September 17, 2015
It’s All About the Image…and Nothing Else Matters
Railroad Tracks
It’s all about the image and nothing else matters.
It doesn’t matter what awards the image has won.
It doesn’t matter what gallery it’s in.
It doesn’t matter how many prints have sold or for how much.
It doesn’t matter if the image appeared on the cover of a magazine.
It doesn’t matter where the image was taken.
It doesn’t matter what equipment was used.
It doesn’t matter if the image was taken with a prime or zoom lens.
it doesn’t matter if it was created with film or digital.
It doesn’t matter what program or plugins were used.
It doesn’t matter what printer, ink sets or paper were used.
It doesn’t matter who the photographer is.
It doesn’t matter if they are famous or not.
It doesn’t matter where they went to school.
It doesn’t matter what famous photographers they studied with.
It doesn’t matter what critics think of the image.
It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of the image.
The only thing that matters is the image and how you feel about it.
Nothing else matters.
Do you like it?
Wonderful!
Enjoy it.
Don’t over-analyze it.
Simply enjoy it.
You don’t like it?
Maybe the image failed.
Or maybe…you simply don’t like it.
That’s okay.
We all have different tastes.
Very well said Cole. Totally agree with you!
A “work of art” is made for the “artist” in the first place. If we really like the result, the opinion of the viewer is just an opinion and nothing more.
George
Totally agree with the words and sentiment, you also have some great work cole, keep it up.
“It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of the image.” But what if a/the purpose of a particular piece of art is to send a message, persuade, enlighten or provoke thought? Some artists might create only to please themselves but I believe there are others that have a broader purpose – to effect social change for example.
Yes, I agree with this so much. So much judging of artwork seems premised on who made it, why they made it, what message they were trying to impart (wherein the message is not immediately conveyed from the work itself, but must be interpreted with a separate explanation), what philosophical bent the artist has, etc. As a viewer, I’m really only interested in what the work means to me. The merits of a piece should not be swayed by considerations outside of the four corners of that piece itself.
Chasing accolades is a futile pursuit. Our art is or should be a reflection of our inner self…an expression of our creative spirit. As has already been written, our photography is done first for ourselves and secondly to be shared with the public. The quest for attention to and rewards for our work is, to my mind, empty and hollow. In a way it contravenes the joy of making images.
In response to Roger Says:
September 18th, 2015 at 9:02 am
“But what if a/the purpose of a particular piece of art is to send a message, persuade, enlighten or provoke thought? Some artists might create only to please themselves but I believe there are others that have a broader purpose – to effect social change for example.”
If that is the case then the creator had a purpose in mind for the “ART”, such as Picasso’s Guernica (initially exhibited in July 1937 at the Spanish Pavilion at the Paris International Exposition) and not just producing the “ART” as an expression of his / her self. Which may or may not impact someone else.
I have retired from the commercial photography business and no longer have to seek the approval of clients. When I was photographing a crime scene during my 21 years as a cop I had to make sure the images were not “ART-y”, they had to be viewed, seen, and liked by the DA and the Jury. During my frustrating 21 years as a cop I owned and operated a full service photography business. I no longer need do that to live thank God. Every “Satin Circus” AKA Wedding I photographed, I had to make sure every image was liked and it looked like the images the bride, the mommies and the daddies had in mind, after all they had been looking at all those brides magazines and web sites, etc. etc.. Every portrait session I had to get into the listening of the client and produce the “image”. My commercial clients had an art director and they already knew how they wanted the construction project to look, to be shot and they wanted their refinery to look a certain way for the impact they were looking for.
I used to be a member during this period of the PPA (professional photographers of America), TPPA (Texas Professional Photographers Association), and the Houston PPA Guild and camera clubs. You had to be recognized and enter photo competitions and win some kind of something or your work just was not acceptable. The winners of the fall competition would create copycat entries in the spring competition. But that is the nature of business and the business of photography.
There is room for “ART” in that business but that is not the primary mission.
Roger is correct that if our mission to target an audience then yes, acceptance and approval is key.
