2013
Nemesis: Photographer’s Friend or Foe?
Ian’s recent post, Carcinus Arises is a hilarious and creative illustration of his overall approach to life and photography. If you haven’t read it you really should. It’s no doubt confirmed to me why we’ve become friends and why I enjoy contributing to this blog community.
The post got me thinking about other ways in which Greek Mythology and characters relate to photography and the modern world. I’ve got a seven (almost 8) year old daughter at home who has become keenly aware of her own reflection so the story of Narcissus came to mind almost instantly. As you’ll probably remember from 8th grade English class, Narcissus was the son of a river god father and nymph mother, two parents you could really be proud of. As such, he was an incredibly brave and beautiful hunter. He was also very proud and disdained all those who loved him for his beauty. This bothered Nemesis, goddess of revenge enough to lure Narcissus to a pool in the forest where he became transfixed by his own reflection on the surface of the water. Not realizing it was merely an image, he fell so in love with his own reflection that he was unable to move and there, eventually died.
I can’t help but think that the modern equivalent of Nemesis is the Internet and most recently smart phones and the social media network du jour. How many hours are spent gazing at our own reflections (ie online profiles, number of forum posts, comments, +1s, likes, etc) to the detriment of our “real” lives? There’s a fine line between social networking/marketing for photographers and falling under the spell of your own reflection. So at the danger of being somewhat hypocritical and tongue firmly planted in cheek, here are my Top 5 Ways to Avoid Falling Under the Modern Day Spell of Nemesis:
1) Don’t produce, or worse share videos of yourself “working” in the field unless they are bonafide instructional videos. Videos of you musing over what photography has contributed to your life or espousing over how you hope to change the world through your images are just plain stupid!
2) Don’t post smartphone snaps of your camera set up from some far flung (or worse, domestic) locale with hashtags for the more “famous” photographers that happen to be with you.
3) Don’t post pictures of you holding the print that you just shipped out to some “client” (ie your mom) in South Carolina. If you’re a pro, then you should have clients, and they should give you money for what you do. When I was a teacher I didn’t post pictures of my student’s graded homework before handing it back with the caption, “Another happy client about to receive their lab report.”
4) If you still have a day job (and it’s fine if you do, in fact smarter) don’t pretend online that you don’t. On the same note, if you’re rich or have a trust fund, say so. We’ll still love you, maybe even more…
5) Don’t show off by taking pictures of you unpacking the new lens that just arrived from B&H. As photographers I think it’s safe to assume we buy some new gear from time to time, no big deal. I don’t understand why the world needs to know when we do, it’s not like I take pictures of my groceries before I put them in the fridge.
Bonus: Don’t host a Google Hangout. Period, needs no further explanation…
Now I’ve got to get back to work, there are lots of prints to make for clients, a big video project to finalize, endless status updates, gear to unpack, pack and unpack again, as well as an exciting announcement to plan for my newest collaboration with #SuperStudPhotoManExtraordinaire and +McCanonNikonWacomAndroid ;)
Technical Details: Canon 5DII, EF 16-35 f2.8L, f11 @ 1.6 sec., ISO 100, 3 stop grad. I carefully positioned the camera for a low, close up perspective of this pool but fortunately avoided seeing my own reflection…
Kurt Budliger is a full-time professional photographer specializing in landscape, outdoor lifestyle and fly-fishing photography. He is a frequent contributor to Vermont Life Magazine and works with a variety of other editorial and commercial clients throughout the year. His fine art prints of the Vermont and New England landscape can be found in many private collections around the country. Kurt teaches a variety of photography classes throughout the year, both in formal college settings as well as more informal field based workshops.
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this is just good…on the other hand, what’s a google hangout?
OMG, LMFAO!
Kurt,
Kudos to you! In one small article, you managed to highlight the deadly sins of the self-important generation. This is the brutally honest conversation parents don’t know how to have with their adolescent children, or something.
The photo you posted here is beautiful. Much more fulfilling to be experiencing nature than one-upping your faux friends on facebook!
I really don’t know what Google Hangout is…
Signed,
Blissfully Ignorant
Thanks Dirk. Perhaps we’ll have to arrange some sort of google hangout for you and George.
Best . . Post . . . Ever!
Your new bio pic makes it even better. Next time throw the hood over your head and wear dark sunglasses, that will complete your edgy urban artist look.
I don’t know about best post ever, but thanks.
The new bio pic was incredibly timely, in fact spawned the post. You should have seen me running back and forth for several hours trying to pull this selfie off, quite hilarious. Damn, I just realized I should have made a video of it… Doh
Kurt, in addition to Ian’s comments, might I also recommend that you wear a giant chrome-plated hood ornament around your neck? That would be dope!
