I want to bite the hand that feeds me

james_drury    says:

DoF, converging lines, movement - ace.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

bimma    says:

superb fella. one-point perspective heaven. this is euston station. do i get a prize? :)
--
Seen on ig.gmodules.com ( ?² )
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

James.D.    says:

Thanks guys. (You posted your comments before I added my little speech about Flickr)

And no you don't get a prize Bim, cos it ain't Euston.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

www.AlastairHumphreys.com    says:

congrats! Award yourself three fluffy bunny points! Kazow!

Another Partial Success    says:

...seeing the shot in My Contacts drew me to have a closer look.. and I'm glad I did, not only for the cracking photo but also your text which I think is right on the money.

I've often felt myself, and noticed others, start to get sucked into the "mindset of Flickr" - when one stops taking photos because you love photography, want to try something out or just want to record a great moment/view and start thinking more about what others will think of your shots... what to post to get lots of comments, what do other people like, what does a shot need to be to get into Explore.

The mindset stands to dictate your photographic style and at an extreme leads to explore-friendly-images only (i.e macro shots of flowers and miserable teen girls).

The best solutions in my experience are to either park Flickr for a while or have a clean-out - delete a stack of old images and/or post a raft of shots which I like, regardless of any thoughts about whether they'll be well received or not.

I stick with Flickr because it is, as you said, probably the best photo sharing site... and because I've had a chance to meet (in 'real life' as they say) some great people and I have to say I've learnt more from a few beers/breakfasts/coffees and photo-strolls with these folk than I've done in years of photography.

I think everyone needs to clear their minds of What Makes Explore on a regular basis and make sure they remain true to their personal style.

jon
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

garageowns [out of circulation for a while]    says:

Nicely said James....I enjoy flickr, because it has rekindled a love of photography, and I am looking at the photographic image wherever I see it.
I am a painter and use/used photographs for reference, but now I am also producing photographs to stand up in their own right...

....hahaha, I feel 'born again' !!!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

essexdiver    says:

Fantastic shot! Just my kind of thing.

I liked your text. I found myself caught up in the web you describe a year or so ago. I was so awestruck with the quality of shots I was seeing on an hourly basis that I wanted to emulate them which meant I got very technical and maybe lost sight of why I started up this fantastic pastime again. For me it was to capture a moment in time that when recollected would trigger a memory or an emotion. Getting a grip of the technical side of things though, has, I believe, given me the freedom to be able to try to be more creative in my shooting.

Your post was spot on, thanks for sharing it, and thanks for the links.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

James.D.    says:

Thanks for all the comments, its nice to know I'm not the only one who feels/has felt this way. I guess we'll just have to subvert it from within....
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

joeppo    says:

I'm sure people on Flickr have many agendas, not just to get stats & comments... (i hope)...

Photography can be a very diverse medium, perhaps one of the first (visual) instances of 'user-generated' content... I find very early photography interesting to see how people, once they had the ability, would consider what makes a picture... Photography, no doubt has and, will continually evolve much like movements in the art world...
Cheers James. Nicely written... & very honest! :{J

PS. Great shot!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Gavin Liam Levitz Russell    says:

gRAte shot. You dEESErf a STAR!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

With you all the way James.D. You have said it all so well that it's hard to know what to add other than reflections from myself.

I have found Flickr very useful, I think there has been a real progression in what I shoot in terms of photography and I am genuinely proud of what I have put out here and the reactions some shots have had.

However, there were times when the little comment indicator became the judge how I saw my own shots. If I didn't have the right number of views, faves or comments, I was let down. I even had a time when I would comment for a comment, which seems like so much nonsense now.

My thoughts about Flickr are that, as you say, it drives you towards a homogenised view of what is a good shot and away from any real understanding or appreciation of the vast mass of incredible, difficult, beautiful or simple work out there. To be influenced solely by this site would be, to my mind, extremely damaging to your development as a photographer.

What I want is to enter a photo world that allows for more discussion, not about 'what ISO, AV, Strobe set up etc' towards a more thoughtful discussions like 'why the f*ck are you a clown, what are you hoping to record? Why did you choose these tones? What do you get out of photographs?'. In otherwords the thought and emotion, not just the technique and the comments. It is for these reasons that you can find essays and stories attached to my shots very often, I want debate and ideas, not praise and comments, both on my shots and other peoples. The more detailed, the more thought out, the better.

I am joining some local groups, I will be setting up my own blog/website in the New Year and I will be reading my Magnum compendium book once again tonight. Great words sir, thanks for writing it, tis the perfect sentiment.

Oh and, nice shot by the way.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

joe dyndale    says:

Well said. Though, there's not really any one special kind of image that consistently makes explore. To get explored your shot simply needs to get quite a lot of comments/favs/views from a variety of different sources during a short period of time. That is, in fact, a pretty good way of determining "interestingness". I agree that some people get way too set on trying to make explore so that it takes their focus away from the actual art of photography, but I actually think that's more of an exception.

Yes, there are waaayyyy too many flower shots (normal and macro), but I think I know why. The flower shot is the new fruit bowl. Now, a lot of people just like shooting photos of flowers, so that's just their taste/interest. But I think people are using the flower shots to practice their lighting and compositional skills the way painters, and then photographers have used the fruit bowl. That's a good thing in my book, 'cause flower shots are way more interesting than fruit bowls. Still, I *very* rarely comment on flower shots because, yes, we've seen them all many times before. That's only natural though - people need to practice, and flowers are one of the most readily available objects to shoot for most people. People do it because it's *easy*. In my opinion it would be better if people tried being more creative even with their practice shots. I have made a few flower shots myself, 'cause flowers are often very beautiful and it's nice to try and capture that - but I quickly realized most of these shots shouldn't end up on Flickr, as they wouldn't interest anyone but me.

