This is a guest post by David Jackson, a Wisconsin-based editorial portrait photographer and an international award winning wedding photographer. In 2007 he left his full-time job of 14 years as a law enforcement officer to pursue a career as a full-time photographer and to maintain his life's priority as a devoted husband and father to three little girls. His passion for education has lead him to develop the Breaking The Rule Portrait Workshop, focused on honing photographers skill sets in creating more compelling portraits. David's fine art photography project entitled SIMPLE+DIRTY, has also gained wide attention through his documentation of abandoned structures and modern industrial ruins across the Midwest. Follow him on Twitter and connect with him on Facebook. And if you like his post here, trust me, you'll love his blog.
Here’s the deal and I’m going to cut right to the chase. This letter is an open and honest gripe specifically directed at you. Why, you ask? Well, we know each other. I view you as my competition, my nemesis and my enemy. I’ve been quietly watching your every move as an artist, a business owner and a person I typically respect. But this whole time I’ve been judging you. I’ve grown increasingly tired of the photo industry and I can see that you have a small integral part of its inherent failure as a whole. You’re just one more number in the growing sea of photographers who think they can make it and at the same time snuff out the veteran shooters. For this reason, I’m going to be blunt and an all-around asshole in what I’m about to say. I rarely take pot shots like this, but I’ve had enough and now’s the time to lay it all out on the table.
To begin with, you irritate me.
By no means does this come from a place of envy, but rather out of genuine frustration. I have seen your work many times before. To be honest, it’s really nothing to brag about. You are the same old thing that I see every other day spewed out on blogs across the web and sold as something fresh and “different.” Just executed in a similar “cheesy” and sometimes over-done way. I have watched the way you shoot. I’ve seen the way you indirectly portray yourself as “awesome” to the Facebook and Twitter masses just chomping at the bit to gain attention by other photographers around you. Not to mention having ambitions of getting hired by potential big-name clients who I’m sure, are knocking down your doors to give you cold hard cash. You’re that new up-and-coming photographer in the industry and you have it all figured out.
Well I have news for you. You’re far from it.
It’s like watching a slow-moving train wreck. You post photos and blog links like it’s going out of style and manage to get such GREAT compliments on the mediocre work you produce. It’s all too predictable:
“Great Photos!”
“WOW”
“You are truly talented.”
“You’re an inspiration!”
“LOVE!”
“Amazing!!!”
Doesn’t the same old recycled essay of comments make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? It might, but all this positive fluff only enables your head to grow larger and you’re your ego to inflate to ridiculous proportions. Not your photography.
Well, let’s dissect your work. From what I’ve seen online, your post-production is all over the place. In the beginning you struggled to take a halfway decent photo. Although you have the basics down, I can tell you prefer taking the easy way out. You love the idea of using Photoshop actions and filters instead of actually editing your photos in a simple, organic way. You love shortcuts. You’re a product of the digital age and rely on your LCD screen to attain a halfway decent exposure. You barely know how to use a light meter. You have attended workshops, bought DVD’s and stalked numerous other photographer’s blogs with hopes to mimic their style. And by doing this you deliver photos that you can hardly call original, yet comfortably fit into the “what’s hot now” category. After all, it’s these trends that are selling at the moment…
Time after time you deliver the same old predictable photos that we’ve all seen before. What you don’t realize is that the things you are doing today to attain your new-found “signature look” will soon be outdated and un-marketable. And the further you back yourself into a corner, the harder it will be to get out of when you become the new “selective-color” of 2013.
Sure, your clients may fall hard for your work and you sometimes ooze fairy dust in a lovefest for yourself. But I don’t think you’re truly happy with any of it. You’re often afraid of other people’s opinions and constructive criticism. Far be it from you to get honest feedback without becoming defensive about your precious photographs or better yet, face an unhappy client. But then again you’ve NEVER had an unhappy client… Right? They ALL love you and your photos.
I can tell by the crappy outdated photos STILL in your portfolio, you are yet to update your extensively mismatched galleries or put any effort in getting your website together in a logical way. Looking at it closer, I see you continually struggle to find your voice. Who knows if you will ever find it? I however, look at your work and know exactly the things I should never do in the future. You call that marketable? Wait, I have a great idea… Delete it all and start over from scratch.
It’s awful. And you’re not even close to finding your true identity as a photographer.
How in the hell do you expect to get actual paid client work with the garbage you’re shooting? Sure there are some good-looking folks in some of your well-lit shots, but does that make your photos exceptional? Does that make you the next best thing? Apparently everybody is the “next best thing” these days. Your work does not speak to me or stop me dead in my tracks.
Early on, you wanted to romanticize the photo industry and the esteemed status of being a photographer. Truth be told, it makes me sick to think about it. You came into the photo world with big naïve eyes, hoping to save the world with your undying love for your clients, your “passion” for making “awesome” photos or your ability to “capture true emotion.” You love being called an artist, but you seemingly fall short most times.
Go to your website. Just read your bio. Listen to yourself! You sound like a pompous assclown. Amidst your redundant words and poor grammar, I know you want to shoot weddings in exotic locations due to your availability to “travel worldwide”. Yet oddly enough, you’re still stuck shooting in some dimly lit catholic church or one of those typical VFW reception halls. Oh, sooooo glamorous. But you never seem to find the motivation or drive to push yourself hard enough to get to where you truly want to be.
Take a hard look at yourself. It’s not difficult to see that you have idolized the status of some, if not all of the “rockstar” photographers who spew their gospel out to the uninformed photographic masses. Yet you yourself seek to glean some magic bullet of success from these folks by buying into the shit they are selling you. Come on. You’re transparent and wear your true colors on your sleeve.
