One of the most go to gadget today, the one you can't leave home without is your camera. It doesn't matter what kind of camera you have, be it a DSLR, Digital Compact Camera, Mirrorless Camera, Bridge Camera, Film Camera, or even your Smartphone. Photography is now becoming part of everyone's life.
So, Whazzup everybody! Since almost everyone is learning photography, competition is unavoidable. Nothing is wrong with it. It helps you grow but it also causes some problems. Based on experience, I've listed some unacceptable attitude SOME photographers have towards their fellow photographers.
1. THEY STEP ON YOU
I think you know how it feels when you are stepped on, right? Instead of making a healthy competition to grow in photography, some enthusiasts put down other enthusiasts by insulting and uncivilly criticising their work. For what reason? Clearly, it's not about helping others grow. It's downgrading others.
2. STEALING ONE'S STYLE
Your style is your watermark in the photography world. Copying your favorite Lodi photographer's style is not bad at all. It helps you grow as a photographer but stealing your idol's style just to be called the best is a mortal sin in the art of photography. What do I mean? Stealing one's style have many forms, to wit:
- Literally downloading or using his/her photo as your own is a NO, NO. A friend of mine ones took a photo of a certain food she ate on a certain cafe resto, she posted it on her social media account, she tagged the cafe resto, and voila, the page admin of that cafe resto reposted (not really reposted but posted it as their own) her photograph with their own watermark without asking or giving her credit.
- Another thing is, copying your favorite photographer's style and claiming it as your own style. I saw one post of a new photographer who rises on top, he's not from my city, he said in his post that he is selling his own photography style and presets. Oh com'on, men, you're selling a free downloadable Lightroom and Photoshop Presets from a widely known photographer?
3. THEY THINK YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THEM
No matter how some photographers would say that they like you to be with them, they don't. Okay, am just saying for a few but growing few. We know that photographers have their own world when they take photos but that doesn't mean they are not humans who are capable of truly accepting you as their fellow photographer. They just don't do it!
They just want you because of some reasons, maybe your THUMBS UP on their social media account. You can notice that when you are with them.
4. I HAVE MORE LIKES THAN YOURS, MEANS AM BETTER THAN YOU
To some getting more likes on the photo they uploaded means their great photographers. It's a fallacy. Ask those who like your photos why they liked your photos... some likes it because they are your friend. Some like it because you asked them to like it. Some like it because they support you. Ask a photographer who doesn't know you why he/she likes your photo and you'll get your desired answer.
5. THEY INTIMIDATE YOU LITERALLY OR SUBTLEY
This is so obvious. If you're new or new to a group, they intimidate you instead of seeing your potentials. They push you down instead of encouraging you to be at your best.
6. THEY ARE TOO CONFIDENT ABOUT THEMSELVES
Confidence is not a bad thing. We need it as a photographer but too much confidence about one's self is another thing. I've seen many of these too-confident-about-themselves photographers today. A super proud of himself photographer bashed and shamed an admin/mentor of a group of photographers saying he's a better photographer than the admin/mentor as well as insulting the admin/mentor saying that the admin cannot help his members in photography.
All I can say is, dude, you may be a PERFECT photographer but if you are my mentor, I don't need your perfection. You're too confident about yourself and too much confidence is arrogance. Too confident about yourself, it will never make you learn more (of course you are already perfect). Photography is not about the technicalities alone, it's about HOW the person behind the camera sees and feel the moment he/she captures. The admin/mentor is not you, nor you are not him/her. You have different eyes and emotions, you claimed you're a better mentor/admin but you miss the number one rule among photographers... "Everyone is unique!" We all have different styles and approach but you missed that! If you are a mentor/admin you should have seen that!
Remember, too much confidence is arrogance!
0 Comments