Wonderful advice, thanks for posting this!
Thanks Alan, glad you enjoyed it.
shucks – guilty of one or maybe two of those.
Me too
You live in a pretty part of the world Stephen, enjoyed checking out your work.
Thank you – I may see you in Fredericton.
Awesome!
I couldn’t agree more, this is spot-on (and hilarious). The photography social media world is ripe with people who take themselves entirely too seriously and photography not nearly seriously enough.
Ha! That was great!
While you have hit the nail on the head, I don’t follow this blog to take in such negativity. I’m usually inspired by each new post. I’m not a landscape photographer, so maybe I don’t get it because it seems like a true pro would just focus on her work and not worry about what others are doing. I almost never post comments online either, so sorry if this comes across wrong. I just want to see more of what you guys usually post (you’re amazingly talented) and less of this. Reader feedback, I guess.
Hi Andrew, thanks for your thoughts. While I can see how this may be interpreted as “negativity,” I have to say it’s not my intention. It’s just me poking fun at some of the more peculiar aspects of the online photo world.
Hope you’ll stick around and contribute to the community from time to time.
Kurt
Ah, I see. Missed the “tongue firmly planted in cheek” part too. And again, I agree. We’ve always seemed to care too much what other people think. I believe the best artists don’t worry about this as much as an average person does.
Hah! I love it – great advice!
Kurt, excellent observations and article. Unfortunately, “social media” is a true oxymoron as many forms of it are the most unsocial way of communicating that exists today.
Ahhhh, finally! You pulled this one off perfectly, bro. The only sticking point is that if all the i-Celebrities take this to heart they’ll have no excuses to keep them from actually processing a photo for all the world to see
Great post. I’ve found myself spending more and more time online and less time in “the real world”. I’ll be taking your advice to heart.
Now, where did I leave that mirror…..
Are you sure you guys haven’t missed your calling as comedic writers? I mean, if this photog thing doesn’t work out and all…
You forgot to mention that in your “about” section of your website, don’t talk about yourself and all the accolades and awards you’ve received in the third person narrative, as if there was another highly respected person that was just dying to do a write up on you!
Actually that sounds cool. Can you hire someone for that?
Ah the dreaded “Bio” or “About” section… I don’t know any photographer or other artist that enjoys writing one of these. The problem is that it usually comes off being worse when you write one in the first person. I tried to create two versions (both of which need to be revamped), one that is more of an info page about my business and then a second that is just about me. This is also achieved with an artist statement, most of which I find cheesy too but that’s another story.
I definitely agree with the overall point of this post. It seems like many landscape photographers are more concerned with their level of popularity and feeding the social media beast than they are with practicing the craft of photography. For a working photographer, I can understand the need to balance marketing with the actual photography part, but it becomes especially unappealing when a photographer’s posts focus almost exclusively on selling things (their products and their sponsor’s products), showing how important they are, demonstrating that they hang out with all the cool kids, and many of the things you mention in your post.
I also think that “pro” photographers who take the kind of approach you describe are serving as really bad influences for developing photographers who see such behavior as the best way to make it in photography. Doing the things you mention can bring popularity and in turn, all of that praise can definitely influence someone’s creative development. If a bunch of people are telling an average photographer that they are AMAZING!!!, it seems to be enough to halt progress to becoming a better photographer for some (more creative, more technically adept, developing a more personal body of work, etc).
Couldn’t agree more with the over abundance of praise for mediocre work that saturates the online world. I’m sure some of these guys are laughing all the way to bank with their new found popularity though. The problem is that the business model is is tenuous at best. What happens when the network popularity shifts or wanes, the sponsor wants a fresh face or people just get tired of the incessant grandstanding? Your business goes poof, that’s what! Even Wheaties changes who’s on the cover of the box…
This is great! I rarely voice my opinion on blogs, but this one moved me in a way that I could relate to. Glad I’m no the only one that feels this way! I also like the comment that James Volosin said about the accolades and awards in third person. Sarah Marino had a great point as well. Great article.
Thanks David! Checked out your site, beautiful images man.
Haha! Those examples were so extreme (to my mind) and I’m so far from doing those things that I could be lulled into deluding myself. Nah, I’m not a dork! I’m just occasionally obsessed with FB, Twitter, 500 px,…. until 2 a.m. But I am NOT Narcissus. Or am I?
No, no, no, definitely not Michael
Brilliant post Kurt and glad you put it ‘out there’. Lead-in set up the top 5 very nicely.