It’s clearly apparent you are a clone of hundreds, if not thousands of other photographers out there. You’ve made all the classic moves; a slick URL incorporating your name, cool clothes, half-assed DIY branding and a web-sized ego to boot. Let me guess? Now you have ambitions of selling your diatribe to other photographers at some point too. Perhaps you have a desire to teach a workshop? Maybe you even want to publish a book or release a DVD someday? You want the recognition and status of rubbing shoulders with those who’ve “made it” in the industry, but you’ve failed to look at the bigger picture. No one cares about you. What the hell makes you so special? You’re a newbie on the scene and that doesn’t give you the right to spew your awesomeness to the hungry. You play it off well, but I can clearly see through you and your need to gain some amount recognition.
But is it about recognition or the need to feel accepted? Probably a mix of both IMHO. (Oh, that abbreviation is cool web-lingo for your social media devotees). You probably stare into your iPhone endlessly waiting for comments to appear on your blog, Facebook page, Flickr or get mentioned on Twitter. Or better yet, you waste half your day on a photography forum expecting it to provide you with some sense of real community but never actually participate in pertinent discussions.
You’ve now made the shotgun decision to move into a studio space because you are in such HIGH demand. WOW! Good for you. I can see the clients stacking up at your door as I write this. They must all think you’re a REAL photographer now, huh? You have a brand new studio, complete with a comfy couch, a flat screen TV and that nausea-inducing hiptser vibe we’ve all come to love lately. What you didn’t see when moving into your space is the stress this will cause on you financially and the toll it will take on your family, your relationship with your spouse and your friends.
And friends? Do you still have any of those? I’m assuming they’re dwindling by the minute. And the ones you use to be tight with, you rarely see.
To others, you make it seem so easy. You make it look like a breeze to live up to your luxurious happy-go-lucky photographer lifestyle. At least that’s what it looks like on the outside. But on the inside it’s not so shiny, is it? You make it seem like everything is perfect, exciting and well in Happyphotorainbowland, USA. You always tell people you are SO BUSY and that business is GREAT, because it’s the easy way out. I’ve seen the Tweets. You know, the ones where you brag about the number of weddings you booked THIS WEEK ALONE! What you don’t tell people is the truth. You never mention the struggles of actually running a business and balancing your life in a healthy way.
The truth is, you lack direction. You feel uncertain with who you are. You find this awkward need to feel accepted by your peers. You are struggling with your photography every time you pick up a camera. You’re clients aren’t always as “amazing” as you make them seem throughout your false façade of social media ramblings. Running a business is tough and the thought of having to walk away from it is always on your mind. You’re work is nowhere near stunning. And you have a long way to go before you even begin to reach your goals. It’s the brutal truth.
In the big picture, you are one small component to dragging the entire photo industry down. It’s because of this, so many other people in the photo industry stand in line beside you in the same boring old category of just being average at best. You have big hopes and dreams, but time after time you fail to inspire me. In fact, I only expect you to fail entirely.
I bet at this point, you’re probably rolling your eyes and fairly irritated at my all-too-typical sentiment plaguing the photo industry on the internet these days. You know, bitch about this – complain about that… Unfortunately, I tend to speak the truth. And sometimes it bites me in the ass. But I needed to get this out of my system.
Are you still listening to me Mr. or Mrs. Local Photographer? If you are, perhaps you didn’t see the real bigger picture here. Although I am writing this letter to you, what you didn’t realize is that I’m speaking about someone I know extremely well.
I’m talking to you, David Jackson. This is an open letter to myself.
I’m that Local Photographer. And I’m calling myself out for my views, techniques and ideologies spanning the past 10 years of my career in photography. I’m not writing this to bash myself over the head, generate a pity party or for that matter carry the bright flaming torch for the entire photo industry. But rather I view this as a means of keeping myself in check.
Sometimes we find the desire to point fingers, push blame, complain and endlessly bitch about all things failing in our current industry. At other times we inflate ourselves to epic proportions and end up looking like babbling fools in the process. Yet all too often we forget to look inward – to take a close look at ourselves and examine the things we do to box ourselves into a corner and push others away. We forget that we all have room to grow, to be better at what we do. Making mistakes is part of the game. And I have made plenty and will continue to do so for the rest of my career.
I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking at myself lately, determining that this mentality will cause all of us to eventually self-destruct. As hurtful as this letter comes across at face value, we can never change others. We can only change ourselves and grow on a personal level as photographers, artists and business people. I’m finding out it’s not about the other people though. It’s about you and I. I’ve made the mistakes. I’ve followed the sickening trends early on and unsuspectingly listened to the masses. But I’m the only one who can do what is right for me. I need to remind myself that coming into my own isn’t an overnight process. I’ve spent thousands and thousands of hours trying to find my voice and place within the industry. I have yet to even scratch the surface and I still have thousands of hours ahead of me.
However, if we as creatives muster the courage to be honest with ourselves and follow our hearts, then we’ve begun to make a step in the right direction. There’s no handbook issued to us at the beginning of our journey, outlining the right moves and keeping our heads safely above troubled waters. We have to forge our own path. We make our own decisions. We are the ones who need to be honest with ourselves.
And at the end of the day, that is the only thing that truly matters.
Your pal,
Dave
What's your take on this open letter? Can you be so candid … to yourself? Tell us down below by your comments. A dialogue is a good thing. Your voice is heard here.
