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Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography recently posted a controversial video that addresses two of the ugly truths about the art medium that we, as photographers, hold near and dear to our hearts: no one needs your photography and no one cares about your photography. His story originated from a conversation between him and a fellow photographer where he asked why his friend hadn’t posted his work anywhere. His friend didn’t see the point since, as he put it, no one cares about it and no one needs it.

On the surface, this is true. You’d have a very difficult time finding photography on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; we, as humans, certainly do not need it, or any other art for that matter, in order to survive. Art and photography are considered by many to be a frivolity, an example of excess and a waste of time.

However, Forbes goes on to explain, that while not essential for physiological survival, photography (and other art media) does play a very important role in our society and serves to provide us with a sense of well-being and fulfillment.

It could be argued that photography can actually fulfill the top two levels of Maslow’s hierarchy by providing both esteem and self-actualization. But with the billions of photos being created on a yearly basis these days, do they truly matter? Does society really gain anything by them? And, does anyone care?

In his video, Forbes describes another conversation with a different fellow photographer John Free. In this video, Free said, “No more easy shots.” This idea circles back to the original theme in that Free, as Forbes goes on to explain, was essentially saying,

Don’t rest on your laurels. Don’t rely on what you’ve done in the past. And don’t be content with what you’ve done so far. Push yourself to do better than the last time and strive to create incredible works of art.”

This couldn’t be any truer. We, as photographers, should possess a sense of responsibility to not “phone it in” and push ourselves to create works that will truly awe viewers. As Forbes puts it, it needs to mean something. Does the world really need another averagely executed photo of a fairly pretty girl, sunset, or plate of food? Not at all. Do such photos serve society in any way? Arguably not.

But can the world benefit from a very well executed shot that showcases the beauty of the female form, the awesome power of nature, or the detailed delicacy of a meal in such a manner never seen before? Absolutely. And, if you, as a photographer, aren’t pushing yourself to deliver the best work you’ve ever created each and every shoot, you’re not only doing yourself and your craft a disservice but you’re also ensuring that no one will care about your photography.

The only way to get people to care about your photography is to make them do so. And the only path to that result is to create bigger, bolder and better images that are so powerful they can’t help but take notice.

–Doug Hill

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