Folding bed, Bob, and Heads! I appreciate the use of grain on Bob, the quietude of Bed, and I have a thing for doll heads, so don't listen to me on that one, I may be biased.
To your larger point: beyond a certain base level technical skill, our images will be thrown into the winds of subjectivity. We are ultimately the bucks-stop-here decision makers. But I do believe Venn diagrams will emerge amongst several or more attentive viewers of our work. We will ignore them at our peril.
One of your best posts! As a photographer and musician, I can tell you that friends and family are NOT my audience. They either have no interest (family) or are supportive of everything (friends). It’s a special kind of person who cares enough to really look or listen and then offer constructive feedback. Hang on to Matt — he’s invaluable.
An interesting article, Andrew. To me, self confidence can certainly play quite a role in how one deals with giving/receiving feedback or criticism. Speaking from a personal point of view I’ve never felt particularly comfortable with giving critical feedback. I have a fair idea of what I like or don’t like, but I kind of feel that who am I to judge others work? I have no formal training in photography or art, I just do my own thing. I see myself as not much more than a happy snapper. Having said that, I can see the value in seeking the thoughts of someone who you know well and respect in terms of their photographic opinion, in getting to the heart of what’s good, what’s perhaps less so. Btw beautiful, soft light in the bedstead shot. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Ralph, I hadn’t thought of the article in terms of me giving feedback on someone else’s work, that could have expanded the article.
I don’t think that a formal education in art/photography is a requirement, I have taught in Colleges and Universities all over the UK and I have met an awful lot of photography tutors who were clueless about photography and had no artistic ability whatever.
I have great admiration for your articles and the images you choose to show, so when you picked discarded images for this post, I thought perhaps you were unsure, but I don’t think you are. Depending on what you intend to do with your portfolio, I do hope you have a variation of the heads, because I think that is a fabulous image! It feels like a Joel-Peter Witkin photograph, but with a little less stress and pain.
I think you are right about your critique challenges. I do though believe that critique can be helpful when there is an end in mind. Whether that has to do with sequencing, or narrowing down a topic, or theme. Exhibition vs. a book. You have photographs of a lot of things…. Is your portfolio always the same? Do you customise to purpose. Is it the greatest hits. I don’t think these are all the same thing.
Thank you Søren, good points. My portfolio doesn’t get shown to anyone anymore, so I am free to put any genre or style in there, it is really just a ‘greatest hits’ collection. I have in the past tailored it to a specific audience though.
Great post. In general, as an amateur, I don’t seek much comment for many of the reasons you outlined.
I have noted that the more work I put into an image there is a good chance it wasn’t a good one at first. (This is true for digital and darkroom work.) So that may be a clue. But you put a lot more effort into your images and it pays off so maybe it is a comment on my talent or laziness!
I am often surprised by which of my images would get liked on Flickr. Almost never my favorite. It caused me to take a new look at these images. Since I don’t know any of the commenters it was at least objective.
Thanks Doug. I try to put the right amount of effort into my pictures, and by that I mean that each selected negative (there are many that are not) isn’t just presented as the first proof print I make, I explore the ways that darkroom printing can enhance that image. Sometimes though, you get to a point where you realise that the effort isn’t going to be worth it.
Another wonderfully insightful piece buddy. Thanks very much indeed for the opportunity to review the prints that day, it was a real treat to see such a selection of beautiful pictures in one place. Just as inspirational was the rambling conversations around all things photography related, I find these chats very inspirational and make me question what and how I do things. Thanks also, for the very kind words, I do believe that we do see things in quite a similar way.
I’ve enjoyed your post, because it touches on the chosen subject in a very straightforward and honest way. I fully agree to your conclusion that you as the photographer yourself should be the ultimate judge of whether a photo belongs in your portfolio or not. I’ve had the idea for a while now to write a post about what input you really need as a photographer, as opposed to what is no use to your development or even worse. What you write inspires me to continue working on that idea.
In the course of the years I’ve been photographing, I’ve had lots of conflicting comments and reviews. Not only about my photos, but even about the choice of subjects or the lack of a ‘personal style’, which I believe to be irrelevant when judging specific photos, but maybe could be useful in a genre of (professional) photography that requires certain features. But even if you know that some comments are off the mark, they can still make you doubt your choices, which is a good thing in itself. The tone of voice plays a major role in how comments come across, as we all know. I have always found it much easier to process critique when I was working on an assignment than when creating personal work.
I believe in listening to the opinions and comments of others, which is an important reason to post photos on Substack (although there aren’t nearly enough people here who comment on photos in a meaningful way), but it is very helpful to have some people you can turn to for constructive criticism.
To finish this already lengthy reply, I agree that the amount of work or effort that has gone into a photo shouldn’t be a consideration for including it in a presentation or portfolio, which was the ‘trigger’ for your post.
Edit: I think ‘folding bed’ is a spectacular image. I don’t know why you have taken it out of your portfolio, but it really works for me.
All good points Vincent, thank you. I have also had that criticism of not having a ‘personal style’ because I photograph in so many different ways. I think it means that they can’t pigeonhole you, so you must be doing something wrong. My gut instinct was always that I had be true to what drove me, what inspired me. There would be no point sticking to one way of working just to please one person.
Folding bed, Bob, and Heads! I appreciate the use of grain on Bob, the quietude of Bed, and I have a thing for doll heads, so don't listen to me on that one, I may be biased.