Latest posts by David Jackson (see all)
- On Chasing Rainbows And Unicorns - March 13, 2012
- An Open Letter To A Local Photographer - November 9, 2010
Good Lord, I was going to say you are sad, but then I realized you said you were talking to yourself. I had to start skimming because it was TOO MUCH negativity to read before having a cup of coffee. LOL. Very funny.
amen! Its necessary to make yourself responsible. loved this post.
it’s hard not to extract some of the elements in this ‘letter’ and apply it to myself. i think it’s part of the process along the path…and as you said….there’s no (right) handbook. we’ve gotta live, breathe, shoot and carve it out ourselves…
I was getting ready for fisticuffs! Nice, really funny, maybe a tad verbose (but then I don’t do brief either!)
It looked like and it is directed at me. (A disclaimer, I am not a professional photographer, just curious about it) I too get fantasize about the people praising my photographs, leaving one word comments in the flickr stream. My work looks outdated within months and I don’t have any niche and playing the jack of all and king of none.
What, I honestly look from David on points how to be honest with oneself?
About halfway through, I knew what the ‘big reveal’ was going to be – nobody could be this much of a tool to another photographer :)
Some very valid info, though – we’re probably all struggling with some (or all) of these issues. It’s always nice to see someone who, from the outside, looks like the consummate ‘pro’, somebody who has ‘made it’, come out and say ‘it’s never that simple, or that easy’. Makes me feel a LOT less incompetent, makes my self-doubt feel a lot more normal.
Great post. Of course we all fall in to at least some of the categories above. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the social media aspect of this business lately and it really does become more of a forum for your peers to either ignore you or boost your spirits, aside from the bride liking her own photos (in the wedding industry at least). While it should all be taken with a grain of salt, as artists I think we need someone to look at and validate our work. I get that most people are being polite or are just plainly acknowledging that they saw my work more so than anything else but it feels good to know someone saw it and is a big factor in me wanting to make the next thing. I’ve been out of school and working for about 17 years now and have always had some sort of design or creative job…. most of which you would pour your soul into designing things that would just get trashed or watered down by the clients… and in the end trampling your vision. I’m happy to finally be in an industry where I deliver my work to fresh eyes on a regular basis instead of jaded critics and I feel that you can make your photography what you want it to be, usually without constraints.
There’s no doubt this business is getting crowded and you need to stand out to get known. I came from corporate and broadcast video where 100k projects are now 2k dollar projects because some kid can do them on his ipad. Things change and we need to accept that and find our place.
I think viewing yourself in this light every so often is a good thing to do and keep yourself on track. Having had my own business already and closing it a few years ago – my biggest regret was not staying true to my vision. I kept it running and paid the bills for years but never accomplished anything I wanted. I would of rather kept it running 2 years instead of 10 but be able to say we tried our hardest and failed instead of we kept it afloat and failed ? Just go out there and be your best.
At first, I was going to rant and rave about what the heck makes you think you’re so special (sorry about that) and now I’m going to print it and hang it over my desk so I can read it often. Thanks!!
I thought you were looking at MY life. Great post. I fit most of it. The business part is the part keeping me from taking steps towards pro. thanx for the post
Excellent Post Dave. Well done, poignant and complete thoughts. Thank you!
Great post. I think indeed it’s not about comparing ourselves. I think the value lies in constantly growing into your own voice, and remembering that this will bring not only the most joy in photography, but also an authentic audience who will find, and value, us for who we are, rather than who we imitate.
This article hit the nail on the head for me and where I am currently. I’ve looked at myself, but not with as much time and transparency as the post above, because, well, I’ve been “busy.” Our peers may look at our work, like Jim said, out of polite courtesy or general acknowledgement, but I don’t want that to become my source of my creative worth. Here’s to being vulnerable, honest, striving for something better, harder and cultivating a passion.
Excellent post David. It is amazing how people can be so different, yet share in the same feelings and emotions. It is important to keep one’s self grounded and it is always good to look into that mirror once a week to keep one’s self in check.
Thanks for the post! Was a great read this morning!
Cheers,
Sid
Wow. David, thank you for being so open and honest with us. The thoughts you have written here resonate with me. If we all could be so open and honest with ourselves, what would this industry look like. I know for myself it is time to stop comparing myself to others and to willingly step out. If I make a mistake, so be it, I will have the choice to learn from it or not. Thanks for the reminder that I am not alone in my thoughts and that it is up to me to start changing.
I have far too much to say beyond a chest-thumping comment here.
There are ways that I feel one can change they way they work and hopefully it doesn’t still come across as the same old mediocrity that is out there pumping faster everyday.
If anything, good for you David in finding a way to get this out in a blanket way.
Sometimes I feel that having anxiety disorder and bipolar depression is a blessing because I think about this type of stuff and reflect more than others. If it doesn’t come across in my work as of yet, I have one thing to say: I’m not finished yet.
Well said.
I’ve loved ya since I met you in early 2008 :) The reason is because you’ve always been true to yourself and walked your own line – even if you don’t see it. Great post – I hope some people really really think about it and internalize it. Keep on keepin on Dave, you are awesome!
“You’re and inspiration!” (winkey face)
I love words as much as I love images and this is really well written. Thanks for the reminder to keep ego in check.
ouch! Are you sure you didn’t look into my life. This is where I am out. Just when you quit your job. I consider doing the same on occasion. Good photog I think I am sometimes. But the “your awesome” comments I get from friends doesn’t really cut it for me. oh well. I have just determined that I will shoot for me and for me only. And don’t worry about that others think
I have experienced every one of these emotions at one time or another. I have been in the professional photography / art business for nearly 4 decades. Good years. Suck years… in the end, it has been more good than suck, but when you are in a suck period it, well, sucks.
