"Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. it's the one and only thing you have to offer." - Barbara Kingsolver
🧐 It's interesting. I often think of social media as a dual edged sword. Of course, we artists use these spaces as somewhere to showcase our work, a virtual gallery. However there is some level of recognition we all are looking for. Whether in an actual/physical gallery or online. My question for my group of colleagues is; in the decisive moment, while out shooting, how does one combat creating images that others will “like” ❤️ versus creating images that are true to oneself?
Often, the black and white Instagram community has distinct similarity. Of course, each artist is posting what they create. As one sees the recognition that others get for a particular style of image, it is human nature to gravitate toward that in one’s personal work. Is there a way to avoid this?
I think there is. First, you have to stop caring. here’s what I mean.
I really don’t care what people think about my work. Please don’t misunderstand me. Of course I care about critique. Critique is a method to force some reflection on one’s work as an artist, to step away from the personal nature of one’s work, and really hone in on problems that could be avoided in the future. However, I really try not to let it go beyond that.
What I don’t care about is if you immediately like what I have posted. If someone thinks my work is boring, cliche, overly processed, not processed enough, not ‘real’ street photography, derivative, or lackluster; I don’t care. What I care about is my process. What I care about is my final image, what is says about me, what is says about my journey as an artist, what is says about what I have learned thus far. If someone does not like my work, then it’s NOT FOR THEM. And thats ok. I don’t listen to country music. No matter how elegant, beautifully written, relevant, etc, the style of music is not for me. AND THATS OK!
I often make the analogy that street photography is hiphop. This particular topic ( being true to one’s work) is one where I find parallels. An emerging or established hiphop artist has two options when they present their work. Either they make original work that has a unique sound or they make work that they know others will like. Some find a happy medium. Its simple really, listen to any top 40 station and all of the hiphop music sounds very similar. The art of hiphop over the course of 20 years has become the same sonically, by the choice of those artists. In underground hiphop circles, they have ‘sold out’ to move units, to sell as much as possible.
I fear the same thing can occur in street photography. It’s easy to get trapped on social media and see what is popular. One may even want to emulate what you see. I ask; to what end? What more important? The perpetual popularity or the beauty of the work itself? The sense of self worth one or validation one may find from doing what is popular or the self satisfaction one gets from finding one’s own voice in their work.
Personally, my daily push is to present my images. What I think is beautiful. What has drawn my eye. Sometimes I will have thousands of people comment and talk about the work, sometimes less than a hundred. To me, this doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I am being true to my eye, my voice, and my self. If someone doesn’t see what I see, or understand my work, thats ok. This is MY JOURNEY, not theirs.
What is your journey?
Maurice