What makes you so special?

[Stephen Frizza]

In a world saturated in photography, both analog and digital. Whats so special about what your doing in photography?

 

[2F/2F]

Who wants to know?

 

[mooseontheloose]

Absolutely nothing. But I enjoy it and for the most part it makes me happy (except for those few times when I review my negs and wonder why I ever bothered to pick up a camera in the first place).

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Absolutely nothing. But I enjoy it and for the most part it makes me happy (except for those few times when I review my negs and wonder why I ever bothered to pick up a camera in the first place).

Same here.

 

[David Brown]

It's mine.

 

[removed account4]

i look for my own tripod holes ...

 

[Rick A]

I'm me, and there aint nobody out there like me.

 

[Exeter2010]

I have a special camera?

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I'm not special, but I don't really care. I just love photography, that's it!

Jeff

 

[Q.G.]

In a world saturated in photography, both analog and digital. Whats so special about what your doing in photography?

That's what i ask myself every time i even think about picking up a camera.
It's what i ask about all those millions of pictures created every day. Why would they need to be? Why would i have to look at them?
The answer all too often is that there is no reason. Just more of the tired old same.

In fact, it has become a bit of a long running project of mine to try to figure out why people feel the urge to add yet more to the already too many.
It's not just photography, but applies equally to every 'creative' field.

And the answer is not in the 'products' of creativity. It's the urge. The photographs (and music, books, etc.) have to be made, because people feel an urge to do so. After that, they would better be burned, stored away where they will never be seen, etc. The last thing to do is bother other people with them.

It would be interesting, fun too, if pictures posted in the Galleries would be accompanied, not by the uninteresting technical details (who really cares about what f-stop was used???), but by a motivation, an explanation of why the particular picture was made to begin with, why it was made to look the way it does, and why any viewer might/should care about it and not just ignore it.

 

[MattKing]

I'm not sure that I need special. I do need fun, good, interesting, pleasant, creative, expressive, enjoyable, challenging, satisfying, pretty, striking, unusual, comforting, funny, "a good cry", motivational, decorative, absorbing .....

Or some combination of all of the above.

I guess it is the way that I and each of the above combine that might constitute "special"

I've never thought it all that important that someone is strikingly original, although I find it interesting and sometimes inspiring when someone is.

New and different does not necessarily equate with "better", although they can be better.

 

[tim k]

In my little world, I'm the guy. In the big scheme of things, I don't exist.

 

[CD55]

In the world of photography my stuff isn't special. However for family and friends, it's something they like and something I like doing. I guess sharing my photos so it gives someone a smile is what makes it special.

 

[Erik Petersson]

In the world of photography my stuff isn't special. However for family and friends, it's something they like and something I like doing. I guess sharing my photos so it gives someone a smile is what makes it special.

Today my brother, sister and father asked me for enlargments. My photos are special to them, to friends and family. This is enough. At least at the moment.

 

[jovo]

Far more people talk than make photographs. I suspect they do so because they think they have something to say...as do I. It's the same reason I make photographs.

 

[JMcLaug351]

Far more people talk than have something to say. The world is filled with lots of empty words and an equal number of empty photographs. The difference is for you John Voss is that you have something to say and you say it better than just about anyone I've ever seen. And that includes Ansel, Sexton and the other "greats". Special in photography is the same as it is in any other art form. When you expereince it you know something has hit you with meaning. All I have to do to understand special is look at the photos posted. As far as my own photos I've never thought of myself or what I do with the camera as anything special. I just love it is all.
JOHN

 

[eddym]

Well... I hesitate to say this in public... people will think I'm strange or something... but when I shoot photos with my 4x5, all the images are upside down on the groundglass... but the negatives come out right side up!!
Let's just keep this between us, shall we? I don't want anyone else to know about this.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Meaning no disrespect, but what makes you believe I think I am, such that you would challenge me with that question in the first place?

Ken

 

[JMcLaug351]

Well... I hesitate to say this in public... people will think I'm strange or something... but when I shoot photos with my 4x5, all the images are upside down on the groundglass... but the negatives come out right side up!!
Let's just keep this between us, shall we? I don't want anyone else to know about this.

Sheesh, and I thought it was just me. Mine are backwards too.
JOHN

 

[jovo]

As far as my own photos I've never thought of myself or what I do with the camera as anything special. I just love it is all.
JOHN

Actually, John, I feel pretty much the same way about my photographs, but I'm deeply flattered that you think my work is worthwhile. Thank you for your very kind comments.

 

[perkeleellinen]

If 'special' can also mean unorthodox or unusual, then within the niche area of film photography there's a small niche of darkroom printers and within that small niche there's a tiny niche of people who print in colour. Doing that is what raises people's eyebrows when I tell them. Artistically, I don't think I'm carving out a particular speciality.

 

[Brian Legge]

My work isn't special. I post much of it on flickr and am lucky if two people look at each picture. I don't have vision or style that is unique. I have no audience. There is simply no reason for anyone to spend time checking it out given the volume of great work out there. It would be nice to say I expect to improve over time but I simply know that isn't the case.

I've grown to be okay with it all; my work is just part of the din of images out there.

 

[Nikanon]

Anyone who photographs believes their work is special or else they would not photograph. The true photographer photographs for themselves without considering a viewer (non-commercial, commissional, etc related aspect). Consideration of what makes you special is wondering what makes you special to others, in relation to others. You are then considering what am I worth or what is my work worth to others. This only beings the path down the road to shooting to please and appeal to others, instead of yourself, the person for whom you picked up photography in the first place.

Nikanon

 

[Nikanon]

I've grown to be okay with it all; my work is just part of the din of images out there.

Deutsche Industrial Norm?

 

[Ross Chambers]

Two quotes that may shed some light, but maybe not, I dunno:

Ezra Pound: "Make it new!" (boy that's hard)

Gary Winogrand: "We know too much about how pictures look and should look. And how do you get around making those pictures again and again?" (that quote is pinned onto the door of my camera storage cupboard, just to irk me when I'm about to pack to try to find out)

No more difficult questions, please.

Regards - Ross