I'm Sorry If I Gave You This Idea About Taking Photos

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[@ThePhotographicEye]

Tomorrow (28th September) I'll be giving details via email on my new course which will be exclusively available as part of this years 5DayDeal photography bundle charity event. To find out more, and make sure you get the email, join the waitlist here: www.thephotographiceye.info/5daydeal

[@nvrumi]

Interesting video. I was once told by the instructor of a course I paid for to "not quit my day job." I was a little offended (only at first and because my pride was injured -- ha!) but decided to take what I could learn from the course and go on. I make photographs because I love to make photographs. I throw most of the frames away as flawed. I find I keep a few of them because something about the image resonates with me. I don't know if my photographs are Art or art or trash and I really don't care. They are one of my ways of being artistic and that feeds my soul. Perhaps a little of Bob Ross lives in me. ;) (I watched his shows as a kid.) I think that is good enough... at least for me. Well done, sir!

[@philipcolumbus3054]

Thank you. I am an engineer by training and have never been of an artistic bent. I started photography over 50 years ago as a young lieutenant in the US Army in Germany. I have been shooting for years and I can proudly say I still am not an artist! It just isn’t in me. I can see how my photos and the photos of others could be better but I cannot now and never could envision that great photo in advance. What I do is try to be technically proficient inline with my training as an engineer and my mindset. When I submit my photos for criticism by accomplished photographers, I am so happy if after a review they say one third of my photos aren’t too bad. That’s because it proves I have made progress!

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

interesting. My drive as hobbyist photographer is to be an artist, in the sense that I express my vision and ideas through my photos.

[@Daniel_Ilyich]

Also, Mr. Kilbee, I so appreciate your sincerity and desire to inspire and, yet, put people at ease. You're a very good teacher....and photographer.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@ZioFeda]

I don't know if this can bring you some kind of relief, but I've always thought of landscape photography as my primary interest in photography, and I've never found you to be implying that it would make me somehow less of a photographer. Your videos have always been inspiring to me, and the concepts of being aware of your circumstances, of challenging yourself to find a different perspective on reality, of training your eye to see things you would not normally see, are things that can be useful both while walking in an urban setting or over the top of a mountain, in my opinion.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for your comment

[@makingitthrough190]

Breath of fresh air! It can be so deflating to share an image with someone you admire and have them criticize it, as if in some way it fails. I once was silly enough to share a photo of some sheep with a “photographer” while on an unrelated workshop. She said it wasn’t really good because the sheep were walking away from the focal point of the photo, instead of towards it. And what exactly was I supposed to do about that? Today, I picked up a different photo I had printed at our local framer. First time I ever felt it was worth the cost. But, even though the photo might be a good one, I only happened to be in the right place time and thought to point the camera in the right direction. Not sure where that puts me on some imaginary scale of photographic skills. So let’s all just have some fun, may be stop taking ourselves so seriously, which I think is what you might be saying.

[@steveperryphoto431]

I click the shutter for the pure anticipation of what it will produce. Sometimes just a snapshot, out of focus and poorly composed, but sometimes something more than that, that moves me to create even more. If I shoot all week and just get one frame that inspires me to continue shooting, then I think I have had a successful week of photography.

[@michalkubecek]

It's so refreshing to hear someone saying that you don't have to aim for Art as if otherwise it wouldn't be even worth the effort to take images at all. For me, photography is more about craft and even if most of the images I take serve mostly as memories for myself (I love going through them years later), I can still want to do the craft as well as I can. What I personally dislike most are people who use "That's art, you don't understand it." as an excuse for not bothering to do the craft properly.

[@vio7et_tendencies]

If I'm being honest, I got the opposite ideas from your videos and that's what I loved. I tried hanging around in groups to learn more about photography, but this very artsy feeling keeps bubbling up that somehow, the photos I like aren't good enough, aren't technical enough, "don't mean anything." But, your videos always took me back to simplicity, ideas, and it's okay to just shoot what you want to shoot and like it, and that doesn't make it any less artsy.

[@carolwatts944]

Jay Maisel, I think, is a wonderful photographer to highlight here. If I understand correctly, he always took pictures of whatever struck him as interesting, pretty, weird, etc. He never left home w/out his camera. He photographed because he appreciated making images - not to fit in anyone’s expectations or niche or bucket. I tried “discovering “ my niche early in my career - only to finally realize that my niche is anything that trips my trigger - no matter the subject. As Mr Eggleston said [i think it was him], I “photograph life.” Mr Maisel did/does the same. They give me freedom to be myself as an artist - for myself and no one else.

[@michaelbuelow9275]

Thank you for this video. I am one of those people who just want to be proud of a well-done image. A few years ago, I watched your every video for a time and became very discouraged because I wasn't "ART" enough. To be fair, it wasn't just you, it was also my local photo club and some other sources. They all seemed to say that just doing good, clear, images of someone or something I like was inadequate. I actually put away my camera and gave up on photography all together until recently. This video just reinforces my belief that I was right in the first place. Thanks again!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@derricksansome236]

Well done Alex, the more of us that confess to just loving taking photos and enjoying what we produce the more it shoots down the art snobs. If we love what we produce then that is perfect, if someone else loves it then it’s a joyful bonus.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@lukemerrill1272]

I've thought a lot about this too. I of course want to be a better - to be a great photographer even! In reality I'll probably just be the family photographer who gets the occasional memorable photo at a birthday party or event. But, instead of thinking I'm "just" the family photographer, I'm realizing I can actually make a small number of people really happy with these photos and that makes me really happy too!

