To shoot or not to shoot?

This photography lark - and it is a lark :) - is a hobby for me.  I do it for pleasure, my pleasure, primarily.  I too love a decent sized print and yes, I get my favourites printed (16x12 usually).  Why?  Because I'm old enough to know that a photograph is an image on a piece of paper and not some transient electrons on a phone screen.

I take the photos I take because they're the photos I want to look at afterwards.  I do it for me, primarily.  Yes, I post on IG but I'm increasingly asking myself why I bother :)  I put a few up on here too, but not often and not many.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, I get the prints out and look through them and smile and start planning my next shoot :)

As well as humans I enjoy photographing horses. I should have been at Newmarket today for the Henry Cecil Open Weekend and was looking forward to visiting trainers' yards. Alas I have tested positive for covid this morning so taking things easy at home instead.

J H Photos said

Huw

"My preferred “art form” is/was the large BW print. Nudes in the landscape.

Obsolete now."

Why obsolete? That's totally the sort of thing I love.

Me too. So last century ;)

”Twelve good photos in a year is a good number for anybody”. - Ansel Adams.

That makes a great 20 second reel on Instagram now.    ;)

indemnity said

I personally am not interested in what others do or think, that's their business, challenge and life.

I will help people when I can but don't particularly like it when they think they are entitled to my help, it is to be given to others, not demanded or expected by them.

This is my hobby, so hobby rules apply. I do it because I want to, don't require judgement unless I ask, I will continue until I decide otherwise. All quite simple.

Regarding social media I don't post or use IG, so can't comment on that.

Well said that man 👍

JPea said

We have two different groups of people in this discussion.

Those with Pippa who need exposure on Social Media and such for business reasons and then the other group in two sub groups.

Those who need Social Media to give approval and meaning to their work and those who like their work to be seen by somebody.

Perhaps a few outliers who just enjoy the making of an image.

I am in the last group and I am at the moment enjoying my photography and doing as much as my ancient aching body can cope with.

I'm with you in the third group and don't give a stuff about social media, but appreciate the reasoning of those in the first group. It's those in the second group that worry me, unless they have rock solid self-confidence. 

For me the work is the reward. I don't care who sees it, I don't care who looks it (apart from those directly involved in the shoot). I enjoy shooting. If I stop enjoying it, I stop shooting for a while until I find a new spark of inspiration. I have no interest in trying to achieve money, fame or recognition through my work, and that's what is right for me. But everyone will have their own reasons for shooting and their own goals.

I think coming to terms with ones mediocrity is pretty universal.

Certainly it took me quite a long time to realize that I was never going to be a great artist. Yet I still paint and I still take photographs because it is the endeavour, and the desire to get better. that drives me on. If I didn't have that I might not bother. As it is I continue my quest for self improvement.

I take the contrary view to Pippa. What is the point of Instagram? OK it is a tool but not a very useful one to me.

The Portrait Cowboy said

Unfocussed Mike And the point about regularity comes from social media where it rewards content that is posted regularly, whereas posting infrequently doesn't give your content as much traction with the algorithm. Because, obviously, these platforms want you to be posting all the frickin' time and so adjust your exposure relative to frequency of posting. Social media is fucking evil.

Yes exactly.

ADWsPhotos said

I’m not sure I subscribe to the ‘if it can’t go on IG what’s the point’ view. I guess it begs the question ‘what are your reasons for posting on IG?’,  ....

I'd go further.  And Lordy I hate to prove Godwins law, but. Instagram's use of algorithms to eradicate particular kinds of art makes me think of Nazi burning of "decadent art".   I use it but hate myself for doing so. 

TBH if fitness for IG is your benchmark, I don't give tuppence for your judgement - it's been impaired by too many dopamine hits from the likes of a strangers. (sorry P & co)  

Photography has been 'over' for quite a few years now. I miss the adventure.

My original impetus to pick up a camera came out of my art - I'm using art as a convenient word to differentiate between photography and physical work created with a pen or brush here... before anyone tells me that photography is art!

I adored pen and ink work when I was younger and had a very photorealistic style. I could happily get lost in small details for hours. My father, who is an artist, asked me once why, if I wanted to capture everything so accurately and minutely, did I not just photograph it? I thought it might be an interesting diversion and so began my journey in photography. 

I never gave up the art but it did take a back seat as I found photography to be very enjoyable and productive. The speed was very different and there was an element of almost instant gratification that helped with that, I suppose. Art, at least mine, is a much slower process.

However, in recent years I have felt my interest move back to my art. My most recent bookings on this site have been with models who also pose for life drawings and I have booked them for a little photography and a lot of drawing. I also look for life models elsewhere and have a list of people I'd like to work with on here when so find the time.

At present I am thouroughly enjoying working with various media (charcoal, inks, graphite, watercolour and pastel) to explore aspects of nature and the human body. I love landscapes and have started getting out of the studio more to paint. However, when it comes to drawings people, I'm still posing models and controlling light and form but in a much more satisfying way, at least to me.

Perhaps the pendulum will swing again and I'll pick up my cameras with a renewed interest and enthusiasm sometime but it may not be any time soon. I haven't given up photography and will continue to book shoots but perhaps with a shift in style and emphasis.

Ultimately my art is for me. I rarely show or display it but derive enormous pride and satisfaction in producing it. 

B.

I was shooting before an of these platforms. Just remember why you started.

STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY "Just remember why you started"

Exactly.

Of course there is! Still quality art nude models around, you’ve just got to know where to look. 😏 I feel like a lot of photographers end up grieving for “what could have been” because a lot of new faces who appear (usually on the likes of Insta first) are choosing not to go down the art nude route (like many of them may have done before). Some photographers get fixated on needing to shoot the next generation coming on the scene rather than concentrating on actually enjoying the genre and maybe developing a great rapport with a model who also loves the genre. 💁🏻‍♀️

As for producing just for social media? I’ll be damned if I ever adjust my ways to conform only to the idiotically sexist ways set by a CEO who started out by creating a grossly misogynistic website that “rated” the women at his place of study. 🤮

Shoot because you find it pleasing. Not to chase validation. 🤗

Keira Lavelle said

Of course there is! Still quality art nude models around, you’ve just got to know where to look. 😏 I feel like a lot of photographers end up grieving for “what could have been” because a lot of new faces who appear (usually on the likes of Insta first) are choosing not to go down the art nude route (like many of them may have done before). Some photographers get fixated on needing to shoot the next generation coming on the scene rather than concentrating on actually enjoying the genre and maybe developing a great rapport with a model who also loves the genre. 💁🏻‍♀️

As for producing just for social media? I’ll be damned if I ever adjust my ways to conform only to the idiotically sexist ways set by a CEO who started out by creating a grossly misogynistic website that “rated” the women at his place of study. 🤮

Shoot because you find it pleasing. Not to chase validation. 🤗

Yep!