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how hard is it to become a well known photographer

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Money will help. A lot of it.

Remember the old saying - to make a million dollars in photography, you have to spend two million...
 
Learn your craft well
Start giving to the community without expecting a return
Teach
Be patient
 
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.
 
Vaughn said:
Learn your craft well
Start giving to the community without expecting a return
Teach
Be patient
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
Dang...I must not be famous enough yet...I live a bit over 600 miles to the north of Ventura...still in California, though! :cool:
 
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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! :cool:
Click to expand...
Shoot. Who else does carbon prints? Oh right, Jim Fitzgerald
 
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
 
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Early to bed.
Early to rise.
Work like hell and advertise.
 
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
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
I don't know, he asks about becoming famous and achieving recognition, not necessarily about becoming a good or better photographer...
 
B71AE3CF-DC5E-48C9-8146-87C0BD919D17.jpeg
 
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.
Click to expand...

This!
 
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