I met a photographer yesterday who as as we were talking told me that he was anti-blogging. "Why would I put my best work up on the internet just so another photographer can copy it?" He further goes on to say that he actually went through his facebook friend's list and de-friended every single photographer.
This is not the first time I've heard someone say something like that (ok maybe the 2nd time). I don't think any one person out there likes their work being plagiarized, but when I hear someone go so far out of their way to make sure that doesn't happen, it makes me cringe just a little bit and ask the question "wasn't it the love of photography and not the fear of plagiarism that brought you to this industry in the first place? Whats the use of photographing if you're not willing to share with others the beauty you captured?"
Honestly no photographer or any other artist in this modern day invented anything new. We're not Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Mozart, Ansel Adams, etc etc. We are John Smith!! Everything we do is a replica of what has already been done (good or bad). Sometimes I come across images where there is a huge "DO NOT COPY" logo across the entire image, so big and strong that I can barely see the picture itself. Now that makes me chuckle (especially when its not even that great of a photograph).
Blogging is a way to connect and give back to your community. Its your very own personal voice and that no one can take away from you. I spend a lot of my time looking at other people's blogs, sites, work and are blown away by so many creative people out there. There are some amazingly talented photographers. Honestly no matter how much I try, I don't think I can come close to copying their vision, perspective, mindset, thought process of when they captured that image at that very moment.
Do you think God made 2 people with the same set of eyes? I don't think he has or ever will. So then what are you afraid of? If someone wants to copy my work, that tells me I'm doing something right =)
Times are changing and I understand its hard for a lot of old time photographers being annoyed at the new wave of young photographers who know nothing about photography, but are in this industry because of the invention of digital SLRs which makes creating "beautiful" images no longer as technical. What do I have to say to that? I think its time to bring photography to a whole new level. As Jimmy Carter puts it "We must adjust to changing times and still hold unchanging principles".
Friday, September 17, 2010
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6 comments:
Nice insight!
well said! =D
Agreed! I am new to photography, but the photographers that I know are so willing to share their experiences with me and help me along the way. Am I stealing their ideas? No! Am I stealing their visions? No. I will develop my own as time goes on. But this industry is about sharing peoples lives with the world and making memories for THEM. Your clients. It's not about us, it's about THEM and the memories we capture for them to cherish for years to come!!
Right on!
You are such a great writer Jenny! I agree 100%!
LETS TAKE IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL! ;D
I agree. I think that the photographer that you were speaking with has a fundamental misunderstanding of what he is creating and selling (presumably the selling is important). He is either creating an image, in which case a potential purchaser will want the original rather then the resolution on the web, or they want the way of looking at something (or the fact that the photographer had the physical ability and skills and will to get at the right place at the right time), in which case they want the photographer, not someone who looked at the image and is trying to be that photographer. At least that has been the experience I have had with photographs that have been sold or published.
I also agree that I am presuming that the photographer in question has a style distinct enough that it takes time to develop. If a style can be 'stolen' by looking at it, it would imply that it did not require much investment.
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