Don’t blame the viewer, except……

Episode 286

Sometimes I hear someone say something and it gets me thinking about my approach to my photography. I recently overheard someone say don’t shoot the messenger. This got me to thinking about how many times we blame the viewer for not getting our understanding of our photographs. 

This week’s podcast is all about how we can help to overcome our frustration with others when they just don’t get our work. It is easy to blame the viewer as just not getting it, but I believe there is an opportunity for each of us to step back from our work and think about our approach. Are we as clear as we can be with our story, emotion, composition, and frame? Do we know what our work is about? Do we have clarity of purpose in our work or is it still vague in our mind? We can’t really expect someone else to get it if we don’t on some level get our own work, can we?

The one exception I have to not blaming the viewer is around personal experiences. When someone creates their work, it is from their experiences. When we tell them that it isn’t true, not what happened or worse this is what I would have photographed, we invalidate their experience. When we look at the art or photographs that someone has created that is meaningful to them and we say it doesn’t matter what do you think it says about them? So I don’t blame the viewer when it comes to fuzzy ideas in photographs, but I do have and issue when it is dismissive feedback because of what someone else has experienced, and that is my exception to the rule. 

Please remember to keep safe and wear your mask!

Also, don’t forget that there are a couple of new workshops I am offering. Each workshop will run for 6-7 months and is limited to six participants. There is a foundation workshop about editing and workflow and an advanced workshop about finding more meaning in your work. You can get more information from the Workshops/Teaching menu above or using one of the links below.

Perceptive Photographer Foundation Workshop: The Developing Image

Perceptive Photographer Advanced Workshop: The Meaningful Image

Gear used in the podcast

One of the questions I get asked frequently is what sort of equipment do I use to record my podcast. I have used a variety of equipment in the three years that I have been recording, but here is the current list of equipment that I am using. Also as an FYI and full disclosure, the links are affiliate links to Amazon.

Rode Procaster XLR microphoneRode Boom ArmRode PSM ShockmountAll three Rode components a kitFocusrite Scarlet 2i2Adobe Audition (part of creative cloud subscription)LogicPro XMacbook ProOWC Thunderbolt 3 dockHeadphones