[@jms9057]

You're not "just" the family photographer, you're the photographic historian. I have centuries of family genealogy, but the history truly comes to life when you get to the time period where the photos begin. You can see the family resemblance, wonder what they were thinking when the image was captured, ponder what their face, clothing, and environment tells you about their life. It may feel like some insignificant snapshots, but it can be the gift you leave for the future.

[@brianm.9062]

Alex pure neatness, art for arts sake, a Nikon for gods sake. love the honesty.

[@MichaelWright-garden]

Nice to hear your views, I have always struggled to get "Art" into my photos, just getting a nice memory or decent view is fine, again I never try & tell a story, it's just a picture for goodness’ sake Some photos I take I like, others I know I could probably do better next time round

[@chrisclarke3443]

I saw a study where a number of brides were shown an array of wedding photographs ranging from the simply archway shots to the more arty stuff. They rated the images from favourite to least and the clear winner was the simplest shot in the archway. People don’t just look at photographs and all want the same feelings - they may want relatable romantic stuff or nostalgia or hard hitting or just creative . Same with people who take the photos in the first place

[@jonathanscherer8567]

Landscape and wildlife is my thing. So I appreciate your honesty. I feel the same way about street and portrait photography. I can do it, sometimes will do it, but don't seek it out. Studio stuff is completely outside of my wheelhouse. So I think it makes sense to reflect on these things. Take a step back. We often have to get over ourselves, or step outside ourselves, and see things from a different perspective. I like your channel and your thoughts. Keep up the introspection. You've got a kind heart. I think that's why people appreciate you. It comes through your videos, and your photos. Don't ever stop growing.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@MikeRamsay]

I have just paused my Camera Club membership after many years for exactly the points you are making. Once we are technically competent (and any camera or phone makes that bit easy now) the chat about photography drives a search for ever more "Artistic" images. It is easy to get sucked into that drive, and forget that many of us also enjoy taking a good "record shot" of a scene that captures our attention. So much so, that we stop taking everyday photographs. I saw David Bailey's Stardust exhibition several years ago, and came away with the thought that the photographic quality of the images would have been dismissed in a club competition as below basic standards of composition, focus, exposure etc. But it was the people and the moments he had access to which made the images interesting.

[@tadc]

The Frames app is iPhone only. It puzzles me why most photographers ignore the existence of Android. Still, I admire Tomasz's work to put out a printed photo magazine not to mention his KZbin postings. Also, for sticking with the original spelling of his name. Mine is Tadeusz. The family name is a spelling exercise of a similar grade to Tomasz's 😅

[@johnoconnell6667]

Thank you, Alex. I have been truly enjoying my photographic journey. I have been inspired by your channel to experiment and push my photography in multiple directions. I consider myself a "nature" photographer, not just landscapes, not just macro, not just wildlife. I think this stems from my career as an ecologist where I concern myself with all of the parts of the system. Your channel has inspired me to try some more "Artsy" photography and it has been fun. That said, I've luckily not let you get into my head and I still appreciate my photography that isn't "Art". As I'm watching this video, I'm matting dozens of macro shots of wildflowers. They are pretty, but they are not "Artsy". But, the bring joy to those who view them. This isn't about pandering to what sells, but recognizing the power we have as photographers to bring beauty into the lives of others. So many of the followers of my work tell me that they can't get outside much for whatever reason and that my images help bring them outdoors, albeit on a screen. That's worth more than any print sales! As I've ingested your channel, I've also integrated some of your philosophies (with credit) into my free "Introduction to Outdoor Photography" workshops that I give seasonally at a local state park. These are designed for folks who have limited experience. Maybe they bought a DSLR and never learned how to take it off M. Maybe they only have a smartphone but want to get the most out of it. I have found that some of your concepts lend well to that. For example, I have a bit about my primary school teachers 3 rules for photography: "1) Get close, 2) get close, 3) GET CLOSE". For each, I show a different way to "get close". I recently added an aside to explain that it can also mean to get close emotionally after seeing your video on this. Similarly, I talk about enjoying one's photographic journey and to not beat oneself up while learning. Celebrate pictures you like, even if they aren't up there with the "best" photos in the world. Your statement that "You can't win art" has been added to that spiel. Anyway, throughout my talks, I emphasize that folks should enjoy themselves. It should be fun. Break rules if you want to. Take shots at the wrong setting if time won't allow you to dial them in. Capture snapshots with your phone in fleeting moments. Find as many ways to capture what you find beautiful. There are enough bad things to worry about in life, so we should balance them with joy.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for your comments and watching the channel.

