If you spend too much time on the Internet reading the photography press or looking at photographer’s websites, you’ll find a number of subjects that seem to repeat themselves, to the point it becomes cringeworthy.
Lets face it. I write all the time, but coming up with new and interesting subjects to write about can be a challenge. I’ve taken to simply staying quiet rather than blabber on with a subject that’s been repeated over and over again, just to fill a need to post something. Maybe this even qualifies.
Here’s my list of things that are written about that make me cringe. In no particular order.
What’s In My Bag?
This one is a big time go to for writers that don’t have anything new to say. They stare at a computer screen with an empty mind, for much too long, and then come up with the age old cliche post about what camera gear they have in their bag. From my perspective, all photographers have a camera bag, and I don’t know any two who have the exact same camera kit. Personally, I don’t really care what you stuff in your camera bag, and I seriously doubt other photographers really care about what is in my bag. Skip the article, nobody cares. Really.
Award Winning Photographer
Yeah, that’s right. He/She is an award winning photographer. Well, we have to promote ourselves, so what better way to do that than win awards. The question I have is “what award?” Was it a Pulitzer Prize or was it the local photography club monthly photo contest? Not all awards are created equal. I guess in the purist sense of the phrase, I’m an award winning photographer. I’ve won lots of awards. None of them really amount to much though, so I don’t really brag about my “awards” as a promotional phrase. There are better ways to promote yourself. Like “show me your work” perhaps.
How To Photograph Fireworks
A regularly repeated subject, typically showing up on the photography websites around New Years or around the time of the US July 4th holiday. “How to photograph fireworks.” It seems to need explaining at least twice a year, year after year, after year. You can read a photography article on this subject from 10 years ago and it will cover the same information that the next article published will cover. Lets get real. Photographing fireworks isn’t complicated. Basically, all that is needed is fireworks, a camera and a tripod. Oh, and a photographer. Don’t want to leave out the photographer. From my view of the road, this topic being written about ad-nausea, every 6 months is just plain lazy journalism. There are other variations on this theme, which I’ll lump into this category, such as how to photograph the aurora borealis, how to photograph the moon or eclipse. I get it, there are new photographers out there trying to learn how to do it. A 15 year old article will do the job. It doesn’t require a special article every time the subject comes up.
New Camera Rumors
There are websites devoted to this subject. Lots of misinformation, lots of speculation, lots of jabbering. None of it really matters until the new camera is actually announced or better yet, released to purchase.
It Can Be Fixed In Post Processing
Many of the review websites seem to stick this phrase into their lens reviews. Like it’s an important announcement nobody ever thought of before. It usually goes something like, “the lens distortion or chromatic aberration is visible but can be fixed in post-processing.” It’s an obligatory phrase these days. It’s also a waste of content. Lens correction in editing software has been available for many years now. Heck, a lot of the newer cameras will fix lens issues in camera. It would be more informative if they told you that the lens issue couldn’t be corrected in post-processing. When I read about it, I roll my eyes.
The Photography Police
You’ll find the photography police all over the Internet. They are the people who have determined what’s acceptable and what isn’t, enforcing all the laws that haven’t been passed yet. Photography is an art. You can make your art any way you want. There are no rules, and certainly someone half way around the globe isn’t in charge of how you edit or post process your image. The only time it matters is when you make a binding agreement with someone on what is and isn’t acceptable. Everyone else can shut the ***k up as far as I’m concerned.
That’s about it for now. I have more but I don’t need to keep rambling on. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. Your mileage may vary.
