how hard is it to become a well known photographer

Down Under · Jul 23, 2021

Money will help. A lot of it.

Remember the old saying - to make a million dollars in photography, you have to spend two million...

Vaughn · Jul 23, 2021

Learn your craft well
Start giving to the community without expecting a return
Teach
Be patient

Bill Burk · Jul 23, 2021

MattKing said:
Give us the link - we can help!

Here you go, counting on my friends here. Sixteen views from Photrio is worth a million from any other source. Because we have been together a long time, and every one is a friend. Fame outside is fleeting.

Filing a negative carrier

Ko.Fe. · Jul 23, 2021

If you are one from millions who is really gifted and willing to do nothing but photography, it might come with time.
If you an average, work on connections most.
Even big names has to be around right people.
Third way is to photograph exotics. And do it good.
Like Dmitry Markov does. He not only paid for personal courses with Magnum ones.
He has deep roots and connections with his subjects. Not just same as Bruce Guilden past. It is Markov’s present and he is volunteering a lot to make lives of his subjects better.

Bill Burk · Jul 23, 2021

Vaughn said:
Learn your craft well
Start giving to the community without expecting a return
Teach
Be patient

I tried very hard to make it to Ventura for one of your open studios… something happened to the steering wheel and we ended up in Ojai instead.

Did get a remarkable picture of my daughter though, one in a million shot. So the day was good despite us not meeting up.

MurrayMinchin · Jul 23, 2021

I've made prints that made the hair on my arms stand up. I want to make a print that brings a tear to my eye.

That's the goal.

Vaughn · Jul 23, 2021

Bill Burk said:
I tried very hard to make it to Ventura for one of your open studios… something happened to the steering wheel and we ended up in Ojai instead.

Did get a remarkable picture of my daughter though, one in a million shot. So the day was good despite us not meeting up.

Dang...I must not be famous enough yet...I live a bit over 600 miles to the north of Ventura...still in California, though!

fs999 · Jul 23, 2021

Stay amateur and you will not have those ambitions

removed account4 · Jul 23, 2021

Vaughn said:
Learn your craft well
Start giving to the community without expecting a return
Teach
Be patient

yup..

Bill Burk said:
Here you go, counting on my friends here. Sixteen views from Photrio is worth a million from any other source. Because we have been together a long time, and every one is a friend. Fame outside is fleeting.

Filing a negative carrier

great video!
EDGEy

Bill Burk · Jul 23, 2021

Vaughn said:
Dang...I must not be famous enough yet...I live a bit over 600 miles to the north of Ventura...still in California, though!

Shoot. Who else does carbon prints? Oh right, Jim Fitzgerald

removedacct1 · Jul 23, 2021

Vaughn said:
Learn your craft well
Start giving to the community without expecting a return
Teach
Be patient

Best advice so far.

I also recommend leaving ambition out of the equation; its toxic.

NB23 · Jul 23, 2021

Lots of romantics in here, I see.

Hard work? Not really.

Talent? LoL.

Sharing is caring? No.

Help others and pray for good karma? Wtf?

Be the best? To whom? The vast majority of the audience is uneducated and artistically impaired.

Seems to me that one can easily bypass all the above, and with better results, just by bullshitting his way up. Results will be there. I have a few names of photographers that I DESPISE and yet, they think they’re great. They’ve got a following, too. Blogs, lotsa blabla, loootsa blabla... they make me sick.

The simple reality is that you do not choose Fame. Fame chooses you. As untalented, stupid, lazy ass working one may be. If Fame chooses you there is nothing you can do about it.

edit: typos

pbromaghin · Jul 23, 2021

Early to bed.
Early to rise.
Work like hell and advertise.

Bill Burk · Jul 23, 2021

NB23 said:
Lots of romantics in here, I see.

Hard work? Not really.

Talent? LoL.

Sharing is caring? No.

Help others and pray for good karma? Wtf?

Be the best? To whom? The vast majority of the audience is uneducated and artistically impaired.

Seems to me that one can easily bypass all the above, and with better results, just by bullshitting his way up. Results will be there. I have a few names of photographers that I DESPISE and yet, they think they’re great. They’ve got a following, too. Blogs, lotsa blabla, loootsa blabla... they make me sick.

