Be honest- Do you love your own photography?

Yes.

I enjoy the process, I enjoy the results.
I like making big BW prints.
FPIs are nice for the day that people look at one's portfolio, but otherwise meaningless.

Technically, I mastered the stuff I needed to know years ago.
Sounds arrogant, but I had great people training me.

I shoot for myself.

Always hope to produce a better photo.
Technology gets easier, producing something outstanding gets harder every year.

I'm currently in one of those "doubt" phases. I feel that somehow I've changed in how I look at my own as well as other's images, a little bit in a negative way.

I find myself asking the question "why?" a lot more ... why did I take this image, with this model's pose? ... what is it saying? ... what feeling is it invoking?

I've actually stopped taking pictures since about a year; closed my instagram account, and I'm only still active here, posting new edits from old shoots, until i hopefully figure it out. I find my work perhaps pleasing to the eye, but empty at the same time ... just pretty pictures but without deeper sense.

I totally admire the work of some photographers here, where they produce work that seems technically imperfect, both in lighting and composition, but they captured the model in a way that touches me. I feel that's the direction I want to be heading.

Over the past years, I've invested a lot in a small home studio, with lighting, props and backgrounds. Due to circumstances I no longer have the studio, and I've decided to get rid of all studio material. Just keeping my camera and lenses. The work from others I admire so much now, was taken with just that: a camera, a captivating model and a great eye with vision/feeling.

For now, it feels I'm being freed from a lot of (material) things that seem to burden me. I love the process of shoots, photography and editing so much, and don't want to give it up, but now just trying to figure out how to start producing meaningful work.

gjp

It's a healthy way of seeing your work, which I great btw

I am never satisfied with any images I produce.

I always feel like Alice (in Wonderland) looking through the tiny door that she cannot get through but can see the beautiful garden beyond.The vague ideas in my head that are never clear, don't produce what I think I am trying for.

Sometimes a model does something fantastic that really I had nothing to do with and I enjoy that enormously.

Still, I find the whole process of working with wonderful, helpful models really satisfying and they tell me that it keeps me off the streets and so I just go with that.

I find you do some work that you're really pleased with and put it onto PP and get little response.

It used to bother me but no longer does.

The important thing is whether I'm happy with the image and whether the model is happy with the image.

If i worried about anything else I would have long ago given up by now.

I love the process and love shooting all sort of things.  For a number of years I've been getting frustrated because I could be so much better (I think) but I just don't have time to get more experience.  Quite often if i have an event I don't have time to plan things properly and it all feels rushed and therefore the shoot suffers.

Not bothered by FPI's, far too inconsistant image quality between pictures accepted.

The only option is to work less but i'm lucky in the fact I think I have the best job in the world, which I love ( It does include some paid photography which pays for the kit, which I don't have time to use, slightly ironic) 

I cant have it both ways.

Edited by ThePictureCompany

MaristarOxley said

I am here as a model on this account, but I have my own photography account too. I personally love my work on there, but I always want to get better.

How do you rate your own images and do you question yourself all the time, or are you at peace with the photos you produce?

Please don't offer critique, unless asked for.

It would be nice to see you photography account, please can you post it may help others to understand why you have asked the question. Possibly it would be nice to hear whether you love your own photography as a photographer and model

Barney57 said

As a hobby photographer, yes, I love my photography. It’s not in any way technically excellent, but its enough for me, which is all that matters for me. if I didn’t love it as a hobby, I wouldn’t do it. 

Same here. I do this for stress-free enjoyment. As long as I've enjoyed a shoot, that's the main thing for me. 

Sometimes I look at the resultant pictures and think 'that's not too bad', and on a few occasions I feel rather smug and think 'I do like that'. But when that happens, the chances are that the picture leans very heavily on the model's input - her skills, creativity, energy and enthusiasm etc etc etc. There have been times when I've thrown an idea at a model and I've asked her to run with it, and the resultant pics have been a million times better than what I'd originally envisaged. That's down the model, but even though my input was just a fraction of her input I still get enjoyment from looking at the pics. 

