more competent with taking great photos themselves, you may find that the work will start to dry out unless you keep ahead, innovate and network, and those ugly feelings of jealousy may creep in, if you don't keep up with the game. I'm a videographer and find the challenges daunting but exciting as I constantly have to research any innovation and improve my skills. Art can be created by anyone, but great art takes dedication, skill and talent.
I used to be too concerned about the technicalities when shooting digital. I'd like to say that I refrained from making snarky remarks towards those who kind of shot "from the hip", but I can't remember so I'm hoping that's not the case. For years I envied those who seemed to know short of nothing about cameras, but yet still was able to take incredible pictures - it was as though they saw a scene more creatively, more unfiltered and perhaps a little naive. Finally I got tired of trying to catch up on the latest DSLR tech, and went back to shooting film. There are pros and cons to both digital and analog photography, and that is besides the point. I haven't thought about megapixels, frames per second and what not in years. I feel that it has made me pay more attention to what's in front of the camera, than the camera itself, and that's worth it to me.
Always remind yourself that you're doing something right if there are haters :)
You have beautiful photos. Don't let fools distract you.
I think those who are "technically" minded, tend to have fixed way of doing things and are uncomfortable going against the so called rules. All that matters is that the finished result is what you wanted to capture. So keep taking your photos Kayleigh and ignore the "Jerks"
"Rules" are not an invention created from the void. It is the written transcription of what experience indicates has worked aesthetically well for the vast majority of people. Obviously from them you can play and experiment.
Photography is an art. There are not really rules to art, just guidelines like you said. I like where you are coming from with your rant.
I agree! I feel like if everyone took/edited photos the same ("right") way, photography would not be fun. It wouldn't be creative and every photo would start looking the same.
I'm just starting out, and learning the rules, but what I'm focusing on is learning how to take the shots that I want to take. I think that's the point, really. Know enough about the rules to know when to break them for the shot. I want to take shots that are great (in my own estimation, because heck with what other people think) because I planned them that way. I don't want an accident to make people like my work. I've heard all of the best photographers described as knowing their medium so well that they can break the rules on purpose. I'd love to think someday I could do that. As for the criticism of other photographers? I bet it will happen, but I really just don't care all that much.
Totally agree with you. What I also hate about people in general, it's not only photography, is that they are not so eager pointing out good things as they are pointing out bad things. Often enough I showed pictures I took to my ex girlfriend and she was right away "that sucks", "crappy images", "I hate this" but not like "yeah it's a nice image I just dislike this part" and so on. She wasn't even a photographer herself, ich takes images with her cell phones that are good in my opinion but still. Always hated that.
As you said, it's good to give constructive criticism and when I give it, I also try to point out good points as well. Even if it's constructive and meant in a kind way I don't like to say just "I don't like this part about the image", but always something like "I like to overall mood of the pictures, good colours I probably would've just placed this house less dead center but more slightly to side, I think to would create a better balance for the image" or something like that.
Your video is spot on. Please, don't feel the need to apologise to 'anyone who may be offended' - the only people who will be so are those who are rightly targeted by you comments and frankly they don't deserve any sugar coating.
A motor is a motor, it's been redesigned and modified countless times but in the end it performs the same purpose, make something move. What i am trying to get at is you learn all you can about the art as everyone has modified the techniques and created another methods from them.. It's all the same in the end.. When it was film a lot of the wizardry was in the dark room and chemical combinations with film, filters and exposure. You can make one mistake and find you have found a new trick that nobody has done before.. When i first started in photography I read everything built a darkroom and blew through canisters of film, gallons of chemicals and packs of paper. One day i was looking at some mildly high contrast photos of my girlfriend and
scanned it through a copier and turned out extreme contrast copies.
I started re-touching them and recreating the colors with pastels drawing art around the images, it sort of was a little Andy Warholish/Acid art but I was selling them at the art shows and gave me money for my film and such.
If you screw something up enough you will find the solution to using it to be creative.. Just always remember what you are doing and you will develop your own groove. It's a hard life and like musicians we are a dime a dozen.. With Digital we have become a dime a dozen X2..
Do it for yourself as it's a labor of love.. My sister was a pro she started off like all of us, wanting to capture what you see and how you processed in your head, or wanting to capture that moment in time that will never happen again. She stopped shooting got completely sick of the constant competitiveness and snobbish attitudes at the galleries, the deadline pressure. In short she completely lost her Muse and has never picked up a camera in almost ten years. I keep poking at her but she is burned out, it became not fun.. Do what you like and if others admire your work that's a plus for you. because you can't please everyone and like a Chef, the worst critic is yourself.
Keep it up and enjoy life and the art of your own eye behind the glass even if its a 50mm, one underrated lens of all time.
THANK YOU for making this video! I'm so passionate about this issue. I just recently got my first "hate" comment on my channel. He was telling me how he expected way better images from using an 85mm, and that my editing was terrible. 😂😂LOL! Is there a "right" way to use an 85mm? And everyone has their own editing style. There's a difference between CC and hate. Keep doing your thing! Love you Kayleigh!
