I just made a profound discovery. The online world lacks expertise. There are, of course, exceptions, so perhaps I should narrow this down to photography and bookmaking. I’ve been at my Blurb job for fifteen years. FIFTEEN. That is far longer than most stay in tech jobs, where resume hopping is the norm, and far longer than many influencer types have been out of elementary school. Not to mention my thirty years in photography before I even got to Blurb. I’ve spoken to former Blurb staffers who quit at eighteen months with no job waiting. When I asked why they would do such a thing, especially when they claimed to love their job, I was met with this response: “If I stay longer than eighteen months, I’m considered damaged goods.”
Stay longer than a year and a half, and instead of this reflecting your accomplishments and abilities, it reflects that you weren’t talented enough to resume hop to a better position. How sad, but typical of the modern era. (This is changing, especially in today’s job market and with AI looming.) Consequently, many folks(photographers) lack expertise in their position because they simply have not put in the time. Some jobs still work without expertise. More structured or policy-driven, for example. But other jobs require expertise, and when someone doesn’t have it, it’s painfully obvious, which is why you see so many people swapping jobs like underwear.
Occasionally, when talking to one of my beloved fellow photographers, I’m met with a bit of condescension regarding my tenure at Blurb. These are often the same people who made fun of me for accepting a job at Blurb in the first place. (Many have since left the industry.) They will make a crack about me being at the company for so long. They confuse the routine of knowing something inside out with monotony or boredom. They also have no idea what I really do. I love having expertise, but it took me a long time to find it. I started making books in 1993, but I still learn new things regularly. I know Blurb. I know all levels of our customers. I know our competitors. I know the mindset of the people I encounter. I know what works and what doesn’t work for each person who comes my way. (Not to mention I’ve made over 300 books using the platform.)
Earlier today, I received an email from someone looking for a partnership/sponsorship. Before I read the email, I noted the email address, and what formed in my mind was a mental map of what the email would entail and what the ask would be. It’s just like that movie “A Beautiful Mind,” only I’m not a genius like John Nash. I’m just a guy with fifteen years in the trenches.
Add these things up. Thirty years of industry experience, combined with fifteen years at Blurb, combined with my wife spending thirty-five years in the industry, combined with many of my friends being from the same industry, and then toss in all the travel, studio visits, and events I’ve attended, panels I’ve been part of, symposiums I’ve been part of, and you get something not easy to acquire: expertise. What I see now is a near-total lack of willingness to put the time in. Our global, societal timeline has been so sped up that folks can’t seem to find anything they want to excel at. They want instant relevance, instant recognition, so they bounce from thing to thing to thing, hoping to hit the jackpot.
In one of my earliest YouTube debacles (films), I innocently mentioned something called “Box-speed.”
This means the speed at which a film is labeled on the box. For example, TRI-X is rated at 400. Ektachrome EPP is rated at 100. Each film has a corresponding box speed. But you don’t shoot film at their box speed. This was a lesson learned on DAY ONE of photography school, and it wasn’t a big deal. Instructor comes in, “Hey, don’t shoot TRIX at 400, use 320 or 250 because it’s not true to speed.” We all nodded our heads and went, “Okay, sounds good.”
But the YouTube audience lost its collective mind. People freaked out, including many I would label as “film geeks.” When I tell this story to photographers, they literally squirm in their chairs, shake their head and profess how astoundingly happy they are that they don’t have YouTube channels. Shoot TRIX at 250. EPP, a legendary emulsion that was the bread and butter for anything skintone, was at best an 80-speed film. EPN, the most color-accurate film ever made, was 80 speed, not 100. Everyone shot Velvia at 40, not 50. I rated TMZ at 1250, not 3200. And it was not uncommon to see portrait photographers shoot Portra 400 at 100 while pushing two stops. The list goes on. Now, formal, photographic education is frowned upon by the hipster/online set who walk around shooting TRIX at 400. This makes ZERO sense.
It takes almost nothing to be considered an expert online.
