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The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

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Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#11

Post by Swizec »

StavrosK wrote: post #10

What I've realized about photography is that it's all but pointless. Virtually every single person on earth is a photographer, there's so much supply of great content that it's unlikely that anyone will ever give a damn about your photos. So, just do what you like. Express yourself, shoot what you like, when you like it, and don't worry too much about the rest. Maybe I'm too pessimistic (or just bad), but I've relinq…

How do you define "any kind of audience"? It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram.

Can you get into galleries? Eh that's really really hard you're right.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#12

Post by StavrosK »

Swizec wrote: post #11
StavrosK wrote: post #10

What I've realized about photography is that it's all but pointless. Virtually every single person on earth is a photographer, there's so much supply of great content that it's unlikely that anyone will ever give a damn about your photos. So, just do what you like. Express yourself, shoot what you like, when you like it, and don't worry too much about the rest. Maybe I'm too pessimistic (or just bad), but I've relinq…

How do you define "any kind of audience"? It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. Can you get into galleries? Eh that's really really hard you're right.

> It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram.

How? I post new photos every few days and my follower count actually goes down. I get a bunch of accounts following me automatically and unfollowing me after a few days, just to get me to follow them back.

Maybe my photos are terrible, but I don't think so? https://www.instagram.com/stavroskorok/

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#13

Post by o10449366 »

StavrosK wrote: post #12
Swizec wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you define "any kind of audience"? It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. Can you get into galleries? Eh that's really really hard you're right.

> It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. How? I post new photos every few days and my follower count actually goes down. I get a bunch of accounts following me automatically and unfollowing me after a few days, just to get me to follow them back. Maybe my photos are terrible, but I don't think so? https://www.instagram.com/stavroskorok/

I like your photos. That being said, I think it's hard to succeed on Instagram specifically unless you have a very well-defined theme or style. There's nothing wrong with trying a little bit of everything, but I think it's also understandable that the people who initially followed you because they saw a great portrait you took may not be interested in your landscapes.

I have an Instagram account that's private and mainly followed by my personal friends. I post whatever I want on there - my paid photography work, my life updates, pictures of my cat, etc. but I also keep a separate, public account that's strictly for my professional portrait work. I think having that separation helps for retaining interest.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#14

Post by alokm »

StavrosK wrote: post #12
Swizec wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you define "any kind of audience"? It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. Can you get into galleries? Eh that's really really hard you're right.

> It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. How? I post new photos every few days and my follower count actually goes down. I get a bunch of accounts following me automatically and unfollowing me after a few days, just to get me to follow them back. Maybe my photos are terrible, but I don't think so? https://www.instagram.com/stavroskorok/

Your photos are good. Getting instagram followers in itself is a separate set of skills than being a good photographer. There is no scope of "organic" growth when the platform is swamped with people trying out different tricks.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#15

Post by platz »

StavrosK wrote: post #12
Swizec wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you define "any kind of audience"? It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. Can you get into galleries? Eh that's really really hard you're right.

> It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. How? I post new photos every few days and my follower count actually goes down. I get a bunch of accounts following me automatically and unfollowing me after a few days, just to get me to follow them back. Maybe my photos are terrible, but I don't think so? https://www.instagram.com/stavroskorok/

Your photos are very well executed and pristine.

I think it depends on what you want. Do you want followers? Do you want originality? Do you want to get in galleries? Do you want clients? Do you want to have fun? Are you documenting your life or someone else?

These are all different goals, I'm not sure which one you're prioritizing for.

I admit I don't know about getting followers on Instagram.

For example, gallery artists might try to play with the formal properties of the photo and surprise the viewer in some special way.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#16

Post by scott_s »

StavrosK wrote: post #12
Swizec wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you define "any kind of audience"? It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. Can you get into galleries? Eh that's really really hard you're right.

