Remember when some smartass posted a bunch of classic old photos from the masters as if they were his and all of the same jerks who are criticizing your work snuck out from under their stones and told him how they'd do it better with a better lens. Well, they aren't worth your time. Keep on with whatever feels good as you go out the door.
Great cartoon! And I wonder if it somehow led to your next post. - A Better Camera? (Love the photo of the body between the two sets of feet in that post.)
I've been reading your posts everyday for years. We're the same age. I've lived in Austin since 1974 when I entered UT. I rarely comment but I just wanted to say that for me the key to the success of your blog - what makes it so enjoyable and fascinating - is simply that you don't have a road map or specific plan for it. It's always reflected who you are and what you're thinking at any given moment, and so much of that is relatable, which may be the main reason I enjoy it so much.
Most of the working stiffs I know who are excellent, perhaps outstanding, photographers share some common traits. (1) They can’t stop shooting; they’ve taken far more pictures that weren’t paid for than were. (2) They love their toys. The latest super camera may only show that it’s better when you press your nose against a large print, but it is a wonderful toy. (3) And, if they have a public life on the internet, or even off the internet, there will always be negative comments from relatively anonymous people who, I guess, want to share a little of that person’s spotlight. However, just because they are discourteous is not a guarantee of their wisdom, perhaps the opposite.
"I wake up, I don't know where I've been And then I'll start over again". <-- quoting Canadian band "The grapes of wrath" from their song "What was going through my head" :-) When I feel down about stuff including work and photos i just have a nap or an espresso or a nice meal ideally all 3 and then I'm able to be enthusiastic again! Works for me #ymmv Don't let the h*ters bog you down. If you being you requires you turning off comments or not blogging for a bit so be it :-) #UBeU as the kids say !
Just remember, the haters are genetically and intellectually malformed ;)
I learned a long time ago not to take their self serving drivel seriously. It doesn't effect me one iota. The delete key is your friend.
Also gushing praise I take with a grain of salt too. I appreciate that they like what I am doing, but I realize there are 1000's that can do it just as well if not better than I can. It's all about being real Zen about things.
We artists tend to be a bit sensitive at the best of times lol. I believe the inventor of Prozac said "everyone should be on it". He felt the world would be a much happier place. Not sure about that, but I think mental illness is the number one pandemic everyone is ignoring right now.
In the old days if you were down and angry people would tell you to suck it up and get on with it. Probably not the right approach but it seems there are more and more seriously ill people not sucking it up and take their anger out on their fellow man with an AR15. Maybe they thought they got to the end as well and didn't know what else to do.
Hi Kirk, Re; you next post... Whenever I get pissed off with coming back with ordinary photos with my Leicas I grab my Ricoh Grdigital iv with a sensor the size of a fleas ball and just let rip with it, I'm always surprised how much better the pics are when I stop being serious and don't give a crap. All the best, Mark
I've got no life advice to offer, but out of curiosity, has anyone gotten together with other VSL readers yet, and if so, how did it go?
Maybe the biggest difference between my pre-pandemic life, and now, is that now I've got a lot more time alone with my thoughts, whereas before, it was all constant busy-ness and things vying for my immediate attention. Sometimes I almost miss the busywork; pretty sick, huh?
My answer to you: It's a better frame of mind with an ok camera! Whatever your frame of mind and whichever camera you use I am just going to keep reading whatever you write because for all of the crappy world issues you list, which affect me too, your almost daily thoughts about photography, swimming, broken refrigerators, etc. help me, and I suspect many of your readers, keep everything in my very similar world in a better perspective. Tomorrow I need to replace my old washer with one that will drain the wet laundry again without going out of balance. Here's hoping my experience with a new appliance does not require my reflecting on the lessons I have learned from your experience!
Regarding your "A Better Camera?" post...: You sound a little tired, and maybe that's just a thing that possibly happens after a long and successful career in photography...? I think many of your readers have the "privilege" to do photography just for fun and not for a living, and even then it can be tough to keep the mojo, in my opinion. As someone already noted, maybe it helps to shift away from gear a bit and take a good old "non UBER camera" (Pana G9?) or something just for fun. I think you can be content with what you have achieved. I have stopped listening to folks telling me this or that could be improved, just for the sake of telling; It is hard enough ignoring my own voice telling the same ;-) Maybe it is time to shift expectations and try different things...? I don't mean to tell you anything, just had a bit of a hard time seeing (hearing) you like this...
