As a follow up to my article on the best advice in respect of turning pro, I thought it would be fun to dig into the worst advice we've ever received as photographers. As Oscar Wilde wrote, "one might consider always passing on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself." So, what's some of the worst photography advice you've ever received?
Jeffrey Garriock: Pro Bono Does Indeed Have Value
Photographer and cinematographer Jeffrey Garriock (who I work with at G Adventures as a photo guide) was quick to point out that the worst advice he's ever been given: "don't do anything for free." As much as Garriock champions the value of photography, he's still of the opinion that there's a time and place to work for free. Garriock told me that he's done some wonderful work for NGOs when no money exchanged hands. What else are you going to do when you believe in the work that's being done and there is truly no money to go around? Related, these experiences afforded Garriock the incredible opportunities to shoot the type of stories he wants to be involved in. The experience he gained on these pro bono shoots has in turn improved his marketability when a related paid job comes along. Pro bono photography has resulted in Garriock working and connecting with like-minded people, helping to amplify certain voices, and improving his skills in ways he might not have been able to otherwise.
Michelle Valberg: Don't Rest on Your Laurels
Michelle Valberg, Nikon ambassador and stellar wildlife photographer, was once told that if you achieve success within the first five years, you're guaranteed long-term success. Today, Valberg would be the first to point out that sustained success in photography requires ongoing dedication, adaptability, and the ability to navigate a constantly changing industry. A drive for success should not be limited to a specific timeframe but should instead be viewed as a continuous journey of growth and evolution. In the end, it is your entire body of work that will define your photographic success, not your first victory.
John and Veronica Park: Story Over Gear
For wedding photographers John and Veronica Park, the omnipresent narrative and online marketing that constantly suggests that the latest and most advanced equipment is a prerequisite for exemplary work is the worst advice they've ever received. Contrary to this belief, while contemporary tools might streamline processes or expedite tasks, they are by no means necessary for achieving excellence. The Parks exercise discretion in updating their equipment. They opt to upgrade only when the new gear addresses specific requirements or offers efficiency gains that are significant enough to substantially benefit their workflow.
Trevor Sherwin: No Short Cuts / One Size Doesn't Fit All
Trevor Sherwin of boudoir studio Provocateur Images told me that listening to the one-size-fits-all approach from people who sell you marketing solutions is far and away the worst advice he's ever heard. Sure, you can buy a modicum of success, but rarely do those plans ever work the way you need them to. There is a whole ecosystem out there that knows photographers will buy a get-rich-quick type solution. Of course, there are a handful of instances where this works, but, for the rest, it's bad advice that will take you away from the task of building your business in a bespoke and sustainable way.
Aris Apostolopoulos: Look Outside Of Golden Hour
Aris Apostolopoulos, another photography guide I work with at G Adventures, was quick to point to a very common piece of advice as the worst he's ever received: "the best light for landscape photography is during golden hour." For Apostolopoulos, this limits photographers too much. For example, if you want to convey a dramatic feeling with your images, Apostolopoulos suggests that maybe it might be better to take a photo during midday with strong light, creating high contrast between shadows and highlights. Everything doesn't have to be golden.
Related, Apostolopoulos was also told that the best portrait light comes from a soft box. Again, it depends on what you're trying to achieve. You have to choose between the soft light of a soft box or the harsh light of a direct flash depending on the mood you're looking to convey.
Apostolopoulos wanted to make it clear, there is not a “best light” in photography, but there is the best light in relation to what you want to achieve.
Esteban Toro: Put Your Name Behind Your Values
Early in his career, travel photographer and Sony Ambassador, Esteban Toro was told that it didn't matter so much if you identified with a brand. If you were asked to represent a brand, you should jump at the chance for exposure and a payday. For Toro, this was terrible advice that he's glad he didn't act on. Instead, Toro chose to represent a camera manufacturer that wasn't very popular, at the time. Had he followed this advice and started representing another more popular brand that did not align with his values, his career would have been entirely different. For Toro, the lesson is clear: always be honest with yourself and only represent companies that align with your values.
Mike Gere: Maybe There Is No Such Thing As Bad Advice
I work with Mike Gere at Frontiers North Adventures as a photography guide. Gere also runs Jasper Photo Tours. We have a lot of time to chat away the evenings as we're waiting for the aurora borealis to come out and put on a show for our guests. Gere gave me a bit of a different answer that I'd like to conclude with. Gere explained that he couldn't think of any truly bad advice.
