It started, as many photographic journeys do, with a moment of quiet inspiration. The color gold or blue casting colorful shadows across a familiar landscape, fleeting expression appearing on a stranger’s face, and noticing beautiful flowers growing in my garden. Each captured image felt like a piece of me, translated into light, shadow, and film.

Courage

Sharing my work always feels like stepping onto a stage, vulnerable and exposed. The first few comments were encouraging, filled with praise and admiration. It felt like a validation of my creative eye. But then came the critiques, the opinions. “The composition is off,” one person wrote. “The colors are too muted,” said another. “It lacks a focal point,” declared a third. Each comment was often well-intentioned. Yet, it did chip away at my confidence during the early days of my photography journey decades ago.

The online world is a powerful platform for sharing and connecting. Nevertheless, it can also be a petri dish for harsh and impersonal criticism. It’s easy to hide behind a screen and offer opinions without considering the photographers vision. I began to question everything – my skills, my vision, my passion. Then, I learned to filter conflicting feedback. That alone helped keep my confidence and focus on the artistic journey.

Listening Wisely

It took time and the guidance of a good friend. He is also a photographer. This helped me navigate through the overwhelming sea of opinions. He reminded me that not all feedback is valuable in the same way. Some critiques are genuinely helpful, offering constructive suggestions for improvement, while others are simply a reflection of personal preference based on the critic’s own aesthetic biases, or better yet, they have no real interest in what photography really is and just want to be opinionated. The key, he said, is to learn how to differentiate between them by asking: Is this comment specific? Does it tackle a real weakness? Does it align with my creative goals? This helped in accepting useful critique and dismissing unhelpful comments to move ahead.

Maintaining Vision

The most important lesson I learned is to stay true to my creative vision. While feedback can be helpful, it’s essential to remember why I started taking photos and consider the stories I wanted to tell, the emotions I wished to share, and the perspective I intended to offer through my photography. This focus helps me filter external opinions and preserve my artistic integrity.

My work reflects who I am in that perfect moment of the shutter snap, and it will showcase that. So, in short, I no longer let the opinions of others hold me back. Instead, I use constructive feedback to clarify focus, and grow as an artist. I did learn to embrace the learning process, but in doing so, I believe in never compromising artistic integrity. The voice and vision are what make photography unique and to always remember that it’s my photograph.

At the end of the day, the photograph is ultimately mine. I truly love photography and all the surprises that both film and digital formats offer these days. Using my old cameras compared to my digital ones amaze me, showcasing the advancements from vintage to modern technology. I’ve found that trying too hard to capture the perfect shot can be counterproductive. It often prevents me from feeling that creative flow. I discovered photography as an outlet for passionate creativity. It brings the excitement of not knowing what will be captured next. I do not view it as a chore. I’ve always wondered why some people express love for photography, yet continue to complain about it. For those, maybe a good photography book for inspiration should be on the list.

Overall, in my voice — it’s your photograph, and you are the artist. So, the realm is endless. Go for it.

Til next time,
Kathleen Jennette

Tuesday’s Thoughts