+Ingrid Svare-Kamerman Thanks Ingrid! How terrible, comments like that make me cringe. They're so useless! Constructive criticism needs to be explained better to some people I think. 😕
So while digital has made photography available to more people, it's a blessing and a curse. For those who have the eye for creative composition we had to learn the technical aspect to be able to frame and lay out your picture well. When you only have 24 or 36 shots and erasing and seeing what you took isn't an option... you learn faster imo. Your forced to. That's why most high caliber photo programs in colleges still start you on film .
100% rules don't matter for a particular shot, just results. Having good knowledge and understanding of rules (conventions) as a foundation for developing your photography is however absolutely necessary for getting the best results efficiently and consistently regardless of the nature of the situation. Just because someones criticism is hurtful and lacks constructive input doesn't mean it is always useless.
Hit the nail on the head, Kayleigh. Exactly as you say, its normally these type who want to criticise and when looking at their work, I think seriously, you have absolutely no reason to judge, cause its not up there !!!! I think they only like to ridicule cause they are in no way confident in either themselves or their work. My advice, ignore and keep going, it will tick them off further if you have zero to say back. Lol. Love ya work !! 👌👌
I wouldn't call them technical photographers, just call them idiots. No rules but it is beneficial to understand what you can do with what you have. My complaint is everyone yapping about what camera they have, rather than what photos they shot. Never let the idiots get to you and find your own eye. God Bless.
I took my latest camera to a camera club last week, a humble Polaroid Snap, it is completely automatic, only has 4 buttons, no LCD, no viewfinder, and it is purple but more importantly, i can get images printed right there and then just like the old days.
The first question that was fired at me was "why did you buy a polaroid and not a fuji instax?", so camera snobbery already! The second question was "why not use your real camera and just print the photos at home?"... more camera snobbery!
The way i see it, we all choose various tools for various jobs, you would never use a hammer to fix a screw to the wall would you? The whole point of a point and shoot instant camera is... well i already said it, its a point and shoot instant camera, as simple as that! It is for snapshots, its about sharing a print right there and then, its about not giving a flying feck about settings, about composition, or even about light, its about capturing memories on the fly! I was well aware of its limitations when i bought it, but those limitations kinda appealed to me, its nice not having to worry about WB, about exposure, about accurate focusing.
I got the impression that most folk in the camera club would not even go near such a camera, as it could possibly make them look amateurish, which would be terrible wouldnt it? The irony is, not one of those took any photos at the camera club, where as i used up 20 prints while i was there, had a bloody good time, and i still have my "real" fuji camera's to use! Some folk should get over themselves and then maybe they might get some enjoyment back in photography again, but too many are stuck in their ways!
+Alexandra Starr photography This is the perfect example Alexandra! These are the types of photographers I'm talking about, some people are just ridiculous when it comes to the tech side of photography.
Exactly, its like their perspective of photography is so narrow, but it happens in all art forms, a guitarist will look down on those who play ukuleles because it is small and uses fewer strings, but the principles remain the same, hit the right notes and you have a tune, a melody and eventually a complete song, photography is no different, the polaroid may not be the best camera in the world, but once you look past its shortcomings, you can do wonders with it! Coming from a former guitarist, now a ukulele player!
Alexandra Starr photography honestly the Polaroid cameras are so great because the money you put into them is kinda a lot but it makes you think about the photo before you take it and I seriously want one
Stupid. Photography should be fun. And camera clubs should be HAVENS for people shooting funky and weird stuff. Whether it's a pinhole camera or Nikon D5.
If Polaroids were good enough for Andy Warhol they're good enough for any amateur photo club. I've recently moved into a new area and just checked out my local camera club. Immediately I was asked what camera I have. I said I'm very happy with my Olympus Pen, which seemed to garner nods of approval. Looking forward to seeing what they make of the grainy blurry BW pictures I'm coaxing out of this vintage original non-digital, entirely manual, meterless, half-frame film camera.
Great Vid. I’ve been scared to shoot outside of Manual mode. Lately I feel that my photography is more focused on technical instead of capturing something. Cameras so advanced now, why not use the technology? Why not let some of the camera do the technical work? In the end, it’s photo that counts right? Yes there are definitely times where manual is appropriate, but I’m not going to punish myself when I go AV, or even Auto Mode. What’s your opinion?
I have to agree with you. Photography is an art ...beauty is in the eyes of beholder.
really well said, I love the technical side of photography and hate those people. A good picture is a good picture is a good picture, but if you cant take a good picture but love cameras as cool gadgets, then more power to you. Just have fun out there.
'Not doing things by the rules' - fuck the rules! People don't succeed following the same old system time after time, we need innovation, there's not one formula that we have to abide by in order to take a good picture... i look at photography as an art, painting using light, not a recipe where you have to add all the right ingredients, the right amount other wise its technically inaccurate.
People critiquing photo's saying, why haven't you done this to it. The vision, the visual image is in the photographers head, trying to please others is useless if your not pleased yourself. Its about what you want, not what it 'should be' .
Who are these people to say if what your doing is right or not, use photoshop/ photography to create what YOU want, not what others tell you is right!