[@nyfrankie9460]

I’m thinking of William Eggleston right now.. Get up, go out, take camera, shoot, and whatever is there is there. Mundane? Maybe. It is what it is. And after a few thousand repeats a refinement of vision may or may not set in. Art? Or art? Can’t think right now any further than that…still having my morning coffee. Thank you Alex.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for your comment

[@mahiwagangpilipinas8976]

I've been aspiring to be an artist all my life, failing constantly. But I take photographs when I want to record something - something that took my interest at that particular moment. I take pictures of my son before I leave home, when I see him sleeping, when he goes off to school. I discover that some of them looks artsy (a bit) but I do not think about trying to be artsy when I take those photos. I just want something that will enhance my memory of that particular moment when I look at those photos in the future. And that, to me, is reason enough to take those photos. Thanks, Mr. Kilbee, for your humility and for the honest advice!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@sramabadran]

I take photographs (mostly landscape, some street) to remember moments of serendipity or special connection I feel to a place. I can't capture the sounds, the smells, the mood, but seeing the photo often brings me back to the place. My photography journey started with a point and shoot when my son was born, so that his grandparents could keep up with his progress. But I rarely photograph people now. Photography is memory distilled. It captures less than 1% of the feeling, but can trigger a memory of an event or moment that brought happiness.

[@malcolmwright6948]

I mainly photograph flower shows for a National Florist Society's website. That audience doesn't want arty, or bokeh. All they want are fairly accurate representations of what was shown on the day. If there's sufficient detail to tell one named variety from a very similar variety that has another name, it's a winner. Photography has as many uses as a pencil.

[@simonbuchanan1184]

Can I point out, tongue in cheek, that while I can bring a camera to my eye, only a pencil can poke it. ;) But your point is valid, there are many purposes for photography. While on vacation I will take images that is an attempt to be more "arty", and then I'll take images to chronicle what we were doing.

[@davidskinner274]

Constables paintings for me for landscape of the rural scenes are inspirational. They have mood and feeling.

[@jimjenjazz]

Surely, like in most walks of life, we should not be in competition with anyone but our self? Am I better today than yesterday? I will never compete with Ansel Adams, or you come to that, but am I progressing with my photography? Yes!

[@alan.macrae]

Your videos have always brought good information Alex, from the first one I watched, and I'm grateful that you share them with us. No apology needed, for anything. Keep it up, please! Cheers, Alan

[@ThePhotographicEye]

I appreciate that! Thank you for watching

[@trevor9934]

I've been saying for most of my 40+ year career that people take photos for a huge variety of reasons, and they are ALL valid for them. There is a certain elitism that reminds me of the attitude of the French Academy des Beaux Artes in their reaction to the Impressionists back in the 19th century. I see it in the Photographic Societies where I live. Their sole purpose in life seems to be to engage in competition under the guise of improving members' images. However, it gets extremely competitive when it should be embracing and educational, unlike the groups I engaged with in Canada, which really concentrated in presenting educational and mentoring events and opportunities. Here the groups are slowly dying out and complain about lack of members, yet they have refused to accept that they have not kept up with the times and they are competing with many other opportunities to learn, share, and indeed compete.

[@ccphototx]

Have been enjoying initial engagement with Frames, can’t wait for the actual printed pub

[@katyg3873]

The frames app is fantastic. It’s like very early instagram but with exceptional photography.

[@Needacreate]

One of the best decisions I have ever made about my photography is that I strictly - or as strictly as possible, given that every once in a while people do ask me to take photos for work - that I strictly do it for fun. I have totally stopped obsessing about creating art, specializing in a particular genre, finding a particular style, needing to get this or that shot, or following this or that rule. This doesn't mean that I am not particular about or don't care about the photos I take. Quite the opposite, really. But I follow my intuitions, and let the self-appointed gatekeepers waste their time protecting their ivory towers of arrogance, conformity, and, frankly, often mediocrity.

[@markgoostree6334]

I am very nearly the poster boy for this video. I took 90% of my photos over the last fifty years just to show to my wife. Very few people see my photographs. I have reduced the volume over the last two years and almost feel like I'm still over doing it. There is no need any more. I still watch for your videos so I can learn... and I learn something every time.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching.

[@maggnet4829]

I qualify as what you call, "somebody that just wants to be proud of their pictures." I thank you for this term because that helps me to put a finger on what I want to achieve. I'd not stop there, though, and think a step deeper. What does being "proud of" actually need to be achieved? For me, that means to have a) an image that is technically correct in a way that it does not contradict b), the goal to create an impactful image, which people see and stop for a second to feel it and take it in. And b) is where I'm not trying to be an artist, yet where understanding the impact art has on people can be helpful. My problem is, I'm not a person easily inspired by art. You are, though, and you are very happy to teach people about how the art inspires you and how you think it inspires others. This is what I take away from your videos, where I expand my horizon into a world that I'm having a hard time finding access to on my own. The other day, I asked about the golden ratio as a topic for a future video, for the reason that I know that you'd not just give it dry technical explanation, but will explain how it impacts people.

