I belong to several photography pages on Facebook. Last week I received a private message from a member of one of these pages (after posting a couple of my Stormtrooper shots, a beach shot and a portrait) requesting that I "post something different mate".
Naturally I queried this with a simple "why's that?"
The reply was that my shots, while "coming along" are a bit "too dark and noir" and that we need to have "a focus on developing photographers".
I replied that I had no idea that censorship was the order of the day and that my images, while sometimes dark, are what I do.
This person - who I should say is not an admin of the page but a respected local photographer - then stated that he would not censor and would stand up for a persons right to free speech and to post what they want.
I immediately saw a double standard looming on the horizon and took the liberty of pointing this out (politely of course) to which his reply was that I have "no artistic enterprise".
I have absolutely no time for this sort of censorship, nor for a "respected" photographer to be actively encouraging people to put down their cameras - it later came out that he has also had similar conversations with others regarding shots of the mountain, landscapes, nature, virtually everything.
One word sprung to mind, which I will not repeat here.
I am a confirmed and certifiable nutbar with a penchant for skulls, bones, blood, guts, fire and anything slightly peculiar and mostly bizarre. I also...
F**kwit, springs to mind. Really what does it matter, photography is a personal art form and who are these so called experts to judge. I get a bit tired of photographers who are so full of their self importance. This is like waving the proverbial red flag in front of a bull methinks :)
Sounds like more of a "...... idiot" than a respected photographer!
In my humble opinion (as a not particularly respected photographer) is KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU DO!!!!!!!! There, that told you... ;)
I started several comments about how hard respect is to receive, that kind of "development" when one is told what and how to do, nature of faceless facebook photo groups et al. Deleted every one of them. Go on Graeme!
@hermann That's my thinking as well - I've since posted "several" shots where the point for hem can't possibly be missed ;) @alinz I had no intention of stopping...I'll probably double the rate for that page just to get him going ;) @julzmaioro Excatly - keep on scrolling, it hurts no one that way! @happypat This on is a genuine glower ;) @gazdi I know what you mean... @wag864 I think he's just a twat ;)
@tjsworld Thank you very much - and that's more or less what I told him. If there's one thing that really pisses me off it's someone telling others "how to" and "what to"
While your style isn't my style, I like looking at your photos. Maybe one of the new photographers on the page has a style like yours and will look to you for inspiration, or maybe they want to learn a different style. If everyone's style was the same, that wouldn't be very fun or original. I got kicked off a FB photo-a-day page because some of the people threw a fit over a photo of my teenage son shooting a gun in response to the prompt "important to me," even after the admin said the photo was fine. They caused the ruckus and I got kicked off. Oh, well, I don't miss it. 365 Project is much better any way.
@northy@graemestevens I put his message into Google Translate and I got : " come on mate...just post some fluffy kittens, wide-eyed cherub-like babies, endangered birds and a few sparkly colourful sunsets & all will be sweet, cos I can say what I want and you should do what I want.....don't you know people only want to see fluffy kittens?" !!! soooooo... have patience young Grasshopper because 'In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few.' (Shunryu Suzuki)
@overalvandaan I always will... @ltodd Perfect response. Absolutely perfect :)) @vignouse It's a good reason to leave but I find that I've become somewhat stubborn now... @homeschoolmom 365 is definitely the way to go - far more open, far more encouraging and much more fun :) @northy You've got me there...maybe he doesn't own a torch?
Your pictures are inspiring to me, nothing like my own but they make me look for stories in everything. I'd be sad to see you suddenly change too much.
@pandorasecho It's probably too late for me to change (that I had no intention of doing so)... @humphreyhippo Outstanding response, I wish I'd thought of that... @rjb71 Thank you very much - I'm not one to take shots of rainbows and bunny rabbits, but that never stops me from appreciating and enjoying them. @juliedduncan My glare is always indignant, even when it's not trying to be...and I believe the word may have rhymed with "hunt", but I detest that word so only ever use it internally (and even then end up shocking myself)
What a pretentious wanker. Yes, some of your photos are dark, but they are also decidedly artistic and I look forward to seeing what you've cooked up each day. I just wish I had as much creativity as you do. Let a thousand flowers bloom. I'm not into cute shots either.
