how hard is it to become a well known photographer

[Arthurwg]

Have good ideas and NETWORK.

 

[Vaughn]

I don't know, he asks about becoming famous and achieving recognition, not necessarily about becoming a good or better photographer...

One becomes reconized as a good or better photographer by being one. That is always Step One. Some have the brilliance, native skills, learned skills, and ambition to skyrocket. Cool. Some go deep instead, and their brilliance is difficult to discover.

Does the OP which to achieve this 'fame' immediately, next week, next year, by mid-career, by the end of their career, or after they die? That is what I mean by patience.

 

[mohmad khatab]

Well, 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.

Allow me to express my admiration for your genius point of view.
God bless you

 

[removed account4]

EVERYONE will be famous for at least 15 minutes according to the great oracle Andrew Warhola. With he internet and all it might be more like 7 1/2 seconds by now, who knows maybe you have already been famous ( from this thread ) and didn't realize it?
at least Miroslav Tichý got his 7 1/2 seconds when he was still alive, not so much luck for Mike Meyer(Disfarmer) or Vivian Maier, or most other people.

 

[Arthurwg]

You could try for something like Eddie Adams' photo of a Vietnamese general shooting a Viet Cong suspect through the head, or Robert Capa's picture of a Spanish civil war soldier at the moment he was shot. War makes for great pictures and fame.

 

[eddie]

Marry a Kardashian.

 

[Pieter12]

One becomes reconized as a good or better photographer by being one. That is always Step One. Some have the brilliance, native skills, learned skills, and ambition to skyrocket. Cool. Some go deep instead, and their brilliance is difficult to discover.

Does the OP which to achieve this 'fame' immediately, next week, next year, by mid-career, by the end of their career, or after they die? That is what I mean by patience.

Or you could be a great photographer and never be discovered, famous, recognized, whatever during your lifetime or after your death. If Berenice Abbott hadn't championed Atget, most likely he would have disappeared into oblivion after his death.

 

[Pieter12]

You could try for something like Eddie Adams' photo of a Vietnamese general shooting a Viet Cong suspect through the head, or Robert Capa's picture of a Spanish civil war soldier at the moment he was shot. War makes for great pictures and fame.

Neither of those photographers "tried" to get those shots. They were in the right place at the right time (if you can use those terms for such horrific events), alert and ready.

 

[Maris]

One thing that is very helpful in becoming a well known, even famous, photographer is to have essentially unlimited wealth.
The money can gain you rich and influential friends, open the doors of the most prestigious private galleries, and attract the attention of influential critics who want to be part of your success.

As for the work itself that's easy. Just do some camera work and then sign the big big pictures. Hire the best assistants and helpers for everything else.

After your major exhibition in a grand national or state gallery you will effectively become beatified into the art world. Rich art collectors will bid high for your work and thus support and sustain your status.

Too cynical? I can think of some names.

 

[Arthurwg]

Neither of those photographers "tried" to get those shots. They were in the right place at the right time (if you can use those terms for such horrific events), alert and ready.

Being in the right place at the right time is trying.

 

[choiliefan]

Look at Bob Shell, who found fame on several levels.
Always enjoyed his reviews in Shutterbug and posts on the old Rollei Users Group.
Life can change in the blink of an eye or behind the scenes as a slow-motion train wreck.

 

[juan]

I think you need an expensive European sports car, too.

 

[Arthurwg]

Look at Bob Shell, who found fame on several levels.
Always enjoyed his reviews in Shutterbug and posts on the old Rollei Users Group.
Life can change in the blink of an eye or behind the scenes as a slow-motion train wreck.

I guess he's still in prison?

 

[removedacct1]

One thing that is very helpful in becoming a well known, even famous, photographer is to have essentially unlimited wealth.
The money can gain you rich and influential friends, open the doors of the most prestigious private galleries, and attract the attention of influential critics who want to be part of your success.

As for the work itself that's easy. Just do some camera work and then sign the big big pictures. Hire the best assistants and helpers for everything else.

After your major exhibition in a grand national or state gallery you will effectively become beatified into the art world. Rich art collectors will bid high for your work and thus support and sustain your status.

Too cynical? I can think of some names.

Not cynical at all. I'm certain many of the most "famous" artists got to where they are by this route. What I don't get is WHY anyone would WANT that. "Fame for the sake of fame". What an ugly concept.

 

[Pieter12]

One thing that is very helpful in becoming a well known, even famous, photographer is to have essentially unlimited wealth.
The money can gain you rich and influential friends, open the doors of the most prestigious private galleries, and attract the attention of influential critics who want to be part of your success.

As for the work itself that's easy. Just do some camera work and then sign the big big pictures. Hire the best assistants and helpers for everything else.

After your major exhibition in a grand national or state gallery you will effectively become beatified into the art world. Rich art collectors will bid high for your work and thus support and sustain your status.

Too cynical? I can think of some names.

Please.

 

[Vaughn]

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).
All alt processes have increased in use, and so with carbon. There are now many practitioners of carbon printing doing fantastic work...most using inkjet negatives to bring the highest printing skills to the process -- very fine over-all control of all variables including full color, and insuring repeatability in a beautiful hand-made process. Other names have grown to be far more important and more active and thus more known in the carbon printing world. Fortunately, it is not a contest. Carbon printing to me is an art form that I use to make art. I am still enthused about sharing and teaching the process as such. I just happen to do it with film...

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.

 

[Pieter12]

Being in the right place at the right time is trying.

You can try all you want, but you still need luck, foresight and perseverance.

 

[Arthurwg]

You can try all you want, but you still need luck, foresight and perseverance.[/QU

"Brilliant command of the obvious."

 

[Pieter12]

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?

 

[faberryman]

I can think of only a few “famous” photographers who are alive and actively working, though if you gave me a list of names I might recognize some of them. It may be because I don’t spend any time on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, where I understand one goes to be famous.

 

[Arthurwg]

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?

This is not my post. I'm not seeking fame and fortune, just enjoyment. But if I were I would try to get some impactful dramatic pictures.

 

[CMoore]

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

Barring the 1/ 1 Million shot where a 747 lands on the freeway in front of your car.?..............Self Promotion.
It is doubtful you will ever be Well Known or Successful JUST because of your "Photography"

Do you like any modern day photographers.?
What do they do.?

I assume they all have some kind of presence on Youtube or something similar to Facebook.
You need to talk about your photography, SHOW your photos, and offer content that is interesting to the viewer.
You need some type of Shtick/Personality.
Tips for beginners helps the lesser experienced and keeps them coming back for more.

Punch the word "Photography" into the Youtube search bar.
Check out several of the people that have a big following and that will give you an idea of what it takes.
Good Luck.!

 

[Craig75]

Just invent a whole new aesthetic, change your name to Christos Why?, hire a publicist, and sit back and let the money roll in

 

[Don_ih]

People are peppered by perfectly good images all day long and normally don't give much thought to "who took that picture".
You'd have to think that, currently, photographers can really only become well-known within their domain of activity (similar to how @Vaughn said about his being known within the carbon printing community). So, if you want to be a "famous" photographer, you should make the already famous your domain.
But, of course, you should already be at least passable if not good at photography.

 

[Jim Jones]

Photographers who aim to be famous and rich are not necessarily the most pleasant experts to deal with. In addition to technical competence and financial responsibility, a successful photographer should be a thoroughly good person: honest, prompt, reliable, and considerate of a client's wishes. Then, with a bit of luck, a photographer who has all of these qualities should succeed. Only then, that photographer, if finally becoming famous and rich, can succumb to the temptation to become arrogant and conceited. I'd rather be a nice guy than merely rich and famous.