January 29, 2015
Popular vs. Great
Harbinger Vs. Auschwitz
Last week I pointed out that my Harbinger image had almost 40 times more Flickr “favorites” than my Auschwitz image and I asked:
What do you think it means?
I heard a lot of great ideas and appreciated some new ones that I hadn’t thought of. And now I’d like to tell you what I think it means…
It means that more people like the Harbinger image.
What it doesn’t mean is that Harbinger is a “better” image. Popular does not mean better.
Who decides which images are good, bad, better or great? I do, but only for myself…and you do, but only for yourself. What I need to decide is:
Am I going to pursue popular or great?
Creating an image that is popular can be a fleeting pleasure. But when you create an image that you love, that’s a deep satisfaction that stays with you.
Here’s an image that I’ve just finished of the Moai at Tongariki.
I love this image and so what other people think about it, is not important to me.
As I love to say: nobody is more of an expert than you when it comes to your Vision!
Cole
Hi cole,I agree with everything you say,you obviously have reached the top of the triangle (maslows theory) I feel myself I’m nearly there but not quite:-) but that’s only in the photography world that could be because it’s all relatively new to me,as for the original question about the two images my personal opinion for what it’s worth is that some may find it difficult to favour something which maybe subconsciously uncomfortable to them.
Keep up the inspiring work
Regards nick
Cole,
Your earlier post asking the question got me thinking, but I certainly couldn’t answer it satisfactorily. One thing that may play into it, other than the things that have been mentioned, is that the audience on Flickr is different than the audience on Facebook, or Google+, or wherever. But that doesn’t really say very much, I’m afraid.
I do find that the two images evoke very different responses in me. Yet I find them both powerful and thought-provoking. I think I would expect the Harbinger to be more popular for many of the reasons stated. In addition, I also think that the Harbinger has a very “finished” appearance. It seems to me that an appearance like that has great popular appeal.
But great? They are both great, for some reasons that are the same, and some that are as different as are the images.
Nick, you and several others make a great point and perhaps I muddied my message by using an image such as Auschwitz that has so much emotional baggage attached.
As Scott points out, the images evoke such a different response.
If I did it over, I’d choose a different image to make my point a little easier.
Cole
Moai at Tongariki is a phenomenal image. I love it!
Very inspiring work.
Love is what keeps me creating.
Auschwitz, IMHO, is the more creative of the two, both in concept and content.
But…I “like” Harbinger better!
hi cole,
i subscribe to your theory of photographic chastity and rarely look at other’s work. i also don’t care much about what other think of my own work as i shoot for my own pleasure. if others like it, good for them. i still believe that any response, be it love or hatred of my work, is better than someone telling me it’s ‘interesting’, which means nothing.
thanks for poking my brain.
Cole,
As always you present a great commentary which really speaks to me. Being relatively new to photography has been challenging. I’m contemplating where I want to take this hobby that is slowly evolving into a passion. I see so many different “styles” of images on the web. Some, classified as fine art photography, have me scratching my head and others are over processed HDR images. Neither appeal to me but that doesn’t mean those images are good or bad. Perspectives are like belly buttons…we all have one and they’re all different.
I know what I like and don’t like and I continually challenge myself to improve as a photographer along the path I have chosen. I’ve decided I won’t allow myself to be distracted by anyone who doesn’t “like” my images. I’m always willing to listen to other perspectives and glean tidbits that help me grow. But in the end I have to like what I shoot and that’s all that matters.
Thanks so much for your continuing dialog on this topic.
Always good and necessary to be reminded that we are the experts of our vision.
That will be my new mantra!
Cole,
first off, I love the Moai image, it’s great (pun intended) – I especially like the toning and textures, not to mention, of course, the composition itself.
There are so many ways to “read” this image, this solemn row of Moai looking at the future (pick your choice: past, you, etc…)
You’ve made it abundantly clear that you make images that you feel are great, that fulfill your Vision. Sometimes, they are also popular.
(I’m glad I’m being photographically promiscuous by looking at these images;-)).
I get a funny, in some sense bittersweet feeling when one of my posted photos becomes very popular online, when it’s not even one that I consider as great as some other less popular one. It’s not to say I dislike the popular ones (otherwise I would not have posted it), but still it underlines how dissonant my view is from the audience in general.
It also leads me not to try to predict popular taste, it is too variable and heterogenous, except maybe for some clichés (there is an interesting blog post on this by Ugo Cei – http://goo.gl/yHjc8I). The bottom line is, the only “stable” reference I have is my Vision, so there isn’t any other option really, if I want to be at peace with myself.