When it comes to improving, I have no grasp of technical stuff. Even if I did, my ancient, befuddled brain is rubbish at learning stuff. And I'm a lazy old git anyway. So as long as I enjoy the process of taking the pictures and as long as some of those pictures make me happy (and as long as the models aren't unhappy with the way I've depicted them), that's enough for me. 

Orson Carter said

Barney57 said

As a hobby photographer, yes, I love my photography. It’s not in any way technically excellent, but its enough for me, which is all that matters for me. if I didn’t love it as a hobby, I wouldn’t do it. 

Same here. I do this for stress-free enjoyment. As long as I've enjoyed a shoot, that's the main thing for me. 

Sometimes I look at the resultant pictures and think 'that's not too bad', and on a few occasions I feel rather smug and think 'I do like that'. But when that happens, the chances are that the picture leans very heavily on the model's input - her skills, creativity, energy and enthusiasm etc etc etc. There have been times when I've thrown an idea at a model and I've asked her to run with it, and the resultant pics have been a million times better than what I'd originally envisaged. That's down the model, but even though my input was just a fraction of her input I still get enjoyment from looking at the pics. 

When it comes to improving, I have no grasp of technical stuff. Even if I did, my ancient, befuddled brain is rubbish at learning stuff. And I'm a lazy old git anyway. So as long as I enjoy the process of taking the pictures and as long as some of those pictures make me happy (and as long as the models aren't unhappy with the way I've depicted them), that's enough for me. 

I fully agree with both these guys; that's me that is. :-)

JPea said

...Sometimes a model does something fantastic that really I had nothing to do with and I enjoy that enormously.

Still, I find the whole process of working with wonderful, helpful models really satisfying and they tell me that it keeps me off the streets and so I just go with that.

Me too.

I have huge amounts of self doubt. Always have. I don't like the build up to a shoot but like the callenge during a shoot to get the poses and lighting just right. I enjoy the colabaration too. But I enjoy the end result and am probably happiest when editing.

Some images I do look back on with alot of pride. If I was to quit model shooting now I would still have a large collection of images to dip in and out of.

I know there are those that have many shoots in a month but I have gradually cut back and feel less pressure to keep being inventive. Each to their own I guess.

Gray2 said

I have huge amounts of self doubt. Always have. I don't like the build up to a shoot but like the callenge during a shoot to get the poses and lighting just right. I enjoy the colabaration too. But I enjoy the end result and am probably happiest when editing.

Some images I do look back on with alot of pride. If I was to quit model shooting now I would still have a large collection of images to dip in and out of.

I know there are those that have many shoots in a month but I have gradually cut back and feel less pressure to keep being inventive. Each to their own I guess.

I would imagine that taking a models photograph and being responsible for creating something they will appreciate, let alone others will like or love could be very stressful. It must be energy sapping for a photographer, creating the concept, communicating all of that to those taking part, booking the venue and everyone else, then often meeting total strangers and trying hard to create a positive working vibe so the model feels so relaxed and comfortable that they can create their best work.

Some obscure artist (lol) once said... "Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art."

I like that quote because it means that even he had doubts, so every artist will at one time or another. Photographers need to rekindle their love of their work, literally anyone could stop just short of creating a masterpiece! I hear that taping a banana with duct tape to a model could be the next big thing :-)

Edited by tandi

Damon_Dori_

I have taken away lessons when a shoot has not worked. I found that if I think too much on a shoot, my flow gets stunted. And sometimes, the energy between the models and myself, just does not gel.

Thank you so much for sharing your very thoughtful process and reflection.

JonC

Thanks for being honest.

I really like your work as it looks like you have a strong vision. It's interesting to perhaps hear where you feel your work lacks artistic merit and does it need to have that anyway? 🙏🏽

Like most photographers, I have regular moments of self-doubt. I do a lot of commercial work, and there is still nothing worse than the gap between sending the client a gallery and getting their feedback. I know that 99 times out of 100, the feedback is glowing, but it only takes one criticism (I think the last was three years ago!) and that's my confidence knocked for months.