@cutekitty It works as it should... @golftragic While I can appreciate and enjoy the "pretty" shots they're just not what i do...he should have kept scrolling because he has officially been given his pedigree.
@northy My thoughts too, what does dark and noir have to do with developing photographers (or not)? We want to develop photographers, but only bright and bouncy ones? Apart from being objectionable what he wrote doesn't even seem to make sense to me.
Well flap my jacks and butter my biscuits. What complete and total small minded moron. I am trying to not lower my comment to his level.
My son recently described 'FB' as going to a party where everyone sits around and SHOUTS out loud to the entire world how wonderful their life is.
Your work is inspiring and phenomenal, both in content and quality. I agree with @northy what is wrong with Dark and Noir? Shoot from the heart and from the soul but always stay true to yourself. Stay the course!
@claycameras It does sound a bit like that...I shall have him whipped ;) @joysabin Oh I'll stay - if for no other reason than to annoy him... @sarasotab It may well be...may @kwind Thank you very much :) @gardencat It made no sense to me at all...as for the fluffy bunnies and rainbows, there's nothing wrong with them either. I enjoy looking at them and can appreciate shots of them...but each to their own ;)
I have immense admiration for those who can pull off dark and noir pictures. It's not a genre that is easy to achieve. You are one of the masters of it.
Although I belong to a few fb photography pages I very seldom post anything. One of the pages I belong to has 'amateur' in its title and the ones doing the majority of commenting seem to do photography as their work as opposed to as a hobby.
@salza I've noticed that the "elite" do like to hover on the outskirts, swoop in every now and then with a ridiculous commentary on what photography "should be" and then bugger off again. I like to rattle their cages from time to time ;)
Sounds like he's talking a load of old " cobblers" . I thoroughly enjoy your photos, appreciate your artistic talent and work. He sounds like a right pompous twat
@susale Absolutely, damn straight, no intention of stopping! @yrhenwr Great minds think (almost) alike - I went for one finger, high key. @domenicododaro That would be worth seeing... @novab I've kept on keeping on...it's been more fun posting shots knowing that he's lurking in the background, quietly seething... @joannakate LOL, he does indeed sound like right pompous twat. @jesperani That's exactly what I've been doing (and a couple of raised fingers as well) @katrinanz Yep.
While noir isn't my thing I appreciate seeing some whose 'obsessed' with something as thats the sure fire way to perfect an art.
But you know, he's right...it would be nice to see something different...that something being a change of attitude on his part.
365 is just the coolest place on the internet - the 100% support and almost 0% (does that add up?) negativity are the reason people stay and thrive here.
@888rachel I haven't seen any of his shots...which is telling... @joannakate I aimed a touch higher than the shins... @cottiac I completely agree - 365 is the best place. And a change of attitude might be a starting point for him the poor, small minded wee man @radiogirl Thank you very much :)
Your work is brilliant - I have come back to photography after many, many, many, years away. Used to do "chemical" stuff back in the early 70's.
Had a stroke 11 years ago and lost my way - have now got a bit more time available (made to retire by company this year)
You are a real inspiration, to make me look at what I can do, I love your work.
Yes it is dark, but that makes it all the more worthwhile,
I have learnt to say "stuff it" to those who look down their nose's at me.
I have looked down death's shotgun 3 times and I am still here to tell the tale.
Keep up the good dark work - the skills you showcase are so inspiring.
Thank You Graeme :-)
@ludgate Oh I shall, I shall ;) @sweetsue53 Thank you very much - every one of us has a different story, and a different way of arriving at where we are...I get somewhat irked when people assume our journey is the same as theirs!
