Family photography - am I selling my creativity short?

Fenster

''Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee''

So I have evolved into a family photographer whose focus is candid outdoor photography. I eschew the studio, and scorn conventional angles and styles in favour of the novel and original. And, you know...It's fun. I've (shockingly) discovered that I love working with children. Watching the smiles break out when they see my finished photos is a feel-good moment. Best of all, I'm making money!

But at the end of the day, I'm left to wonder if my photography is really any good, and whether it will stand the test of time. Ten years from now, will the family look back at these photos and say, ''wow, we had fun!'' or ''wow, what the hell were we thinking?'' Will I look back and ask myself those questions?

Closer, more immediate: Is this genuinely creative photography? Am I doing something bold and new? Am I creating art? Am I just taking some mediocre photos, slapping a filter on it in Lightroom, fixing the most obvious faults in Photoshop and uploading it to the web without another thought?

Am I short-selling my creativity in favour of kitsch?

DaireQuinlan

Well, if nothing else, you're doing something you enjoy, you're putting a lot into it and by the sounds of things getting a lot out of it aswell, AND you're getting paid to do it. So in short, does it really matter whether or not a bunch of other people are going to deem it 'creative' or not ?
If you're concerned on that front then get out there when you have spare time (which can't be easy now I reckon with one sprog per parent) and experiment and take wildly different pictures so at least if you feel you're getting into a rut with the child photography you have another,distinct body of work you can look to for inspiration.

And besides, kitsch has always sold better than creativity

outspann

I tend to agree with Daire here. I think you are facing the age old dilemma of doing something that you love versus doing something that pays the bills (even if both are photography related). Certainly, I know that my job is not something I would continue doing were I to win the Lotto this weekend. But hey, enough about me

In terms of your photography lasting the test of time, well, I'm guessing that your style won't. That's not a comment on you alone - I believe that every style fades after a time. It starts off edgy, goes mainstream, begins appearing everywhere, commercialisation, becomes boring, finally turning uncool. Then, ten years later, it becomes funky and retro (hello Polaroid! hello Kylie Minogue!). How about if you were to divide your photo sessions between the routine, "safe" shots that you know will keep the client happy, and once you have those out of the way, then move onto to something edgier, with more experimentation. That way, you give the clients what they want, while also being able to offer an optional extra: something different that you like to take and that who knows, maybe they'll like as well. So how about for the last half of a session, you shoot only at 24mm, or at f8 and below, or only shots that include the colour orange. Or anything that will keep it fresh and challenging for yourself.

And having said all that, when I look back on the family photos that my father took when we were young, I enjoy them not because of the wonderful bokeh or the subtle colouring - it's the memories that they recall, and how happy we look in them. If you can capture that, then your shots will last the test of time.

magicbastarder

can you see yourself doing this in five, ten, twenty years time?
i suppose the challenge is to stop it going stale for you.

Dodgykeeper

if its for C&C then I find putting that in the title helps and if its a Random Pic then there is a dedicated thread for that it is very good, there is a bit of a competitive edge to it and the person with the most thanks gets toe have The Photograph of the week award!


As for the Pic, I think like a lot of your portraits it is a wee bit washed out and lacks the vibrancy that I think is important in this type of Photography!

Waht age did you say she was, three, she looks like trouble!

emul

I think as long as you can deliver images to your customer which they are happy with, capturing a moment and the essence of the family then your spot on.

The style / creativity will change in time what can't is the quality and satisfaction that your clients get and the precious memories it involves. As the family gets older the style will naturally change to suit the surly teenager, knackered dad etc.

DaireQuinlan

Dodgykeeper wrote: »

if its for C&C then I find putting that in the title helps and if its a Random Pic then there is a dedicated thread for that it is very good, there is a bit of a competitive edge to it and the person with the most thanks gets toe have The Photograph of the week award!


As for the Pic, I think like a lot of your portraits it is a wee bit washed out and lacks the vibrancy that I think is important in this type of Photography!

Waht age did you say she was, three, she looks like trouble!

I think you posted this in the wrong thread DK ...

mikeanywhere

You already know my take on using that adapter so I wont bore you or anyone else with that.

However, I will say as I already told you. Its sure looks like you seem to have found your niche which is great. Just slowly save some of that cash if you can to start getting some more decent gear and the quality of the overall products delivered will increase ten fold.

And I am sure that you or the parents/kids in 10 years time wont look back and cringe (not that they would be now)

smelltheglove

I think there is always the element of will it stand teh test of time. Now you are enjoying what you do and you are earning money from it which means other people enjoy what you do, problem?

Well yes there is a problem, if you need to ask this question I think you know yourself that the style may be a trend, now that is not a bad thing, a lot of people make money on trends, a lot of my shots I know will not stand the test of time, some of my wedding shots in particular because they are trends, but how do I make sure couples will always look back at photos and love them, well you should always include classical shots.

Now the way I explain this, and the way I did before I even started wedding photography is this, you have many women who look back on their wedding shots and think oh my god I actually wore that, ok thats mostly for the puffy sleeved 80's dresses but the way to avoid it is to stay with something classy, something that will still look classy in 20 years time. So many of the shots you have which are brilliant show how things are, personalities etc but to avoid your fear of time include the standard family shots also, so do all you do now but do the traditional set up also. I find that my clients love the quirky and different shots however when it comes to print and display they tend to show off the more classical shots. Online they will upload quirky as its a novelty, it makes their shots different, stand out from the rest, but at home and in albums it is more traditional shots that they show off.

democrates

The reaction from kids is priceless, it's where the instant gratification is one of the greatest things about digital, second only to polariod. I wouldn't get caged into 'either/or' thinking, you can do all the creative work you like and the kids can still have a good time. Just keep your originals so you have the option of different/no pp at any future time.

When you look at records of your own past a key element is whether you felt happy or sad, we cherish everything that made us who we are. Songs can arguably take you emotionally back in time more effectively, or say a scent from your grandmothers house, but photos can hit the head and the heart in ways nothing else can, video has other strengths but can be too much of a fleeting show, freeze-frame or a photo gives your head and heart time and space to take their own journey through your memories.

+1 to STG's points, fashions come and go but style is eternal. There is how we like to remember, and how we want to be remembered. Once you take a selection of styles and keep the originals you have options. Great thread btw, got me thinking.

sineadw

Haven't read properly the other replies, but yep I like it, and yep it might pay the bills but what the hell is wrong with that (!), and yep if you're enjoying it then go for it! If you look back in ten years and think meh then you're evolving. I'll be very worried if I look back on the stuff I'm producing today and think 'god that was amazing...'

mikeanywhere

sineadw wrote: »

I'll be very worried if I look back on the stuff I'm producing today and think 'god that was amazing...'

Why??

Borderfox

I think photography as a profession has a lot of self doubt/exploration built in for some people and my answer is go out take your shots, sell them and on to the next customer. Dont worry about what they will look like in years to come. People are hiring you and by this they are trusting you.