#3 This Is How I Spend My Summer - Chasing Storms Through Germany And Europe. Those Mammatus Clouds Caught Sunset-Fire Above Leipzig, A Stunning Display
Asking for feedback for your photos is one of the most gruelling, heart-stopping things you can do as a creative. Being criticized is hardly ever fun. However, the more feedback you get, the easier it is to hear. And if you’re open-minded enough, this can be a great way to level up your work and shore up any weaknesses in your art. But it means knowing how to separate the wheat (constructive, useful criticism) from the chaff (negative opinions, biased comments, and venting that have no substance).
No matter how amazing you are at photography, you will never, ever be able to make everyone happy. There will always be someone who doesn’t like what you do or thinks it’s ‘meh,’ ‘mid,’ or ‘blah.’ But you don’t need the entire world to love you. What you probably want is to enjoy what you do, earn a decent living, and have a semi-sizeable, loyal, engaged following of awesome people. With that in mind, it’s not worth trying to appeal to absolutely everyone.
#4 I Wouldn’t Have Believed That Birds Would Build A Nest On A Hanging Fruit, If I Didn’t See It
#5 By Complete Accident I Captured A Plane Crossing In Front Of Our Sun. I Was Able To Figure Out Exactly Which Flight It Was And Got Connected With The Pilot, Who Was Thrilled
According to Fstoppers, social media can be quite a harsh environment for creatives. “It’s mostly those with negative observations who speak up, and people, in general, do not give affirmations nearly as much.” So, it’s best not to take the negativity to heart (even though human beings are literally hard-wired to do the opposite).
“One person’s reaction to criticism (at least the true constructive kind) will reflect how they see their work themselves, and how they see themselves as artists altogether. As artists, it is crucial to get used to criticism,” Fstoppers points out that developing resilience to feedback is vital.
#9 This Is A Fire Rainbow My Family Spotted Over The Carolinas, A Rare Event That Only Lasted A Few Moments And Is Absolutely Stunning
Broadly speaking, when trying to understand where the criticism is coming from, first consider whether there’s actually any substance to the person’s remarks. For instance, are they talking about your art or just you as a person, are they expressing their opinions or being rude and insulting, etc.
Some negative comments come down not to mistakes on your part, but rather a gap between your photography style and that person’s taste. Others, however, might point to errors on your part, which you can fix in the future.
#11 This Is Jonathan The Tortoise, The Oldest Known Living Land Animal In The World. He Hatched In 1832 And Is Now 190 Years Old. Here Is A Picture Of Him, On The Right, From 1886
#12 I Started Photographing (With Phone) My Old Action Figures With Household Objects. Theme: Time Portal
If you’re the creative type (and if you’re reading this, the odds are that you are), then you’ve probably considered becoming a professional photographer at some point in time. Maybe you started out by taking some amateur photos, or you signed up for a course or two. Or maybe you’ve even managed to turn your hobby into a full-fledged career.
In this day and age, with so much content flooding the internet and social media, standing out is a major challenge. So, your work, voice, and style have to be unique and high-quality enough not to get lost among the noise. Developing that uniqueness is easier said than done, however.
#15 It Took Me 3 Years To Get A Permit To Visit This Surreal Rock Formation Called The Wave In Arizona - It Was Worth It
If you want to test your limits, raise the bar, and think outside the box, you can challenge yourself to photograph things in ways you never have before.
For example, you could decide to spend a day focusing on a completely different style of photography than you’re used to.
Switch things up a little. If you mainly do portraits, do some nature or animal photography, and vice versa.
#17 At A Certain Hour, The Sun Reflects A Projection Of My City Through A Hole In My Blinds
#18 I Captured The Rare Supermoon Of 2024 In High Resolution From My Backyard Using An Amateur Telescope
Another way to challenge yourself is to drastically change your environment. If you mostly spend your days in an urban environment, you could visit wilder, more rural areas.
Try taking photos during times of day and in weather when you usually wouldn’t.
Intentionally put yourself in situations where you have to adapt to new conditions and learn new things. Hopefully, this should help you grow as a professional.
