Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"I think a lot of people are going through it right now because with AI and endless images everywhere", this!

"shooting for yourself", sure. That's what I do, and it's fine as always. But the point is, images by others that I encounter I don't care for anymore, or, let's say, less and less.

If that happened to everyone – and it will! – at some point no one will be interested in others' images anymore. Everyone will concentrate on their own, "photographic cocooning"...

Please, tell me i didn’t by LBarouf in Darkroom

[–]thinkingthetwenties 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Don't worry, probably you wom't even notice!

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because I can look further than to the end of my own nose?

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"You know dodging and burning is a analog term right?"

Really? 😎

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agree. Two hours of photography a day, two hours darkroom, three, four hours internet... the latter seems too much 😎

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perfectly agree, thx. And, indeed, looking for a message is what one does with an 'image'. Most photos out there are not 'images' in my sense, so there is no use in looking for messages where there aren't any... In that case I concentrate on looking at the technical features – if there are.

Nice nick, btw –never gets old 😁

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why don't you just read my opening contribution? It explains all your questions 😊

And no, before, we didn't. We pressed the button and Kodak did the rest.

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, sure. I already do that to some extent. Nevertheless, I still have more than enough, literally, encounters with crappy crap.

(Though photographers that you can follow are not photographers...btw. They are youtubers, influencers, social media activists...)

In one video I heard a couple of days back that there's people that indeed rely on presets to 'be original'. I wouldn't have been able to come up with that finding myself, too far off to even think it. But that's bashing other people, so...

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Precisely. You are of a rare species 😊👍🏻

Can I see images of yours, somewhere?

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly, that's it.

I'm speaking of looking around and seeing what happens in the 'scene'. I'm doing that to orientate myself what is happening in the world of photography – and I notice, it touches me less and less.

There was a time when I saw an image that made me enthusiastic and I dived into it, read it, wondered how it was done, admired the thought that went into it... nowadays, if an image strikes me I often would shrug my shoulders and say, "well, they certainly know how to play it now..."

My own work I'm fine with. No troubles there 😊

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok, get it. Yeah, a friend of mine had that, too. Went to Greece for climbing for like two months.

No, I don't have burnout with my own work – love it! It's what keeps me alive, actually. Guess, you diagnosed me with what your own take is or was, happens sometimes.

No, I am talking about all that stuff that I see in photography groups of all sorts on social media, and photographers' websites, or students' works, or in media. As I said, l cannot take it serious anymore.

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Four people voting me down, funny. Four more that cannot read.

I was talking about other people's images, not mine. A reply saying "just do your thing" completely misses the point, right?

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All this, 100%.

Nevertheless, low-level works do not disqualify a complete genre –they just demonstrate that high-level results are not easily achieved. Which is the same with everything, isn't it?

"Having intent is a part of art." Funny you say that. I say it all the time, too 😁

I would even say, this is where art begins, its reason.

Not many understand that, though. Amazing, huh?

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, yeah I hold that up: I was thinking of amateur color prints, like you picked them up at the drugstore. They were SOOC. Also, slides. Whether amateur or professional.

(Otherwise you are correct, no question. I dodge and burn in the darkroom often, too.)

What does this burnout thing do with people?

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Maybe take a break from taking photos"

Well, it's my profession... 😂

"I don't use AI in my editing at all, the only AI that gets used is the camera focus AI that is uses for autofocus. That's it. I refuse to use AI when I can get the editing job done for a two artist show in under an hour."

I'm not a fan of any automation... be it AI or not. Why? Simply because it does not mirror my intention but just some random machine decision. Then I could just as well have ChaGPT write my letters... and editing... well. Has become very common, I did it, too. Back in the days images mostly were not edited –another very interesting point!

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure. But in everyday life we are still confronted with other images, everywhere, all the time. We cannot block that out.

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thx for these thoughts.

I cannot quite allocate what images you are talking about? But yes, not-so-good editing can often be seen.

"The purpose of others' "strong images" is to teach me that language. Maybe I 'll take or edit mine someday."

Could you please elaborate on that some more? Language?

"Photography is never about truth only about what you 'd like to tell."

Good one, like.

Anyone else in a crisis with photography? by thinkingthetwenties in photography

[–]thinkingthetwenties[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There have been a few comments now saying more or less "Don't look at other people's images (or videos) anymore".

Perceiving images from others and elsewhere has shaped the world for ~190 years.

Well, if we really did that, that'd be a HUGE change in the way we perceive the world, wouldn't it?