putting yourself and your vision out there

[bpearl]

in my mind i have vision - i can capture it with my camera, but my

mind is ultimately what sees...and why is it that i fear my vision

won't be seen by anyone who views my work? I have ideas that never end

and a confidence in my work that won't start...

 

i want to create a portfolio. i want to show that portfolio. but i

have incredible, stiffling fear. why is that? I'm a mess...i cry and

moan about it (litterally) and it stops me from allowing the creative

flow...i need help.

 

does anyone have an idea of how to put yourself out there without fear

of being seen in a way that doesn't match your vision...?

 

any advice on how to create a portfolio without fear?

[jmoody]

easier said than done I'm sure but... try to be more ego-centric, and take pictures because you like to. Take pictures of what you like, and only try to please yourself with how they come out. Don't be afraid to ask for/receive genuine criticism regarding constructive thoughts (this might be better with "x" lighting, or "y" angle) but also be prepared to more or less ignore people's "tastes". Some of my favorite shots (abstract/macro) just get blank stares from my friends and family (inclusive some who are "professionals") while the obvious "postcard" shots get ooos and ahhhs. Hope this reply isn't too dumb, but just realize that you're probably voicing what 99% of us feel.

[fk319]

I posted a picture that I liked on photo.net. It was critized and ranked below average. I have since realized that it was not as good as I thought, and am looking for an opputurnity to retake those specific pictures. Some I disagree with, and have realized that my view on pictures is different than others.

[jmoody]

p.s., for some reason I didn't get that you were talking about posting here on photo.net. Be VERY aware that there are a lot of SUPER critical people here that can make your life miserable if you're worried about ratings. It's been a LONG LONG time since I got a truly helpful comment on a photo (positive or negative). It's normally ratings all over the chart that leave me with a medium low average, and MAYBE one comment like "nice shot" etc... I'm not saying I deserve better, but thicken up your skin if it's for here & maybe make a concerted effort to give "good helpful" comments to others as a way to open them up to return the favor. Good luck!

[keith_laban]

<a href="http://www.keithlaban.co.uk">Keith Laban Photography</a><p><i>"in my mind i have vision...I have ideas that never end and a confidence in my work that won't start"</i><p>Katt, without that confidence it's unlikely you will achieve that vision.<p><i>"any advice on how to create a portfolio without fear"</i><p>Believe in yourself, if you don't it's unlikely anyone else will.

[Sandeha Lynch]

What others see in your work won't match your vision - other people always make up their own minds about what you are and what your production means to them. Sometimes your vision and theirs will coincide? Is that what you're looking for? If so, why?

 

You wrote, "i can capture it with my camera" ... if so, then your only issue is your relationship with the public - not a photographic issue at all.

 

Make a portfolio.

[nadan]

Hi,in your questions is a words like fear,vision,mind,confidence etc...Try with book Art&Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland.You can find many answers.It is good start point to building selfconfidence.

[dave_nitsche]

What Jeff and Keith said. Do it for yourself. Putting your stuff out there for people to look at is one thing, but when you create images that show a lot of 'yourself' you run the risk of not only letting people dislike your images, but in a round about way you are giving people the abililty to take you down with those images. I have had those fears in the past also. Like Jeff mentioned though, I ended up shooting what I like and what showed a part of me. Yeah, some don't like it especially with the type of stuff I shoot and sometimes it even stings a bit.

 

But ya know, the first time someone comes up to you and says, "yeah, I get it and have felt that way too" and shakes your hand it is all worth it. Period. The rewards emotionally way out weigh the risk.

 

And to Keiths point about confidence, he's absolutely correct. If you don't get it, it probably won't happen for you...

 

Dave

[steve_swinehart]

You need to separate the different steps out. I'm reminded of that famous book, "Baby Steps" by Dr. Leo Marvin, wherein he advises breaking things down into small individual steps (baby steps) that you can accomplish without getting wrapped up with an overarching large task.

 

In your case, why not set yourself the task of just creating a portfolio? Work on that and forget showing it to anyone. Just make the portfolio and then live with it for awhile and see if you like it, or whether, after you've assembled the whole thing, it could be made better.

 

If it can be improved work on the improvements. Live with it and, once you're happy with it and your photos - maybe the next baby step will be showing it to someone.