But there are questions that you must ask yourself. Hard, pragmatic questions that may be difficult to answer. Questions that may bring more pain than enlightenment at first blush, but important ones none-the-less.
1. If you read this and it was written by an employee, would they have a job with you today? (If one of my employees had written this, their stuff would already be boxed. This level of negativity will seep into everything that is the business.)
2. If you believe that where you are is not worth much, how will you explain your fees to someone who may believe you? “It’s clearly apparent you are a clone of hundreds, if not thousands of other photographers out there….” is certainly not a USP that would engender any kind of interest in your work. Do you really believe that?
3. You seem to be casting yourself as a ‘phony’ or ‘wannabeGWC’ who has managed to somehow find yourself in a fancy studio (which you can certainly walk away from). Is that how you really see yourself? Is it with the eyes of clarity that you believe so little in your own work, or is it the eyes of a photographer who is impatient to get on with the next ‘growth cycle’ we all experience. I hope it is the latter, because the former just reinforces the first line of this comment.
4. Do you have mentors to follow and get advice from? Is there a solid support group of photographers that could have opened your eyes to the realities of owning a space? How could it have come as a surprise that with a studio comes increased costs in both time and money. More time than money, usually… but in our business time is money. Find someone who can help make these decisions.
5. Ask yourself why you make photographs. What is the compelling reason to keep doing this thing that really does seem like a terrible burden to you. I understand that the post is a ‘open myself to the world’ kinda thing, but what you are revealing is someone who is not very happy doing what you are doing. Why do you do it?
I have long maintained that photography sucked as a job, but was one of the most wonderful occupations in the world. It has crazy hours and insane business paradigms. Absolutely NO job security, no ‘steady’ anything. No retirement party, no ‘paid vacations’ and definitely high levels of stress.
It is all on our backs. The success or failure is up to each one of us. To me that makes it something I love.
“It’s clearly apparent you are a clone of hundreds, if not thousands of other photographers out there.”
From a fellow photographer, I would hope that you don’t mean that. If I thought that for a moment, I would go be a greeter at Walmart. If I really believed that I could not charge a nickel for what I do. If that were the basis of my self examination, I would in all haste find a way to change it. I read this sentance with great sadness. I was going to respond in a blogpost, but thought better of it.
I hope this article doesn’t go viral, David. I really think that it could be a terrible marketing decision to tell your clients that you are one of thousands of clones. I certainly would not want my clients to ever hear me say this kind of stuff about my work.
In the end, none of us are guaranteed a shot at anything, much less success. You will have to decide what you want to do, of course.
But I dearly hope that you rethink what you are doing, find a way to make it work and stick it out.
Photography is a terribly difficult business to be in. I have a friend who owns a pizza shop. He tells me that owning a pizza shop is a terribly difficult business to be in as well.
I choose photography. I hope you do as well.
Quite an interesting post. Yes, there were definitely some parts that I felt were attacking me and I struggled to read through the whole thing.
I think my take on this is that everyone has different goals as a photographer. And as long as you’re attacking your individual goals, you’ll be successful.
Will always remember to keep my ego in check. Thanks for this article!
sorry for double post
Just before I read this post I read a tweet from Chase Jarvis bragging about using the same caterer as a reality TV show called “Lost”. And then I read a post from everyone’s favorite ex-Kinko’s photographer, Zack Arias. He was lamenting the fact that he still couldn’t afford to buy a home or health insurance. I don’t think this post is that negative. I think it speaks to the idea that everyone feels they need to become a cult figure to compete. How about just being a nice guy who does good work for a decent price? How about someone who is always, “Still learning”?
If everyone is above average……..
In this day and age when anyone can become a “professional photographer”, it’s important to keep life in perspective. I’ve shot film, and I shoot almost exclusively digital now, and as technology continues to improve, I definitely see my share of external up-and-comers, but really, treating photography as a process during the entire journey, and continually learning from mistakes and more importantly, making them willingly and examining and dealing with the fallout from that, is what being a creative is all about.
Wonderfully written, Dave! Thank you so much. I feel the same way about myself at times. It’s sort of a wake up call. :)
It’s refreshing to see such a candid and honest post. Passion, honesty, integrity are all things that are sadly lacking in our industry. And I’m not talking about the use of words such as passion and inspiration, but the real deal.
True Grit. That’s what it took to write this post and if you can keep that focus and mindset, you will enjoy and I literally mean enjoy, your career as a photographic artist.
Finding your authentic voice means letting yourself fail. Being honest with yourself. And most importantly, step away from all the hype on the internet. Don’t look to others to judge yourself. Many times, by not knowing where the limits are, we find out we can soar much higher than we ever imagined. Simply because we have no limits on ourselves.
This is such an great post, David. I know that all photographers do or should feel at least some of this. We NEED to keep ourselves in check…any sound person does, photographer or not. “That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do; not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our power to do has increased.” The more honest we are with ourselves, the easier it becomes. As David mentioned, it is easy to say things are great and that we are so busy, because it’s the easy way out. We definitely need to take the hard way and look inward, so that we are honest with ourselves and our peers.
I was on a 10-hour drive by myself a couple days ago and I actually had this feeling myself. I thought about being a “newbie” to the industry. I thought about how EVERYONE is a newbie at some point. The 30-year veteran photographer was a newbie 30 years ago. As I read this post, I figured out a few paragraphs in that I should be talking to myself this way, so it came as no surprise when David flipped the switch and admitted it was a letter to himself. Not all of it applies to me, or any photographer per se, but it helps us to stop and take a few minutes to think about things we need to change. Change is good.