There was nothing that Gere had been told or taught that he regretted learning. Even the bad advice taught him a lesson. Gere considers himself a collection of guidance he's learned from the good advice he's received and the lessons he's learned from the bad advice and the mistakes of others.
I'm a collection of other people's lessons and mistakes.
The trick here would be to know what advice to take at face value and what advice to learn from without acting on. It's a special skill to recognize what advice you shouldn't go too far down the road with as your companion.
What about you? What's the worst advice you've ever received?
All images provided by and attributed to the credited photographer. Lead image provided by Jeffrey Garriock.
Not exactly bad advice, but certainly feedback that needed a giant grain of salt. I submitted four prints to a photo contest and won nothing. Glad I didn’t quit there, because I submitted them to a second, equally distinguished contest and got second place. Those prints were later purchased by a museum.
The key is to analyze the advice and see if it is doable for you. Socrates gave free advice. They poisoned him.
The Pro-Bono, free photography thing is very difficult. Especially for museums and community groups. When I look around and see all the services that are getting paid, such as designers, advertisers, editors, etc., why is a free photograph or free photo services a given? Local Scout group, youth ski club, sure. But when you enter a dynamic where a number of professional services do get paid, so should you. In my community, the many photographers won't touch community groups, knowing that they won't get paid. Simple.
I understand your point. But there are times when I donate an image, knowing I will receive nothing, even if the others involved are getting paid well.
A case in point is something that happened last year. I was contacted by someone from the US Department of State. They said that the US Ambassador to Kenya found one of my photos online and wanted to include it in an ongoing exhibit in the embassy. The exhibit is about the differences and similarities between African wildlife and North American wildlife.
I was asked for a print of a given size, and I was told that there is no budget for acquiring images from artists. So, I told the liaison who contacted me that I would submit a full resolution file and they could have it framed and printed however they like, at their expense. They readily agreed, and I received a bunch of paperwork and forms via email that I filled out. I then received a letter of thanks and was asked for a mailing address so that they can send the framed print to me in a few years after the exhibit has run its course.
I am glad that I did this, as it is great to see our North American wildlife getting some recognition in Africa, and I like being a part of wildlife awareness. It didn't cost me any money, and the time that it took to do the phone calls and the emails and filling out the paperwork was something that I was glad to do. I have TONS of free time, and usually spend hours and hours watching videos and playing games, so it's not like that time was going to be used earning money or doing anything productive. My time isn't valuable because I hardly ever do anything productive with it, so giving that couple hours of time was no problem for me.
A red flag to me is when they say there is no budget for artists, but there probably is for toilet paper. If artists don't recognize the value of their work and encourage others to see the value of their work, then it will always be expected to be free. A commercial artist would either laugh at the request or have been approached quite differently. A cunning commercial artist would probably have been in front the of the request and have found a way to leverage it for value. (Past and present) Andy Warhol, Georgia O'Keefe, Annie Leibowitz, etc. Would you have expected them to offer their work for free or would it be an honour to commission them? Once a photograph is given away, you lose all control. If your image is easily replicable, of a common subject and moderately noteworthy, then its value as a donation might be greater than its commercial value.
I have received advice, notably unsolicited, from a couple of truly good photographers, who have told me what shots to take or how to edit shots I have already taken. Although they are really good photographers and have had success with their images, they seem to not grasp the fact that I sometimes want to take images that are different looking than the norm. Or that I am taking some images for my own pleasure, and not to market to publishers.
One instance is a Whitetail buck that I photographed on a very foggy morning back in November. When a photographer saw my images, he immediately told me what I need to do in Lightroom to get rid of the fog and "make it punchy". He was literally speaking down to me, as if I was a student at one of his workshops and not a successful photographer with thousands of published and paid for images. I explained that I WANTED the image to leave the "fog look" there, because I like the soft, ethereal aesthetic that the conditions enabled. His reaction was great, because it was obvious that he had never before even considered that maybe someone would want an image to look different than "the norm".