 

Your fear is showing your photos to people NOT the fear of creating a portfolio. You think that if you have a portfolio you're required to show it to people - not true.

 

Work on the portfolio just for yourself - forget everyone else.

[illumination]

My advice is to quit moaning. Photography is a philosophy and a lifestyle as much as it is an avocation to communicate. Maybe what you are most fearful of is what that means. Look at others work but always photograph for yourself. Produce the kind work that you are proud of. One of the truths that you learn when you get a legitimate photography degree is that you are responsible for your work regardless if you show it or not. Photography is deceptively difficult to get just right and having ideas about a vision of photography is not the same thing as understanding what you have accomplished. Photography often takes a lifetime to understand. What one also learns is that the people who are not getting critiqued are probably not worth being critiqued. The best potential photographers can go into a critique thinking that they have produced the best images of their lives, only to leave the critique emotionally destroyed. I have witnessed otherwise strong grown men breakdown in tears. That communication mismatch between the vision and the perceived result is all a part of the process that everyone who is serious has gone through, or at least should have gone through.

[root]

Quite a few of us uploaded images to this site within hours of getting our username to log in. I find that I like feedback from many different sources. . . . . amateurs / pros, photographers / painters, neighbors . . . . . heck, anybody.

 

It also helps to write critiques on photographs that you like, but maybe more importantly in your case, try to describe exactly what it is you are trying to accomplish with your own work.

 

Post an artist statement on this site, a new image every couple days, and write discriptive critiques on the uploads of those who have posted on this thread. Report back in a month.

[phyrpowr]

"Portfolio without fear"? Impossible. Ditto driving without fear, speaking to a new person you might like without fear, etc. You have done these things, and tougher ones, sucessfully

 

You need to make a portfolio, a schedule of when it will be shown (to whomever) and do those constructive things that will accomplish those goals. Keep doing them, and don't stop midway to analyze all your god***n "feelings". Don't stop until it's done, and you can't go back.

 

Do not, repeat not, expect everyone, maybe anyone, to see exactly what you mean to convey. Get your crying over the negative comments out of the way before showing. Ditto the "oh, yeah, well, up yours" type responses. Leave your pistol at home, or at least in the car.

 

Then, be gracious when a rather surprising number of people do "get it" and compliment you.

[ben conover]

Hi Katt, I am a beginner in photography. I love your self portrait on your profile. Perhaps transfering some confindence you have in other walks of life to the photography and the posting issues, you can get images up on screen. I do not post photos but I will at some stage in the future. I have a fridge full of film to process and I have no money to do that yet. I will only post photos that I like, and that's about it, fairly simple. If other poeple don't like my photos I don't really give a flying monkey's, but if someone does like then that's cool. I do photography for me and for people I care about, to remember life but also to help think and see what may come next. The slides I shot at the beach with Sue make me wonder how I can do better next time, and will the chance come again, etc.

 

There are lots of photos in the world, so you need not fear being alone. Your vision like everyone elses, is up to a point unique, that is something good and I look forward to seeing your photos.

 

Perhaps you will have your images up on screen before me!

 

Ben.

[PatrickMP]

<p>The only way to get a portfolio together, is to start with a single image.

<p>Many of the problems with portfolios I see, is that there is no cohesion. There is no

underlying theme that ties everything together. More often than not, people slap together

what they consider are their personal favorites and/or best photographs, not realizing that

there is nothing common between any of those photos (other than the fact that they are

personal favorites). My entrance portoflio to school was like that, and looking back I don't

see how they accepted me. (In retrospect, all portfolios were like that ("bad") back then. I

had one professor at another school say that they refused to take "good" portfolios

because they wanted "raw" people to work with; those who already have a routine are, on

the average, less receptive to change in their own workflow).

<p>Don't worry about what others think. Regardless, you will always, always find people

who don't like your work. People rant and rave about Ansel Adams. While I consider his

work technically good, it does absolutely nothing for me. You will

never be able to make everyone happy.

<p>Much of what people said here is true: be true to <em>yourself</em>. Have

confidence and <em>pride</em> in your own work. Without that, people will see right

through you.

[toddr]

I highly recommend the book and lessons in The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Art can be therapy and this book has some great lessons that help.

[ken_hughes4]

"there are two people in every photograph, the photographer and the viewer"---ansel adams

[beeman458]

"does anyone have an idea of how to put yourself out there without fear of being seen in a way that doesn't match your vision...?"