After reading the first half of the letter I wanted to join your fan club. After reading the second half I’m thinking about turning gay and asking you to marry me.
This is a great post Dave. Although I’m seeing a few mixed opinions here in the comments, I think to put something like this out into public says a lot. I am a “newbie” to the industry and I know for a fact that I have a long way to go. It’s a hard as hell industry to get into and even harder to really succeed in. There are so many opinions flying around about who is shooting what, how they are shooting, gear, and who knows what else, that it’s become this high school drama scene. Why do I personally stay in it? I love photography and I want to create art. Simply put, that’s it. When I’m able to put a dollar sign on my work, it just makes it even better for me. It’s taken a long time to put any kind of dollar value on my work. What’s my own personal goal? Honestly, it’s to shoot for “high end clients”and become the “rockstar” photographer you mentioned. I know that I’m not at that level YET but I do know that I’m on my way. Work you ass off and you will get what you want. Period.
An interesting challenge, I’m going to re-read !
I’m going to print this and address some of the standout things you mentioned. Yes, I feel like you wrote this letter to me. Thanks for the reality check.
David, I don’t need you to insult yourself or others per se to “inspire” me. I don’t get inspired like that. I see what you were trying to do literarily and emotionally so from a literary standpoint I liked the post. However, I can’t see how this much negativity is productive but it surely can be reflective. I see where you were trying to go. I am more inspired by the second half of the post than the first. The first just came off as too much shock value. Hehe.
For me, I am just trying 1 foot in front of the other, 1 day at a time but also long term ideas and goals that I reflect on. There is no other alternative for me as I have to make photographs. I have to. LOL. I don’t have a choice but to think about them, look at them and make them. There are other things I’d like to do profession-wise, what I call “small dreams” (i.e. work at an art school or art/marketing dept in a school etc. as I love art and education, paid writing as I love to write now) as photography is the “big dream,” but the big dream has to be fulfilled daily or I go batsh*t mad.
I like Kirk’s comments about the whole “icon” thing. I am GLAD I do NOT have that desire…at all. I actually wrote out what I want my life like and a life passions (bucket) list and will make that a vision board. It is so simple and easy going that most people wouldn’t consider my ultimate desires as “success” but that’s them. We all have to define success and happiness for ourselves and commit to a tiny tiny percent of that success and happiness being produced daily. When things suck, they do SUCK as I know well and good and have written about. I am just trying to have a tiny success and a smidgin of happiness daily, whether the SUCK stuff is present too or not.
Good conversational post. You have everyone thinking and chatting this morning. :)
Interesting way of grounding yourself. For me I already mostly think this way about myself, so I think I need a different approach.
Very upfront, with clear emotion showing. Not my style of self-reflection but I recognize where you’re coming from.
Thanks, I’m glad I read it.
Ha ha – I was thinking WOAH nelly but in the end this post had one of the best twist endings since the Sixth Sense. I like this brutal openness – yea, it reads a little negative but we’ve all had our days where we feel like the BIGGEST hacks. But at it’s heart, it’s a great message: be aware, don’t stop critical self-examination, always strive to improve, and create with passion and honesty.
Thanks for putting things in perspective. I’m not even yet that local photographer, but when I’m going to be, I’ll better make damn sure that I’m different.
ba-dum-CHA!
Challenging. Convicting. Makes me want to get off my ass, push my boundaries, and do some actual growth as a photographer!
Daaaaaammmmnnnnn. Great post holmes. You called me out.
Cheers,
Zack
Kept making me look over my shoulder and into the mirror :)
Excellent essay. Great twist.
I haven’t gone from thinking someone was pathetic to loving them that fast since my college drinking days!
Excellent work.
Love the twist.
I haven’t gone from thinking someone was pathetic to thinking they’re the bees knees that fast since my college drinking days!
Sally Watts
Well at least you are an “international award winning wedding photographer”. You’re big time!
Wow, I kept seeing myself as I was reading this. I definitely think that we need to figure out who we are as photographers before we go pointing fingers. The twist at the end, a little unexpected. I now have the desire to go call some of my friends up that I’ve not had enough time for. Thanks.
Wow…very heartfelt and honest. I am not a photographer but an artist, and I think this applies to any artist- nice twist at the end. Such brutal honesty is needed in this world and such self honesty and self awareness is needed as well, especially for an artist. Thank you. I think I could learn a lot from you. :)
I would like to say thank you!
I just started my business 7mo’s ago and as I was reading this I was thinking 2 thing”s. #1 “Great, another ” the newbies are destroying the industry” post.” And #2 “I really should go and delete my 1st 100 photos”…LOL!!!
I think I’ll keep the photos, but for my viewing pleasure only and to watch my growth. And I think I’ll save this post, for the next time I need a pep talk :D
Thank you!
this from the guy who has the same wedding shots everyone does, and the same lighting you’ll see in 1,000,000 photos in the strobist group on flickr.
An interesting read if somewhat verbose. While it is certainly important to reflect, question and drive to better yourself (an honest internal dialogue) in terms of external comms incl social media you do need a little hyperbowl (ne marketing). Of course ‘hyperbowl’ with no substance won’t get you far for long but neither will externalising your own sense in inadequacies! Who wants to work with a photographer who tweats about how they are struggling with (Vision, Business, Voice, etc, etc, etc)?
