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One of the best replies to this thread!
One of the best replies to this thread!Not that difficult to become a well known photographer unless you want to become well known for the photographs.
Or perhaps a portrait of Winston Churchill:Once upon a time, a person had to do something worthy to get famed for an image. Say take a photo of someone jumping out of a burning sky scraper, or capture a pivotal moment in time, say Saigon Execution.
+1Well, if you have to ask that's a bit of a disqualification.
How hard is it - about the same as becoming a famous writer, a famous painter, a famous composer ...
Your work needs to be transcendent. So far above the work of the common hoi poloi that none would make the comparison.
Getting a show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York is a good start. You don't call them, they call you.
It helps if you are dead. Galleries like to promote artists who are safely dead and therefore allow the prices to escalate. Imagine Van Gogh is still alive and he proclaims "What, pay $1,000,000 for a Starry Night? That's ridiculous. Why, I'll paint you a much better one for $500."
If you want to be recognized when you are still alive you will need a good promoter.
Oh, and you need to be exceptionally lucky on top of all that.
And don't forget the competition, all out to tear you a new one.
It's easy to do that these days. Just make poorly exposed photos and post them on social media. Then say and do something outrageous and watch the fun. Andy Warhol's dictum that everyone in the future will be famous for 15 minutes has been reduced to something like 15 seconds.
Actually, most posts to social media have filters applied to them to give them a look, be it high-key, cross-processed or otherwise manipulated. Those people really don't know diddly about photography and how or where the effects originated. How many "colloidian" or "Polaroid Type 55" shots have any of them ever made or even know what the hell the original is that they are emulating.It's easy to do that these days. Just make poorly exposed photos and post them on social media. Then say and do something outrageous and watch the fun. Andy Warhol's dictum that everyone in the future will be famous for 15 minutes has been reduced to something like 15 seconds.
Actually, most posts to social media have filters applied to them to give them a look, be it high-key, cross-processed or otherwise manipulated. Those people really don't know diddly about photography and how or where the effects originated. How many "colloidian" or "Polaroid Type 55" shots have any of them ever made or even know what the hell the original is that they are emulating.
I was responding to the post that implied people were intentionally overexposing for the "cool" look. My point is they want the look, have no idea what they're doing. And the myth that they get lots of followers or become influencers that way is bunk.Does that actually matter when all you see when you see an image is how it looks? Someone thinks, "I can make this look cooler if I apply Orton to it." It just makes it look a certain way - it could be called "Crispy Chicken", for all that guy cares, so long as it makes the image look "cooler". The people viewing the image don't care, either.
People don't know what they're looking at. But they never did.
I was responding to the post that implied people were intentionally overexposing for the "cool" look. My point is they want the look, have no idea what they're doing. And the myth that they get lots of followers or become influencers that way is bunk.
Share with whom? You need to have a following, and that takes some effort and social media savvy. Or make something that goes viral if you're lucky.Shoot and share a portfolio of something that people are currently fascinated by or interested in - you need to be quick though, because there are many out there trying to do it before you do.
Just invent a whole new aesthetic, change your name to Christos Why?, hire a publicist, and sit back and let the money roll in
Marry a Kardashian.
It may be obvious to you, but how does trying get you one of those iconic war photos? Are you trying hard enough in Taos to be famous yet?
Besides figuring out why one wants to become famous, it helps to decide who is one's 'audience' that one wishes to be well-known by. I am quite famous in my family. In my county, my name is generally reconized by people who look at art in the county ("Isn't he the guy who still makes black and white photos?") Amongst carbon printers around the world, my name is well known. Largely because of timing. I took the process up early (1992) in the resurgence, explored it for a couple years before making the process my own in a semi-unique way. It helped a lot that I yak a lot on the internet and don't believe in keeping any part of the process secret to be learned only by direct transmission (workshops, etc). ....
edit -- spelling error
another edit -- sorry, it was a grammar error, not a spelling error
third edit -- incredibly, I used the word 'incredible' twice and it is not a very good word anyway.
This COULD Apply to many Publications and Photo Organizations.Hi guys, I am asking today how hard is it to become a famous photographer or at least a "recognizable" member on the comunity. I ask this because I have the same ambition that we all have, I want people to know my work and to look at it with interest. I know it is a silly question, but i ask this to mainly get tips, some story about one of you, ways for someone to show the world my work or even some good path choices. I think it will be a great discussion
Obviously you have never been to Taos, dear boy. The place is oozing with Culture, it must be one of the most cultural/cultured places in all of North America. Everyone there is an artist. Every dog, cat, SUV, cactus bush or adobe structure has been immortalised in an exhibition. The very air reeks of creativity and talent, also if one looks at how most locals live, money. I was for some years in southwestern New Mexico in the late '60s, had I been able to financially or free from involvements at that time I would have relocated myself to Taos in two heartbeats, and I would still be there. For me it was and still is a wonderfully (adjectives/adverbs are free-flowing today) cultural place. Do go see it for yourself.
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More or less correct. There's even a challenging ski hill with a new hotel. Some folks are saying Taos is the new Aspen, so if you're coming get here soon.
Talent lasts through the centuries. Connections fade with the next fad.
Not speaking for The OP, but...................... I assume he is wondering how you become a professional photographer, that is "Successful" and because of that are also "Well Known"Exactly what is it that you hope to achieve with fame that you are unable to achieve without fame?
I guess this is true .. but being famous often times has absolutely nothing to do with talent, it has to do with being at the right place at the right time which means being around the right people and being noticed.
And how does one go about developing such a "talent"?Being in "the right place at the right time" is a very important talent for a photographer.
And how does one go about developing such a "talent"?
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