Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved
Recently my pal Scott Kelby recorded an episode of his video podcast “The Grid” discussing a very interesting topic.
The topic could best be summed up as follows:
“Stop sweating stuff only other photographers will ever notice.”
I get questions for the Photofocus podcast that indicate very strongly to me that this is a big issue and one that I should tackle.
When photographers spend too much time in online forums, they tend to get confused. Back and forth over things like exposing to the right; shooting in ProPhoto RGB or Adobe RGB 1998; using this camera or that camera. In fact, these discussions are fascinating to other photographers but mean nothing – absolutely nothing – less than nothing to anyone else. Maybe your fellow camera club members will notice that slightly blown out highlight but NOBODY else who looks at the image will ever know or notice.
Remember back to before you were really into photography? What was your acceptable photographic standard then? I can tell you what it was. When you took a roll of film to the drug store or you first loaded a memory card into your computer, you merely hoped the photos would “come out.” That’s a fancy way of saying you wanted something properly exposed enough that you could recognize it. As serious photographers we’ve all come a long way from those days, and rightly so. But remember this – EVERYONE ELSE is still there. They won’t notice the small, pedantic nuances that the camera club forum will. Don’t fixate on that stuff. It’s discouraging and defeating. Instead, note it, try to improve it – and move on. Enjoy what DID work about the photo. If it’s a great expression on your friend’s face or a pretty reflection in the pond or a nicely lit landscape. Be happy for the success, try to improve, but don’t let the small stuff get you down.
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