Just my 0.2c.
Cheers
John
I think this post is awesome in so many ways… I’m not a professional photographer, just these ordinary photographers and even though I think I do create art sometimes, I don’t feel like I have the guts or even desire to become professional photographer. World is full of talents already so I know photography industry is tough and will require time and money and lots of talent to succeed in the industry so I think I wanna stay just amateur photographer =) I wont be one of the newbies in this field =) But hey you got talent and time and the thrive to do so, so I just say good luck and hopefully your pep talk helps you going on =)
And I have to say, english isn’t my native language so I’m sorry for the grammar and possible missunderstandings already.
I have to say- I agree totally with this- there are too many photographers doing the same sort of thing at the moment- there is no real creative thinking rather too many photographers looking at each others blogs and copying lighting and shallow focus styles- they all begin to look the same- same effects and all rather dull- tread your own path in life- Let other follow you- dont mimic them because you think they are successful- thats the road to nowhere- Grant
This post really made me think…about a lot of things. Great article. Thank you.
To say you’re totally missing his point is an understatement.
I read it yesterday and was actually getting angry because I am just starting out and don’t know what else to do but do some of the things you mentioned; not all though. Once I brakes were pressed and I read it was a letter to you I felt better and I realized what you were saying. It is a good twist on the “Lashing at Newbies” trend I am seeing. It’s all about finding your voice. You wont completely know what it is until you are long gone and everyone else is talking about your voice and style. That happens when you are always learning, things change and you grow and try new techniques. There will always be something that distinguishes your style from everyone else and you may not know what that is but keep plugging along and keep yourself in check… that’s all you really can do.
First, absolutely wonderful writing. Second, don’t be so hard on yourself. It definitely takes courage to be so honest, and many of us have been there, but I’m hoping you can move forward.
WOW, right on the money
Reading this really made me stop. and think…
I have been in the game for going on 2 years and it is still tough to be one of the many fish in the sea of professional photographers, but I thank you for being honest and writing this. Simply for the fact that it just made me stop and think about all the little things.
Im glad you said it. I wish I said it to myself before now. Thanks for the lecture! I appreciate it.
Excellent overview of some key issues with professional photography today. But you missed a key ingredient that is sadly missing in much of todays imaging – the integrity of the image itself as a honest, real moment in time captured forever. It is seen now as perfectly ok to delete people from images, install others in images, and otherwise alter the actual reality of what then gets passed off as real – at the client’s request – or face not selling an image at all.
You have then sold your soul to the digital Devil. It’s like taking a history book and deleting anything unpleasant at the request of the reader, instead of recording faithfully and competently the actual moment and declaring it complete and final in its own right.
Photographers are the continuation of a line of those individuals charged with honestly recording the world as it exists – kin to the scribes of ancient Greece or the story-tellers of the Medieval world. Shame on you for thinking it cool or awesome to lie through your computer when preparing a piece of historical information to be believed as the truth by future generations.
For myself, as a Fellow of the Professional Photographers of Canada and past National Exhibition Chairman, the end of my career came about 5 years ago, but I remain an enthusiastic judge and instructor when the opportunity presents itself. I hope that others will start asking themselves what their purpose in the art of portraiture really is, and raise their level of competence high enough to attain both truth and beauty at the click of a button.
Love! Awesome! Epic!
Even though the grammer was that of a third grader I made it through this whole post. I thought to myself, “could it be that he has a good point?” I was almost there, until I went to his own site only to see that he was just like everyone else. I have been a professional photographer for only a year and have been successful at the goals I set for that time. I have to say that while I agree on some points, most of this post reads like someone who is actually more concerned what everyone else is doing rather than focusing on his or her own art. Going to the blog only furthered that thought in that the first couple posts are photobooths and all sorts of processing etc etc. The very same thing you bitch about in this post you yourself are guility of. People.. if you actually take the time to read this… take it at face value. Do what you do because you like it and pay no attention to anyone else.
Thank you Dave. This was a wake up call.. a swift kick to the pants.. any photographer can relate to this letter and I greatly appreciate you sharing..
Thank you.
-Brian James
Thanks David. I just read your post for a second time. It really resonated with me. We all have doubts and I question my own work and where I fit into this crazy thing called “wedding photography”
I don’t think the post was negative. It was an honest assessment of a person who has the redeeming quality of humility so they can look at themselves honestly.
I am so sick of the bull crap “kum bay yah” let’s all be positive attitude 100% of the time. This is life
people!
Thanks for the inspiration and honesty.
Damn, where’s your rope? kidding, a good example of how to second guess a career in photography. it’s truly now as easy as many out there think it is, and way to many think they have what it takes to be a “pro” and give it a try anyway.
Oh brother. Dave, calm down. Pick up your camera, and go outside and play!
That’s some good shit.
I would like to see it as a One-Man-Show at WPPI or an other convention.
Just you on a black stage in a spotlight.
You take the letter out of an envelope and unfold it.
You start to read it aloud as you slowly walk across the stage followed by the spot light.
As you reach the other end of the stage, a full length mirror is revealed and the audience understands that you are talking to yourself.
Then, you grab a sledge hammer and smash the mirror.
Shards of glass fall to the ground as the orderlies (played by Chase and Zack) run in and force you back into your straight jacket.
An Australian doctor then enters and feeds you your meds from a tiny paper cup.
Jasmine Star appears floating from up above. She gently glides down to the stage and cradles your head as you collapse onto a tattered mattress.
Fade to Black.
Wow.
Jason, nice rip w/the third grader comment. I’m left to assume you consider that an insult.
