An interesting article and one that a lot of photographers need to read. as a committed darkroom printer I obviously feel very strongly about seeing and holding original prints.
Thank you, Andrew. Coming from a committed darkroom printer, that means a great deal.
A darkroom print carries the hand of the photographer in a way no screen ever can. You are not just looking at the image, you are looking at every decision made in the making of it. I hope more photographers find their way back to holding prints.
Very good post, Uday. People is giving each time less time to observe carefully, to think, to enjoy or dislike. The act of just saying that you dislike got the status of a very offensive thing while a critical meaning or opinion can be constructive if done with respect and argumentation. I wonder sometimes if it wouldn’t be good to have an heart not only for likes but also for dislikes. One where people would need to explain why they chose one or the other. I miss more mentorship as well. I’ve a friend on Substack with whom I discuss my stuff and he his and this feels so good. It lets you reflect on what you’ve done. Without knowing, you get better. Why can’t we be more mentors for each other instead of only likers? How beautiful would it be if we start a Substack kind of photo club where people would be allowed to send each month the best photo that according to them they have made on that particular month and put them for appreciation of the others? Rules for entries: be fair, critical, honest, constructive and definitely respectful.
Not allowed: big ego’s. Because when the ego is big it is the work that suffers.
Thank you, Luz. You have put your finger on something important. The dislike, offered respectfully and with reasoning, is often more useful than the like. We have built platforms that reward approval and discourage the honest friction that actually helps people grow.
What you have with your friend on Substack is exactly the kind of circle I was describing. Two people looking carefully at each other's work, willing to say what they actually think, is worth more than a hundred hearts.
And your last line, when the ego is big, it is the work that suffers. That is worth printing and putting on a wall.
A very apt title.. Reminded me of nature… how a tree grows in the open.. along with others… Photographers as I have observed in today’s times like to grow in silos.. But it is in the community, where the real growth happens.. Learning from each others strengths and learning from each other how to overcome weaknesses..
Agree ..discussions on prints makes it a different experience by looking at it, holding and getting feel of the print all gives us a new understanding. But to my many years of conducting workshops, I have realised times are changing, people have less patience and less time now so it’s not the same method as it used to be back in Raghu Rai’s days ..even I am sure his methods may have changed later as technology and time advanced as now we can do online sessions and discussions..but you can’t take away the closeness and feel of doing a print sessions ..I would like to take the process as more important being a mentor in my methods.
Much of this is definitely good practice, and it's commendable you share it here. I have experienced some of the things you mention myself, and can say without any hesitation that looking at prints and discussing the photos (and the prints themselves) with others really helps to get a better perspective of what you do, and thus contributes to your growth as a photographer. Studying the work of others and articulating what you like or dislike about it and why, surely works as well. So I'm all for what you say in this post.
Applying it to the photography community here on Substack is something else altogether.
On a platform like Substack, even if there are are many talented and skilled people sharing work and writing about what they do or have seen in others' work, the problem is taking the time for such careful reviewing and being honest about what you see. I'm sure there are people here who would welcome more honest and meaningful reviewing and critiquing, but there certainly not many who would participate in it fully, without holding back. There are simply too many notions about photography, skills, art and artistry flying around to make that remotely possible.
Thank you, Vincent. You raise a fair and important point, and I think you are right about the limitations of an open platform like Substack for the kind of honest critique I am describing.
What I am really advocating for is not a broadcast request for feedback, but something much more deliberate - finding your circle of trust. A small group of people whose judgment you respect, who know your work well enough to be genuinely useful, and who are willing to be honest rather than kind. That circle takes time to build. It cannot be crowdsourced.
The challenge with open feedback, whether on Substack, Instagram, or anywhere else - is exactly what you describe. Too many differing perspectives, too many different ideas about what photography is or should be. For someone starting out, that noise can be as confusing as it is discouraging. The learning will be slow. There will be frustrating stretches. That is part of it. But the right voices, found patiently and kept close, will help you grow in ways that a hundred well-meaning comments never will.
There should have been something written. The only reason I found out was because of the artist walk where Abhishek described it and told how to interact with that piece. Anyways now you know and can direct others when they come during the Chhavi walk
An interesting article and one that a lot of photographers need to read. as a committed darkroom printer I obviously feel very strongly about seeing and holding original prints.