@graemestevens
Thanks for reading my thoughts Graeme - Keep up the good work
I want to learn how to use fire in photos & try selfies - shame I don't have a models figure - lol
Looked on your FB page have liked it - Have fun shocking the masses :-)
November 11th, 2016
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In my humble opinion (as a not particularly respected photographer) is KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU DO!!!!!!!! There, that told you... ;)
@alinz I had no intention of stopping...I'll probably double the rate for that page just to get him going ;)
@julzmaioro Excatly - keep on scrolling, it hurts no one that way!
@happypat This on is a genuine glower ;)
@gazdi I know what you mean...
@wag864 I think he's just a twat ;)
@ltodd Perfect response. Absolutely perfect :))
@vignouse It's a good reason to leave but I find that I've become somewhat stubborn now...
@homeschoolmom 365 is definitely the way to go - far more open, far more encouraging and much more fun :)
@northy You've got me there...maybe he doesn't own a torch?
Carry on. ;)
@humphreyhippo Outstanding response, I wish I'd thought of that...
@rjb71 Thank you very much - I'm not one to take shots of rainbows and bunny rabbits, but that never stops me from appreciating and enjoying them.
@juliedduncan My glare is always indignant, even when it's not trying to be...and I believe the word may have rhymed with "hunt", but I detest that word so only ever use it internally (and even then end up shocking myself)
@golftragic While I can appreciate and enjoy the "pretty" shots they're just not what i do...he should have kept scrolling because he has officially been given his pedigree.
My son recently described 'FB' as going to a party where everyone sits around and SHOUTS out loud to the entire world how wonderful their life is.
Your work is inspiring and phenomenal, both in content and quality. I agree with @northy what is wrong with Dark and Noir? Shoot from the heart and from the soul but always stay true to yourself. Stay the course!
@joysabin Oh I'll stay - if for no other reason than to annoy him...
@sarasotab It may well be...may
@kwind Thank you very much :)
@gardencat It made no sense to me at all...as for the fluffy bunnies and rainbows, there's nothing wrong with them either. I enjoy looking at them and can appreciate shots of them...but each to their own ;)
Although I belong to a few fb photography pages I very seldom post anything. One of the pages I belong to has 'amateur' in its title and the ones doing the majority of commenting seem to do photography as their work as opposed to as a hobby.
@yrhenwr Great minds think (almost) alike - I went for one finger, high key.
@domenicododaro That would be worth seeing...
@novab I've kept on keeping on...it's been more fun posting shots knowing that he's lurking in the background, quietly seething...
@joannakate LOL, he does indeed sound like right pompous twat.
@jesperani That's exactly what I've been doing (and a couple of raised fingers as well)
@katrinanz Yep.
Keep up the great work, I say!
But you know, he's right...it would be nice to see something different...that something being a change of attitude on his part.
365 is just the coolest place on the internet - the 100% support and almost 0% (does that add up?) negativity are the reason people stay and thrive here.
@joannakate I aimed a touch higher than the shins...
@cottiac I completely agree - 365 is the best place. And a change of attitude might be a starting point for him the poor, small minded wee man
@radiogirl Thank you very much :)
Had a stroke 11 years ago and lost my way - have now got a bit more time available (made to retire by company this year)
You are a real inspiration, to make me look at what I can do, I love your work.
Yes it is dark, but that makes it all the more worthwhile,
I have learnt to say "stuff it" to those who look down their nose's at me.
I have looked down death's shotgun 3 times and I am still here to tell the tale.
Keep up the good dark work - the skills you showcase are so inspiring.
Thank You Graeme :-)
@sweetsue53 Thank you very much - every one of us has a different story, and a different way of arriving at where we are...I get somewhat irked when people assume our journey is the same as theirs!
Thanks for reading my thoughts Graeme - Keep up the good work
I want to learn how to use fire in photos & try selfies - shame I don't have a models figure - lol
Looked on your FB page have liked it - Have fun shocking the masses :-)