[@MonsterCookieMuncher]

Possibly the most popular painting that adorned the walls of many a home in the 1970s, the Chinese Girl, (or the Green Woman), available for a small amount from Woolworths, along with many other reproductions, these probably gave many people access to art. Everyone has the ability to appreciate some form of art, luckily we can't all agree on exactly what that is.

[@andrewmckinney3053]

ditto for ZioFeda, Alex! I appreciate your push to expand our boundaries/to think outside the square. Many thanks!!!

[@chrisfowler7669]

In the end--as in all artistic endeavors--what's imp[ortant is finding and clarifying your own voice.

[@nickm8134]

I completely love photography, have done for almost 60 years! With each photo I try to; a) tell a story, about the subject and b) convey within the image how I felt about the subject. My approach to a + b depends on the subject, the story and how I feel. I might try for an 'Artistic' (not sure what that means) approach or something more direct, as long as I get some a + b I'm going to be happy.

[@jonjames3252]

👌👍👏👏🥃

[@ladymary22]

I just love the process not the product. My work is for my sense of relaxation May Bob Ross always be a blessing ❤

[@sjurgabriel]

Lovely reminder of how it´s too easy to forget other peoples approach to photography might be very different from my own. I often find other peoples work in social media groups too "perfect", thinking they ruined a perfectly nice picture with heavy editing like HDR and saturation etc. I mean, in a negative way I tend to judge, but of course they share a version of a scene to their own taste and it´s non of my business if it´s not to mine. I find your videos thought-provoking and inspirational :- ) It actually helps me moving forward with my own work, and maybe a little as a human being too. A rare flower in the YT-landscape of consumer focused photography channels, and if we ever found our selves in the same part of the globe I would buy you a beer and give you some kudos eye to eye. Keep it up, please!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@1502Jinx]

Hi Alex, thank you for 'coming clean' so to speak. I have, in the past, thought 'oh, I think this is a bit to highbrow for me, too deep, too intellectual'. But its never stopped me from coming in to view your video's. Finding a quiet moment and digesting your sort of soft touch guidance into the world of photography. I am a photographer trying to find the simple joy in photography, but I am also willing to learn and to take on board what you have to say and give me. Have a Happy new Year Alex and keep up the good work.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Happy new year

[@sprout995]

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Truer words have never been spoken. I feel that art is all by perception. I have never seen the Mona Lisa in person. But I cherish the artwork from my son when he was 3. Not because it's a great piece of art. But because it's his perspective of the world. And what more is art than a perspective.

[@simonpayne7994]

I think the word you are looking for is "unassuming". Many people like making "unassuming" pictures. Simply a good representation of what they have in front of them. There is a whole scale if intermediates from "unassuming" at one end to "arty" at the other end. The extreme of "artiness" is that the viewer has no idea what the picture is actually depicting or might want to say. But it looks damn good hung up on the wall!

[@eskay2250]

Sigh of relief. We don't have to take ourselves too seriously! 😎

[@conchscooter]

You have never come across as anything but sincere and thoughtful and honest. I actually like your pictures. They remind me of mine. I wander around with my micro four thirds Panasonic and snap colors and angles and such. And landscapes. And people. But those quirky angles in places where pictures shouldn’t be found fascinate me. A KZbinr with millions of followers used to spend videos earnestly telling his viewers not to allow themselves to be pigeonholed. He tucked himself behind this need to tell little old me not to allow criticism to put me off course. Me? Who was pigeonholing me? Nobody knows me. He was just projecting his own problems on KZbin with Important Philosophy. You never do that. Rest assured. Yours sincerely Wannabe Constable. My haywain is in the cloud.

[@denisesavage2382]

Thanks Alex for your thoughts and the way you simply encourage us. I like that you stretch our horizon, because it actually helps us to know just what we may or may like in our own work. It helps me to know that what I bring is simply a contribution to the whole. It doesn't have to be out there to do that. You continue to encourage us though - to bring our own selves to our image making, to our observing of the work of others. That is a great gift!

[@jeffward6904]

We used to refer to those determinedly artsy works as ‘Art with a capital F’. Enjoying watching your pieces as always. 👍

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Cool, thanks

[@talende]

I think, perhaps, that part of the journey is coming to terms with your own goals and just having a good time with your camera and your editing software - and remember to review your past photos. That way you can spot mistakes and improve upon them and you can sense your incremental improvements over time.

[@iankellam6440]

Well made point Alex. You are a master at digging yourself out of a hole before digging another, but in a charming way. I think the Art piece of photography is the reason so many photographers don't go anywhere near social media. Keep up the good work sir.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks 👍

[@lisajoseph5817]

Photography is so accessible - anyone with a cell phone can play! So play!