> It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. How? I post new photos every few days and my follower count actually goes down. I get a bunch of accounts following me automatically and unfollowing me after a few days, just to get me to follow them back. Maybe my photos are terrible, but I don't think so? https://www.instagram.com/stavroskorok/

I like your pictures. (I'm not a photographer, just someone who can look at some stuff and say "I like that" and not necessarily know why.)

But I find some of your comments odd. Such as: "Another shot of the lighthouse in Chania." Well, yes, it's a picture, so I can see that it's a lighthouse, and it's obviously a shot. The only information in that sentence, then is "Chania," but where is that? From the tags, I guess it's Greece, so maybe the comment should just be "Chania, Greece." If the lighthouse has a proper name, then that would be better.

Another example: "Here's a boat." That doesn't have any information. Where is the boat? What kind of boat? Who is on it? What are they doing? You don't need to say any of this, but some context would help tell a story. The problem with "Here's a boat" is that it is completely reductionist. I get that maybe you're going for self-aware deprecation, but when presenting your art, that does not come off clever. It comes off unconfident.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#17

Post by dillutedfixer »

scott_s wrote: post #16
StavrosK wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's very easy to get hundreds and even thousands of followers on instagram. How? I post new photos every few days and my follower count actually goes down. I get a bunch of accounts following me automatically and unfollowing me after a few days, just to get me to follow them back. Maybe my photos are terrible, but I don't think so? https://www.instagram.com/stavroskorok/

I like your pictures. (I'm not a photographer, just someone who can look at some stuff and say "I like that" and not necessarily know why.) But I find some of your comments odd. Such as: "Another shot of the lighthouse in Chania." Well, yes, it's a picture, so I can see that it's a lighthouse, and it's obviously a shot. The only information in that sentence, then is "Chania," but where is that? From the tags, I guess…

This.

Tell a story with the photo. There are millions and millions of photos out there, but only YOU have your viewpoint. Only YOU have your intellect and knowledge. Tell a story, it will be unique and people might like it.

Also, Instagram is not the measure of success. I know a few photographers who are good, even excellent, and have more Instagram followers than Sebastião Salgado, who in my opinion is the best photographer walking the earth right now.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#18

Post by willio58 »

StavrosK wrote: post #10

What I've realized about photography is that it's all but pointless. Virtually every single person on earth is a photographer, there's so much supply of great content that it's unlikely that anyone will ever give a damn about your photos. So, just do what you like. Express yourself, shoot what you like, when you like it, and don't worry too much about the rest. Maybe I'm too pessimistic (or just bad), but I've relinq…

I have the same perspective but I don’t consider it pessimistic. My photography is for me, and my friends if they see it.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#19

Post by scarejunba »

StavrosK wrote: post #10

What I've realized about photography is that it's all but pointless. Virtually every single person on earth is a photographer, there's so much supply of great content that it's unlikely that anyone will ever give a damn about your photos. So, just do what you like. Express yourself, shoot what you like, when you like it, and don't worry too much about the rest. Maybe I'm too pessimistic (or just bad), but I've relinq…

Well, it's not for nameless others, right? It's for me and my friends. Almost all of my photographs are only seen by my friends as we reminisce over some trip we took together or something funny that happened that day. And when the photo is good, it evokes the moment better.

Re: The Newbie Photographer’s Survival Guide

#20

Post by cageface »

StavrosK wrote: post #10

What I've realized about photography is that it's all but pointless. Virtually every single person on earth is a photographer, there's so much supply of great content that it's unlikely that anyone will ever give a damn about your photos. So, just do what you like. Express yourself, shoot what you like, when you like it, and don't worry too much about the rest. Maybe I'm too pessimistic (or just bad), but I've relinq…

You can say that about any creative work now. There is an incredible glut of new books, music, painting, and even film. Unless you’re willing to make self promotion a full time job you will release your work into obscurity.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be creative of course. It just means you should approach it in such a way that the enjoyment you get out of it is its own reward.

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