I tend to agree with you Grace. There is a lot of repetition in the subjects people post. Myself, I can't stand to look at the PhotoNet gallery. Same Ol', Same Ol', Same Ol', day after day after day.
Why does this happen? I think because these are the subjects that SELL. Not just in the literal sense that people pay money for them but because they attract VIEWs and hence, popularity. We all want acceptance, we all want praise. I think often that drives people to take what they take. But not in all respects of course. Maybe these same subjects have a lot of universal attraction to photographers as subjects. Therefore we, by nature as photographers, tend to concentrate on those attractive subjects.
What about creativity? Coming from outside any artistic community, I will offer this. From many years in the engineering field, I have learned that creativity is not about inventing something entirely new, but rather by skillfully using what is already known, applying it is a slightly different way to arrive at a unique solution that solves the problem. Maybe then, what has been "created" is refined. The refinement comes by exploring the different combinations that the variables allow, fine-tuning the technique if you will. Once the process is nailed down, you understand it intuitively, then in, my experience, the really creative application begins to flow.
When this point of proficiency is attained, then one can feel they just doing the same old thing. A look at several photos taken over a year's time may show this repetition. Now we look to break out of the box but when we do, its not accepted as much as the more familiar subjects were. So in order to retain acceptance, many fall back into the established comfort zone.
Maybe what you are saying Grace, is that you wish more people would break out of that comfort zone, do something that maybe doesn't sell as much, but pushes the envelope of that self-established comfort zone we all seem to have.
Hey Jorge, what Mission did you say you found the nude friars at? (Talk about exiting the comfort zone - :rolleyes: )
Why does this happen? I think because these are the subjects that SELL. Not just in the literal sense that people pay money for them but because they attract VIEWs and hence, popularity. We all want acceptance, we all want praise. I think often that drives people to take what they take. But not in all respects of course. Maybe these same subjects have a lot of universal attraction to photographers as subjects. Therefore we, by nature as photographers, tend to concentrate on those attractive subjects.
What about creativity? Coming from outside any artistic community, I will offer this. From many years in the engineering field, I have learned that creativity is not about inventing something entirely new, but rather by skillfully using what is already known, applying it is a slightly different way to arrive at a unique solution that solves the problem. Maybe then, what has been "created" is refined. The refinement comes by exploring the different combinations that the variables allow, fine-tuning the technique if you will. Once the process is nailed down, you understand it intuitively, then in, my experience, the really creative application begins to flow.
When this point of proficiency is attained, then one can feel they just doing the same old thing. A look at several photos taken over a year's time may show this repetition. Now we look to break out of the box but when we do, its not accepted as much as the more familiar subjects were. So in order to retain acceptance, many fall back into the established comfort zone.
Maybe what you are saying Grace, is that you wish more people would break out of that comfort zone, do something that maybe doesn't sell as much, but pushes the envelope of that self-established comfort zone we all seem to have.
Hey Jorge, what Mission did you say you found the nude friars at? (Talk about exiting the comfort zone - :rolleyes: )