{"id":47408,"date":"2017-04-18T03:03:21","date_gmt":"2017-04-18T10:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=47408"},"modified":"2017-04-18T22:01:43","modified_gmt":"2017-04-19T05:01:43","slug":"why-you-should-ignore-photography-and-art-critics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/18\/why-you-should-ignore-photography-and-art-critics\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Ignore Photography and Art Critics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Benjamin Thompson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

Never let anyone critique your photos\u00e2\u20ac\u201d especially if they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not a photographer.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Ignore the feedback from art critics (who don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make art)<\/h2>\n

\"dark-skies-over-tokyo-dodge-leica-m9-2012eric<\/p>\n

Society doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need any more commentators or critics.<\/p>\n

I only pay attention to the feedback and critiques from photographers whose work I admire. For example, I pay attention to the feedback from my friends Charlie Kirk, Sean Lotman, Josh White, Neil Ta, Junku Nishimura, Chu Viet Ha, and a handful of other photographers whose work I like. And of course, I listen to what Cindy says– especially the photos I make of her.<\/p>\n

Street photography is this weird little sub-genre. If you cannot shoot street photographs (or if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t shoot street photographs), you have no idea how it is to interact with subjects. To conquer your fear. To step outside of your comfort zone.<\/p>\n

This is why I respect other street photographers\u00e2\u20ac\u201d they have skin in the game.<\/p>\n

It is easy to sit on a couch, and give photographers \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfeedback\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 or \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccritique\u00e2\u20ac\u2122. It is much harder to go out and make images.<\/p>\n

2. Society needs more creators<\/h2>\n

\"eric<\/p>\n

Society needs more creators\u00e2\u20ac\u201d more photographers, who actually create photos.<\/p>\n

For the most part, I think photography critique is a waste of digital 1\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and 0\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s. I think if a photography critique praises an artist\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work, or perhaps analyzes it in a constructive, educational, or positive way\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is useful. But photography critics whose joy it is to just tear down other photographers\u00e2\u20ac\u201d these critics don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any right.<\/p>\n

Not only that\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but if you want to be a photography (or art) critic, you just need to know a few fancy words such as:<\/p>\n