Posting images of lesser works on the internet . . . .

DannL. · Aug 25, 2014

Just out of curiosity, do you post works of little merit (lesser works), or images of photographic works that are obviously not your best work, on the internet? And if so, are you not worried that these "inferior works" might haunt you in the future? Lets' think 20 or 30 years down the road, when we've made a good name for ourselves, we're successful, and then someone digs up our worst from the internet. Would you be concerned?

I do see the value behind getting feedback on works, so that one can grow and learn photographically. But, what I am really addressing here are images of works posted on the internet that you know are lacking. Along similar lines, maybe "there are" concerns with works that, if not lacking on the technical side, might haunt you because of the subject that was photographed, or the subjects that you regularly photograph and post on the internet.

I have enjoyed bouncing my work off others, and will probably continue to do so. But, as I age gracefully, I do wonder what legacy I may leave strewn across the web, especially in places like archive.org and their WayBack Machine. That could be scary. A deep subject indeed.

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 25, 2014

I do think about this once in a while. The internet has an interesting characteristic in that it doesn't forget.

I'm guilty of putting up work that I'm not sure about, to get feedback, here and elsewhere. As soon as I have some sort of idea of what others think, I take them back down and start working on them in the darkroom. It isn't that I'm seeking 'approval', but it's more about what kinds of reactions I get, especially from those whose opinions I really trust.
But I do email work or even send prints out for feedback too, and that's a better mechanism for feedback, and certainly all work I post on the internet is that way.

It's good to consider how good the internet's memory is sometimes.

cliveh · Aug 25, 2014

I dont really care what legacy I leave strewn across the web, or if they are regarded as lesser or better than lesser works. I would hope that people see that I am trying to improve my photography as I gain practice. Feedback from others is also very helpful, as sometimes they may see more in an image that you may have not been conscious of when you took the picture. By sharing images we can often learn from each other.

snapguy · Aug 25, 2014

lesser and moreer

I was a newspaper, magazine and wire service photographer for many years starting in the 1960s and archives are strewn with my works, good and bad. You can even find some on the Internet because some old publications are on the net. And the wire service archives are in a salt mine in New York State, owned by none other than Bill Gates who snapped them up because of the historical value and the greedy maw of the Internet for photos. Some of my photos are great, some not so great. They are what they are.

pdeeh · Aug 25, 2014

I upload my photographs rather promiscuously to Flickr and Ipernity.

I'm certainly not a professional photographer, and I don't really consider myself to be a gifted one, even in a small way.

Accordingly I share the things I see that I find interesting or beautiful or whatever, and my friends are usually interested to see them.Some strangers seem to like some of them too.

20 or 30 years down the road, I'm unlikely to be around to be remotely worried about my "legacy", even if I were worried now.

edcculus · Aug 25, 2014

I'll never be a famous enough photographer for it to matter. If I'm ever actually making money in photography, it will be on a local client based portrait level, not selling prints to galleries all over the world.

gone · Aug 25, 2014

I remember an old Peanuts cartoon where Linus was doing an opinion survey to find out what people thought. Lucy screamed at him "Who cares what other people think"?

Anyone who is doing good work could care less about what someone else thinks about the work. What a waste of time. Ergo, anyone who is concerned about what other people think isn't dong good work.

pdeeh · Aug 25, 2014

Do you mean they couldn't care less?

ic-racer · Aug 25, 2014

For anyone to see you images they need to be downloaded to their computer, so I don't post anything I don't mind giving away. If that means just posting 'lesser works' then maybe the better.

Sirius Glass · Aug 25, 2014

When I first started on APUG large numbers of copies were ripped off. I deleted my photographs. Therefore I do not post my photographs on the internet, except at APUG when I need to show a problem or want to present an example. My work is for myself and those I wish to share it with.

MattKing · Aug 25, 2014

I would only be concerned about this if I was selling my work, and attempting to maintain a high level of exclusivity for it (with associated high prices).

I rarely sell anything, but if a bunch of people should want to buy what I do, I don't think I want to discoutage them.

cliveh · Aug 25, 2014

I don't understand why some people are so precious about their images, the more people who rip off mine the better.

Alan Klein · Aug 25, 2014

I hope I'm alive twenty or thirty years down the road.

Jim Jones · Aug 25, 2014

Sirius Glass said:
When I first started on APUG large numbers of copies were ripped off. I deleted my photographs. Therefore I do not post my photographs on the internet, except at APUG when I need to show a problem or want to present an example. My work is for myself and those I wish to share it with.

