I’ve had people politely, even regretfully tell me they didn’t care for my work. I am kind and respectful towards them, because I don’t expect the majority of people to like my work. I tell them they’re in a majority. And I’m cool with that. This makes them feel better. Sometimes it even makes them feel better about me. And on occasion, it has made them feel better about my art. A win-win all around.
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This, in turn, made me feel better.
win-win-win.
This is why that advice is out there to “only take the criticism you find useful.” When considering my own images for portfolios and such, I often listen to many people talk about the images I am considering. I don’t usually say anything in my own defense when this goes on. I am only collecting information that I can later compare to my own vision. The information I get is always useful in some way or another.
I believe that’s the whole point of art. If everyone likes a work, is it still art? Isn’t art supposed to be unique and have a small group of admirers in the grand sense of the population? Most paintings I could care less about, yet someone out there will pay millions for splatter on canvas. I never took art history, thank goodness, since I have looked through those books and immediately went into a state of comatose.
Photographers should realize that if you work for clients, in general you are an image maker and a business person, not really an artist. Few photographers actually create art, since most imagery has been done over and over so many times, the uniqueness is long gone. If you want to be an artist, then I guess die an early age and have someone find your pot of gold of works of art that showed no similarities to the rest.
Photography is different than other art that i do. I post some great photos along with ok ones. You cannot force anyone to like your work, even though you know its good. I like all criticism, as is give you a sense what is going on with the viewer.
I appreciate criticism too, and it annoys me when photographers get upset about [constructive] criticism of their work.
You generally learn nothing from people praising your work.
“great capture!” “nice bokeh!” etc etc
You might learn something from people criticising your work, if you are willing to listen.
If everyone on the planet saw your work and only .000001% liked your work that is still a significant audience. not bad numbers even if you use 2010 estimate of 6,840,507,000
I am not about making people happy, I am about being happy at what I do, I think it helps people like what I do. My worst critic is my wife, she only likes about 1% of what I do.
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