The Loft
What makes a photo great? How do we determine whether to share an image or just appreciate it with a like or a smile and keep it moving? What is the driving force behind making art more popular in 2017?
I read a quote this morning by Steph Curry, the NBA good guy, about bringing the best out of ourselves, a quote that really resonated with me as I started my day. Steph essentially stated that the person is currently and the person he envisions himself being, are constantly battling to give the best version of himself at all times. As a creative, former athlete, I feel myself in this same place often. I am always looking to be better, not because I am ungrateful, but because I know who I see myself being and what I am currently portraying is still a good distance from that. But his quote put me at ease. Helped me to reassure that greatness takes constant bending and stretching, making oneself uncomfortable momentarily, to reach a new height in the end.
This inner battle is not just about being better as a human but also about being the best as a creative and pushing the craft forward as a photographer. Which leads to my question, what makes a photo great? Over the past few months, since my camera got stolen, I started studying photographers of different styles. I wanted to find what made audiences gravitate to their work and how their names still held weight after so many years. Each time, the answer remained the same, vulnerability.
The difference between drawing the audience in and loosing their attention is largely dependent on the creation process. The connection between a good photographer & his muse, is a sacred one; one that is built through trust and comfortability. The whole process is sort of a form of therapy, it’s a give & take. We create the space for a subject to let go; of the walls, the masks, the insecurities that they give to the world & allow them to be themselves, in a judgment free zone. Unlocking that level of comfortability is a gift that isn’t meant to be taken advantage of or exploited but used to form productive, creative relationships. This level of connection allows for the highest level of creation. This is what separates the greats from those attempting to reach it, true and genuine bonds. That’s how the artists of the past achieved masterpieces, that’s how they all reached the heights in their perspective arts and how their names still resonate for generations to come.
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