Off to explore your work now before snowmageddon hits us in MA. I’ll try to not be the guy posting video of me trudging through two feet of snow with all of my gear on display. If by some chance I fail in self restraint though, look for hash tag snowmageddon and I’ll be sure to tag you with me during the subsequent hangout ; )
Yeah Eyal- we’re gonna get nailed!!
Looking forward to it, I love hanging out!
You totally hit this right on the nail Kurt….especially with regards to the google hangouts. Lately I’ve been noticing a surge in google hangouts around the Bay Area. I used to be able to head out to places to shoot with few people around in a peaceful environment. Nowadays, I run into google frame bangs with >30 people line up in rows shoulder-to-shoulder all shooting the same cookie cutter scene as a way for the host to self-glorify himself/herself. I find it annoying how I can’t waltz around for different compositions as wherever I go I will be in the way of the 30+ crowd.
On another note, I’ve also noticed an influx of photo posts become more like ads. Rather than reading about information regarding the photo, I have been seeing ads such as “buy my print” and “go to my website” or sly attempts of people trying to get others to favorite/like their photo.
Oh this is flaming Kurt- definitely hit some nerves and made me think. We’re all guilty of some if not all of the above at some point or another tho and I think it’s important personally to show your audience the behind the scenes stuff now and again and it seems that they often enjoy it. Another thing is recently I’ve seen this TV show called Catfish which is based on the movie of the same name and the premise is traveling the country and exposing one after another of these Facebook fraud people- similar to the recent Manti Te’o football bit: and everyone is guilty to some point or another of manipulating the perception of our “profile”. Many photographers only post their best shots, which is wise- etc etc. You really got me kind of riled here Kurt, like the whole point and great freedom of being creators is that rules don’t apply to us! Now go shoot a ranting bts setup video on your iphone of the most beautiful winter Vermont sunrise and we’ll see you on G+, I’ll send you a hangout request later! Now back to my blizzard!
Sometimes just gotta agree to disagree- or did I totally misunderstand all the above?
Have a good day- Nate!
Glad you’re riled up Nate, cause you know what they say – “If you’re not pissed off, then you’re not paying attention!”
Of course we’re all guilty of these tactics, there’s a fine line between self promotion and grandstanding. Of course no rules apply to us (we’re waaaay too cool for rules), but then again if everyone’s doing it… it might be some weird new de-facto rule… or at least trying to keep up with the Jones’ and then we’re slipping away from the originality that we all seek as artists.
I don’t know man I just like to poke fun at things I think are a little silly…
The reason I said I think it’s important to show the behind the scenes stuff is that sometimes the only difference between my work and his or her work is that maybe I can develop a relationship with my audience and if they like me then they may be more encouraged to support me. That’s what I meant about that.
Nate
I agree with you on the BTS shots and am guilty of posting those as well. I do it for two reasons:
1. The intimacy you mentioned of getting people more involved with the process of capturing an image
2. For good or bad, FB/the internet/life is all about instant everything now. If I post a BTS shot of an epic sunset as it happens, it’s almost guaranteed to blow up with shares and get my images ‘out there’ and help grow my audience. I rarely can (or want) to share an image as quickly so the BTS shots have fill a nice niche there.
That being said, I don’t think either of us has done the BTS with hashtags so we seem to be safe in Ian’s mind ; )
PS – #snowmageddon timelapse has begun – now I’m gonna tag Nate and Ian when this thing goes all viral in a hangout…
What about me?
One thing to remember in all of this self promotion (nothing wrong with it, necessary evil of making a living) is who exactly IS your audience, ie the folks that write you checks. The way I see it most of the folks who “follow” photographers are themselves photographers, or at least aspiring ones. So it’s import to set a goal for your marketing efforts. If for example you’re leading workshops and selling ebooks or other instructional material then yeah, those folks are your audience and fire away, just be careful not to over do it, we all know when we’re being hit over the head with marketing. If however, you’re clients are editors, art collectors, curators, marketing agencies, etc. then I don’t think you’re efforts in building a social audience will pay the dividends we all hope.
Now obviously there are plenty of examples of how an editor, or other will “find” your work on a social network and start sending copious amounts of cash for being awesome. But trust me, they are few and far between. The other thing to remember is just because someone has a mega following in a social network doesn’t actually mean they’ve done anything, they’ve just spent a lot of time online…
Sorry for the long response. I’m also posting some final thoughts below.