You added, “…I made it through this whole post.”
Really?
“The very same thing you bitch about in this post you yourself are guility of. People.. if you actually take the time to read this…”
I think you’re *guilty* of skipping to the “flame button” instead, missing the flip, which was the whole point of David’s post.
lol I would say your typing what I think but then I am the subject of the discussion so catch-22…. I don’t want to run a workshop so it must not be me but wait… damn the rest is not a wide miss for what I think of me… Oh… the pain… the pain…. as Dr Smith would say for those old enough to pick the reference :-) [or maybe that has been remade already so others will get the ref… dunno… don’t care really :-) ].
Yeah I got it… must be talking about someone else :-) Not a month goes by that I don’t want to sell this camera and buy a week or two on a beach instead….. cause it would NO DOUBT help my images.
Great, Dave, you’ve hit the point. It reminded to me how several years ago, when I, an amateur photographer, proudly started taking commissions (I even did not look for them – people began offering them to me, because they liked me shots). I did not understand that I was entering the local market and in a way ruining it – a low price photographer with insufficient knowledge and skills. Suddenly my friend – an excellent fashion photographer yelled at me: “You all buy these digital cameras, you take mediocre photos, you dare to call yourself photographers and you push professionals out. I’ve been leaning photography from my teens, I’ve earned my knowledge hard way, I spent days and nights in the printing house just to listen to a veteran worker, who agreed to share his knowledge, I was told by a model agent that the second Xerox copy of lingerie shop sales newspaper add looks sexier than my studio fashion shots, I’ve been learning every day, and now you all come!…” Till this day I’m grateful to him for every word he screamed – and he taught me a few things. And I still can hardly say aloud: “I’m a photographer”.
As a journalist, I can only ad, that the same happens in the field of mass writing. Many, too many people, who are lacking the very sense of word, of writing, of journalism, have flooded the info space.
2007? – you’re still a newbie…join ASMP, or PPA at least they care
This is well written and is the hard truth about how easy it is for ANYONE with a camera to be able to hang out a shingle an call themselves a photographer. Be true to yourself and RESPECT THE INDUSTRY!
I do have to agree with a lot of what you are saying but lets all be honest everyone that has a passion for the trade has to start somewhere and if we don’t show some up coming new photographers how to do things in a professional way then like a lot of things in the great country of ours (USA) the art will be lots and then we will have all the guest at a wedding or event taking digital pictures for them or maybe people will just have to go to Wal-Mart and pay about $10 for a package and just cut out all of the professionals. I myself still do a lot of film and not much digital, but we all do have to take some time and train the new people how to do things in a professional way. I am proud that I served for our great country (USMC) so that it gives us all the right to do the things we like doing and the ability to pick something that we would love to do. So lets all pick up our cameras and go out and teach some new up coming professional so that our trade never dies, and always remember we all didn’t just pick up a camera and poof we were professional, we all had to start off crawling before we could ever run. Sempre Fi and let us all remember all the men and women that are fighting for our rights and wish them all a safe trip home soon.
Wow I was actually starting to get mad because I was thinking “Really?! Another photographer getting their panties in a bunch over the “local” photographer who isn’t “as good as them” finding success?” Hahaha. In the comments above, Rick may have known the twist, but I didn’t because I have actually seen this attitude in photography forums and blogs spread across Internet land towards other photographers!
I admire your honesty in this blog post, and clearly you have found some level success in this field and I don’t think you should underestimate that (and I’m sure you don’t and are grateful everyday for what you do!) but I appreciate any artist who are willing to look at themselves and see what is working for them and what isn’t working for them. Very inspiring!
I would be curious for a follow up on this at some point, wondering what if any changes you have made to rectify how you feel when you wrote this.
Thanks for giving us all a good wake up call! I appreciated your honesty, bravery, and ability to communicate your thoughts in a way that truly made me think.
Thanks for giving us all a good wake up call! I appreciated your honesty, bravery, and ability to communicate your thoughts in a way that truly made me think.
Refreshing! Awesome stuff man. I don’t care if you’re talking to yourself or everyone else…it’s right on.
Yup, we opened in 2001, and were just noticing an assimilation to the “new traditional”. Ugh, so much of us forget why we do this. It’s not about being young and fabulous. Thanks?
Excellent letter and I’m glad I stumbled across it. Reading through it, although tough as it is an accurate description of myself, was an amazing journey. I think as photographers its good to be hard on ourselves like that in order to keep on growing and evolving. If we don’t bother to criticize or question ourselves (IMHO :) ) then what’s the point of picking up a camera in the first place? What’s the point of trying to be an artist? Why even try if we could most likely make more money and have less stress working at a corporation?
Thanks for chewing me out…now it’s time to work on those problems…
What was overwhelming about this letter was how eerily it seemed to be written directly towards me. When I started back in photography after a few years off between film and digital I definitely had a higher opinion of myself (mostly due to other peoples opinions) than I should have. And now with my studio finally opening it is good that I have the work to afford it (at least right now).
Good letter.
I could write the same post but directed to almost any “genre” of professional photographers. As much as young hipster photogs lack artistic talent these days and blindly pursue fame and success without any artistic thought deeper than a desire to own the 50 L and shoot wide open, …there’s also plenty of 40-something or 50-something “veterans” who tout how long they’ve been in business, and yet their decades-in-the-making portfolio is FAR more dull than most of the “hacks” who are trying to break (into) the industry these days. So the road goes both ways…
I’m totally un-interested in industry fame or recognition, too. I’d hate to be famous as someone who simply achieved great success and made bank, let alone trying to teach others how to do the same. To me the ultimate achievemwnt would be to be remembered for the body of work I created. And that, aside from simply putting bread on the table, is all I aspire to accomlish with my camera…
=Matt=
A wonderful, wordy read. Thanks for keeping us all in check.
