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Post by Cornflake on Aug 13, 2024 9:46:55 GMT -5
I mentioned in the daily thread that I'll be taking down a photography exhibit today. It's been up for about six weeks. When I put the exhibit together, I made a conscious decision to skew it towards photos I found interesting rather than photos I thought would be popular. Some photos were composed in unorthodox ways. I included some multiple exposures. There were some photos where I moved the camera during the exposure. There were a couple of composites of multiple images.
The exhibit has been a dud. There have been lots of viewers but no sales. That's a first. There have been few comments. Silence can tell you a lot.
I don't have much ego tied up in photography so, although I'm somewhat disappointed, I'm not greatly bothered. But I was wondering what I should learn from this experience.
This, I think. It's good to experiment and take risks. If you're not willing to fail you'll never do anything interesting. Besides, the world is awash in photographs. I can no longer get excited about taking the same kinds of photos as everyone else.
But novelty isn't enough. In the end there's just the result--a photograph--and a viewer. The photograph has to engage the viewer's interest or it's not good work. In this instance, I was giving myself merit badges for creativity and not paying enough attention to how ordinary viewers would see the results.
Live and learn. I'll do better next time.
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Post by Marshall on Aug 13, 2024 9:57:57 GMT -5
But I was wondering what I should learn from this experience. Drink more whiskey ! Yes the world is awash with photography. Any old schmuck can go to Iceland and post his iPhone vacation photos like they are something special. Blame Steve Jobs. Blame Climate Change. Invest in good whiskey. Please yourself. |
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Post by Cornflake on Aug 13, 2024 10:04:22 GMT -5
I loved your Iceland photos. Taking vacation pictures is a whole 'nother thing, but a good one.
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Post by Marshall on Aug 13, 2024 10:06:24 GMT -5
I avoid taking selfies. Why ruin a beautiful setting with some old clown geezer.
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Post by james on Aug 13, 2024 10:19:54 GMT -5
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Post by John B on Aug 13, 2024 11:20:34 GMT -5
I avoid taking selfies. Why ruin a beautiful setting with some old clown geezer. Clown Geezer is a great band name. |
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Post by epaul on Aug 13, 2024 14:23:39 GMT -5
I mentioned in the daily thread that I'll be taking down a photography exhibit today. It's been up for about six weeks. When I put the exhibit together, I made a conscious decision to skew it towards photos I found interesting rather than photos I thought would be popular. Some photos were composed in unorthodox ways. I included some multiple exposures. There were some photos where I moved the camera during the exposure. There were a couple of composites of multiple images. The exhibit has been a dud. There have been lots of viewers but no sales. That's a first. There have been few comments. Silence can tell you a lot... I know Walmart offers the free wall space, but, is that really the right venue for avant garden type work? Three words, location, location, location! |
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Post by millring on Aug 13, 2024 16:56:15 GMT -5
But novelty isn't enough. In the end there's just the result--a photograph--and a viewer. The photograph has to engage the viewer's interest or it's not good work. In this instance, I was giving myself merit badges for creativity and not paying enough attention to how ordinary viewers would see the results. Live and learn. I'll do better next time. It's a worthy test but not a very complete one. It's probably true that "experimental" tends to narrow the audience -- sometimes forever and sometimes til the audience catches up. But, really, your test market probably wasn't either big enough or niche enough. Mr Tanner might have gone places with an agent and a targeted audience. I think the "learning" might be in asking what you intended to communicate in the first place. Most of what I've seen of your photography I would call "narrative" -- not in the literal, journalistic sense, but in the sense of being evocative. Maybe these just weren't saying anything? |
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Post by TKennedy on Aug 13, 2024 18:41:21 GMT -5
You obviously need more Wagon Wheel or Mustang Sally type creations.  |
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Post by Marshall on Aug 14, 2024 7:31:28 GMT -5
I was looking for a Velvet Elvis image to throw into this conversation on audience and taste, and found this. it's not appropriate to the discussion, but fun just the same. It's titled: Velvet Elvis and Jesus in Heaven.  |
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Post by Cornflake on Aug 14, 2024 7:43:27 GMT -5
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Post by howard lee on Aug 14, 2024 8:11:35 GMT -5
I mentioned in the daily thread that I'll be taking down a photography exhibit today. It's been up for about six weeks. When I put the exhibit together, I made a conscious decision to skew it towards photos I found interesting rather than photos I thought would be popular. Some photos were composed in unorthodox ways. I included some multiple exposures. There were some photos where I moved the camera during the exposure. There were a couple of composites of multiple images. The exhibit has been a dud. There have been lots of viewers but no sales. That's a first. There have been few comments. Silence can tell you a lot. I don't have much ego tied up in photography so, although I'm somewhat disappointed, I'm not greatly bothered. But I was wondering what I should learn from this experience. This, I think. It's good to experiment and take risks. If you're not willing to fail you'll never do anything interesting. Besides, the world is awash in photographs. I can no longer get excited about taking the same kinds of photos as everyone else. But novelty isn't enough. In the end there's just the result--a photograph--and a viewer. The photograph has to engage the viewer's interest or it's not good work. In this instance, I was giving myself merit badges for creativity and not paying enough attention to how ordinary viewers would see the results. Live and learn. I'll do better next time.
There's no accounting for (other people's) taste. Additionally, what doesn't grab them in Arizona might grab them in New York or Los Angeles. In my own experience (having been around this medium since I was a lad, unintentional courtesy of my father), people gravitate to images that depict subjects to which they can relate. On my Instagram account, I get more reactions to photographs involving people, still life, vintage family portraits, the cakes my daughter has baked, and photographs of our dog than I do of abstracts or "arty" photographs. To me, the most engaging photographs speak to the human experience, with humans or the things humans have wrought as subjects.
Did you misjudge your audience? Perhaps. But, as Mark Twain once wrote, "There is nothing to be learned from the second kick of a mule." I think you have learned from the first kick.
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Post by RickW on Aug 14, 2024 18:36:54 GMT -5
Indie writers often fail to realize a couple of things. One, that they really need to understand what it is they’re trying to get out of their work. Two, once they decide to sell their work, they’ve gone into business. That doesn’t mean they need to make every decision based on profit — but it does mean that they need to understand how those decisions affect their goals.
Sounds like you knew where you were headed, Don. And as you and John said, live and learn. The only way to understand what’s going to happen is to test and see how it goes, and you did.
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