One thing that still amazes me, even after many years in photography, is how few and far between really good photographs can be. I don’t have many that would qualify.
This time of year you see many photographers post their ten or twelve favorite images from the past year. That’s cool. I enjoy looking at them. I’m fascinated to see how an artist’s work has progressed and evolved over the last year. Sometimes the growth and change is very striking.
I never do that kind of post simply because I can never find that many that I consider my best or my favorites. Looking over the last year, I can find maybe six or seven that I would consider significant.
It’s not that I think most of what I post to this blog isn’t any good, it’s more that I don’t intend for much of it to be finished work. It serves a different purpose. Those photographs I choose to print are finished work, while this blog serves more as a sketchbook that I make public. It’s a place to try new things, to experiment, to play a little bit, to get some feedback from the community, as well as to show those images that will get moved into the gallery. It’s a living, changing, growing thing.
So, long story short, I don’t have any best of’s or favorites to post. I haven’t made them yet…
The talent pool is very wide, but pretty shallow in most places. What’s your best this year had better not be your best next year. Satisfaction with ones own accomplishments leads to complacency and stagnation. I still have one image that I have been working on for more than five years. Can’t get it right, close, but not good enough. It may be my “bell pepper”.
I hope I never make my perfect image.
Thanks Greg… great words to keep in mind. May that image finally reveal itself to you…
You could have a “TOP 9″ photos of the year. Or a “TOP 4″. it’s only a way or recognizing your own work. And you don’t have to wait for New Years Day for that.
Yeah I could do that, but I guess I’m more interested in new stuff rather than re-hashing the old…
Well said, PJ (as well as Ken & Greg). Even though I do have a “favorites” list over on my blog, I also approach it with some reservation because my tastes change over time, as do those of others. I have a small stable of images I come back to time after time and simply say, “wow.” Other than that…my “favorites of 2011″ could have easily been called my “favorites of December 29, 2011,” because I’m not sure I’d choose the same 12 images today if I started over.
Funny thing — I enjoy looking at the favorites of others, but not my own. Maybe I’ll put up a few of mine for discussion and feedback purposes and call them ‘some OK photos’ or something…
Favorites come and go. Your points are well taken. I like the idea of your blog being your open-to-the-world sketchpad. At the same time, you might consider putting up your best five or whatever just for the sake of community involvement and feedback, not that either of those are everything, but they are interesting and fulfilling to all involved. I bet I could go through your photos and find 10-15 that are head and shoulders above many of those being posted in the overall blog project.
Good point David. Thanks. I think I’ll change my mind and put up a few from the time I’ve been here in California in the next few days just for the sake of discussion. You’re right — it could be interesting.
10 or 15 is a stretch though… 4 or 5 maybe.
I echo your feelings regarding past images, pj. While I do enjoy images past and will post them occasionally although the time has passed, I rarely consider what I’ve already done and am always looking for a better image or something I’ve not done before or let’s try to do it in a different way. On the other hand, I think we all need to pat ourselves on the back just a bit as we’ve worked hard on what we’ve accomplished to this point.
Yeah, I guess I agree with you. I decided to take David’s suggestion and do a post of four of my photos, but I see you’ve already been there…
I am reminded of a Leonardo da Vinci quote that “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” So another way of looking at it, is my top 10 photos I have “for now” abandoned to 2011.
Thanks Mark.
I remember you did a post about that. I feel the same way — last year was last year. Been there, done that. Time for new work…