what is more important?

[gohfigure]

my interest in photography began in 2000 but i haven't really been shooting regularly until this year and still consider myself very much a newbie. i have two questions to ask if i may. i would dearly love to hear your responses, especially if you've been in this field or if photography is your hobby for a long time.

1. if you had to make a choice between one or the other, is it more important to you to take pictures that are pleasing to yourself and or your customer/subject? or is it more important to take a universally accepted picture?

2. what would you consider a universally accepted picture? is it a good picture in the eyes of a layman? other photographers? both?

 

[Azure]

What do YOU think? :think:

 

[gohfigure]

1. i shoot a lot of portraits and candids with my 50mm 1.4f and what i'm usually out to capture is the emotion, the moment, the expression. most of the time at the expense of composition or awareness of what is in the foreground or background. personally, i'm happy with the results and so are the subjects in my picture but i think if i put the pictures up for critique, they'll be nitpicked to hell.

so i would say it'll always be more important for me to take pictures that are pleasing to myself and or my customer/subject, even if in time i learn how to take universally accepted pictures.


2. i guess i should have rephrased my question a bit because using the term universally already assumes the picture should be good in the eyes of a layman or other photographers.

but that said, i think there are still two levels to it. the layman tends to look for certain elements in a photograph. fulfill those elements and he/she will probably consider it a good photograph.

the photographers on the other hand, due to the exposure of more knowledge, tend to assess a photograph on a technical level as well, hence i think they are generally more difficult to please.

generally, i would say if the photograph is accepted by other photographers, it is very likely it would be accepted by the layman as well. it would be interesting to know though, if there are exceptions to this theory.

 

[Mocha]

IMO,

Taking pictures for personal pleasure and for client are two different thing. For the latter, satisfying your client takes priority over your own creative view. Commercial pictures requires some communication and mutual understanding between the client & photographer. Your client usually will have some idea what he/she wants. Show them samples and you will likely get an idea of what sort of pictures they are looking for.

If time permits, I would usually try to strike a balance, having both the standard/usual angle and the creative ones.

 

[Kira]

IMO,

Taking pictures for personal pleasure and for client are two different thing. For the latter, satisfying your client takes priority over your own creative view. Commercial pictures requires some communication and mutual understanding between the client & photographer. Your client usually will have some idea what he/she wants. Show them samples and you will likely get an idea of what sort of pictures they are looking for.

If time permits, I would usually try to strike a balance, having both the standard/usual angle and the creative ones.

Yeah man... This is so true... Photography is an art. What pleases you mgiht not pleases others therefore, when you're on an assignment, it's very important to know what type of picture your client are look for..... If you're shooting for your own pleasure, that's another story.......

 

[jasonpgc]

Customer always come first. You want to earn their hard earn money, you better listen to their opinion.

 

[Azure]

...what i'm usually out to capture is the emotion, the moment, the expression. most of the time at the expense of composition or awareness of what is in the foreground or background. personally, i'm happy with the results and so are the subjects in my picture but i think if i put the pictures up for critique, they'll be nitpicked to hell.
so i would say it'll always be more important for me to take pictures that are pleasing to myself and or my customer/subject, even if in time i learn how to take universally accepted pictures.

Good for you! - IMO

But if you feel that others are going to nitpick you pix, then don't put it up for critique. If you still want to show the pix to your close friends then host the pix on pbase or wherever and ignore all the nonsensical comments.

I take what I like, and as long as I like it, I won't bother what others think or not. So what if some of my shots are shocking, so what if my pix do not seem to meet technical standards? I just had an abstract portrait nitpicked to hell and back. Sure, it wasn't a technically correct shot. So what - my client loved it! It showed exactly what they wanted. End of story.

 

[andylee]

1. i shoot a lot of portraits and candids with my 50mm 1.4f and what i'm usually out to capture is the emotion, the moment, the expression. most of the time at the expense of composition or awareness of what is in the foreground or background. personally, i'm happy with the results and so are the subjects in my picture but i think if i put the pictures up for critique, they'll be nitpicked to hell.]

I think it's about personal taste. pics that ever go on display on exibition also get comment like eg: background too messy lah, why tat man there lah.....

There will be a time when when you tell yourself you are there .....develop your own style, do what you like to do, express yourself....

 

[Azure]

Oops. Left out this point -

And enjoy the shooting. That's paramount. To me at least.

 

[gohfigure]

Good for you! - IMO

But if you feel that others are going to nitpick you pix, then don't put it up for critique. If you still want to show the pix to your close friends then host the pix on pbase or wherever and ignore all the nonsensical comments.

I take what I like, and as long as I like it, I won't bother what others think or not. So what if some of my shots are shocking, so what if my pix do not seem to meet technical standards? I just had an abstract portrait nitpicked to hell and back. Sure, it wasn't a technically correct shot. So what - my client loved it! It showed exactly what they wanted. End of story.

thank you for replying.

i think i needed to hear a comment like that to feel like i'm not approaching the whole photography thing wrongly, because i see what passes for good over here and it's pretty demoralising to see that my pictures won't make the grade.

and yes, i enjoy the shooting very much. almost as much as looking at the joy of the people's faces when they look at themselves in my pictures.

 

[mphil]

Every newbie has to start somewhere. And very very few will get it right the first time. Sure, your pixs will be criticised, but you should learn from the pointers and ignore the rest. As you progress, you will also set higher and higher standards for your work. What may have been good last time, may not be so this time as your work improves. Jus practice and dont give up. I am sure you are going the right way, keep going!

 

[Snowcrash]

Read this article

It helps me.

 

[Azure]

thank you for replying.

i think i needed to hear a comment like that to feel like i'm not approaching the whole photography thing wrongly, because i see what passes for good over here and it's pretty demoralising to see that my pictures won't make the grade.

and yes, i enjoy the shooting very much. almost as much as looking at the joy of the people's faces when they look at themselves in my pictures.

That's good for you! Keep at it!
I personally do not feel that there is a 100% right or wrong. Maybe you want to consider joining some of the outings. Its from such interactions where you find others who you can be comfortable with and who you can bounce idea off. No offence to anyone, but what "passes for good" is highly subjective.