Get a few likes and subs, and you are a genius, but for anyone with real know-how, this doesn’t hold water. I find myself saying, “Oh, not again,” when someone sends me a film about a photographer with their lens hood on backwards. Or a film about a “solo traveler,” but unbeknownst to the sender, I know the “solo traveler’s” drone operator, editor, sound person, and main camera operator. I’m currently reading a biography of a famous historian. It’s almost 1000 pages. I thought it would hurt to grind through this thing, but it reads like an adventure novel. This was not a man looking for the spotlight. In fact, the biographer had to go above and beyond to gather the material, and when the historian did his own autobiography, apparently, he failed to talk about himself.
I was talking to a twenty-something photographer and mentioned this book, and this man. “Ya, but he got special privileges,” the kid said, automatically dismissing the point I was trying to make. “Special privileges?” I asked. “Let’s see,” I added. “He loses his parents at a young age, flees Germany in front of the Nazi jackboot, is thrown to unfamiliar countries, people, schools, and challenges while learning German, French, and Spanish.” “Goes all in on getting involved in politics, current events, while continuing to teach himself a wide range of subject matter, bouncing from home to home, distant family member to distant family member.” “Ya, sounds easy to me.”
This guy put his nose to the grindstone and got to work. He didn’t talk about it. He didn’t watch a YouTube film and then talk about it. He simply got it done, and at a level that eventually put him on the map as one of the world’s most eminent historians. He didn’t fuck around playing video games on his phone. Every moment was spent in pursuit of something. And ya, people were far tougher back then, but this doesn’t explain it all.
The most important word I used above is “Eventually.” He eventually became one of the most eminent historians. He worked and worked and worked until he had the expertise. I could go on about this guy because his life makes mine look like I never got out of first gear. I LOVE books and people like this. But I don’t read books like this and think, “Oh, he had it better than me.” I read books like this and think, “Shit, I gotta get going, like TODAY.”
Many of the best photographers are my age or older. Check out this link. Look at those lines etched into faces, gray hair, contorted frames. Time in the trenches. Years, decades, grinding and grinding and grinding. Looking for and finding expertise. Maybe they lose it from time to time and then have to fight to find it again. “Your work will be crap at first.” “You are probably going to fail.” These are the EXACT sentiments I heard at the beginning of my career. And guess what? They were SPOT ON. If someone says these things today, look out. Especially in the online space, where you will hear, “Angry old man,” or “Get off my lawn,” responses from people who are scared to death of having to deal with photographic reality or rejection.
One of my favorite online entities is a guy who cut his teeth in the creative world. Think a couple of decades of writing, shooting, designing, learning, speaking, and publishing. And then he went online. He’s built an incredible ecosystem. Incredible, and profitable. Enough to allow him to do whatever he wants, which is ultimately what most of us are after. You know how long it took him AFTER going online? Twenty-five years. When I bring up his name, I’m often met with comments about unfair advantage or some other excuse for why no one else could match his accomplishments, because most people don’t want to work that hard, and haven’t yet figured out what it is they are trying to say. Some have no thoughts of their own, only those implanted by someone else. (Rogan’s audience, for example.)
Here is my advice. Take your time. Eliminate distractions. Focus. Fail. Experiment. Expand your overall education. Quantify. Self-assess. Get feedback. Read. Write. Keep going. EVENTUALLY, you might end up with something. This all might sound easy, but it isn’t. Just the distraction part is enough to crush most of the population. Getting good takes time. A lot of time. The vast majority of online superstars are not good photographers. They are excellent promoters and audience builders who make things for one purpose: to get your attention.
What gets lost in this conversation is that gaining expertise is empowering. When I meet a birder who can identify a bird by sound, then tell me the species, subspecies, winter range, summer range, breeding plumage, and more, I am in awe. Knowledge is power. It’s true. So, if your subject, your thing, is photography, you have work to do. You won’t find your answers online. You will find a dopamine hole and plenty of misinformation. The real answers are out there in the world. You just need the fortitude to go looking.
PS: I ONLY have expertise in one or two things. That’s it. Total. After fifty-seven years of trying shit out. I fish, hike, run, paddle, ride, photograph, shoot the bow and arrow, write, make books, cook, and more, but of all these topics, I can think of ONE where I think I MIGHT be an expert, and ONE that comes with apprehension about someone considering me an expert. That’s it.
Comments 36
Can I get an Amen?
