One picture got several very different reactions that ranged from disgust to adoration. I was quite surprised at the negative reactions. Not only because the comments were about the pictures I had taken, but because I have seen similar pictures for decades now and had never been witness to such unfavorable opinions.
It took me a few minutes to really think about what was being said to me and process without getting offended. All of a sudden a light clicked and all the bad feelings went away. I remembered that even though I was taking a portrait picture, it is still art. Art is subjective. Different people see different things as art. Which is fantastic if you think about it because it would honestly suck if everyone liked the same pieces. Where would the world be if all we ever saw were paintings of roses in vases or dogs playing poker? Variety is key and I am okay with that.
I am okay with someone not liking my pictures. The only people that need to be happy with the photographs I take are myself and the client. If someone else appreciates them, wonderful! I am happy that I could invoke a good emotion from someone looking at my work. If someone doesn't care for it or finds it offensive, they have the ability to close the browser window, turn their head away from the print or refuse to look at my portfolio any further.
I am okay with that too because art is subjective and I am an artist!
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