As far as finding the right audience- ya good point Kurt, I’d actually like to teach tho and give tours around here so that they are all other photographers isn’t that bad. And thanks for getting my blood flowing- this post has just blown up I see, you’ve gotten a lot of our bloods flowing!
Ya Eyal, that’s right. Btw it’s Kurt- not Ian.
Interesting thoughts Kurt. I definitely agree and disagree with some of your 5 Tips. It bothers me when I see people post “buy my photo” and post videos/hang-outs just so people can follow them. If your work is good people will buy it without you begging. And people who post so often with things like “guess which camera I used for this photo” (I’m sure most of you know who I’m talking about) annoy me even more.
I do disagree on #2 though — I think posting shots of you and the setup in the field does add value. For many, you’re offering a preview of what’s to come and wetting peoples appetite to see the real photo. People like anticipation — after all, we fawn over movie previews, TV commercials, continue watching TV shows after they’re over just to see “what’s on next week”, etc. I’ve also found that posting “on the scene” shots has sparked a lot of conversation with other photographers about the place you’re at. I’ve had people recommend secret locations once they knew I was out in the field (and made new friends because of this) and I’ve shared in frustrations of trying to deal with the massive crowds in my locations. I’ve also had a number of friends who I had no clue were interested in photography later tell me “thank you so much for posting those! I’m trying to get into photography too and your posts have been super helpful.”
One thing I also found super funny was that Scott Jarvie (via SmugMug) posted almost the complete exact OPPOSITE article to this today (the day after your post!). His can be found here and it talks about the benefits of photo-walks and posting often: http://news.smugmug.com/2013/02/08/for-the-love-of-photography-how-to-organize-a-photowalk-by-scott-jarvie/
I hear ya about the anticipation, but for me personally I hate releasing rough drafts of my work, and I usually like to maintain a bit of secrecy about my spots, perspectives and comps. Not a big fan of the comp stomping mentality present today.
As for the smugmug post, I don’t really see it as an opposite view to my thoughts above. I actually thing photo walks are great, way better than merely existing online. The benefit is actually meeting people face to face, getting outside and actually taking pictures. That’s what it’s all about! I actually wrote a post last year that highlights the personal benefits I’ve received from social networking, it’s found here http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2012/03/28/social-media-or-social-medium-for-photographers/
Thanks for your thoughts Aaron!
Yeah I don’t think they are opposing.
So obviously this post has gotten a lot of attention and feedback over the past 36 hours or so, I suppose I somewhat expected it. Obviously social media is a powerful vehicle for communication and it’s probably here to stay in some form or another. So was/is TV, but I think we all agree that just because it’s on TV doesn’t mean it’s good or contributes to the conversation in a meaningful way; think NOVA vs Jersey Shore, enough said…
Also, sharing one’s work (ie self promotion) is a critical part of the artistic process. I love the paradigm often used, “Create, Share, Repeat.” How we do that is up to us, to each his own as they say. Who am I to tell anyone what to do?
Lastly, I was raised in a time when we were taught not to be the loudest one in the room, not to show off, and not to brag. Make great work and let other people do it for you.
Most important part of the article:
“So at the danger of being somewhat hypocritical and tongue firmly planted in cheek”
Actually when I reread the post I guess I really just have a problem with the very egocentric and divisive way it was written… I don’t think I have much problem with the actual 1-5 points. So it did turn me off to start with but I gave it a second chance and it just sounds like it’s a post written about someone he doesn’t like in a passive agressive way but there are a few valid points… not super important points but not like incorrect or anything.
I do take issue with hangouts… they’re a powerful tool and can be used for good or bad… to just say they’re bad no matter what is just a sign of irresponsible writing.
But in the end I probably just take it as him just wanting to blow off some steam… it happens to me and I would hope people try to glean a few items of benefit no matter what mood I was in when I wrote it.
You should go with your first reaction; “Most important part of the article:
“So at the danger of being somewhat hypocritical and tongue firmly planted in cheek””
And just to clarify, this was not written with any one particular person in mind, just poking some fun at some of the behavior present online as everyone clamors for their piece of celebrity. Not egocentric, not divisive, and definitely not passive aggressive.
I don’t know, Kurt, I got the impression you were starin’ right at me…
I think you are taking Kurt’s post too seriously. Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows we like to joke around, usually having a laugh at our own expense more than anything else. And anyone who knows Kurt knows that he doesn’t have an egocentric or divisive bone in his body. He is very clearly just having a little bit of fun, and most important, wasn’t directing his comments toward anyone in particular. We encourage polite comments and friendly disagreements on this blog, but we take a dim view of comments which begin to stray into territory that is personal, direct, and insulting to our writers or readers. If you don’t agree with what he as to say, then disagree with the substance of his statements – please leave any editorializing about his character or motives out of the discussion.