Kirk, regarding "A better camera", I don't want to contradict you in any way, but just point out that all those lovely people were also pre-Covid, pre-Trump and pre-collapse of civilization. They were part of the process, I'm sure.
Kirk, I am also 67. Photography for me is a way to see the world. I feel a bit naked without a camera ...irrespective of any result I might achieve. The process of looking thru a viewfinder (any viewfinder) seems to settle me down and provides some form of inspiration. I am mostly responding to your latest post ...wasn't possible to do that on the site. Your take on how you feel now vs. in 2019 echoes my own feelings. The world I know has certainly changed and your statements mirror my feelings perfectly:
"...the death of my father, the Covid pandemic, the Trump years, and the general collapse of civilization."
I appreciate your posts because they are not just about the gear. Of course, I enjoy that too, but your feelings about life in general are very helpful to me given our shared age and shared hobby. Comments really don't matter. Your photos are better than most taken by your readers. Just doesn't matter what they say.
You are a great portraitist! I especially admire your black and white portraiture. Have you thought about 'formal' portraiture on the street? I have done some. I enjoy taking a model to the streets and posing them. Great fun!
"Hi Kirk, maybe have someone weed out the negative stuff..."
Sure. First I need to lay out the job parameters, establish a budget for the new hire, outfit some office space for them, and instruct them on all the parameters that might piss me off...
Wait, this is not a revenue generating site. How am I supposed to pay for all that? And how long would you like to wait before you see any comments? One thing that makes this blog so superior to similar subject blogs is the breathtaking speed of comment moderation. Minutes, not days. Or weeks.
27 comments:
Yes, it does feel that way sometimes, everybody with their cell phones and all. That's when you have to think outside the box.
As for the better frame of mind, it's called Vitamin D or sunlight it improves your state of mind. I wish we had more of it here in Oregon.
Have fun
Remember when some smartass posted a bunch of classic old photos from the masters as if they were his and all of the same jerks who are criticizing your work snuck out from under their stones and told him how they'd do it better with a better lens. Well, they aren't worth your time. Keep on with whatever feels good as you go out the door.
Great cartoon! And I wonder if it somehow led to your next post. - A Better Camera? (Love the photo of the body between the two sets of feet in that post.)
I've been reading your posts everyday for years. We're the same age. I've lived in Austin since 1974 when I entered UT. I rarely comment but I just wanted to say that for me the key to the success of your blog - what makes it so enjoyable and fascinating - is simply that you don't have a road map or specific plan for it. It's always reflected who you are and what you're thinking at any given moment, and so much of that is relatable, which may be the main reason I enjoy it so much.
Onward thru the fog!
- Martin
"Now what so we do?"
Start over of course.
I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Mickey (except I like Michael Johnson). You are an inspiration to many of us.
Most of the working stiffs I know who are excellent, perhaps outstanding, photographers share some common traits. (1) They can’t stop shooting; they’ve taken far more pictures that weren’t paid for than were. (2) They love their toys. The latest super camera may only show that it’s better when you press your nose against a large print, but it is a wonderful toy. (3) And, if they have a public life on the internet, or even off the internet, there will always be negative comments from relatively anonymous people who, I guess, want to share a little of that person’s spotlight. However, just because they are discourteous is not a guarantee of their wisdom, perhaps the opposite.
You’re a braver man than I am, putting yourself out on the internet. Hope to continue hearing your views on life and photography.
Just remember - may of us read your bog almost every day day. We enjoy it and would miss it if it disappeared.
"I wake up, I don't know where I've been
And then I'll start over again". <-- quoting Canadian band "The grapes of wrath" from their song "What was going through my head" :-) When I feel down about stuff including work and photos i just have a nap or an espresso or a nice meal ideally all 3 and then I'm able to be enthusiastic again! Works for me #ymmv Don't let the h*ters bog you down. If you being you requires you turning off comments or not blogging for a bit so be it :-) #UBeU as the kids say !
Just remember, the haters are genetically and intellectually malformed ;)
I learned a long time ago not to take their self serving drivel seriously. It doesn't effect me one iota. The delete key is your friend.
Also gushing praise I take with a grain of salt too. I appreciate that they like what I am doing, but I realize there are 1000's that can do it just as well if not better than I can. It's all about being real Zen about things.
We artists tend to be a bit sensitive at the best of times lol. I believe the inventor of Prozac said "everyone should be on it". He felt the world would be a much happier place. Not sure about that, but I think mental illness is the number one pandemic everyone is ignoring right now.