I'm with Sirius Glass. The internet is a great opportunity for those whose ego demands attention. Better yet, it's a place to post photos and comments that educate, clarify, and entertain.

Sirius Glass · Aug 25, 2014

cliveh said:
I don't understand why some people are so precious about their images, the more people who rip off mine the better.

If you saw my work you would understand.
I have agreements with a selected few that I exclusively exchange my work for theirs on a contractual basis.

Bill Burk · Aug 25, 2014

To the original question, I try to follow the advice Bill Mumy once gave me when I heard some of his unpublished songs. "Don't release anything you are not happy with." At the time, he'd recorded hundreds of songs but only released a few albums. His unpublished tracks sounded fine to me, but they obviously didn't make the cut by his standards.

He's an accomplished photographer by the way. I wanted to say those words in the interview but couldn't think on my feet fast enough... We used to hang out as part of the Dr. Demento entourage and there's a movie in the works. So this is a shameless plug for the upcoming movie...

As for the movie, there will be photographs of mine. And relevant to cliveh's question, I may provide a great many shots to be released on the DVD. They are almost all thus far unreleased, and I am looking to get nothing in return.

To-date, the set of photographs from the time period have been my only "cash cow". I once made a whopping 375 dollars from VH1 for 5 shots. Once this movie is released, I may have less chance to profit from these shots. Or maybe it will reveal new license opportunities?

NedL · Aug 25, 2014

I'm not trying to build a professional portfolio or reputation. Mostly I really don't like scanning, so the photos that get uploaded to Ipernity are usually the ones that I printed most recently when the scanner came out of the closet. I have some prints I like that I haven't scanned and I've uploaded some that aren't great. But my Ipernity page is a jumble of pinhole and solargraphs and prints so it probably doesn't matter that I'm not consistent. Some of my photos are more fun like snapshots and maybe I should upload more of those.

Here at APUG, honestly, I'm more reluctant to upload to the gallery. That's one thing I like about the MSA: you do what you can with the topic and if it doesn't come out great it's still what you tried to do. Even if the photograph didn't work out, it's still fun and interesting to see what people tried to do.

Nuff · Aug 26, 2014

I only upload what I'm happy with. If I find that I'm not happy with it later, I will delete it. I don't try to over think it too much. All of us develop and grow. Right now I cringe at the photos I have posted 2-4 years ago. What was I thinking? But it seems that the general public liked them more...

darkosaric · Aug 26, 2014

I put images that I like most on my web page that is also on my business card, but also many more photos on deviantart - they are like my tracking system - what and when I made (both in my signature below).

Steve Smith · Aug 26, 2014

pdeeh said:
Do you mean they couldn't care less?

Ah good... someone as pedantic as me. Yes, they do.

Back to the subject, my Flickr account has a mixture of images I like and quick snaps to illustrate something, perhaps on a forum post, with no distinction between them. I put them on Flickr so I can use the url to post somewhere else. I don't intend my Flickr photostream to be viewed as a gallery or portfolio but I am aware that this is how it might sometimes appear.

Steve.

Steve Smith · Aug 26, 2014

Bill Burk said:
To the original question, I try to follow the advice Bill Mumy once gave me when I heard some of his unpublished songs. "Don't release anything you are not happy with."

This reminds me of something my father used to comment on. He got fed up with people showing him prints then adding "of course, I could have improved it if I did xyz....".

He always thought that if you knew how to improve it, you should have done exactly that.

Steve.

pdeeh · Aug 26, 2014

The tyranny of perfection!

Peter de Groot · Aug 26, 2014

When I do post images that are not perfect it is to get feedback to learn and become better. In that case I will not be ashamed for them now or in the future.
However I do watch out for snapshots or other casual photography that can be traced back to me. I once got feedback from someone after I posted somewhere snapshots of my then new 8x10 Cambo. His feedback was that those snapshot where terrible for someone calling himself a photographer. And he was right from then on I am carefull what photo's I post or what I write. Those things can bite you in the *!s.

pdeeh · Aug 26, 2014

Peter de Groot said:
His feedback was that those snapshot where terrible for someone calling himself a photographer

what terrible snobbery.

Truzi · Aug 26, 2014

I only put things on Picasaweb for friends and family to look at, and I only do snapshots, so for me it isn't a big deal. I don't have anything worthy of posting here

Bill Burk, I look forward to more information on your work with Bill Mumy. I grew up watching reruns of Lost in Space; it has to be one of my favorite shows.

Posting images of lesser works on the internet . . . .

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