p.1 #1 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
Hi y’all..
I’ve been a photographer for over 25 years and I’m young. I’ve been shooting since the age of 11.
I take my photography very seriously and can be judgmental of people whose work seems to have no real significance.
But does my work itself matter? I certainly feel it does .. but maybe it doesn’t.
I have long considered my photos to be Documentary and Fine Art .. and I have a gritty, over saturated, pulp fiction style of editing.
Could a few photographers who think of the themselves as experts and producing great work tell me what you think of my work.
…url=ordinaryamericanbeauty.com/fremont-art-sale
My work is definitely artistic in nature so the review should be from that perspective. But the very idea of pop art and pulp fiction is that it’s not that important .. A pulp fiction novel is not supposed to sit on the same level as literature.. but what do you guys think?!?!
Thank you so much! I so look forward to hearing from you guys! Does anyone else take a similar aesthetic approach to their documentary photography?! I’m also looking for a friend and a fan to share new images with maybe via text!
p.1 #2 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
Fredmiranda.com prepends HTML code that prevents your link from navigating to the site.
All we see is "Error: this link is invalid!" and a 'Back' Button.
Strip off everything from "www..." to "...url="
[hover over the URL you posted to see what I'm trying to say]
Art for art's sake, not art for anyone else but oneself. There's shooting to drive business and shooting to please yourself. Pleasing yourself allows you to ignore any negativity. Pleasing others means having to adapt to the likes and needs of others. My opinion from 65+ years of experience.
You have an eclectic taste, good eye for composition, and a wide ranges of styles -- snapshots, street photography, urbex/abandoned buildings; many would look great is a photo magazine or gallery, but none pop out as something I would buy. I don't see Fine Art, unless that is a synonym for unclassified. Real significance is in the eye of the beholder.
p.1 #3 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
You have some really nice images in there! I really like some of the street scenes you captured and other random images. I would say your style is gritty and eclectic which I like. "Significance" is a very subjective term, so that will be up to the viewer to decide ultimately. Keep doing what you're doing while continually learning and refining your craft.
I like the clean look of your website, do you mind if I ask, how you created it? Did you use Squarespace or some similar type service?
p.1 #4 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
adventure_photo wrote:
I like the clean look of your website, do you mind if I ask, how you created it? Did you use Squarespace or some similar type service?
Thank you. I used Adobe Portfolio it was free with my Lightroom subscription.
p.1 #5 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
GoodEgg wrote:
Fredmiranda.com prepends HTML code that prevents your link from navigating to the site.
All we see is "Error: this link is invalid!" and a 'Back' Button.
Strip off everything from "www..." to "...url="
[hover over the URL you posted to see what I'm trying to say]
I tried this but it didn’t make the URL a clickable link. Are you sure that’s what I was supposed to do?
p.1 #6 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
Over all I like your photography, you definitely have an eye for finding interesting scenes; certainly a very gritty and raw, documentary style, which I always appreciate.
What I don't particularly care for is the oversaturated editing, I personally tend to find it unrealistic for documentary style. For example your photo of the reflection of the Queensboro Bridge in the glass windows is a unique scene, but the colors are a bit too cooked for my taste. In comparison, your photo of Doyers Street, I think is perfect, both in regard to the scene and the more subtle true to life editing.
p.1 #7 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
What's meaningful to me is likely different than what's meaningful to you. The best measure for me is whether or not an image is meaningful to whoever is in front of the camera. You have some great photography, so technically speaking, you are on point, but meaningful? That's up to you.
p.1 #8 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
jgurbisz wrote:
Over all I like your photography, you definitely have an eye for finding interesting scenes; certainly a very gritty and raw, documentary style, which I always appreciate.