To your larger point: beyond a certain base level technical skill, our images will be thrown into the winds of subjectivity. We are ultimately the bucks-stop-here decision makers. But I do believe Venn diagrams will emerge amongst several or more attentive viewers of our work. We will ignore them at our peril.
thx for this!
Thanks Mark. The response about some of these images might get them reconsidered for the portfolio, perhaps I’m not the best judge after all!
Sometimes an image is taken out because I’m sick of seeing it and fresh eyes see it differently.
Another great post Andrew. ‘Folding Bed, France’ is a lovely image, beautifully printed.
Thank you Jon, it looks simple, but is in fact quite a tricky print to make.
One of your best posts! As a photographer and musician, I can tell you that friends and family are NOT my audience. They either have no interest (family) or are supportive of everything (friends). It’s a special kind of person who cares enough to really look or listen and then offer constructive feedback. Hang on to Matt — he’s invaluable.
Thanks Troy, I have shown Matt your comment.
An interesting article, Andrew. To me, self confidence can certainly play quite a role in how one deals with giving/receiving feedback or criticism. Speaking from a personal point of view I’ve never felt particularly comfortable with giving critical feedback. I have a fair idea of what I like or don’t like, but I kind of feel that who am I to judge others work? I have no formal training in photography or art, I just do my own thing. I see myself as not much more than a happy snapper. Having said that, I can see the value in seeking the thoughts of someone who you know well and respect in terms of their photographic opinion, in getting to the heart of what’s good, what’s perhaps less so. Btw beautiful, soft light in the bedstead shot. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Ralph, I hadn’t thought of the article in terms of me giving feedback on someone else’s work, that could have expanded the article.
I don’t think that a formal education in art/photography is a requirement, I have taught in Colleges and Universities all over the UK and I have met an awful lot of photography tutors who were clueless about photography and had no artistic ability whatever.
I have great admiration for your articles and the images you choose to show, so when you picked discarded images for this post, I thought perhaps you were unsure, but I don’t think you are. Depending on what you intend to do with your portfolio, I do hope you have a variation of the heads, because I think that is a fabulous image! It feels like a Joel-Peter Witkin photograph, but with a little less stress and pain.
I think you are right about your critique challenges. I do though believe that critique can be helpful when there is an end in mind. Whether that has to do with sequencing, or narrowing down a topic, or theme. Exhibition vs. a book. You have photographs of a lot of things…. Is your portfolio always the same? Do you customise to purpose. Is it the greatest hits. I don’t think these are all the same thing.
Thank you Søren, good points. My portfolio doesn’t get shown to anyone anymore, so I am free to put any genre or style in there, it is really just a ‘greatest hits’ collection. I have in the past tailored it to a specific audience though.
Great post. In general, as an amateur, I don’t seek much comment for many of the reasons you outlined.
I have noted that the more work I put into an image there is a good chance it wasn’t a good one at first. (This is true for digital and darkroom work.) So that may be a clue. But you put a lot more effort into your images and it pays off so maybe it is a comment on my talent or laziness!
I am often surprised by which of my images would get liked on Flickr. Almost never my favorite. It caused me to take a new look at these images. Since I don’t know any of the commenters it was at least objective.
Thanks Doug. I try to put the right amount of effort into my pictures, and by that I mean that each selected negative (there are many that are not) isn’t just presented as the first proof print I make, I explore the ways that darkroom printing can enhance that image. Sometimes though, you get to a point where you realise that the effort isn’t going to be worth it.
Another wonderfully insightful piece buddy. Thanks very much indeed for the opportunity to review the prints that day, it was a real treat to see such a selection of beautiful pictures in one place. Just as inspirational was the rambling conversations around all things photography related, I find these chats very inspirational and make me question what and how I do things. Thanks also, for the very kind words, I do believe that we do see things in quite a similar way.
Cheers Matt, it’s a shame that time to get together is in short supply.
I’ve enjoyed your post, because it touches on the chosen subject in a very straightforward and honest way. I fully agree to your conclusion that you as the photographer yourself should be the ultimate judge of whether a photo belongs in your portfolio or not. I’ve had the idea for a while now to write a post about what input you really need as a photographer, as opposed to what is no use to your development or even worse. What you write inspires me to continue working on that idea.
In the course of the years I’ve been photographing, I’ve had lots of conflicting comments and reviews. Not only about my photos, but even about the choice of subjects or the lack of a ‘personal style’, which I believe to be irrelevant when judging specific photos, but maybe could be useful in a genre of (professional) photography that requires certain features. But even if you know that some comments are off the mark, they can still make you doubt your choices, which is a good thing in itself. The tone of voice plays a major role in how comments come across, as we all know. I have always found it much easier to process critique when I was working on an assignment than when creating personal work.
I believe in listening to the opinions and comments of others, which is an important reason to post photos on Substack (although there aren’t nearly enough people here who comment on photos in a meaningful way), but it is very helpful to have some people you can turn to for constructive criticism.
To finish this already lengthy reply, I agree that the amount of work or effort that has gone into a photo shouldn’t be a consideration for including it in a presentation or portfolio, which was the ‘trigger’ for your post.
Edit: I think ‘folding bed’ is a spectacular image. I don’t know why you have taken it out of your portfolio, but it really works for me.
All good points Vincent, thank you. I have also had that criticism of not having a ‘personal style’ because I photograph in so many different ways. I think it means that they can’t pigeonhole you, so you must be doing something wrong. My gut instinct was always that I had be true to what drove me, what inspired me. There would be no point sticking to one way of working just to please one person.