When I first started photographing nature, I was in complete awe of the shots I would see in magazines. Even before I got serious about photography, I still enjoyed these pictures as a ‘casual observer’, but they were foreign to me in their creation. Somehow what was once very mysterious became almost magical to me once I picked up a camera. The photographers were wielding some secret powers not worthy of mere mortals. It was pretty easy to stick many of the famous photographers on pedestals. I would constantly compare to images I made myself recognizing how far off I was to replicating what I saw. As I learned more and grew with my own images – some of the mystery started to disappear and I became less interested in the mechanics of how someone made a certain image. It wasn’t that I already knew how either, the process or the tools just became less interesting and some of the pedestals noticeably lower.
But what I did discover is that just because the mystery and ‘magic’ had dissipated some for me, it began turning more into a deeper appreciation of the vision and artistry behind the images I liked. I became less enthused about images I was impressed by (and in awe of) in the past. I no longer say ‘wow’ to many shots that I once did (even including some of my own). I can appreciate it is a good shot – but what it takes to really move me has changed greatly. I think as artists learn and grow more with their art, their tastes and opinion changes on the works of others, and the work of our own past. We redefine the mysterious and magical. When the magic of yesterday has faded, I look for the magic of tomorrow to create more inspiration. This is a big part of why I find it so hard to judge someone else’s work at times – everyone is at different places on their own timelines, perhaps even on different paths. Who am I to cause a detour or place a stop sign in their journey?
As I have written about before, I draw parallels between my photographic experience and my feeble attempts at learning to play the guitar. I am still very much a beginner. I still have a lot of those notions of magic, mystery, and pedestals when it comes to guitar playing. But when I draw parallels between my guitar playing with some of my experience as a photographer, I can’t help but notice many similarities in how I feel towards learning, the frustrations, and feelings of inadequacy. I don’t have much vision of where I am headed – only that I just want to play better.
Having recently seen Rocco Deluca at a small venue in Detroit reinforced the feelings of awe and ‘magic’ even further. The guy is damn good for those of you who are not familiar with him. I really can’t imagine myself ever playing like that but in my dreams. Rocco and many other gifted musicians still hold that somewhat untouchable status to me. Learning the mechanics of what they do is hard enough, but the artistry and emotion behind their work is an entirely different aspect to grasp. If it is anything like photography, I expect it isn’t something that can be taught, but is simply acquired as you continue to learn, grow and have those defineable ‘Ah-Ha!’ moments.
I expect that if my perseverance holds up with learning guitar, I will end up going through some changes in how I feel about music as well. I am already trying to draw upon my path in photography, which still has so many unknown roads to explore. And even though some of the mystery may dissipate, I hope I will continue to have those ‘AH HA!” moments of revelation in both pursuits. A little bit of magic to reach for couldn’t hurt either.
Mark, you are very insightful and honest with yourself and your viewers. I think all artists go through the natural progression of stages that you mention. I recently have felt some of the magic lessening and realize that this is a nudge for me to move beyond my present stage and explore the next one, even though I don’t know what that is at the moment. I think as artists, the need to keep growing is vital to keeping our creative juices flowing.
I commend you on pursuing your guitar music. Perhaps the rhythm will spill over in your images; actually, I think that it already has (sand, water & time)!
I believe I went through a very similar evolution in my work. I have come away feeling very much as you in being more critical of my work and work of others that once really excited me. And also, I have more doubts about the critique process and whether it helps or harms most artists. As my tastes have changed with photography, I believe they have changed toward all visual mediums. I think you have touched on a universal truth about the way artists grow.
Mark, I’m really enjoying these shots that you’ve been posting lately. Very nice post.
I’ve had a similar journey where I was very impressed with certain photographers and tried to emulate their work, but I eventually came into my own. Now, as my work keeps evolving and changing directions (landscape/nature – people, and back again). I just let it flow.
Now, I can really appreciate the art of the image and the feeling that a certain photograph portrays to me. I no longer do critiques because, IMHO, they are certainly a form of judgment. It is simply saying: If I were to do it, here is how I would like it. There is no regard for the recipient’s journey, which we cannot possibly know. We might ask why they framed it a particular way or what they were trying to convey and hopefully these leading questions would help.
I think that as you continue your guitar playing, the magic will seem less and less and, like photography, when you master the technical skills, then the artistry can flow.
Beautiful photo well crafted.
I too try my very best not to impede someone’s progress. Usually I don’t have to motivate someone I just have to be careful not to demotivate them. I personally like hard critiques but it kills some people. There is a lady that lives close to me that has three paintings in the Smithsonian and tears into my paintings but I garner much from her honesty which is hard to find. I really appreciate all she has done and offered to do for me.
I think I appreciate more art and photography than I used to. I used to be very close minded as to what was and was not art. Young and dumb. But now I try to learn from any artist whether a first grader or a Stephen Koury.
Great article and insights.
Very interesting and insightful Mark. The process of learning can be very rewarding. Sometimes this process gets overshadowed by our focus on the final goal of becoming proficient and we don’t appreciate the journey until we look back.
I wish I could play the guitar!
Ron
Ron – I wish I could play too! :-p
I think the learning process is an interesting one. Images that visually make me go wow nowadays seldom strike an emotional chord with me. Sometimes it’s the quieter images that speak the loudest emotionally. In the past I fell into the trap of thinking that more intense light or more whatever meant better photos. Obviously that’s not necessarily true.
I’ve “played” guitar for 12 years and I still suck at it.
The more you understand the craft, the more you see flaws in craftsmanship. The wonder of it is that a work with force and vision can have flaws, but they don’t matter much.
Taking up music as an adult is a wonderful thing. I started on guitar a *long* time ago – I haven’t picked it up in a while – time to do it!
Just the other day I went to the George Eastman House (www.eastmanhouse.org) where they are having an exhibition of Ansel Adams’ work. They have a pretty extensive collection since Adams was a friend of the museum.
The old standbys were there that absolutely everyone has seen at one time or another, but it was very interesting to see lesser known prints and the progression of Adams’ images through the years. There was even a group of portraits that he had done – I never even knew he did portraits.
The exhibit was bookended first with recent works by other photographers with an “environmental” bent and after by works of various subject matter that typified what kinds of things the museum is currently collecting.
Walking out of the razor sharp complex understated monochomatic Adams room to the wildly colorful simplistic bold social commentary of the “what we collect now” room was a serious shock.
I’m still not sure what I make of it all, but for one thing, there sure are a lot of directions that a photographer can take during his/her photographic journey!
As I grow professionally, I find that many of my previous photos don’t pop for me anymore. My style and equipment has advanced and I tend to dislike most of my photos that are more than a year or two old. Some of the few photos that I still love are shots that I took in Hawaii.