I read many blogs, posts, tweets, follow many different photographers works and thoughts from friends with the same interests to long time well established professionals that have become quite successful through photography.
I recently read a blog post entitled “How to Improve Your Photography Literally Overnight – Really.” Wow who wouldn’t want to do that! Quite a catchy title and I’m sure intentionally thought out to be so. One of the not so secret secrets of writing, give it a catchy title and they will come. Well, over the years I can’t count how many catchy titles I have clicked on and articles I have read that have been nothing short of a complete let down. I take somewhat personal offense to this approach, not that I have anything against catchy titles I’m drawn to them as much as anyone else. But when the title doesn’t match the substance I feel as if I have been duped.
This article is from a long standing highly successful photographer/business person who utilizes social media very well and has over 121,000 followers on twitter alone. This is the person making claim to instant improvement and then writing an article that when all summed up says; you ready for this, they claim it is life altering in it’s power to improve, I think I can feel the improvements taking place simply by writing it. Well here it is; “Ignore jerks and stay positive.” What? Hang on a second, what did I miss? Let me get this straight, in order to “improve my photography” literally overnight I need to stay positive and ignore negativity? Hey no sweat but, I’m kinda doing that now so, what part is supposed to help improve my photography? The positive part right? OK, got it, I think.
Hey thanks for the life altering tip oh master of “How To Improve Your Photography Literally Overnight – Really.” I will keep doing that but I might try to slip out and take some pictures once in awhile just in case practice might help a little as well.
© Brad Mangas
I have also stopped following most professionals on the web. It too often feels like the social media is their only marketing tool and so I drop them. It’s probably best for me to follow photographers who want to share their work in an effort to help others rather than to feel like I’m going to be asked to cough up money for them. And, we all know there is not get rich quick formula. We must practice and totally screw it up then practice some more. In fact, I’ve enjoyed some of those screwup experiences. :-)
Thank you Monte you are very right and I agree wholeheartedly!
By, the way, nice rant!
Thanks Monte, I always feel a little guilty of being a pessimist when I go off on things like this but sometimes I just have had enough.