Untitled

[rddphoto]

How to Fail as an Artist

American journalist and editor Herbert Bayard Swope Sr. once famously said:

"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure -- which is: Try to please everybody all the time."

As creatives, we sometimes struggle with what we perceive as a responsibility to our clients.

For example, we ask a prospective buyer where they might see one of our works displayed in their home or place of business. No problem so far. But eventually we step over the line by asking too many questions about the artwork's potential new home, confusing the potential buyer and not allowing the customer time to think quietly and ponder this very important question on their own. Eventually they give up and move on to another provider.

Another challenge we artists face is not being true to our artistic process. Allowing a prospective buyer to guide that creative process derails the muse and destroys the authenticity of our work. This is certainly not a problem when one is producing work on commission. But creating a body of work in advance from which we then present pieces for sale to our clients certainly does require staying true to our own values.

Give yourself a better chance at success. Do what's right for you, and let the chips fall where they may.

My two cents.

[rddphoto]

Perception vs. Perfection

If you're like me - an introverted, technical type - you're always striving for perfection in your work.

When it comes to art, perfection is a tough one. Really tough. Who's to say that a work of art is ever "perfect?"

Well, I suppose the artist, to start with. They had the idea, after all. If the work doesn't exactly meet their vision, it's just not good enough. Try again.

Then there are the art critics, bless their hearts. They know it all, of course. They have the education, and maybe a few dozen other credentials after their names. Their refined standards of taste and propriety simply must be met or else the work cannot be allowed out into the wild. What an embarrassment that would be!

Finally, there are the financial advisors. If you don't target your market, you're not going to sell a thing, and that would be a tragedy. Know your trends. Last year's hot stuff isn't hot anymore. Ya gotta eat, don't ya?

We're forgetting someone here. The customer. The one who purchases our work, takes it home or to their place of business and puts it on display. Why? Because it speaks to them.

The new owner of your work has perceived something in it that is of much greater value to them than any standard of perfection we could apply to it.

Don't chase perfection. Instead, pour your creative self into your work, and let the customer perceive it as they will. In the end, you'll both be happier, and you will, ultimately, have achieved perfection.

My two cents.

[rddphoto]

Tips for a Successful Creative Life

To have success in your creative life, try approaching it with:

=Patience=

The creative life requires having patience:

with your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self

with the physical environment in which you create

with the tools of your trade, as they evolve with time, with use and with the technological advances that improve/change/obsolete them

with the stages of artistic growth through which you pass

Learning to calmly change and adapt with these aspects of the creative life is key to success. Don't rush it, or you'll miss the important bits!

=Persistence=

The creative life requires being persistent.

As a photographer, I've found that what I imagine I'll find at a location is not always what exists in reality, for any number of reasons such as weather, crowds, repair work, etc. I sometimes have to return to that location repeatedly over a period of days, weeks, even months or years, until the conditions are just right in order to match my vision. Occasionally, after persisting long enough, my vision changes to match the conditions - a happy accident? Perhaps…

When working with models in a studio setting, the chemistry between people doesn't always blend well click, the lighting fails, someone becomes ill, etc, and the shoot has to be postponed until a later date. Such is life. If you want the shot, you'll have to roll with it.

Being prepared (and willing) to try again (and again) is a sign that you're following your true calling.

=Passion=

The creative life requires being passionate.

Pulitzer-prize winning photojournalist Greg Marinovich once said, "Shoot what you care about." Indeed, a creative person must approach their craft with passion, or run the risk of being exposed as a fraud. The discerning viewer can detect whether a work of art was one produced by someone who was simply going through the motions vs. a piece that came from within a person's soul.

Always remember that your creative work matters. It matters to you, the artist, as well as to those who view, appreciate and even purchase it from you. But your sole responsibility is to follow your passion, and allow everything else to take care of itself. Author and screenwriter Steven Pressfield put it quite bluntly when he said: "To labor in the arts for any reason other than love is prostitution."

Continue to adjust your actions, materials and environment to maintain and increase the passion you have for your work. When your work is the first thing you think about when you wake up, the thing that occupies your thoughts most of the day, the last thought before going to sleep at the end of the day and the subject of your dreams (all of these in a positive, constructive way, of course), congratulations: you've most likely found your passion.

=Passiveness=

The creative life requires being passive - being humble, keeping focus off of self and on the work.

This is no easy feat. We are by nature ego-driven creatures, and crave attention above almost all else. To be a fulfilled creative person means to devote heart and soul to the work, with no thought or concern for the outcome or what accolades it may garner.

So easy to say, so very hard to do. But when you've found your true calling, however, it's not so bad.

Be warned: ego can prevent growth, ruin a reputation and destroy a life's work. So, check yourself continually: am I keeping the work front and center? am I accepting praise with humility? am I giving to others of my time and talents without concern for the cost?

