Friday April 20, 2018
The first impression of a new subject is not necessary the best. Seen from a different angle or under different condition it might look even better. Always study a three – dimensional subject with one eye closed.
— Andreas Feininger
Total Photography by Andreas Feininger,
ISBN: 081743531X
Hope this Friday finds you well and getting excited for the Weekend?
There were a couple of things that transpired this past week that just makes you shake your head with disbelief!
I had joined a supposed Higher Level Photography Group on Facebook specifically showcasing Models/Fashion and Tips for Lighting.
It actually is a very interesting group. Wonderful Images and poses of Models with using great Lighting.
Now hears the catch! As an Artist it is assumed that by joining one of these “Higher Level Groups” that certain things should be thought of as Standard Practice for
“Artists” Sensitivities and Consideration
- Our images are Safe from being Shared or Copied by others.
- The is a Level of Respect of each others Work and Artistic License.
- As an Artist it is known as a give me that we “See” things differently
from each other as well as to others to create an Image that has grown from inside our head/s.
Let me explain these first one before I go on. Just take a few minutes…
As an Artist our work is either paid to do something up front or to Sell after the fact.
If someone Shares Our Work lets say on Facebook because they thought it was soo Beautiful. Others get to view it and appreciate the Beauty that the Artist Creates.
Others start to Share this Image. Eventually someone who has No Respect for an Artists Work decides to start playing with the Image in an Editing Program to change things around. Now in the process of either Intentional or just by pure accident.
The Artists Name from the Image gets Removed or Cropped Out.
Now the Artist Looses Control of where this Image goes and who sees it.
If someone had purchased this Image before this whole thing transpired and paid a good amount of money for it. They wont be happy if they accidentally run across it somewhere else looking only similar to the original work they have in their possession. Also now this person who edited this image that didn’t belong to them is now claiming Ownership that he created?? See how this is mushrooming? All without the Original Artists Consent.
Now We as Artists join a Photography Group “Usually” to see if we could either learn something or to be Inspired and give us fresh Ideas for what the next project lies ahead.
It came across the feed in this particular group that someone who is a Member downloaded an image without permission. For the purpose of Editing this image to show “How Beautiful your Image is and what it can look Like“??
Now to us as Artists. We Don’t Care whether your a Better Editor in the programs than we are. We Don’t Care about Your Vision that it is different and this image could be better if you do this.
Some People don’t care and are Flattered. Some people don’t care and say go ahead!
The Majority of those People in the Group went Crazy! It is First and Foremost
A Disrespecting of Someone’s Creation/Baby!! We Don’t Care that you can Use Photoshop better or worse than someone else. You think Your Better and can do what you want? That Alone to me means YOU Do Not Belong in this Higher Level Artistic Group!
I Do Belong to a Few Higher Level Groups. I am Also an Administrator of Two of these Groups. Yeah it has happened under my watch twice. First time I explained everything above and this person did understand it. Second time was another person and they were Adamant that their Vision was Better. They didn’t want to hear about Respecting the Artists Vision. They felt that it could be better…
So I Removed that person. I tried to Warn to them….
In this particular case I am discussing. I haven’t checked in yet to see if this person was still there. It now makes everyone Nervous that this Person can do this to Every Other Image Now posted to the Group! If I was an Administrator I would send this person a Private Message trying to make them Understand that what they did Violates a Code of Conduct. In that thread the Owner did make a half off comment that it is disrespectful but nothing that truthfully Satisfied Us!
So at this point I was thinking of sharing a few of my images in this group for C&C.
That means we learn from others vision by Commenting and Criticizing this image.
This is Standard practice if someone wants ideas on how they should try to make a future image different to make it better for a future product.. Posing and Lighting. Even for Possible editing. This Is How We as Artists Learn.
In another Group but I fast realized that it’s Not a Photographers Group.
It’s a Show Off my Cell Phone Pic and do the “Chimping”.
Now todays Generation of “I have a Camera Therefore I’m a Photographer”!
Is definitely not a New Concept. But what is New is the Lack of Respect for
Learning How To Create a Better Image! They see something and they take a
Snap using their P&S or their Cell Phone. There are wonderful Apps that can
be used to Edit the Image to bring it up to an Artistic Level.
Yes I’m Posting this for the same reason I started above. It’s the Level of how
I’m an Artist and Your Not. You have No Interest in Learning anything.
I’ve been studying and learning almost my Whole Life……………..
Would I tell this person about the Image they posted? NOPE!
Do I Download and edit this Image to make it more pleasing to the Eye?
Again Nope!
You know what I do? First I wont post and share My Images often. Once in a while.
If I Do See something that is More than a “Snap Shot” I will say something nice.
I’ve expressed to them that I Definitely Dislike there Sharing Others Images and posting it to the Group! Some Understood and Some Did Not! I am Not Long for this Group out of Lack of Respect for others Work. That thing that they do that I find Offensive has slacked off lately. Probably because of my comments… Maybe??
I’ve been posting Links to education tutorials so they can Possibly Learn.
See I’m Sharing others Work but the Videos are commented on that they are made to be Shared. Yup! It’s a Fine Line that WE as Artists Try not to Cross.
Sometimes it Is Difficult in finding our way……………….
I will Share an Image I had shot a few years back. We were working with a Model on a Rooftop in Manhattan.
Have a Great Weekend Everyone.
Mark
MarkG-Photography 