# Feeling discouraged today



## Shaychic (Aug 16, 2014)

Today is one of those "blah-days" where I feel like a starving artist getting washed away in the sea of the over-saturated market. 

I love photography. I obsess over it. I love the art of it. I love seeing beautiful work from amazing artists and I aspire to produce the same. I'm smart enough to know my work is good and honest enough to know I still have more to learn. 

Today I'm feeling discouraged.  I try really hard to not let the "fauxtogs" get to me or the people who encourage it (the ones who are spouting on about how much they "love" that horrible photo of an out of focus, awkward, baby-in-a-basket-with-random-irrelevant-selectively-colored-props-thrown-in) but today it is- it's all getting to me.
I think what makes it harder is to watch friends go to these "fauxtogs" and the garbage they come back with is almost painful to see. I want better for these people. I want them to appreciate the difference. It makes me feel like what I do is not appreciated or worth as much effort as I've put into it and sometimes I just want to throw my hands up and start looking for a "real" job.


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## nathfromslg (Aug 16, 2014)

Art is subjective and not everyone can appreciate it and from what I have learned, the motivator in the world is you.
Well, I feel the same , when I see people hiring them as their 'Wedding Photographer' only to get snapshots from the 'photographer', you wont be able to differentiate whether it was taken on a cellphone or a DSLR.
But hey, not everyone is your client is it? So I stopped worrying and now only focus on how I can improve myself and my art and indeed it has helped me a lot.
I would advise you to use social media only for promotion and networking purposes, not for chatting,whining and seeing how 'fauxtogs' are ruining the industry.


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## pixmedic (Aug 16, 2014)

Learn how to use multiple flashes and start doing formal portraits. 
you will automatically  be segregated from 90% of the Facebook "lifestyle" and "natural light" photographers that don't know what the hot shoe mount on their camera is for.
People that want nice, staged, formal shots instead of some shot of them by a tree in their back yard will come to you. 
Offer people something that they cant get by just having some friend with a camera take for them in the front yard. 

but above all, offer people quality. 
if your work stands out (and/or you are a good sales person) you will get work. 
Show people something that makes them say "wow, I want that too"


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## pgriz (Aug 16, 2014)

The "business" of photography is first, and foremost a business.  But that's only if you want to actually earn money at it.  If you wish to convert the uncomprehending, then that's missionary work, and missionary work may be good for the soul, but almost never the wallet.  It's much more profitable to sell to those who already know what they want, and then you give them that.  It may not be what YOU want to do, but that's where you have to decide what's more important to you.  Nothing says that you can't make a living giving people what THEY want (that's known as being a professional), and then in your free time, do what YOU want to do.  That's known as a hobby.   If you become really well known and become in demand, then perhaps you can blend the two.


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## Browncoat (Aug 16, 2014)

If you are a true professional, the Facebook fauxtographers are NOT your competition. People in that market are not looking for professional photography, they are looking to share something online. There is a lesson to be learned here.

The problem is not them. The problem is you (not you in particular, but ya get where I'm going with this). They are not going to lose one ounce of sleep over what they're doing. They're going to keep making money hand over fist with their illegitimate weekend "businesses" and the masses are going to keep clamoring for more. YOU have to make an effort to stand out from the pack. YOU have to show people what _real_ photography is. Unless you're producing work that puts theirs to shame, the Facebook luddites are never going to know any better. Raise the standard.


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 16, 2014)

Everyone with a camera is competition.


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## runnah (Aug 16, 2014)

imagemaker46 said:


> Everyone with a camera is competition.



And you gotta take em down!!!


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## Tee (Aug 16, 2014)

Shaychic said:


> It makes me feel like what I do is not appreciated or worth as much effort as I've put into it and sometimes I just want to throw my hands up and start looking for a "real" job.



I went to your blog and you do very nice work.  I appreciate that.


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 16, 2014)

runnah said:


> imagemaker46 said:
> 
> 
> > Everyone with a camera is competition.
> ...



Pretty much like world war Z, they just keep coming over the walls.


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## runnah (Aug 16, 2014)

imagemaker46 said:


> Pretty much like world war Z, they just keep coming over the walls.



I kicked a mom with a point and shoot today.

She was on my turf.


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## The_Traveler (Aug 16, 2014)

If you want to make beautiful art, do it.
What other people do doesn't affect you.
Why would you give a cr@p about other people's work?

If you want to have a successful business, that is something else again.
Don't mix up the two.

I used to go to shows and see what people liked and feel what I thought was anger but it really was envy that no one thought about my work that way.
Eventually I had a sort of slow epiphany and realized that everything is transient except my own work to me.
Because I am not looking for any validation in the form of money or clients, I can afford to live in my own bubble and I just don't care.
I think I'm good and getting better and I hope to leave a set of great pictures, not to mankind, but to my children.


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 17, 2014)

The_Traveler said:


> If you want to make beautiful art, do it.
> What other people do doesn't affect you.
> Why would you give a cr@p about other people's work?
> 
> ...



Well said.


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