 

Having a frontal lobotomy might help. Insecurity is a good thing if not allowed to take control. If you ask some here, I'd qualify as the worst photographic artist to post images on Photo.net. In reality, there's no such thing as a valid critique.

 

Short of the extreme, one slowly comes to realize that we, the photographers are only a part of the process as the viewer, not us, completes the image and it's their reaction to the image and what they think that counts, not what we personally think of our efforts.

 

Dispite what folks here have had to say, I continue showing my images; blissfully ignorant to my dilusional ways:)

 

Wishing you well with your photographic journey.

[chris_waller]

I've hung photographs on the wall and had people interpret them completely differently to what I expected. But this is part of the game. Read Sontag and Barthes. We might own the picture, but not its interpretation. Any serious photographer is constantly up against the challenge of trying to make the print accord to the 'picture in the head'. This is the mountain that one climbs.

[john mackay]

<p>Hi Katt,</p>

 

<p>You've already had some really great advice on this and it's

 

heartening to see you agonising over something worthwhile.</p>

 

<p>I think you found one answer yourself which is "when you're stuck ask for help."</p>

 

<p>I won't reiterate what others have said but will add this: When you're ready to show your portfolio let people know that it's your first time, that it's the most important work you've ever done -- heart and soul, that you'd appreciate and accept all feedback and please be gentle.</p>

 

<p>If you're really concerned whether people will "get the picture" so to speak then you can provide them with a background, photo titles, source of inspiration etc. In other words help them to understand where you're coming from.</p>

 

<p>Good luck!</p>

[jordan2240]

I would guess that most artists have the same fear of being misunderstood and/or rejected. But if there is passion in your work, someone WILL eventually see it, and all it really takes is one to validate your effort. So, shoot for yourself, shoot with passion, enjoy what you do, and all things will fall into place. But rest assured, there will be criticism. Welcome it rather than fear it, and consider the source when you do.

[h._p.]

Was it in "The Rebel" that Tony Hancock says something like "if you're not misunderstood and rejected you're not a bloody artist"? Dunno, but it sounds about right for those that confuse angst with personal importance.

[bpearl]

to everone who wrote back, thank you for your words of advise. i realise that i am not alone in my fear, and that in fact most people have fear hindering them and in turn their abilities...

i took the first 'baby-step' yesterday and bought a portfolio book...i shopped around and finally found one...consider the first step taken...now i am attempting to upload onto photo.net, i'm not going to give any more excuses or moan about things i can't change or help...

i will work on believing in my work even more so...and being ego-centric, but only a bit...i don't want to be a pompous photog who talks for hours about how good he/she is...i just want to be confident enough to stand out with my portfolio.

 

i remember a moment in my life: sitting on busy toronto street and a woman, severely handicapped with crippling cerebral palsy, approaches in an electric wheelchair, she gets my attention and starts to point out her sales pitch on a picture board. the heading on th epicture board is a brief description of who she is - an artist - and what she's doing - selling her paintings on greeting cards - her backpack is open and the writing encourages you to look inside, she's trustingly storing all her packages of cards there...and who knows where the money is kept, and welcomes strangers who take a moment, pittied or curious, to look at her vision...people stare at her handicap. they might mock her efforts and her work, but still she travels around the city self promotion covered in splotches of multi-coloured paint. putting herself and her vision, wuite literaly, out there.

 

i know i may risk seeming as through I have grown, but - what DO we have to fear?<div></div>

[john mackay]

Most rorschach tests are sufficiently ambiguous enough to illicit a range of responses but I detect a strong element of sarcasm present in the rorschach context of the mushroom clouds making intrepretation redundant. As if to say "interpret all you want but our future is obvious. God in apparition watches from above the clouds as the autumn leaves of the human race sit in the foreground (the present day) of the black forest oblivious to approaching annhilation.

 

Thanks for sharing....John.

[john mackay]

on second thoughts the god-like apparition at the top of the image could be interpreted to be humankind overseeing the destruction of the earth with the autumn leaves in the foreground symbolizing the last remaining vestiges of our shrinking environment.

 

yes... I think I like that better.

[h._p.]

Cor! And there I was thinking it was a forest fire with all the smoke billowing.