Peace out! lol
+Vectal Creative Retouching Couldn't agree with you more! Well said.
Kayleigh June use whatever lenses you wanna use we don't give a damn fuck. Only the result matter. And the more important is you have to enjoy every of your pic, see them share them and don't care about haters ^^
It is important to take into account that the rules and guidelines of photography developed through experimentation of pioneers in the field and they stuck because they just "work" in most cases and I personally prefer to learn about all the rules/guidelines (particularly composition and exposition), practice them and mold them into my style.
You should know the good rules that make the photos look better and if you want to break a rule/ignore a guideline you should know why you need to break it while taking the photo to make your idea come to life (this is recommended by many pro-togs I follow on YT/Instagram). I started photography this year (I am 29yo) and actually practicing the rules and guidelines and experimenting with them teaches me how to take better pictures faster than just stumbling about with my camera without the knowledge of taking good photos.
To simply say "just fuck the rules" is very arrogant and shortsighted and everybody can learn a lot from studying them and experimenting with them.
Johnator45 instagram.com/download/?r=3245598423
You have to first know the rules to know which ones to break. When to break them. And WHY to break them.
Oh man! I hate it when people say I can't take portraits with wide angles... I mostly use my 20mm for portraits and I know that Michael Flugstad uses a 24mm almost all the time. f**k them!
This struck me so hard.
I am happy that your rant is not the "I hate hipsters photographers" rant.
Props!
I think the technical aspect of photoraphy and the creative side are really inseperable. The one makes the other better. Knowing how your gear works and how light works etc., give you the tools to become a better photographer. The whole idea of the rules in photography is to give you an understanding of how things become more visually pleasing within that frame we have taken. Knowing when and where to you can get away with breaking the rules can mean the difference between something really creative and visually satisfying, or just a shit shot.
If you take a shot, and then you look back on it and think "what could I have done to make that look better? It just doesn't look right," it might be something as simple as the rule of thirds or golden ratio, and that then helps you when next framing a shot. If you don't know that rule, then you can't fix it, you won't know where you went wrong. On the other hand, knowing that rule and breaking it intentionally for creative effect can be awesome, but that's a lot different to just not knowing how to frame the shot in the first place. The key word in that was "intentionally."
If you know any rule you can choose when and where you break it. If you don't know a rule then you're just floundering along and calling it creative. If it's not intentional it's not creative, because you're not "creating" anything, you're clicking away and hoping to get lucky.
As for the gearheads that you're talking about, I wouldn't call them technical photographers, they're morons without a creative bone in their body usually. Knowing the ideal use for a lens, or the way a certain camera body processes a RAW file, is just being a walking pamphlet and not creative at all. Knowing these things can help you get the image you want to acheive, but they're hardly necessary. Photographers improvise all the time. How many photographers can anyone name that has all the lenses they want AND even if they do, always has a partuclar lens with them when they need it. That'd be zero, or near enough to it.
Art is about working with what you have... enough said... I love to hear from the technical people... maybe not the best photographers... I know whom you speak of... but it is all about the end result. The technical aspects definitely help and let's take that advice to make the creative side/element better. By the way, I love my Voigtlander lenses!
I just came across your video, and I can relate. They don't even sandwich a negative between 2 positive comments. Your art belongs to you and don't let anyone steal your joy. Take care and happy shooting.
Creativity knows no bounds. People should just not consume that which they don't like or agree with. If you don't like it, or find it annoying, or feel you could do better, or disagree, etc, just ignore it. Social media is not a professional gallery, it is a platform for the acquisition of praise and/or recognition (commercial, personal, political, etc). "Like and comment." Constructive criticism should only ever been given when asked for anywhere online, otherwise you're a troll. And those should also be ignored completely.
Great rant! Thanks, Kayleigh, a good introduction to your channel.
I think you're right. When I was pursuing music I went technical a lot because I was bad at it, well not super bad but not really good. I tried to compensate that with knowledge and stuff. My hearing for notes was bad so I tried to understand scales, keys and stuff to technically know when to play what. But I always met people that just could do all that stuff without doing anything for it because they were just dead talented for that stuff. And I was often criticising people for stuff I couldn't even do myself and I didn't realize at that point that I was jealous but looking back I was.
With photography I feel like a got a talent for it. My pictures are not the best in the world, but people are constantly telling me they really like them. Not only friends but also photographers. I like technical stuff but still with photography I just feel like I kinda know what I'm doing without actually knowing a lot and it feels good. Too bad I only discovered photography for me at age 27 but anyways, I have a feel that I'm gonna enjoy it for the rest of my life.
Currently using a 8 years old Canon 60D I got used for 250€ with a 50mm 1.8 I got used for 90€ and yes, I'd love a full frame and some sigma art lenses but it feels great when people tell you "Wow that image looks soo good, you're camera is amazing" and I'm telling them that I used a 8 years old camera I got used for 250€ on eBay :D
Great video, Kayleigh, and really needed to be said. Frederick really nailed any commentary I could add, othr than Jay Maisel wrote a wonderful book about this in some respects, entitled "Its not about the F/stop". Cheers and best regards - PS I love your Ozzie accent! ;-)