Something came up recently that reminded me that I’ve been meaning to write about a complicated topic, namely our natural inclination to see work that doesn’t impress us and wonder, “How can people like that?! And how come my work doesn’t get that kind of response?”

It is a natural reaction, and no one is immune to it. I confess that I am not. In fact, what follows may be as much a reminder to me as it is a post for others…

The explanations for how it is that some work that seems unworthy gets tremendous acclaim are complex and diverse. They range from taste to marketing and even may tell us something about ourselves. I’m not going to try to sort all of that our here. (Hmmm… that sounds like another possible post.) In truth, simply “wondering” about how and why this happens isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I would like to consider what kinds of responses are or are not useful. It is tempting to want to speak out and let the world know that “the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes!” I know a bit about this! I’ve made the mistake — more than once — of responding in ways that aren’t particularly admirable or helpful and which do no one any good. There have been times when I have regretted this. I still have to be on guard against that instinct, and I’m not always completely successful.

But I do try to fight it, or at least to make my comments about the underlying issue rather than a specific person or photograph. Better yet, I make my comments only in person and with people who I know share my point of view. Occasional discreet venting is probably healthy. ;-)

Let’s say that you notice a photograph or a series of photographs by Photographer X (I’m not thinking of a specific photographer) getting a lot of attention and praise, but that you think the work is banal, derivative, boring, crass, or a thousand other undesirable things. Or perhaps you feel that it only gets attention because the photographer is a good marketer. (That skill, regardless of what you might think, is not a bad one to have.) And let’s further say that you get worked up and decide to let the world know what you think. What are the downsides? Here is a short list:

• You have defined a part of your public image as a negative — your “brand” now includes your identity as someone who has bad things to say about other photographers. Oops!
• If the person about whom you write is truly successful, he or she is probably used to hearing this stuff and understands that it “comes with the territory” — thus your writing probably has no effect on the other photographer at all, or…
• You have just unnecessarily alienated a person who has done you no real harm and who you might someday meet. Oops! That could be awkward!
• You might be wrong about the person and the work.
• You have allowed a kind of creeping negativism into your artistic life. This happens to all of us, but understand that we must work to keep ourselves out of that mental space if we want to do good work.
• Instead of focusing on making your own work better and more successful — which can have benefits for you — you have allowed yourself to travel a path that won’t help you at all.
• You may not enjoy the response from those who like the person you just blasted, and you might find that this reaction makes you wish you had kept quiet.

I don’t have the answers for everyone who is tempted to post such things, but these days I try to apply some of the following:

• It is often better to ignore than criticize.
• If someone’s work is consistently annoying… don’t look at it!
• Share opinions verbally with close friends who understand — not on social media
• Write about an issue rather than a person. (If you see over-saturated photographs, write about saturation.)
• Do an honest self-evaluation to identify where jealousy might be a motive.

I know these things because I have posted when I shouldn’t have. I still struggle to keep my mouth shut — and not always with complete success. ;-)

Your thoughts?

Morning Musings are somewhat irregular posts in which I write about whatever is on my mind at the moment. Connections to photography may be tenuous at times!

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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