You are left with your intuition and style when all is said and done. (photographic) That’s about all there is. This idea is the end result of a conversation with a fellow photographer, and I believe this to be true. This might sound simple, easy, or not enough, but I never said it was easy. Intuition and style come from experience and experimentation. Throw in years of practice and you see the work involved. I don’t look at reviews. I don’t over Google. You can’t find intuition or style there. You can steal a style and might even make a brief career of it, but ultimately it will fail. You can also get trapped in a stolen style and quickly get pigeonholed. Your style might not have a home in the professional world. Your intuition might keep you from something you think you need to do. That burning feeling in your gut tells you otherwise. “But wait,” you tell yourself.
But here is where we take a turn. Intuition is supposed to be instinctual, but I believe you can manufacture intuition based on data, disinformation, and overconsumption.
This means your intuition might be tainted by something or someone else, and your real intuition has been highjacked. Finding your real intuition often means turning your back on the noise of pop culture, online culture, or social media. This will vary from person to person, but in recent years I’ve encountered quite a few folks who sound like their intuition isn’t theirs, and neither is their style. Perhaps we all transition through this phase at some point in our lives, but eventually, if making unique work is the goal, we must dig to the core to understand who we are.
PS: These images are from the opening night of EMOP. European Month of Photography
Comments 6
Sometimes you know your intuition to be correct, but it’s nice to have external validation. I knew following the commercial opportunities I have had was not the right path for me. My previous career was in a commercial-oriented creative field. I actually felt guilty that I chose not to follow the commercial opportunities available to me in photography. I remember thinking when my kids were little how much I would enjoy this if I wasn’t running a business from home at the same time. Turns out I get a do-over! I am going to be a grandma this summer, all going well, and am retiring from my day job and will very much enjoy the time with my future grandson, unencumbered by contracts, deadlines, clients, and accounting. I knew my choice was right in my gut, and it has been nice to be amongst others who have chosen a route different from the business card, glad-handing, and cold calls. Lucky me!
Author
I think as you get older, the voices are more difficult to ignore. They know more.
Seeing this inspires me to create something. I’m living vicariously through you, Dan.
P.S. the silhouette photo is my favorite
Author
Good. Anything I can do to inspire you is good for me.
Agree with Tina, love the “What Stands Between Us silhouette photo. so often type in photos gets in the way, whereas this is the subject
Author
That was a good show.