However this conversation, Cole’s conversation is about personal inner vision and the art that is born from that personal inner vision. Art born, created and produced for no other purpose than for self-expression of the inner vision, that vision from our mind’s eye, our third eye if you wish. “ART” produced with no expectation of approval or reward.
A commercial note: Last night I finished watching Cole’s videos very well done, very well done indeed.
Namaste,
Michael L Young
Houston, TX
Y2photo.net
I should have been more clear that I was writing about viewing images and what should not influence you in judging an image.
Cole,
You stir an interesting point here can we view and image without judging an image?
Are we as humans capable of doing that? Completely view an image, to get inside the image, to accept the image and not judge it. Not Judge based upon, subject, technique, perspective or point of view.
Can we view an image, with the idea that it is more than just the subject?
That is like having an acceptance based conversation with another sentient being more specifically human. To accept does not mean I have to agree with but merely live in the reality of the way the other person is and proceed with our dialog based upon that with no judgement.
Visual dialog acceptance of an image, interesting perspective.
Namaste,
Michael L Young
Houston, TX
Y2photo.net
My recent readings have been about other arts, such as writing, and poetry, and any connection or similarities with photography.
Here’s what a former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer winner (Ted Kooser) had to say about writing: “Poetry’s purpose is to reach other people and to touch their hearts. If a poem doesn’t make sense to anybody but it’s author, nobody but it’s author will care a whit about it”.
Not to be the Devil’s advocate, but why is photography any different? If your photographs are merely the equivalent of a personal journal, then I can see that it doesn’t “matter a whit” what other people think. It’s all yours and all personal, regardless of your content or your craft.
But if your purpose is to communicate, and to attempt to “touch hearts”, well, wouldn’t that be a horse of different color?
I’m still working on this, but my hunch is that all art,including photography, emits from a soul, screaming to be heard and seen.
Ha! Even your pronouncements are B&W. Love it, and agree.
This image just knocks my socks off…….beautiful!
Matters not what brand socks they are.
Take care.
Examine Ted Kooser’s path he is an English professor and a poet not to take anything away but he needs to publish, submit and be acknowledged or perish in the world of academia. It is good that such an acclaimed academician can speak for all poets and define the singular true purpose for poetry. This issue is bound by western dualism thinking and the answer is really found in the non-duality of the subject. It is like light it is both wave and particle.
BTW.
I like his poetry.
Namaste,
Michael L Young
Houston,TX
Well, Cole, and all the folks above, this has been interesting reading! Yes, I tell folks that I print only what pleases me; don’t care much if no one else likes the image…still, I am pleased if someone else does like the image. And so it goes.
I agree. When an image evokes an emotional response, that image works for me. This photo of the railroad track is hauntingly beautiful and stirs emotions for me.
I couldn’t agree more. Well said!
As always, Cole….you said it for all of us. Thanks!
A fine-art photograph is all about creating a feeling. And I know if I have succeeded when the image still holds up over time.
It bugs me when people start asking about my camera and lenses and printer used, as if they went out and made the photograph.
So you are right Cole;
Do you like it?
Wonderful.
Don’t over-analyze it.
Now its time to move on to another photograph.
Cole, it’s been a while. I just loved the post and took the liberty to translate it to portuguese and publish in our website: http://mobgraphia.com/2015/09/20/leitura-de-domingo-o-que-importa-e-a-imagem/
All the best!
Cadu
Many great comments by your audience…
I’ll add this story, once upon a time… I was on a commercial gig and while pulling into the parking lot I was stopped by the parking attendant who needed to know my official business for being there.
I explained that I was hired to take photographs. He granted me entrance and then stopped me again. This time asking me, why did I choose to become a photographer. The question seemed a bit strange, but, I got the impression that he wanted to know for personal reasons.
My explanation was typical, but for him not enough. He pressed me further asking what MADE me want to be a photographer. At this point, I knew he wanted the most serious of answers… I had nothing.
I couldn’t explain why, I do what I do… I just do it.
I think passion, love, caring and other emotions are impossible to explain…
you just do it and don’t care who’s judging, because it doesn’t matter.