I had someone challenge me about an article I wrote on my blog last week which you can read here
The title was, ‘You can paint an Apple red but that won’t make it taste sweet’
This was used to illustrate my idea that if you’re a photographer who uses trend based techniques to get attention, or fit in or because everyone is doing it, the chances are high the resultant work will hold little real value in the future. You might even look back on it and hate it as trends tend to fade! However when you use photographic techniques with purpose, intention and heart chances are way higher that if you look back at that piece of work it will still resonate.
I shot this photo well over a decade ago. It was in the days when HDR and using props in family shoots were very big!!!
I used a prop and I also used a bit of HDR software here!
BUT
Josh was OBSESSED with Peppa Pig and Peppa Pig listened to a seashell and found the ocean. He spent his whole holiday in South Africa listening to this shell. The prop told a story. There was a purpose to using this trend and a lot of heart! I was following a story that I loved! The HDR vibe? Well? It emphasizes their straight off the beach skin. They lived in the UK at that time so it told the story of their holiday
I still love this photo and my work has improved enormously since those days so that’s surprising! Using the techniques made my apple ripen because they had purpose and now this photo is worth gold as Josh is nearly a teenager and lives in Australia and this is a memory that he will have of him and his Dad that transcends time.
I’m in no way saying don’t experiment or play with Photography! .
Nope not at all! Because that’s how you learn, grow and improve. But use your head and don’t be a sheep!!
If you’re shooting the same as everyone else you will always be competing on price!!!
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