In the old days if you were down and angry people would tell you to suck it up and get on with it. Probably not the right approach but it seems there are more and more seriously ill people not sucking it up and take their anger out on their fellow man with an AR15. Maybe they thought they got to the end as well and didn't know what else to do.
So sad.
Eric
I think you should just turn off comments and keep doing what you are doing.
Hi Kirk,
Re; you next post...
Whenever I get pissed off with coming back with ordinary photos with my Leicas I grab my Ricoh Grdigital iv with a sensor the size of a fleas ball and just let rip with it, I'm always surprised how much better the pics are when I stop being serious and don't give a crap.
All the best, Mark
What Dr. Mickey said.
Ken
I've got no life advice to offer, but out of curiosity, has anyone gotten together with other VSL readers yet, and if so, how did it go?
Maybe the biggest difference between my pre-pandemic life, and now, is that now I've got a lot more time alone with my thoughts, whereas before, it was all constant busy-ness and things vying for my immediate attention. Sometimes I almost miss the busywork; pretty sick, huh?
Jeff in Colorado
My answer to you: It's a better frame of mind with an ok camera! Whatever your frame of mind and whichever camera you use I am just going to keep reading whatever you write because for all of the crappy world issues you list, which affect me too, your almost daily thoughts about photography, swimming, broken refrigerators, etc. help me, and I suspect many of your readers, keep everything in my very similar world in a better perspective. Tomorrow I need to replace my old washer with one that will drain the wet laundry again without going out of balance. Here's hoping my experience with a new appliance does not require my reflecting on the lessons I have learned from your experience!
Regarding your "A Better Camera?" post...: You sound a little tired, and maybe that's just a thing that possibly happens after a long and successful career in photography...?
I think many of your readers have the "privilege" to do photography just for fun and not for a living, and even then it can be tough to keep the mojo, in my opinion. As someone already noted, maybe it helps to shift away from gear a bit and take a good old "non UBER camera" (Pana G9?) or something just for fun. I think you can be content with what you have achieved. I have stopped listening to folks telling me this or that could be improved, just for the sake of telling; It is hard enough ignoring my own voice telling the same ;-)
Maybe it is time to shift expectations and try different things...? I don't mean to tell you anything, just had a bit of a hard time seeing (hearing) you like this...
Kirk, regarding "A better camera", I don't want to contradict you in any way, but just point out that all those lovely people were also pre-Covid, pre-Trump and pre-collapse of civilization. They were part of the process, I'm sure.
Kirk, I am also 67. Photography for me is a way to see the world. I feel a bit naked without a camera ...irrespective of any result I might achieve. The process of looking thru a viewfinder (any viewfinder) seems to settle me down and provides some form of inspiration. I am mostly responding to your latest post ...wasn't possible to do that on the site. Your take on how you feel now vs. in 2019 echoes my own feelings. The world I know has certainly changed and your statements mirror my feelings perfectly:
"...the death of my father, the Covid pandemic, the Trump years, and the general collapse of civilization."
I appreciate your posts because they are not just about the gear. Of course, I enjoy that too, but your feelings about life in general are very helpful to me given our shared age and shared hobby. Comments really don't matter. Your photos are better than most taken by your readers. Just doesn't matter what they say.
You are a great portraitist! I especially admire your black and white portraiture. Have you thought about 'formal' portraiture on the street? I have done some. I enjoy taking a model to the streets and posing them. Great fun!
when I hit a drought I grab my dad's old Rolleiflex TLR. I don't know why but that camera is magic.
Eric
i've started making an effort to try new angles, vary my route slightly etc
Hi Kirk, maybe have someone weed out the negative stuff...
"Hi Kirk, maybe have someone weed out the negative stuff..."
Sure. First I need to lay out the job parameters, establish a budget for the new hire, outfit some office space for them, and instruct them on all the parameters that might piss me off...
Wait, this is not a revenue generating site. How am I supposed to pay for all that? And how long would you like to wait before you see any comments? One thing that makes this blog so superior to similar subject blogs is the breathtaking speed of comment moderation. Minutes, not days. Or weeks.
Fast feedback is a bonus. I'd give up reading about snooker for faster moderation on some other sites.
In your Better Camera post, I have to say that the young woman in the top photo is architecturally interest. From a purely aesthetic point of view.
Simple turnaround and look behind you....
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