===

Being patient, persistent, passionate and passive can help you to succeed as a creative person.

My two cents.

[rddphoto]

Who Is an Artist?

Who is an artist?

You are.

With every word and action, you create a work of art.

How can that be? Simple. A work of art is a reaction to, or an interpretation of, some aspect of the human experience. And since you are a unique being, the work of art you create is also unique.

The medium you use is limitless: painting, poetry, architecture, mathematics, bricklaying, politics, forestry, electronics, medicine, theater, typesetting, fashion design, ad infinitum.

To be a more fulfilled artist requires being able to react to the human experience in ways that make sense for you. Are you living the kind of life that allows you to react authentically?

Are you able to interpret your surroundings and then share those interpretations using the talents you’ve been given to everyone’s mutual benefit?

Perhaps more importantly, are the reactions and interpretations you exhibit truly yours, or are they ones which are expected of you? Are you unduly influenced by family, friends, job expectations or other societal guidelines?

Unless we are free from strong external influence, the result of our effort cannot be a unique work of art. Only when our authentic reactions and interpretations to the human experience come solely from within can we truly realize our potential as artists.

By simplifying your life, whatever that requires, every word and action will then result in a unique work of art.

You are an artist. Yes, you.

My two cents.

[rddphoto]

The Photographer and the Chef

Sam Haskins tells the story of a photographer who went to a socialite party in New York.

As he entered the front door, the host said, “I love your pictures – they’re wonderful; you must have a fantastic camera.”

The photographer said nothing until dinner was finished, then: “That was a wonderful meal; you must have a terrific stove.”

When it comes to the creative arts, we must keep in mind that what matters are not the tools but the capabilities of those that use them.

Picking up a camera (or a paint brush, a handful of clay, a microphone or a word processor keyboard) in hopes of creating a successful work of art requires a certain depth of knowledge and skill, along with a unique vision of what could be. The physical tools are only a part of the equation.

Knowing your tools is important, to be sure. Mastering their intricacies most definitely adds value to your process. But obsessing over your tools at the expense of connecting with your creative spirit is, I believe, a hazard to be avoided.

Instead, master the process of working with light, color, shape and form, and adapting your inner vision to the world around you.

Finally, remember this simple phrase: “The best camera is the one you have with you.”

My two cents.

[rddphoto]

Finding Balance

As passionate photographers, we are often driven to look for the next shot. We notice every nuance in our surroundings - how people move, how light plays on surfaces, how smells affect our perceptions, what the wind might do to objects in the environment, what the sounds we hear may portend for an upcoming scene. We're always aware and planning, largely subconsciously.

All of this creative strategic planning and hyper-awareness can take up a large part of our mind, leaving little time and energy for appreciation of the beauties of the here and now. We let life pass us by. And that's a shame.

Passion drives us as creatives. We couldn't do what we do, as well as we do, without it. But there's a point at which we must pause and allow our world to refuel that passion. And that means being still. Observing. Removing the link between passion and action.

There will always be stunning sunsets to capture, talented studio models with whom to collaborate, gritty city streets whose stories cry out to be told, magnificent architecture that needs your special artistic touch.

Take a break from the work and give yourself time to recharge and reconnect with the present moment. Don't let the joys of life pass you by because you were driven to photograph them. Experience them instead.

My two cents.

[rddphoto]

AI and Photographic Artistry

Does AI have a place in photographic artistry? That's a very good question…

Thousands upon thousands of stunningly impressive works of art have been generated over the past several years with the assistance of AI tools. I refer you, for instance, to one Rodney Miller -- https://www.facebook.com/EZrod . His work enraptures the senses in ways simply not possible via "standard" photographic methods.

Many others are using AI to sharpen an image here, edit imperfections there, replace a background here or combine genres there, all in the name of superior creativity.

Do these applications of AI technology pass for works of art? Many would say "yes." Are these applications of AI technology in the name of improving creativity good or bad? I'm not sure.

The phrase "Artificial Intelligence" makes me wonder if this discussion should be happening at all, but here we are. In my mind, artistry comes from within the intelligent human soul, clearly non-artificial. Using our hearts and minds to extract beauty, wonder and other human emotions from the visual world is the essence of photographic artistry.

I'll grant you that, compared to the first cameras, today's devices are far more "intelligent." They make many more decisions at a much higher speed. But are they involved in the artistic (emotional) portion of the creation process? Probably not.

Maybe that's the difference. If a photographer prefers to be emotionally involved in the process of making an image, and maintain control throughout that process, then perhaps AI isn't the tool for them. Again, I'm not certain.

I suppose that, in the end, I'm increasingly concerned for the loss of our humanity. The arts, and in this particular case the photographic arts, have always come from the human soul. I'd hate to see that taken away.