Is there a photographer out there who doesn’t enjoy hearing nice things about their work? I doubt it.
We put in the hard yards, publish our photographs to a wall of indifference and suffer the familiar sting of disappointment and frustration. So when someone has something nice to say, it feels as though all that effort was worthwhile.
But was it? When someone says they like our work, what are they really saying?
I think there’s an important distinction between approval and recognition.
Approval is when someone likes our photographs because they reflect their own tastes. Recognition is when someone appreciates our vision, even if it differs from their own.
And the difference matters more than we might imagine.
The Danger of Seeking Approval
Is there any more futile exercise than trying to impress our peers?
Fitting in is an important part of belonging. When our views and ideas differ too much from those around us, we risk being ostracised.
But art never has been, and never will be, about following the status quo.
We naturally gravitate towards work that validates our own vision. Photographs that reflect how we see the world feel familiar, reassuring and safe.
The danger comes when we begin creating photographs that validate the vision of others rather than expressing our own.
In seeking approval, we risk sacrificing the very individuality that gives our work meaning.
Express, Don’t Impress
A huge part of being a photographer is learning to recognise when your own work is good.
Have you ever published a photograph you weren’t entirely happy with, only to receive more acclaim than you anticipated? It’s an oddly shallow feeling. The applause of others cannot compensate for our own dissatisfaction with a photo.
Satisfaction doesn’t come from lots of people liking what you do. It comes from a few people in the know appreciating your work, regardless of their own tastes and biases.
Authenticity matters. When a photo says what you wanted it to say, it’s a good photo, no matter what anyone else thinks.
The Freedom to Be Yourself
There is no greater limit on our creativity than popular opinion.
The tastes of others can become a cage that prevents us from reaching our full potential. Creating work designed to appeal to others confines us to what is generally considered acceptable.
But when we stop worrying about what other people think, something wonderful happens. We become free to express what makes us special as individuals, rather than flatter someone else’s expectations.
More importantly, we give ourselves permission to be different.
We have to stop worrying about impressing others if we are to discover what makes our photography uniquely ours.
The next time someone compliments one of your photographs, enjoy it. There’s nothing wrong with feeling appreciated.
But remember that approval and recognition are not the same thing.
Approval tells us we have permission to create. Recognition tells us we don’t actually need permission.
At the end of the day, authenticity is the thing that matters most.
Make photographs that mean something to you. The people who recognise their value will find you.
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