What I don't particularly care for is the oversaturated editing, I personally tend to find it unrealistic for documentary style. For example your photo of the reflection of the Queensboro Bridge in the glass windows is a unique scene, but the colors are a bit too cooked for my taste. In comparison, your photo of Doyers Street, I think is perfect, both in regard to the scene and the more subtle true to life editing. ...Show more →
I agree about my style being overcooked or over done and while I’m unashamed about it, I agree with you and the general sentiment that it’s probably too much. I could bring it down some I wouldn’t under do it either .. I could dial it back just a little to make it a little more realistic and less overdone. With age you get a little more subtle. I find that I’m dialing up my settings less while editing these days than then.
p.1 #9 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
This is a question all of us ask at some point, esp. if we spend an inordinate amount of money in pursuit of perfection, or try to sell our work. Luckily for me I'm retired and don't have to worry about that, so shoot for myself, and am very happy when I get close to my goals/vision and don't worry too much about "meaning" to to others.
I would suggest posting your work in some of the presentation forums (this one in particular) to get more feedback on your work. I'm not a street guy, so not qualified to comment how meaningful your work is.
p.1 #10 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
If you are selling your photography and making a living at it I would assume your work is meaningful at least in a monetarily way. With that being said though, I believe all photographers work is meaningful. Whether you are a pro or amateur, the product that they produce is meaningful to them in their own way. Documentary photography will always have a strong message or significance if it is documenting something historically altering. Photography, to me, has always been fun and relaxing. I love this particular forum (Fred Miranda) because I love seeing how others see the same scene through the focus of their own lens. Everyone who posts here or elsewhere has a different style and vision. If you shoot for a job you are generally pigeon holed in what you shoot. As Jim says, I shoot for myself and when I am able to get close to my vision I am happy and don't care about what others say. I do however take critique and guidance to improve my photography to apply into my own style. I would say if your photography makes you happy, it has significance. If it doesn't, well then it's not. The question if it has significance to others.....Well, you will never truly know. I have sold prints of all kinds and I'm sure that the specific print holds some significance to them for whatever reason. If you want to be famous or admired you have to be consistent and continue to put out there what you're passionate about. The masses will determine if you are worthy at that point. As far as your photography, I particularly liked the Las Vegas gallery on your site (because I live there). It gives a look into a different side of Vegas that most don't get to see. You have an eye for getting interesting frames. I definitely enjoy seeing your vision.
p.1 #11 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
J. Pow wrote:
As far as your photography, I particularly liked the Las Vegas gallery on your site (because I live there). It gives a look into a different side of Vegas that most don't get to see. You have an eye for getting interesting frames. I definitely enjoy seeing your vision.
Joel
It’s so cool to run across someone else who lives in Vegas. What style or photography do you shoot? How long have you been here?
p.1 #12 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
Jim Dockery wrote:
This is a question all of us ask at some point, esp. if we spend an inordinate amount of money in pursuit of perfection, or try to sell our work. Luckily for me I'm retired and don't have to worry about that, so shoot for myself, and am very happy when I get close to my goals/vision and don't worry too much about "meaning" to to others.
I would suggest posting your work in some of the presentation forums (this one in particular) to get more feedback on your work. I'm not a street guy, so not qualified to comment how meaningful your work is....Show more →
I can do that.. I can post here! What genre do you shoot and what are you doing in this forum if Documentary is not your genre? Hehe.
p.1 #13 · Is My Work Meaningful? What Do You Think?
Erik, I shoot mountain sports, landscape, and birds, along with what ever else catches my eye. I found your post in the "Presentation Image Boards - latest posts" section of the home page on FM, which is my starting point. Looking there helps me expand my horizons a bit and see some work outside my norms. The title of your post caught my eye because I too wonder about the general "meaning" of my work. At my age it's more of an existential question - why do I keep doing it and saving all these pictures, and what if anything, will happen to them when I'm gone? For now I just enjoy the "high" I get when out in the mountains or desert losing myself in the zen of looking/shooting, then reliving the experience at home when processing.
I look foreward to seeing some of your work posted here.