Author
Take a step back and I’ll bring back the sun.
Amen! 😀
Amen!
I just finished Art Work, by Sally Mann. A great read about doing the work. The words that struck me hard enough to write them in my notebook, “Make the work uniquely yours. Make a lot of it. You will find out what yours is supposed to look like.” And, “Peel back the familiar, peek under it’s careworn covering, and you will find unsuspected creative possibility. You will find your story.” None of that can happen in 18 months.
In other news, now that I figured out Image of the Year, I’ve got photos for a photo yearbook, and by golly, a 50% sale at Blurb. Guess what I’m doing over the next week.
Author
So many people will read that book, read what they need to hear, and then go right back to watching YT. I would say 99.9% of readers. It’s that .1% you gotta find and follow.
Happy belated birthday.
What is the name of the book you discussed with the twenty-something year old?
Who is the online entity you mentioned that built an incredible and profitable ecosystem that allows him to do whatever they want?
Correction: “…that allows him to do whatever *he* wants.”
Author
Eric Hobsbawn
Craig Mod. I mentioned him dozens of times here and on my YT channel. Blown away by what he’s created. These people are the future of creativity. Not people on social networks. Most people read about and quit before they even get to the bottom of the bio. They write me with excuses. The guy has been building this ecosystem for his entire career.
Author
I’m sure he’s got swings and misses, but his biography is insane. He did more before he turned 20 than I’ve done in my entire life, and it’s not even close.
Author
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Hobsbawm
Thank you. I will look into both of them.
I find that a lot of young people, not all, want to start and earn 100,000$ a year and work only 20 hours, no evenings, no weekends, and have 3 months vacation right at the start. Experience and knowledge takes time to earn.
I’m 52 and have over 20 years of experience in my field. I’ve earned it by working on evenings and weekends, reading and learning, travelling and doing stuff others didn’t want to.
Author
I do think ethic has changed, and with AI it might seriously take a turn.
We are the same age, Dan. Last year I was told I was “pale, male and stale,” which pretty much summarizes the ethos these days in recruiting and retention. Expertise is outsourced in my sector and you’re only as good as your last gig. So job jumping shows you’re hungry, ambitious and that someone else has validated you by hiring you in an earlier role.
The answer, I think, is to just let organizations fail when the lose talent and experience.
BTW you may not have John Nash’s genius but you also don’t appear to have his schizophrenia. Dodged a bullet.
And I think you can seriously abuse Tri-X and still get usable images. Box speed in XTOL 1:1, DD-X or Microphen will have good shadow detail. But HP5 is the better film (fight me, Internet trolls).
Author
I didn’t get “pale, male, and stale,” but I got, “You are the best candidate, but we can’t hire you because you are a white male.” But this was years ago. It happened again and again. Internships, staff jobs, fellowships, grants, etc. By the tenth time, it was getting old, but there WAS a problem with diversity at the time. And yes, you can shoot at box speed if you over develop. You will add a touch of grain, but who doesn’t love grain? You could do the same with transparency, but most of these films did not push well.
I just saw this a day ago. Similar sentiments here. Nan Goldin says so much in just a few words. For me personally, I wish it didn’t take a ‘new years resolution’ of sorts to get out of the house and get moving, but that’s where I’m at. Sunny today in the PNW so here’s a chance to get moving.
https://youtu.be/Nd0GlnPQZcI?si=mEbwxzTMJGE1gb4W
Author
Get out there!
Junior Consultants, so called experts not even reaching the age of 30, swarm all over the place here. Contradictio in terminis. But no one seems to care. Oh well…
Author
Experts.
Its called apprenticeship and it lasts at least 10 years…for each pursuit. Buckle up Suzie, its a long ride.
Author
Yep, takes time which seems to be kryptonite.
I saw a social media post recently where someone said they knew nothing about photography and wanted to learn, and what should they do? Someone responded, just go out and shoot and you’ll figure it out. Bullshit.
