Am I Supposed to "Like" Photographs Because Many Others Do?

MattKing · Nov 11, 2018

sissysphoto said:
Are you supposed to like something because "everybody else likes it"? Or " critically acclaimed". Like To Kill a Mockingbird, is purportedly "acclaimed". Acclaimed by who? The answer is always the same crowd doing all the acclaiming. And always of the same underlying agenda. No. Not liking something is actually refreshing to heard being admitted. The Emperor is naked, and he look ridiculous. The acclaimers are all of the same aspiring elitist ilk, and many are militant lunatics. Truth is, if you don't like a picture, you don't like it. Nevermind the hoopla. You're fine.

Reported and soon to be added to the ignore list.

removed account4 · Nov 11, 2018

Peter Schrager said:
Sally mann did a series where they actually store dead bodies outside to watch how they decompose...whoa!!!

that's kind of creepy ... dead bodies of people or other animals ? i'd be worried they'd turn into the undead and start wandering around ..

faberryman said:
I was just going to ask for an example of a photography critic who was a militant lunatic. I've known of some that were opinionated, but militant lunatic not so much.

i know, maybe its north carolina that has the militant lunatic elitist gallery owners ?
none of the ones i have ever met have been anything close to that.

jtk · Nov 12, 2018

jnanian said:
that's kind of creepy ... dead bodies of people or other animals ? i'd be worried they'd turn into the undead and start wandering around ..

i know, maybe its north carolina that has the militant lunatic elitist gallery owners ?
none of the ones i have ever met have been anything close to that.

Francis Ford Coppola ran into a lot of trouble with Philippine govt when he started to hang dead bodies from trees for "Apocalypse Now".

...and there's this famous, hour-long sequence in Louis Malle's "Phantom India."

jim10219 · Nov 12, 2018

Arklatexian said:
I have been looking at photographs "critically" for 69 years. Over the years I have seen many that I liked and many that I didn't like. Some of those that I did not like were praised by others. I can usually tell whether I like it or not in the first few moments that I see the picture. I am only talking about Black and White and I can usually tell you why I like or don't like it. What is your reaction when viewing a picture for the first time?

So long as you can articulate why you like or don't like something as a reasoned argument, then you're opinion is yours to enjoy. Art scholars shouldn't expect everyone to have the same opinion, and they shouldn't criticize you for forming a unique, even unconventional one. However, if you can't explain precisely why you like or don't like something then you'll get mocked and your opinion will be ignored.

Saying you like the colors of a photo, the beat of a song, the taste of a glass of wine, or the words of a poem is a quick way to label yourself as ignorant and get your opinion scoffed. But if you can say what it is about the colors that you like, or what part of the beat you find interesting, or what notes of the wine are exciting you, or what imagery the words conjure, then you're opinion is as valid as anyone else's.

That's the thing most people don't understand about experts. It's not that their opinions are correct and the opinions of the layperson are wrong. It's that their opinions are well informed and thought out and the laypersons are just reactionary impulses.

removed account4 · Nov 12, 2018

jim10219 said:
That's the thing most people don't understand about experts. It's not that their opinions are correct and the opinions of the layperson are wrong. It's that their opinions are well informed and thought out and the laypersons are just reactionary impulses.

and if the expert has "published criticism / opinion" it adds to an ongoing conversation that has been going on
for a long time regarding so and so's use of color or use religious icons or perspective ... or the historian's general
distaste for german sunshine glass...
some public and academic libraries have paid-access to scholarly articles, databases &c ..
its the internet that laypeople don't really know about. experts spend years formulating opinions
and researching and writing ...
i'm not saying this to be snarky &c but parts of the film ratatouille
relate to this conversation...

FujiLove · Nov 21, 2018

blockend said:
Over here it would be David Bailey.

As a child growing up in the north of England in the early 80's, you would instantly hear the comment, "Ey up, here's David Bailey", every time you took your camera out. Used to really p*ss me off.

I'd take it as a massive compliment today

Regarding whether people know famous photographers...I think it depends on their hobbies, likes, social circle etc. much more than their age or country of birth. For instance, there are Depeche Mode fans the world over and many will be familiar with Anton Corbijn because of his work with them for more than thirty years. Who could forget Corbijn's video footage that was used on their Devotional tour in the 90's? That led me to checking out his photography, the other bands he's worked with, and more recently, even lith printing. Love his work.

Here's a documentary about his work on the tour...

WARNING to any ladies, gay guys or those wavering about their sexuality out there: this video features Dave Gahan gyrating on stage. You've been warned

faberryman · Nov 21, 2018

FujiLove said:
For instance, there are Depeche Mode fans the world over and many will be familiar with Anton Corbijn because of his work with them for more than thirty years

Never heard of him. Guess you had to be there.

FujiLove · Nov 22, 2018

faberryman said:
Never heard of him. Guess you had to be there.

Anton is well worth checking out, especially if you're into portraiture. As well as Depeche Mode, he worked with U2, The Smiths, Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Nick Cave, R.E.M., Nirvana and many others. His movie directorial debut, 'Control', is also excellent (Ian Curtis biopic).

KenS · Nov 23, 2018

Chan Tran said:
Some images or artwork need more time before I appreciate them. However, other's opinions have no bearing on whether or not I like them. I never like any of henri cartier-bresson's images.

Do we make photographs for 'ourselves' ....or to have it "Liked" by any... (and hopefully) every one who looks at it ?
After some 60+ years under the dark-cloth (many of which were spent a a "Pro" in a large "Institute of research", I had to record to film that which could be 'readily' observed by the scientific staff. Today, (In my retirement years), I now make photographs... but only for 'me' (perhaps hoping that any and all who take the time to 'look' and 'see' what I observed on the ground glass' while under the dark-cloth) might also 'like it ' after it was exposed to my choice of film then....when printed, matted, framed and hung on the wall.

Ken

Chan Tran · Nov 23, 2018

KenS said:
Do we make photographs for 'ourselves' ....or to have it "Liked" by any... (and hopefully) every one who looks at it ?
After some 60+ years under the dark-cloth (many of which were spent a a "Pro" in a large "Institute of research", I had to record to film that which could be 'readily' observed by the scientific staff. Today, (In my retirement years), I now make photographs... but only for 'me' (perhaps hoping that any and all who take the time to 'look' and 'see' what I observed on the ground glass' while under the dark-cloth) might also 'like it ' after it was exposed to my choice of film then....when printed, matted, framed and hung on the wall.

Ken

Not being a professional photographer in any way I make photographs only for myself.

pocketshaver · Dec 25, 2019

MOST people who repeat someone elses view on ANY subject normally have no concept of the subject, and are merely repeating things to seem knowledgable.

There are many places like that. Look at internet forums on things that have magazines to support. Say off road vehicles. MOST forum content is merely repeating what ever was said in that months issue of "off road".

Am I Supposed to "Like" Photographs Because Many Others Do?

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