The simple reality is that you do not choose Fame. Fame chooses you. As untalented, stupid, lazy ass working one may be. If Fame chooses you there is nothing you can do about it.

edit: typos

If fame comes to you it will be because you deserve it. If it doesn’t, then you’re right.

I am romantic and hope you’re wrong.

NB23 · Jul 23, 2021

The ways of the Fame are illogical and unexplainable. Fame has its own way.

The Famous always deserves to be famous. How can he not deserve it: fame has chosen him. That is all.

Bill Burk said:
If fame comes to you it will be because you deserve it. If it doesn’t, then you’re right.

I am romantic and hope you’re wrong.

NB23 · Jul 23, 2021

It’s about cosmic charisma. The one where you are flirting with the cosmos.

As unexplainable as winning the powerball lottery. All you can control is the act of buying a ticket. The rest is the Cosmos.

Andrew O'Neill · Jul 23, 2021

Hard work. Practice. Getting your work out there. And luck. Focus on the first three.

jtk · Jul 23, 2021

Repetition is the mother of learning., as demonstrated by AA...

Pieter12 · Jul 23, 2021

I know many artists, musicians, writers and photographers who are extremely talented, original and hard working and couldn't get arrested. You need an out-sized ego, be gregarious and shamelessly self-promotional, have the right connections and be very lucky.

MattKing · Jul 23, 2021

Pieter12 said:
I know many artists, musicians, writers and photographers who are extremely talented, original and hard working and couldn't get arrested. You need an out-sized ego, be gregarious and shamelessly self-promotional, have the right connections and be very lucky.

Actually, getting arrested - for the right things - may help.
My sense from the OP's post is that s/he is looking for financial rewards when s/he looks to become well known - and there is nothing wrong with that. I would suggest, however, that there are other possible rewards available.
I know a fair number of people in the photographic community who are well known, respected and liked. They may or may not be currently earning a living doing or supporting photography, but they do have the benefit of interesting lives, and many valuable friendships. A lifetime of enjoying photography and sharing that joy with others isn't a bad lifetime at all.
To accomplish that, one needs to reach out and engage. For some people attracted to the more insular parts of photography that can be a challenge, but I would suggest that it is a rewarding challenge.

Vaughn · Jul 23, 2021

I did not consider the OP to asking about achieving Fame and ego-feeding. I am more interested in photography itself and the act of seeing than where it will get me materially or improve my recognition within the 'community'.

I am a fan of the concept of the gradual genius -- building up of skills and insight over decades of work and attention until one dies...as opposed to the instant genius whom peak at great heights very early and stabilize there or crash. It means there is still hope for me, and that I still have a lot to learn.

Pieter12 · Jul 23, 2021

Vaughn said:
I did not consider the OP to asking about achieving Fame and ego-feeding. I am more interested in photography itself and the act of seeing than where it will get me materially or improve my recognition within the 'community'.

I am a fan of the concept of the gradual genius -- building up of skills and insight over decades of work and attention until one dies...as opposed to the instant genius whom peak at great heights very early and stabilize there or crash. It means there is still hope for me, and that I still have a lot to learn.

I don't know, he asks about becoming famous and achieving recognition, not necessarily about becoming a good or better photographer...

NB23 · Jul 23, 2021

Dismayed · Jul 23, 2021

Study Tom Wolf's, "The Painted Word".

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2671.The_Painted_Word

Andrew O'Neill · Jul 23, 2021

MattKing said:
Actually, getting arrested - for the right things - may help.
My sense from the OP's post is that s/he is looking for financial rewards when s/he looks to become well known - and there is nothing wrong with that. I would suggest, however, that there are other possible rewards available.
I know a fair number of people in the photographic community who are well known, respected and liked. They may or may not be currently earning a living doing or supporting photography, but they do have the benefit of interesting lives, and many valuable friendships. A lifetime of enjoying photography and sharing that joy with others isn't a bad lifetime at all.
To accomplish that, one needs to reach out and engage. For some people attracted to the more insular parts of photography that can be a challenge, but I would suggest that it is a rewarding challenge.

This!

how hard is it to become a well known photographer

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