Another truly great photographer does not understand why I don't upgrade my gear so that I can get much better images of birds in full flight, due to the recent advances in autofocus capability. When I say that I am not all that obsessed with in flight images, he replies that that is the only thing that sells anymore. I patiently explain that I am not just shooting for "the market", but that I shoot what I love, what appeals to me, and then if it sells great, if not, that's find too. He can't wrap his head around that, and continues to keep telling me how I need to get better gear so that I can connect on more of the rapid flight opportunities.
Personally I love photos of megafauna in the fog and I love photos of ducks when they are not flying, so I will continue to shoot these things regardless of what others try to make me do.
Well not advice per say but an observed thing on the many YouTube videos about Milky Way photography and that is you need to head somewhere where it is very dark like out west or a high mountain above the light. Well I do not travel for my photography I do it where I am at the time or plan someplace with dark skies but even on a lit parking lot. I found my first on the lit street in front of my house in the middle a lit city or maybe even a dark beach but lit from across a river by another island with a lighthouse. But I have found if you can see the stars then the path in the stars will be able captures IF at the right time of night for the time of year. Never fear the light!
I actually like images much more when the sky is not all dark. Your blue sky images are wonderful, and what I prefer to look at. Thanks for sharing!
Not sure if this fits, but on my way to a location I excited to take photos of, I received the worst advice I've ever had.
"You can go, it's clear on my side".
"First at the scene of an accident."
Early on in Digital I read Ken Rockwell, there I admitted it. What's worse is the fact I took his advice then; Ken Rockwell went on and on about how he only needs jpegs, his camera produces better jpegs than he could possibly edit was this one line he used. Easier to edit, less space used, less time consuming, and much better for batch processing. So with hook firmly set in mouth I proceeded to fill a 16gb card with only jpegs using my uniform Nikon D200 and Nikkor lens, stoutly confident in believing I was set....thanks to Ken Rockwell's......tip?
Was it really bad advice though, is there such a thing as "bad advice" ?
If you learn from something, that's no mistake and certainly beneficial
"Destiny"; things happen for reasons we do not understand, often enough ...it's only later when it dawns on us that certain things become more clear or embarrassing like me admitting I read Ken Rockwell, even though I benefited from the experience
I don't learn from my mistakes, I learn because I tried, mistakes only point me in wrong direction. Imagine not ever making a mistake, I know some people do and I wish them the best because experience to me is the sum total of all my errors while a mistake is repeating what I already knew not to do in the first place?
If I get bad advice, then what I do is "learn" or continue in err, so there is no "bad advice" if I benefit in the end unless, I fill up a whole card with a 10meg dslr that is
So my new boss at work knows that I am a keen amateur photographer, and literally in my first conversation with him, he raised the topic of how everyone in my teams profile pictures could do with a professional update. Now as I am employed by my company for IT services, I think this counts as pro-bono - and I am reluctant to agree to work extra, time, equipment, etc - essentially for free, currently I have not answered on this point...
That's a tough one Julian - I'd be hesitant to do extra work in a position I wasn't paid for. As you said, you're paid for IT, not for photography. Why not respond with a photography rate for each headshot, just assume that you'll be paid?
Do what any freelance pro photog would do: write up a proposal and present it, as if you the photog and you the IT guy are different people.
Thanks all, for the advice, I think you are right too, and will try to take this approach should the topic be raised again.
"Keen amateur photographer". Not sure what that means, but I suppose technically, as soon as you accept money in exchange for any photographic service or product, you have turned "professional". There are several perspectives on this request. Unless your boss has seen your photography in this genre (portraiture), "they" really should be hiring a portrait photographer if the business wants to be professional, with a professional product. If the portraits are a more casual purpose, then you could see this as bringing added value to your work place, something to pad a CV. Be sure to document it. If all aspects (the "shoot", editing and final file or print) is during work hours, on the premises of your work place, you can't charge extra. You could charge for equipment rental and certainly prints, if needed and not put on the business stationery account. Depends too on how many portraits, the complexity required of a set up, the exposure of the end product (an entry wall, website, brochures, media...). So lots to think about.
Thanks for the good advice Timothy. I say amateur, as I usually shoot for myself, landscape, street, black and white, and have been doing so for a long time, I have done one exhibition, but I do not do so much portraits, and so I take your point that my results will not be up to the level of a working portrait photographer (not even close). I have in the past taken my camera to work events and taken photos that I subsequently shared, and so now I learn the path is a slippery one...