I’ve been telling my students to forget about what everyone else thinks they should be photographing or what they perceive is expected of them, believing this might yield a result their peers or others might think is good … or worse currently in vogue. It’s really not worth the effort or the heartache. Unfortunately most people you talk to about your photographs don’t really know what you care about … and they certainly don’t care about you personally.

The more I think about it, the gallery game is just that … a game. Even more so are the myriads of competitions, etc. Many who judge you could never make a truly compelling photographic statement. Just check out your local photo/art scene and see if you agree. That isn’t to say that galleries and other venues for photographic work are not important. They are and I have had my photographs shown in them (Truth in advertising: I currently have a show up at a local venue). But it’s not necessarily, nor should it be your photographic end game.

As I said in a previous entry, as time goes by I am becoming more and more convinced that the most important thing in our photographic lives is to satisfy ourselves … that we find subject matter that truly inspires us and then effectively translate what we envisioned in our minds eye to a fully realized finished product. That means something that is well seen and produced using good craft. If we don’t do that then what’s the point?

Of course others may not see or appreciate your vision, but so what? Assuming you are satisfied that you have done the best you can don’t get discouraged. If your work is finely produced, you truly believe in it, and perhaps most of all, it provides you with pride of accomplishment and a sense of fulfillment … then be your own dog! No one or nothing else matters.