Different topic: Is there a way we can see your bird photography? I was a birder before I was a photographer. I stopped birding for decades and took up photography. And then during COVID started combining them. Birding got less fun as I was seeing the same birds over and over. I know, that’s heresy, but true. Photographing birds, it’s easiest (not easy) to make images that are simply decent enough to identify the bird and serve as a record of the observation. Bird activity is largely predictable and repetitious and so are the images. Then there are the close-up photos taken with mammoth lenses, i.e. $$$. I once visited a bird refuge where several guys simply parked themselves by a pond and waited all day. They had so much equipment, and enormous lenses so heavy, they could not have walked around carrying their cameras. The lenses were probably tens of thousands of dollars each. Plus the cameras.
So I’m looking for inspiration in what you do! thanks.
Author
It depends on your goal, Nancy. Those long lens images are incredibly difficult to make with birds in flight. The new tech helps, but getting one-offs is still difficult. I bought a 180-600mm, the poor man’s long lens, but only so I could start an archive of birds. The birding community is one of the most accomplished communities I’ve ever found, so when it comes to photography, there are many who are far more skilled than I. But I don’t care. I like the challenge of doing new things. I’m also interested more in the culture of birding than the birding itself, which is where short lens photography comes into play.
Happy New Year, Daniel. I’m not sure why I drifted away from your blog, but it’s refreshing to be back. I’ve drawn inspiration, guidance, peace and motivation from your content here. I continue to shoot some film, buy the occasional camera, ride my Daniel purchase-inspired Brompton, and read some books. Maybe I’ll make a photo book this year.
I need to reconnect with your site. I signed up for the newsletter. Does that deliver your new website posts, or is that different content? – Eric
Author
Yes! Brompton! Welcome back!
I’ve recently joined Craig Mod’s community – The Good Place. Fantastic space for sharing interest in all things creative. I’ve got more inspiration and connection from TGP and joining Raw Society in a few weeks than I’ve picked up from two years of reading and commenting on substack articles! BTW also highly recommend Craig’s Book – Things Become Other Things – just a beautiful and touching read combining a travelogue, memoir and portrait of Japanese culture.
Author
YEs, I featured his book here several months ago. It’s the book I was encouraging photographers to make for the past 15YEARS. I don’t like Substack. It will go away and be replaced by something else you will need to “Follow.”
Hey Dan. For weeks now i’ve been saying to myself that I need to reach out to you to ask for your advice and you just told me most of what I need to hear in this article. Thanks. You talked about getting feedback. I am well aware that you are a very busy man, but is there any chance I could get that from you?
Author
Maybe. Depends on what you are after. My schedule is pretty tight..But let me know.
You always say you’re just one man with one opinion and I was hoping I could get your opinion on some of my work. Specifically regarding sequencing and if you would be able to ‘see’ anything in what I am doing. Sequencing is not a strength of mine and I know I am all over the place with my photos. So I wanted to send you some of my work for you to look at and then let me know your thoughts.
Author
Send me 6-8 images and I’ll have a look. Ten at the most.
A bit of background. I tell people that i take the kind images that I want to see. Meaning the kind of images I dont see being shown about myself and my enviroment. And I document what i see everyday and have seen all my life that no one bothers to capture, record and show. This is what my images are all about. Instead of complaining that no one is doing is, I have taken it upon myself to ‘do the work’.
I have one camera, a sony a6000, but it has been acting up of late and so i have been using my phone. All of the images here were taken with my phone. I also do all my editing on my phone so please forgive the no-so-good quality of the ‘final product’.
Here’s the link to the folder with the 10 images.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11yPiJ4jzcehGR3w4kwvg56eA8zi43Ff7?usp=drive_link
Author
This is SO easy. First, nice work. The immediately apparently theme is either “The Chair,” or “Things that Hold and Support.” Are some of these images stand alone images? Yes. The man with carrots in the box, lovely frame. The purple chairs, potentially. A few others. But as a group, the theme that emerges deals directly with chairs. That’s a cool story. Now you have edges to your work and target to shoot for. To expand, you could look at “Things that Hold or Contain.” Chairs, buses, buildings, boxes with carrots,etc. Personally, I would focus on the chair concept. It’s lovely and would allow you to work almost anywhere. Finally, no one cares what camera. Use whatever you want.
Thank you so much for your time. I truly appreciate it. And most of all for the feedback. You have no idea how much this has helped me. Thank you again.
Author
There is a lot to work with there. Keep going.