Finding a “voice” as a photographer is really the biggest challenge of it all.
Oh, good. For a minute, I thought he was talking about me.
Brilliant. Seriously. Raw, real and right on.
Very good and right to the point! I am in the mass sea of photographers and you can’t pick me out from another. I have years to go and I look forward to hitting that 5000 hr mark. By then I should realize that I have a long way to go. Thanks for the post and I look forward to finding more great posts on your blog.
Wow I just don’t know where to sit with this. I understand the need for self-reflection and the warning about feeling self-important. But where do we go if we can’t be proud of our work? And how many people can really be original? At some point, don’t our photos look at least SOMEWHAT similar to another photographer’s work? I’m just starting out so I have no answers to these questions… they are merely a starting point for my own introspection. I know at this point, I’m not awesome. I’m not award-winning. I’m not turning clients away. I’m just doing my best and I’m trying to be happy with the progress I’ve made for the amount of time I’ve been into photography. I want to be happy about that but now… now I feel like I should call myself a hack or a poser.
This just comes off as really bitter and jealous.
Not to me. This is honest self-examination and an acknowledgement of the graft we must do to nurture craft and discover talent.
Yes – we do need to criticize ourselves and also try different subjects, methods and approaches — its the only way to grow. Sometimes I set my own standards too high and don’t want to show stuff. This is another extreme to be avoided.
Great article, Mr. Jackson!
Thanks for this! I have just spent several months putting together a business plan in preparation for my studio opening this summer… Running a photography business is tough! Luckily, I have a great family, friends and supporters who have all stuck with me over the last year. Truthfully, I’m scared to hell! But, everything in my life is now pointing in this direction. I am also irritated by the state of the industry, and working my ass off to make a living at this has been the biggest challenge of my life.
Anyways, thanks for this post. My g/f and I both enjoyed it!
Guess you didn’t finish reading it.
You hit the nail on the head of what I DO NOT want to be. I painted protraits for 12 years and I am a year into photography…I have no high aspirations other than for our family to grow a business that will sustain us. That is it. Finding who you are in the flurry of over processed layers is daunting…I don’t even look anymore…I’m tryin gto get fresh eyes. Thank you for your letter…really got me to thinking.
Looks like you got yourself some “Wow”, “Love”, “Amazing” comments from this post. Kind of ironic.
Too many folks seem to be missing the point. He WAS talking about YOU! His twist at the end was brilliant because it: A) took the heat off of him from those who were certain to be offended; B) allowed him to vent at his own actions because I believe he really was sincere in including himself in the criticism; and C) gave him license to say out loud what many are quietly thinking. Awesome letter. Kudos to Mr. Jackson. I, for one, will take a lesson from this, and hope the open-minded among you will as well.
Bang On!
Great post and yes we are all guilty of most of the failures you highlight. The end sentiment is so true though. We are only answerable to ourselves. If we are to grow as photographers we should concentrate on that alone. Everything else is puffing up our ego.
A brilliant piece of writing, yes I thought I was about me as a reader that’s what is intended. The trap we all as pro togs fall into is believing our own PR!
I’m a newbie. I’ll admit it readily. And I appreciate this letter! Even I have looked at other “photographers'” work and scoff. But who am I, in my limited knowledge and skill, to evaluate someone else? I’ve told myself several times recently, “They are not my standard. I am my standard. I don’t need to be “better than them” or “as good as” so and so! I have certain goals for myself and for my abilities and, if this is something I REALLY should be/want to be doing, then I need to push myself to get better.
I’m a web designer – this rant could be stated almost verbatim for my industry as well. Good stuff worth thinking about. Thanks!
One thing that you have to remember is that everyone is an individual. My brother and I are both amateur photographers. We both like taking photographs in nature, and both have a fondness for macro. But, he will only take a photograph if it is of something interesting; an unusual angle, awesome lighting, something seemingly unnatural, or even something that we don’t see very often. He takes great insect photographs. I on the other hand find flowers and other plant interesting in and of them selves. I will take photographs of new growth on trees, the rose bush in the yard, and even the grass growing against the fence. If someone didn’t know our individual styles they may think that we are not original to each other, but we both have very different approaches to photography. We just happen to like similar subject matter.
Reading = fail for you Betina. Read the whole thing, yeah?
This quickly went from nearly intolerable to great. Even when it was a jealous-angry-dinosaur rant I found myself strangely agreeing with many of the views as I was preparing my flame response. I wish I were among the ambitious people you are railing against but lack the photographic self esteem to muster a play at calling myself a professional… so, it’s not that I felt attacked personally. My objection to how this post started is one has to focus the knowledge that they are better on potential clients rather than nagging narcissistic dreamers with gear and marketing skills that are getting the money that you feel you should. Anyway, I’m sure you know this… nicely written and a nice way to kick yourself in the ass.
Every word
Of this could have been pulled from my daily self dialog! As long as we are constantly pushing ourselves for more we are goon in tje right direction!
Hey,
loved this. Thanks.. It was like reading something I would say to myself on a bad day.
All of it!!
The struggle to find myself, as a photographer, and in life in general, is ongoing. I look back over 40 years work in the field and see myself being pulled away from my authentic voice, over and over again. I know this, and yet, it happens again.