Do you like your own work?

[tbfoto]

I've been shooting weddings for several years now and have gotten great remarks from all my clients and word of mouth keeps the work coming to me. I try real hard to produce quality work and try to be creative at the same time. I surf the web looking at others shots and am always amazed at the quality and creativity I find in other peoples shots. When i review my own work I always seem to have the same thoughts though. Ho-Hum. I dont see my work as outstanding or the kind of shots that make me say WOW!. I've been thinking about this and I wonder if it's because by the time I get the final prints I've reviewed the shots so many times it's lost that WOW factor. Does this make since? Do you look at your own work and say WOW? Maybe it's just me!

Tom

[kampphoto]

I think most down to earth photographers are like that. You're never quite impressed with your own stuff because you always want to do better and better... I think personally if I ever get to that point where I look at my shots and think to myself "man I'm the best photographer and all my photos are soooo incredible" I'll quit being a wedding photographer and do something else.

You're your worst critic and that's probably why you feel ho-hum sometimes.

[Tommy]

I'm like that too.... I seem to never really think that my own images stand out. But if I set them aside for a week or so, then go back, I do notice things that I really like. I thinks it's just that I see them so often as I'm processing them that they lose that "wow" factor like you said... This goes for all of my photography.... not just weddings...

[George L]

I'll chime in as a me too, I am told I am why to hard on myself....I dont believe them tho Thats what keeps pushing us to be better I'm thinking.
George

[PIXI_666]

Every now and then i go "WOW" did i shoot that? But that's probably in 3% of my work, the rest i think, "Yeah whatever" as i look through other people's work and wonder why i try so hard and i never produce great outstanding work like that...

BUT on the other hand - i guess other people are thinking that about your own work?

We are our own worst critics...i bring it down to that, and the fact that i ALWAYS think i can do better...

Del

[JustKat]

Almost didn't respond to this one, but here goes. Early in my photography career, I was almost never satisfied with most of my pictures. I come from a family of photographers so the pressure was strong to do impressive work. I was my fathers 2nd shooter when I was 19 years old and took over his business when he died(I was 25) in 1979. As the years went on, I started liking my own work more and more and knew I was really improving. It's taken a long time and a lot of pictures but at this stage of my life and career, I can honestly say that I love most of of the images I capture. I think my father would be proud of me!
I definately still get Crappy shots too, but most of the time, my stuff makes me happy.
I'm not conceited, just seasoned
What I don't like is my ignorance of computers, but I'm learning.

[tim]

I like my own work, but like many people i'm my own harshest critic. After seeing the same photos a number of times I get a little sick of some of them, but some I like more and more as I look at it over the months.

As I get more experience I like my work better. Sometimes situations prevent you from getting great images, which sucks, but so long as you did your best in the situation, made suggestions to improve it if possible, and at least recorded events, you can't be too hard on yourself.

[Dimitry]

Nah...I just look at my photos and see perfection...of course then I wake up I'm sure it's like that in any creative industry when you start out though

[jessiper]

Originally Posted by PIXI_666

Every now and then i go "WOW" did i shoot that? But that's probably in 3% of my work, the rest i think, "Yeah whatever" as i look through other people's work and wonder why i try so hard and i never produce great outstanding work like that...

BUT on the other hand - i guess other people are thinking that about your own work?

We are our own worst critics...i bring it down to that, and the fact that i ALWAYS think i can do better...

Del

I feel the same way...read my mind.

[jessiper]

Originally Posted by tim

Sometimes situations prevent you from getting great images, which sucks, but so long as you did your best in the situation, made suggestions to improve it if possible, and at least recorded events, you can't be too hard on yourself.

It's nice to hear that, because sometimes I feel like I should be able to be marvelous even in bad situations.

[blonde]

like alot of people already said, i am my own worst critique. most of the time, i look at my shoots and the first thing that goes through my mind is " you should have done _______ instead" or "man, this really sucks". i think that this is a good thing though because it makkes me always push forward and imporve my mistakes. the funny thing is that most of the time, other people really like my stuff. i just did a photoshoot and i was very unhappy with my work. my client on the other hand, LOVED it and already started sending me more clients...

[rescue951]

Well I dont do much weddings, however I have the same feeling toward all my shots, and it never stop to amaze me that everytime I think ho-hum abt a series of shots. The client is usually the one going "WOW" and i'm lookig at them thinking you seriously like this shot? I may be to hard on myself sometimes,maybe?

Good to know its not just me.

be safe.

Rob

[WilliamL]

Well I don't feel so bad now... I feel like my work is good, but like everyone here, I don't see it as great... but yet this is what clients keep telling me... I'm always finding little things wrong or things I should have done better... Guess it's this wanting to do better that makes us better... when I feel my work is "GREAT" I think it may be time for me to stop and find something else to do...

[song4themoon]

After working 8 hour days on the PC, going through 800 and more pics I cant really go "WOW" over them anymore. There are a few pics here and there where I still get the WOW effect, but most of the pics are the "usual" specially if it comes to the reception.

[sara505]

Originally Posted by TomC723

I'm like that too.... I seem to never really think that my own images stand out. But if I set them aside for a week or so, then go back, I do notice things that I really like. I thinks it's just that I see them so often as I'm processing them that they lose that "wow" factor like you said... This goes for all of my photography.... not just weddings...

By the same token, there's a lot to be said for not showing clients their photos right away, best to wait until after some of the memories have faded. The way we remember an event changes over time. If I look at my own work too soon, I am viewing the images with the immediate memory of the event and the light and the emotions--the images often don't meet my initial expectations.

I often am soooo sick of my photographs by the time I have shot them, reviewed them, spent hours in PS, that I hate them and don't want to show them to anyone. But if I step away for a time--even a week, I say, "wow, not bad." I am the only one who does not like my photoraphs.

I have old b&w negatives and contact sheets from my dark room days--many I would have deleted had they been digital, but 30 years later, even blurry, badly composed shots are now treasures.