Every night when I come home from work, I hop on Redbubble with anticipation. Did any of my works get featured since I last checked? It really is quite a thrill to me to be featured, no many how times it happens. But then, I start to look at the feed of brilliant works floating by at the top of page, and I feel a little deflated. Such wonderful works, so original, so unique. I think to myself, you have no talent, you’re a copycat, a cheat. You see, I see something I like, and I want to do it. I think how did they do that? Then I open up my photoshop and procede to figure it out. I taught myself grunge with a little help, I worked up a few fantasy images, and now I’m learning fractals. After awhile I start to think, am I wasting my time when I could be editing my portraiture? It’s all so exciting to me to learn something new, but then I go back to what I know best. My faces. My people. I can’t get away from them. But my faces, never seem to make the feed at the top of the page, infact I have only had one face in the feed, while some artstist seem to have one ever time I open Redbubble. Which leads me to the question, will I always be a jack of all trades and master of none?
And another question, is redbubble a place where people really sell thier art, or just a wonderful artsist community?
~ Ademac
There is no single form or style of portraiture. Portraiture means individualism and as such means diversity, self-expression, private point of view. The most successful images seem to be those which exist on several planes at once and which reflect the fantasy and understanding of many. – Peter Bunnell – Cited in: “Creative Camera International Year Book 1977”, Coo Press, London, 1976, p. 167.
Peter Hill
I think it’s a common experience to want to emulate work we see as being good. It may be just the style, or the composition, or it can even be the actual thing photographed. I see photographs on RB of places I end up going to, for example. And I’ve seen photographs by people of things I had already shot and displayed. I see it as part of the learning experience which, to answer your second question, is why most of us are here. (Yes, I sell stuff. But the card sale every month won’t even buy my Vegemite.) I too got caught up with delving into PS to “make stuff”, but no longer do. At the end of the day it’s about what happens in the camera. All else follows.
Connie Thomilson:
And so I hopped on over to your portfolio to see what the art looks like from a man who gave such good advice. Holy Macrel! I am once again, and still, asking, How did he do that?
Peter Hill
By changing the way I take photographs: 1. Buy GOOD tripod. 2. Shoot in RAW. 3. Learn about ND filters and use them. That’s about 95% of it from my personal journey.
Connie Thomilson:
WEll im half the way there, I have a tripod and use it, i always shoot my portraits, and everything serious in raw. Now I will have to check out the ND filters. Thank you so much for taking the time to help. God Bless.!
abstractjoys
I so identify with many of your comments. Yes, I am a Jill of all trades as well but I look at it as part of my artistic journey. The artist community here on RB has been a total inspiration and helped me to get outside of my comfort zone and try new things. Yes, there are so very many talented, and friendly folks on RB. Many are helpful and most all are supportive. They are the people we meet and support as well, on this artistic journey. Don’t be so hard on yourself………….. I am a photographer as well but sometimes I need to paint, or work on abstract or fractal art, just to break out of my comfort zone. I have fun doing it, and to me, that is the bottom line. Keep experimenting but remember to smile often and have fun doing it. Carolyn