[@swanvictor887]

I am nearly 60 and began taking photos around 13, beginning with a Russian camera called a Zenith, bought in my home town of Swansea, Wales in 1977 for about 15 pounds. From a working class background I couldn't afford to spend much on film but I persevered and eventually got better equipment and improved. Now, the reason Photography attracted me was simple: I LOVE Art, Music and the performing Arts - yet I have not artistic ability! I can't Draw, Paint or play a musical instrument! But I knew how to use a Camera. I eventually, at 20, became a TV Cameraman (trained on the new ENGs) which gave me more money to spend on film. I don't care for "ARTY" photos! Photography for me, is Joy: I take snaps of Clouds, cracks in the pavement, graffitti...ANYthing JUST FOR MYSELF!! One of the biggest mistakes (or perhaps, Lessons) I experienced, was when I first started taking photos, I wanted to get advice and so often bought those glossy Photo Magazines: Big Mistake! Yes, you found the odd tip but I found, for the most part, those magazines were just a showcase for men (and it was always men) to show off their ten-thousand pound lenses and thousand pound cameras - equipment I would never own or indeed, want! These so-called 'For Amateur' Magazines were using equipment us beginners would never attain and it annoyed me and in fact, depressed me, causing me to doubt if I belonged in photography and those magazines nearly made me quit! I stopped buying them. About four years ago, I bought one of the biggest titles for the first time in forty years and while the quality of photo and technology has improved...Nothing much has changed! We still have men with the most expensive equipment money can buy, lecturing beginners on how to take photos only the very best equipment could ever capture! So...my tip: Don't buy those magazines! They only put you off photography!!

[@filmic1]

What great insight/survey. (Love Constable.) Makes me recall a survey done on Fay Godwin by a British Art Historian, probably back in the sevenites. (Marcia Pointon.)

[@chrisbrown6432]

I do not care if ways of taking photographs are fashionable or not. If I like it I like it. If I do not like it I do not. It is what I think that matters. If I had a mentor that I respected as a photographer that would be great. However I will continue to passionately study photography in all the ways possible and Practice it. Continue doing what you are doing. It is a good point about photography should be art or not. I do not need a label to apply to art photography or photography.

[@davidpowell5437]

Haven't felt like picking up a camera for most of this year. That quotation from Constable seems to point right at the root of my malaise. Thanks!👍

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@domsphotography]

I’ve always said when asked if a photo is any good by someone is “ do you like it? “ and when given a reply either positive or negative the ask “why? “ We have to like our own work before asking others if they like it if you’re not happy with it it will show.

[@RideandRemember]

Thank you Alex for being honest with us. I don't think that was something you should apologise but yeah some people might have misunderstood. You've posted and talked a lot about how powerful "mundane" and "simple" photographs can be many times before. I believe many of your views knew what you meant. Yet another very good video. Thanks a million! Have a wonderful day.

[@webbphoto2]

Simple is good, with the right pose, the right light and the right F-stop. It's the passion that makes me take pictures everyday. Yes Everyday! What for you may ask I just enjoy capturing the moment in time. Of course I share my pics everywhere and sell some but most of all I give joy to all those who fallow my posts everyday to see what new. Where did I go what did I do. It's not just about me it's about all the people I touch with my art and how I make them feel.

[@foxdenham]

Nice one Alex. A very mature approach, one that I'm sure will encourage and inspire your subscribers. I myself often meander between creative, conceptually-led image 'making' and pretty or interesting, picture 'taking'. I make no apologies for not always 'going for the masterpiece'. Sometimes a 'snap' is more valid in the great scheme of things. 😉

[@roboldx9171]

Everyone is entitled to create the kind of images they desire, whether using an iPhone or a Hasselblad. If you buy a Hasselblad to enhance your Instagram and TikTok accounts or utilize your iPhone for a billboard advertisement, you should be well-versed in the distinctions between artistic production and casual photography. These distinctions are often reflected in the price of the tools you choose to purchase. Artists can indeed create billboard-worthy ads with iPhones, but casual photographers may not be willing to invest that much in their Facebook or Instagram accounts.

[@michaelbuelow9275]

Decades ago, I learned that it is not the equipment. It is the eye and brain behind the equipment.

[@peterlieberzeit3138]

Being an amateur has the huge advantage of not being constrained by having to produce Art. Though there is the inner urge to not make the umpteenth version of a well-known place ;-) . I think we need both. And, regarding landscape: quite a bit of what I have seen "marketed" as art substantiates that claim by overshooting with post ....

I just want to take pictures to capture different moments of life that I feel is worth capturing. I have no desire to create art or be the overly creative with my photography. I really just want to like my own images. They don't need to be the worlds best and I'm happy with that.

[@Leafy-trees]

Personally, I love the artsy perspective. I get a lot more out of it than the more conventional, this is how to get good results type videos.

[@monrea10]

I agree. I find the artsy videos to be very inspirational.

[@kurtissutley1485]

I think you've made the point for photography as an art form in this sense: There is a maker and a viewer. If the maker intends for his creation to be viewed as art, then it is art. If the viewer sees the creation as art, then it is art, without regard for the makers intent. A unanimous consensus has never been required. Some see a thousand balloons in the air as art. Others don't. Those that do probably have a sense of just how difficult that art form can be and that would certainly taint their level of appreciation for that form. This perspective is no less true of photography. We, as photographers have learned what the master knew and used concerning light and composition, texture, balance and all the design elements and principles. All with the intent to create art that would be pleasing to the someone's eye. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." may be quant but none the less true of photography. And when that moment happens, art is created, not by the artist alone but by the artist/viewer union. Photographic art is like two people (maker-viewer/mother-father) with a photograph (child) and when they get together agreeably, they create what each separately or both together consider art. it matters not the motive of the union or the perspective of others not involved. Most don't need one-thousand "likes" or "follows" for validation of their art. If they do they are on a fools errand...or they're broke.