I have followed your blog (Kurt, Ian, George & now Patrik) for a long time. I honestly can’t decide which I enjoy more, your writing or excellent photographic images. It’s a delight to visit this site. Kurt, this article is so amusing and filled with good advice. Ian, if you never took another photograph (heaven forbid!), you’d find much success as a writer. Continue as you always have done!
Faith, on behalf of the entire team, thank you for your extremely kind words! And thanks for your comment, we appreciate feedback and input from . . . I was about to say readers, but I prefer to think of you and everyone else as members of our community. Thanks!
//
Hi Kurt, I really like the approach of Greek mythology, as myself I’m big fan of it, to illustrate verbally the situation of present days people so obsessed and also, some of them, dependant on all of this social media fuzz. I’m happy to find another person who shares the same ideas and philosophy.
Thanks and keep doing your stunning work
Haha. Fair points Kurt. This certainly isn’t the first nor the last tongue in cheek overview of Social Media and its place in a changing photography industry. Like any good tool, SM can be used for good or evil and sometimes both. In my experience, my photographers struggle with social media for the same reasons that they struggle with the business side of things. Maybe it is the right brain/left brain mentality or the fact that too many “social media experts” are simply marketing majors from the 90′s that are attempting to reinvent themselves while touting the same standard practices that worked 15 years ago, but are much less vital in this day and age. Either way there is a lot of misinformation out there and too many people attempting to educate others when they themselves don’t fully grasp how SM can be used as a tool (although one could say the same about Photo Instructors today too). I am always amused when I see other photographers consistently share images of themselves or worse, a photog that only talks about themselves. No matter how witty, cleaver, good looking or talented one may think they are, they are not interesting enough to have anyone listen to them talk about themselves or just their artwork 24 hours a day…7 days a week. This idea of purely self promotion has little to no place on the internet anymore.
Ultimately, SM is, atleast for me, an incredibly vital and important tool for my various photography businesses. My social media presence allows me to sell books, fill workshops, do contract work, sell prints and yes, even gain sponsorship that add brand value to my companies. However, at the end of the day, social media is ALWAYS about having the ability to personally connect with other individuals….a heck of a lot more then ever before. The work one had to do to fill an international workshop on the other side of the world was much more difficult even just five years ago. Today, I have people from all over the world joining my tours/workshops…which didn’t happen before. Why? Because communication is much more effective and efficient these days and I can easily talk, even face to face in those evil “Google+ Hangouts” to a client in Bahrain who wants to join my Jordan workshop in November of last year. At the same time, people are much more internet savvy then they were 10 years ago and no one wants a straight marketing pitch. They don’t want to be treated like a $ sign anymore. They want to interact, to ask questions…to get to know you…which certainly takes up time….but is worth it…atleast for my business models.
What is the most amusing to me, is the sheer number of “anti” social media posts that I have seen crop up lately (not necessarily talking about this post Kurt or Ian). Every time I see one of those rants, it is generally by some individual that hasn’t found a way to build a large enough platform to absolve their own ego (i.e. I don’t have a ton of followers, so this whole thing must be stupid). Within these rants is the amusing opinion that people like myself (who have a large social media presence) are not “true” photographers. It is if the success we have managed to find some how cancels out my skills as an artist. I even noticed a few comments in this thread, albit jokingly, referencing individuals that are so busy with “being popular” that they don’t focus on their craft. While that might have some weight for a number of individuals, it is certainly not across the board. Every now and then, that happens to me, from some individual that feels slighted by social networks not giving them the audience they feel they deserve. For me, I just nod and smile and move on. In between 2012 and 2013, I will have taught workshops in Death Valley, Zion, Colorado, Nicaragua, Peru, Iceland (3x), Tanzania (2x), Cambodia and India. I will have explored and worked in Australia, Bolivia, Burma, Alaska, South Carolina and Southern Utah. I will have also written two books, released 3 new e-book series and wrapped up two six figure marketing campaigns for major brands in the photo industry.
Long story short, I wholeheartedly agree with you in general with this post. Most photographers do not seem to grasp social media and in turn, that can become a major negative to their artistic craft and their business. That being said, success can still be had with hard work and a solid understanding of how SM can play a positive role in ones own business…even if that success means they are backlogged with editing images and they dont have time to share one of their images online every day, but are rather being paid to be out in the field.
Just my 2 cents for what they are worth…
Cheers,
Colby