When I talk to creators and survey the industry landscape, I see a zillion creators trying to have all their work liked by all the people. This comes from our social animal DNA, but it’s the completely wrong approach to success – whether that be measured by your work being licensed, sold, etc, or by getting hired, shown, talked about, displayed, whatever.
Simply said, by trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one, especially not yourself.
But fear not (or fear less, perhaps). The answer is simple.
1. Shoot what you love.
2. Relentlessly share that work.
3. Repeat.
People can smell whether you love what you’re shooting or not, love what you’re promoting or not, love what you’re doing or not. So you might as well effing love it for real. It’s all you’ve got.
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So quit with your shifty eyes, looking at what everybody else is doing. And do your own shiznit. Yes this means you. If your work is priced…… appropriately, be it fine art, commercial, editorial, wedding, whatever, all you need is 10-50 people each year to dig what you make. That’ll come from doing what you love, and that will make for a great year. Of all the damn people you have access to with the innernets, there are 50 people with money who like what you do. Of the 1000 or 10,000,000 who look at your site, your book, your whatever, those “likers” can be a pretty low percentage. Bet on it.
Love the “pimping” analogy.
Totally!
But damn, I am doing it over and over again! 😐
This post is like a nice reminder !
Thanks Chase!
Word.
Well said, Chase. Im partially guilty for this, thanks for the slap back into reality and truth. 🙂
yeah, same with me … thanks for the true words, Chase.
🙂
All the best from Leipzig/Germany,
Sebastian
BOOMSHAKALAKA! Loving it!
I’m glad we can ‘Like’ this 😀
I actually meditated on that roughly a year ago, no wait, it has to be shortly after you posted the 100 picture challenge, that was a long time ago.
That’s when I didn’t care anymore what people thought. I was more into finding the coolest angle or the neat reflections. Dude you’ve taught me so much. Thanks!
In art, like in fields alike, you really cannot expect people to favor your style. Some prefer Modern Art and others- Classic. It’s just like in other aspect of life. Even politicians who have more than sixty percent votes are considered popular!
It’s greatly rewarding to hear others comment on my work and say something like “your work is very honest… it seems to come from gut instinct”. I try to stick with that. My challenge is to find a way to monetize that.