[@simonpayne7994]

I suppose that the majority of amateur photographers are not that specialized. They dabble in all sorts of photographic genres. Not necessarily all at the same time. Many go through distinct periods. Personally I think that any seasoned would-be photographer should be capable of doing justice to any motive he or she wants, or needs to take a picture of. This also includes producing something "arty" now and again.

[@richardstockham4320]

This video and the one about iphone photos are really on another level. The iphone camera video addressed the elephant in the room. It made me think of Hockney’s discussion about artists using camers obscura and other technical devices to produce stunning work. It created a kind of firestorm in the art world at the time. And of course nowadays why wouldn’t you consider the modt ubiquitous kind of photography? F Doubtless it has had an impact on everyone’s practice. This video, likewise, addresses an uncomfortable, but essential thing about modern photography: everybody does it to some degree. Most of it is not for ART sake. Even among artists. So it’s fundamental to at least start to think about how we consume photos now, and how they consume us. Bravo. Good job. I come here to learn about photographers I don’t know, but often leave with something more to think about. This is one of those. I hope you will revisit this topic after you’ve had a bit to ruminate on it. Thanks.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for your comments.

[@sterlok2283]

One of the reasons I wanted to sell my camera and give up photography in the last months was exactly this. I hate this idea that everyone who has a camera should be an "artist". Or to create "meaningful" art or pics. I just like taking photos of things I find interesting. And the process of taking pics with a camera is much more fun than with a phone. Photography should not be pretentious. Should be about enjoyment and having fun. If not made strictly for money, as a job. I'm gonna shoot whatever I want, whenever I feel and just have fun. Share a few photos and that's it.

[@mpw621]

It depends what mood one is in. Sometimes one wants to just capture the scene in front of them other times capture that same scene in an artistic way.

[@Martin_Siegel]

I'm also a Bob Ross fan, I love viewing his old TV shows they are so relaxing and a work of art is created in 30 mins. I have called a photo of mine Bob Ross' greetings because it has most of the ingrediants, even a tree lives there 😏 I never went to art school but I guess you have to have some arrogance there just to survive, everybody else has, too, teachers, fellow students maybe even the janitor. So I guess it's just self preservation. Andreas Feininger wrote in one of his books: "An artist may write the occasional book but there are no books for artist as everyone is so sure of the uniqueness of their work" (from what I remember reading it in German so might not be quoted 100% correctly but the quintessence remains). In art school, I guess, the competition is also your friends and collegues so the genaral arrogance is also (mainly?) an act of self preservation in situations where big egos clash. And when if not when you're young, it was the thing that brought you there. It takes a much older/wiser person to recognize the value in the works of others, that there is no competition even if some sell better.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

I tuned in late, will catch the replay.

[@diogomoreira7003]

I have two strings of thoughts on your video: 1. Art. There will never be a consensus among people on what constitutes 'art' or 'Art with a capital A' - or even if there is a difference between the two. What is known from history is that a lot of art was commissioned by wealthy patrons (which, to some people, should render it simply as a product and not really 'art'), while other artists lived as misers and their work was only recognised after their deaths. What constitutes 'art' was never agreed upon and, judging by what humankind achieved to this day, it never will agree. 2. Photographers. You have shown several different photographers in your videos, some more known, others more obscured. There is no guiding pattern from the videos I saw, except that you admire the photographers (at least, to some extent). The techniques are different among the ones presented, the level of adherence to reality are different, the sharpness or the lack thereof varies widly, the subjects of the photos are unique to some photographers, while others are copycats at the beginning or at the end of their photographic journeys, and on and on... Combining the two points, it is impossible for you to shoehorn the thought on your viewers that they all need to be "artistic". Especially since one of your recent videos is you talking on your own smartphone photography, not because you wanted to "edgy", or "artsy", or any other adjective, but only for the pleasure of taking a picture. A picture without all the dialling of a hundred controls. A picture because "why not?". What I get from your videos is, usually, a widening of my own thought process. This can translate into how I see a scene and decide I want to photograph it, not because I want to copy a famous photographer (whom I never know the name...), but because I was taught a different way to see the world. And for that, I am always grateful to you.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching

[@andreasweber1533]

I think that letter touches a very important point. Too many people in any artistic endeavor try to create work copying "proven good" existing works, shooting zone system from Ansel Adam's tripod holes (or these days, what is known to work well on social media). That can be a worthwhile exercise on the way, but in the end you have to find out for yourself what it is that you want to create, what speaks to you.