Thank you, Andrew. Coming from a committed darkroom printer, that means a great deal.
A darkroom print carries the hand of the photographer in a way no screen ever can. You are not just looking at the image, you are looking at every decision made in the making of it. I hope more photographers find their way back to holding prints.
Very good post, Uday. People is giving each time less time to observe carefully, to think, to enjoy or dislike. The act of just saying that you dislike got the status of a very offensive thing while a critical meaning or opinion can be constructive if done with respect and argumentation. I wonder sometimes if it wouldn’t be good to have an heart not only for likes but also for dislikes. One where people would need to explain why they chose one or the other. I miss more mentorship as well. I’ve a friend on Substack with whom I discuss my stuff and he his and this feels so good. It lets you reflect on what you’ve done. Without knowing, you get better. Why can’t we be more mentors for each other instead of only likers? How beautiful would it be if we start a Substack kind of photo club where people would be allowed to send each month the best photo that according to them they have made on that particular month and put them for appreciation of the others? Rules for entries: be fair, critical, honest, constructive and definitely respectful.
Not allowed: big ego’s. Because when the ego is big it is the work that suffers.
Thank you, Luz. You have put your finger on something important. The dislike, offered respectfully and with reasoning, is often more useful than the like. We have built platforms that reward approval and discourage the honest friction that actually helps people grow.
What you have with your friend on Substack is exactly the kind of circle I was describing. Two people looking carefully at each other's work, willing to say what they actually think, is worth more than a hundred hearts.
And your last line, when the ego is big, it is the work that suffers. That is worth printing and putting on a wall.
Thank you so much for responding, Uday!
I look forward to reading more of you.
A very apt title.. Reminded me of nature… how a tree grows in the open.. along with others… Photographers as I have observed in today’s times like to grow in silos.. But it is in the community, where the real growth happens.. Learning from each others strengths and learning from each other how to overcome weaknesses..
Beautifully weaved article!
Lovely analogy Salonee. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Agree ..discussions on prints makes it a different experience by looking at it, holding and getting feel of the print all gives us a new understanding. But to my many years of conducting workshops, I have realised times are changing, people have less patience and less time now so it’s not the same method as it used to be back in Raghu Rai’s days ..even I am sure his methods may have changed later as technology and time advanced as now we can do online sessions and discussions..but you can’t take away the closeness and feel of doing a print sessions ..I would like to take the process as more important being a mentor in my methods.
Much of this is definitely good practice, and it's commendable you share it here. I have experienced some of the things you mention myself, and can say without any hesitation that looking at prints and discussing the photos (and the prints themselves) with others really helps to get a better perspective of what you do, and thus contributes to your growth as a photographer. Studying the work of others and articulating what you like or dislike about it and why, surely works as well. So I'm all for what you say in this post.
Applying it to the photography community here on Substack is something else altogether.
On a platform like Substack, even if there are are many talented and skilled people sharing work and writing about what they do or have seen in others' work, the problem is taking the time for such careful reviewing and being honest about what you see. I'm sure there are people here who would welcome more honest and meaningful reviewing and critiquing, but there certainly not many who would participate in it fully, without holding back. There are simply too many notions about photography, skills, art and artistry flying around to make that remotely possible.
Thank you, Vincent. You raise a fair and important point, and I think you are right about the limitations of an open platform like Substack for the kind of honest critique I am describing.
What I am really advocating for is not a broadcast request for feedback, but something much more deliberate - finding your circle of trust. A small group of people whose judgment you respect, who know your work well enough to be genuinely useful, and who are willing to be honest rather than kind. That circle takes time to build. It cannot be crowdsourced.
The challenge with open feedback, whether on Substack, Instagram, or anywhere else - is exactly what you describe. Too many differing perspectives, too many different ideas about what photography is or should be. For someone starting out, that noise can be as confusing as it is discouraging. The learning will be slow. There will be frustrating stretches. That is part of it. But the right voices, found patiently and kept close, will help you grow in ways that a hundred well-meaning comments never will.
I was not sure if we could touch that exhibit!
There should have been something written. The only reason I found out was because of the artist walk where Abhishek described it and told how to interact with that piece. Anyways now you know and can direct others when they come during the Chhavi walk
Yes. :)