How To Avoid Perfectionism

I've become an "artist", when all some people want is just candids. I do my own images for my church's stock image library, and now I've been asked to photograph the day to day aspects of the ministry. Crafts, and "nuts and bolts" shots. However I'm finding it hard to adjust from portrait mode.

Do any of you have to adjust like this also? Any pointers? Thanks.

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goalerjones wrote in post #18895877
I've become an "artist", when all some people want is just candids. I do my own images for my church's stock image library, and now I've been asked to photograph the day to day aspects of the ministry. Crafts, and "nuts and bolts" shots. However I'm finding it hard to adjust from portrait mode.

Do any of you have to adjust like this also? Any pointers? Thanks.

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I oftentimes have to make those mental adjustments.

For me it is not difficult.

If I am in a "fine art" mindset (which I am most often in), then I am trying to achieve perfection and ensure that every single little part of the frame looks exactly how I want it to look. . I seek to control everything.

But then if I need to take photos that "tell a story", so to speak, I just enter into a completely different mindset because I have a completely different objective. . I now want to take the kinds of photos that will do the very best story-telling job that is possible, and all of my energies are employed toward that goal.

And if I am trying to take photos to document something, then I enter into yet another mindset. . I want my photos to show the thing that I am documenting in the clearest, plainest, most straight-forward way possible, because the photos will exist to convey information and nothing else matters other than that information being captured.

The objective before me drives everything - it determines the way that I feel and the way that I see and the way that I act. . All of these things are based on the objective. . If the objective changes then all of these things change automatically because I am so completely caught up in accomplishing that objective that nothing from previous objectives remains in my thinking or in my feeling or in my seeing.

I don't make these adjustments consciously; they are automatic. . Give me an objective and then everything about me instantly becomes all about accomplishing that objective, and nothing else. . That's just how humans are made to be, I think.

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goalerjones wrote in post #18895877
I've become an "artist", when all some people want is just candids. I do my own images for my church's stock image library, and now I've been asked to photograph the day to day aspects of the ministry. Crafts, and "nuts and bolts" shots. However I'm finding it hard to adjust from portrait mode.

Do any of you have to adjust like this also? Any pointers? Thanks.

You've posted in the photo sharing section rather than the talk section. You might ask a moderator to move it.

Self identifying as an artist is tricky. While I like to believe some of my photos might be art, I strive to avoid the trap of self importance and puffery that comes with being an artist. If you are working for a client (and I use that term in the broadest possible sense, somebody for whom you deliver photos) then you need to deliver what they ask for. If you can't bring yourself to do that, stop offering your services to projects that aren't worthy of your efforts.

Another approach would be to infuse the mundane images with all the craftsmanship you can squeeze in while still meeting the needs of the client. I use the word craftsmanship intentionally because you can use the craft, the skills, to elevate the mundane by improving the lighting, the angles, the choices regarding focus and depth of field to elevate shots that don't inspire you. If you can't do that, then move on and shoot your art.

So you want to avoid perfectionism, eh? Notice how that is way different than perfection. You are most assuredly not getting perfection; nobody does, ever, in any endeavor. Perfectionism is a personality trait, that you seem to consider a flaw, at least at times. Work on it. Much like any other change, you will need to practice in order to get worse. If you are not busy next weekend, please stop by. I can show you a lifetime of photographs a perfectionist would sneer at.

gonzogolf wrote in post #18895893
You've posted in the photo sharing section rather than the talk section. You might ask a moderator to move it.

Easy. Report the post and choose "Posted in wrong forum" as the reason. I did so just now.

OhLook wrote in post #18895941
Easy. Report the post and choose "Posted in wrong forum" as the reason. I did so just now.

Will my subscription to this thread follow if/when moderators move it?

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PentaxShooter wrote in post #18895948
Will my subscription to this thread follow if/when moderators move it?

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In the past, it has always worked that way for me, so I suspect that it will work the same for this thread, for you.


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gonzogolf wrote in post #18895893
You've posted in the photo sharing section rather than the talk section.

Does it really matter?

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john crossley wrote in post #18895990
Does it really matter?

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Absolutely.

In order for everything to be properly indexed, we need to ensure that each and every thread is placed into the section of the forum that is the most appropriate fit. . Otherwise, someone may miss out on finding something they were looking for.

It would be pity for someone to be searching the forum for this type of discussion, but not find this thread, merely because it was mis-filed.

I spend a lot of time searching the archives of this forum for threads that interest me, and I search according to sub-forum for discussions that are specific to a particular genre. . If something is misfiled, then I may not find it, and thereby miss out on something that I would have found interesting.


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So you think doing candids or documentary photography really well can't be art? You do not think that Robert Frank. Garry Winogrand, Helen Levitt, Henri Cartier Bresson, Danny Lyon, Bruce Davidson, Joel Meyerowitz didn't create art? In fact some argue that this type of work is what photography does better than any other art form. It captures and freezes moments in time and no other art form can do that.

john crossley wrote in post #18895990
Does it really matter?

Why have forums if we don't use them as organized? So yes

gonzogolf wrote in post #18896235
Why have forums if we don't use them as organized? So yes

We'll it doesnt seem to have stopped anyone partaking in this thread In Need of Custom Earplugs for Heavy Metal Events
What has heavy metal music got to do with motorsport?

For someone that didn't care what forum this thread is in, there was concern enough to bring it up, then argue the point.

Anytime a thread is in the wrong forum, just report it and let the mods decide. Easy peasy....

goalerjones wrote in post #18895877
I've become an "artist", when all some people want is just candids. I do my own images for my church's stock image library, and now I've been asked to photograph the day to day aspects of the ministry. Crafts, and "nuts and bolts" shots. However I'm finding it hard to adjust from portrait mode.
Do any of you have to adjust like this also? Any pointers? Thanks.

I am somewhat puzzled what you are asking. Why is your perfectionism getting into the way of making perfect candids? Why are candids not artistic?
I don't think you need to adjust your perfectionism - but your technique. Perfect candids are hard. It takes constant awareness of the situation and how things are evolving. Candids can capture moments that you can not achieve with portraits. How can you create a picture that touches the viewer? Where is the light coming from, where should I stand, what's going to happen next, do I have the right lens, do I need environment or just the face, how could it look in post, do I use the flash or not, DOF or speed? You need to be fast. Less casual tinkering with the details and more dynamic adjusting.

Okay, the title for the thread was more of a concept to get my question out there.

I'm used to landscapes, event pics which allow me artistic freedoms, and other images that allow me to interpret rather than what they chose to use on their IG account last weekend. I went thru the children's ministry classrooms and during their craft and free times capturing the kids having fun, and getting nice portrait type images which I really loved. However, when I reviewed the images they went with they had used close up on craft, craft in the process of being made, and kid standing holding their craft, in short, none of the images I'd contributed.

They had family camp this week so the leadership wasn't available for discussion, so of course I went to you guys

My needs come in the form of pointers on mindset, and approach to jobs that don't sound as fun, but aren't necessarily "beneath me", but just require a different mindset.

One of the harder things is that I do this for free, so I'm never sure if they're telling me how they really feel, or what they really want. I get, "we love your pictures" a lot, but never any, "but could you maybe get some shots like this".