[@foxdenham]

PS: I feel pretty sure you will appeal to the arty-farty, the normal folk and the majority who straddle both worlds! Just keep being yourself Alex - you never come across as disingenuous or snobbish, just passionate about your art and craft. 😊

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@markjutsum6187]

Good points. Joe Cornish produces beautiful pictures, composed superbly and many love them myself included but some would say they are not true art. I disagree as some art is so subtle the picture just works without shouting Art!!!

[@soumaSR]

Mr. Joe is a FRPS though so I don't think some wannabes calling him a "non artist" going to effect his reputation that much...

[@alchemist_x79]

When I’m looking through the viewfinder, I’m (almost) never thinking about ART. I’m thinking “does this speak to me in some way?” Whether it’s a street shot, landscape, or wildlife. If it doesn’t speak to me then I don’t press the shutter. I shoot for myself first and foremost. I capture what speaks to me in that moment, and if it speaks to you or anyone else as well, so much the better. I had what “is” and “isn’t” ART drilled into my head in art school and it was such a drag to agonize over it obsessively when I wanted to create, literally anything, that it became a hindrance that wasn’t worth it and turned me off from creating for a long time. When photography saved me, I vowed not to make the same mistake.

[@Call_Me_Mom]

My mantra when things get into my garden is "All God's critters gotta eat." I hope you get to have some of those walnuts one day. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Ross's 1st painting just sold for nearly 10 million dollars...so... From my observation, most artists aren't recognized in their lifetimes. So I say, make images that you like.

[@tedbrown7908]

Constable's paintings are very good. They are rural scenes of the daily life of the local people and area.

[@amountainofsmoke]

I don't think it's an oversight on your part. We watch your channel because we want to hear your ideas about photography from your perspective and informed by your vision. You don't have to cover everything, but it's a helpful reminder to step out of our own viewpoint now and then. The photos of your son are art. You've made an intentional image, so it's art. It doesn't have to be deep or different.

[@iaincphotography6051]

Yes I do the serious stuff, or try to. But sometimes I take a photograph that gives me memories, that reminds me of days gone by, the times I have spent there, the friends or family I have had with me etc. You can show me a shot of some waterfall in Iceland, it means nothing to me, but show me a shot of Cwm Idwal that has been taken with respect. Then I can wax lyrical for hours. No matter what your level, or genre be happy with your photographs and make them mean something to you.

[@Rob.1340]

Thank you. All the best. 👍📷😎

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks, you too!

[@ladymary22]

I always thought you encouraged the love of photography and enjoying the creative act

[@JohnTravena]

With the quality of smartphones now (anyone can take a nice picture) and AI and all, my hope for photography (and the arts in general) is that people will take photos for themselves, their families, their friends, and to tell their own stories. Not all of us aspire to enter photo competitions or hang our photos in The Met. In the Chinese landscape tradition naivete and being an amateur were valued more than obvious and ostentatious skill. In this sense contentment itself can be an aesthetic value.

[@stevehageman6785]

Oh dang! You nailed it, 99% of my photos are "Bob Ross". Ha, ha, ha, ha..... But I like them.

[@johnclay7644]

informative video.

[@river_byrd]

Hey! really enjoying these kinds of talks of you. You sitting there and telling wise stuff about your experiences. Has a bit of a homey, cozy atmosphere. Doesn´t even need a fire in the background ;-) Thanks!

[@mariawright5188]

Spontaneous Art 😉👏🏼

[@tedgoldman9121]

The problem with this conversation is that it is like the conversation about rules. As you have said there are no rules, just tools and that was well said. Likewise there is no art and not-art. It’s all in the eye of the beholder. We don’t need to get bogged down into the rules of art and not-art. Make the images you like and paint the pictures you like. The rest is baggage that holds people back. I think the best advice is to free yourself to be yourself!!

[@billmartin1663]

I have a photograph of my grandparents taken in the winter of 1929. They are young, stylishly dressed, sitting on the front bumper of a 1928 Buick, on a snowy road in the middle of a large open expanse in the central plains of the U.S. Few trees. No buildings. Just barbed wire fences along both sides of a narrow, straight road. I am sure the photo was not intended to be art. I wonder how or why a photographer came to be in that remote location and make the photo of these newlyweds on a snowy, sunny day. Never intended to be art. But the passage of 94 years has made it art. It speaks to us and causes us to raise questions that cannot be answered. I suspect some of our "meaningless snapshots" will do the same for generations yet unborn. To us, just a picture. To them . . . art.

[@WheelchairWarrior]

Alex, you don't owe anyone an apology. I, for one, have been reassured by your videos because my interest is not in one niche of photography. I am simply a photographer, not a landscape, wildlife, portrait, or still life photographer. I am all of these and more. A lot of my pictures are rubbish, in my opinion, but they are the things that catch my eye and my attention. Your videos show photography and photographers a different point of view from the standard mechanics of "this is how to" or the "latest greatest got to get gizmo." I'm not one for making comments on videos, but I wanted you to know that your videos make a profound difference in people's lives. Thank you.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@mamertobernal4460]

Thank you Alex, I am not Artistic, cannot draw the curtains correctly, 😂. Although I was an Electrical draughtsman for a time. My aim is to take More images that I am happy with. A beginner improver that is consistantly inconsistant.

[@desgardner7169]

I am long retired and very much a senior citizen, of all the videos I watch on KZbin I truly believe that this is your best one yet and you are absolutely correct. When I tell people I am a photographer they reply with the words do you do weddings? no I don't but I have done one or two in my lifetime, do you do landscapes? errr no I don't but if there is a scene that I like I take a picture of it! then its what camera have you got? that's an easy one its a *&^%$£ wow I bet that's good camera, errr yes its ok I take pictures with it, I go out nearly every day and take pictures that I like looking at, most of my favourite pictures are of my family growing up! I love traveling and I have many travel pictures which are great to look at and bring back many happy memories and yes I have been to India to photograph the Taj Mahal, but my favourite collection of pictures were taken here where I live near the city, people who I often talk to ask where was that taken, when I say oh its just around the corner! where I live well they reply I have never seen it! Going into the city with my camera is a challenge because you never know what's going to be captured just around the corner or what pictures I may capture. Yes I do have a camera so I qualify to be called a photographer! Thank you I found your talk very interesting and yes you are spot on!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@robyn_roamz]

I had to watch this video over again after thinking about it overnight. I breaks my heart to hear you berating yourself over something that you have not done. The thing that brings me back is that you give your followers the ability to be the photographer that they want to be. You are usually so relaxed about your topics that I feel vindicated about who I am as an artist - yes, artist. I took you seriously about taking 36 images of a subject and then selecting the one that makes me happy. By the way, did that number come from the frames on a roll of film? I used to spend heaps of time arranging what I thought was the one best view and then feeling sad when I looked later and it was rubbish. We are all responsible for our own thinking. It’s alright, Alex.

[@erichstocker8358]

I never wanted to be an artist. I always wanted to be a photographer. I love landscape photography which is full of people who are or think they are artists. However, much of my photographic work has been documentary. I even had a successful parttime photography business which was essentially documentary photography. That short period of "professional" photography drove me away from photography for many years. I would not pick up a camera because I hated the "business" of photography. When I restarted my photography, I decided it was only going to be for pleasure. I still gravitate toward documentary photography although landscape pulls me every now and again. However, I just love photography and the process of photography. Just picking up a camera whether digital or film calms me down and gives me pleasure. Now, I take photos of what appeals to me. I could care less about "ART" or masterpieces, etc. I just feel great taking photos. It is a wonderful counterpoint to my technical job. So, I always like to see videos about phtographic artists and admire their work but photography in and by itself is enough for me --at my age.

[@maxpatrickhaynes2194]

I’m at work, so I’ll only be able to listen! : (

[@JamesOppenheim]

The two broad channels of all of art: Technical; Literary, i.e., a physical capability or facility; a fit with the history of creation or production or a contribution to the same in "new idiom". In the course of decades, much less 200 years (Niepce, heliography), the world has been treated to extraordinary advance in everything and all of the tributaries contributing to audio-visual recording. Our human response and soul system has perhaps changed much less. We may still enjoy the pastoral and the portrait, snapshot or scientific wonder in resolution. The new might come from _revolved_ style on the part of a personality committed to seeing fresh and different. Some of that may come from new technology and some from . . . play.

[@spoomsterfilms3269]

Love the content 🔥

[@mfuller1093]

Alex never apologise for having an opinion, people without opinions have nothing to say. As for the "Art" thing in my opinion it's just a label, . All creative work can be called Art from fine paintings to"sculptures " of random metal objects welded together. It's so subjective because we all see and appreciate different forms of creative work .Sometimes we call it Art and sometimes not but noone is totally right or totally wrong.

[@Sven-R]

He is not apologising for having an opinion, but for assuming everyone wants to create art (with a capital "A"), while some people are happy if they just take photos they like and maybe improve so they like their own photos even more.

[@buchanoz]

I’m about to join a camera club and if asked why I now have an answer. It is to take photos I’m proud of. But to get to a stage where I take a photo with “God rays out the yin-yang” I’ll be very happy. 😂

[@Ian_Walsh]

A good Video well done....Being creative is something that is within us from birth. It can come out in everything and anything we do in our life. It can be nurtured and focused or stifled. For some people it becomes an end in itself. I think those people can call themselves Artists. for the rest of us it can come out in everything we do, like taking photos, playing an instrument, Dancing, sport, maths, science, engineering etc. Or just everyday life. And some people are better at than others.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@retropixer]

I’ve been shooting for over two decades and I don’t think I’ve taken one photo that needs be considered “Art”. They’re all reflection, or abstraction, or documentation, of what I saw.

[@philipu150]

The great Friedrich Schiller, in a piece nominally about the work of a certain poet, treated landscape painting in some depth. In the course of this, he referred to a difference between fine art and what he called agreeable art. I think that most of those of us who aspire to create something worthy of the former category should be a bit humble without diminishing our determination. At the same time, agreeable art plays a good role in our lives.

[@ekkeism]

To make landscape attention grabbing is quite difficult. It is easy in some sense - it sits still, you can (often) repeat the photo (and improve on it), but to make it stand out...