That people should try and get out more and see exhibitions and such is great advice. Flickr is an amazing source of inspiration, as is 1x.com, but nobody should limit their sources of inspiration so severely. Buy coffee table photo books, buy books on photography (technique, composition, thinking creatively, photography history etc.), go to exhibitions, find magazines you like that have consistently great photos in them and so on and so forth. Also, try to see as much of the world as you can - both far and near. The world itself is chock full of inspiring places and people.

Getting back to Flickr... I agree one certainly shouldn't obsess about view/comment counts - but it's only natural, right? I mean, you post photos to Flickr because you want to share them with the world, and you want to know what others think of them. If you're photographing only to please yourself by capturing moments you want to remember or to produce fine art that you woul personally want to have on your wall, then that's fine - the view/comment counts don't matter at all. However, if you're aspiring to be a commercial photographer of some sort, perhaps in advertising, then those numbers will be invaluable to you as they will help you judge what kinds of shots get people's attention and provoke the kind of response you were looking for.

Use Flickr as a tool to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve, and make sure not to let it distract you from that - 'cause there are a million ways to get distracted on Flickr.

And last, but not least, though this photo may be cliché here, I love it :O) Excellent geometry and composition. Also, it clearly says it's "Euston Road" station. Is that different from just "Euston" station? :O)

--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

zilladon    says:

warp speed! nice shot (I'm a sucker for perspective shots done well, no matter how cliche they may seem sometimes) - and I too agree with your comments - puts things into perspective; pun somewhat intended!


This great photo
was seen in Alternative Views.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Gabe.G says:

Thank you for sharing this picture, and thanks a lot for your thoughts!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

hh96    says:

well, i think that almost each one who had been a serious member of flickr, and has a truly passion for photography, can't disagree with your thoughts... i am a member sice less than a year and i got anyway involved in this "flickr-disease" you just considered!
what i came up with has been closing with flickr for a while, keep on shooting "for my pleasure only" and do not post any of my best shots of this period on flickr: all in all this is what i want, getting a less banal photographer, not getting a flickr-star.

that said... i like this shot of yours, basically i like almost all the shot made from "the frog prospective"... yours has a great treatment and a very nice framing too!
compliments for all, thoughts and shot itself!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

mpaulda™    says:

Euston Rd station is fantastic for this photo. Nicely done. Try 6 seconds & see what happens to the train. I have one in my stream

with regard to photography, flickr, explore & macro I could not agree more. there is a world of learning right before us and we all should take advantage. this isn't about the "top 500" though explore is indeed how I found you.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

bike queen says:

well done
--
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Ye Tun .    says:

Congratulation ... I love the perspective and exposure on this photo.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Dj Poe    says:

I am a new photographer and joined flickr maybe 5 months ago, I love flickr it has taught me a lot but I do hear your point. You can get
caught up in chasing the next
explore.. Not to mention my girl says I don't pay attention to her anymore !!! Lol
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Dj Poe    says:

P.s. I found this photo in explore
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Lory Noya says:

Im glad I found this little gem of flickr wisdom (thanks to explore)..thanks James for the text which brought me to realise that I've started to get sucked into the main 'flickr' stream..well said and awsome photo..
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

James.D.    says:

Oh the irony;

Thanks for your comments everyone. It seems that getting caught up in Flickr happens to a lot of people. My advice would be to remember to log out every now and then.

And just to clarify this is Warren Street station, which must have been called Euston Road station at one point I guess.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

B.Romain    says:

Awesome point of view.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Isco72 (in pause)    says:

Ottima!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

ρrakaz    says:

Congrats on making it to Front Page! You can grab the FP screenshot here:
clipyourphotos.com/FP/screenshot/17943

You can keep track of your FP photos in the future here. :)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

bernat...    says:

Congratulations!!! your photo reach Explore Front Page
You can download the capture in lab.bernatcasero.com/flickr/frontpagecapture? user=2943272...
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

toleman.hart    says:

really like this striking perspective.

what - for me - really matters about flickr it is that it is an interesting source of inspiration but I totally agree about not giving it too much importance. it seems like photography was making out fine even before internet :-)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Professor Bop    says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Rail Vignettes, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

A stunning photo that represents the universal appeal of the tracks ...
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

PAk. / www.pakdock.com says:

Great shot.
Perfect composition, outstanding colours!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

James.D.    says:

OH THE IRONYYYYYYY

bimma    says:

wow - congrats - i missed it. Totally agree with you mate. Well said.
--
Seen on my Flickr home page. ( ?² )
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Flickr Hive Mind Br. says:

Search interesting > 2009-11-23

And we'd love to have this added to the group!

explore your tag in fiveprime org
be among the top 50, add here

his tag was found among the
50 most important
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

goodbyebyesunday    says:

congrats on FP!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

shanolyno    says:

Nice article James.

I think that although there's a prevailing flickr culture that is based on HDR like gimmicks and shiny awards etc. that is often very hard to stomache, without it people who are trying to break new ground at the edge of the community could not exist.
Anyway, to be honest I don't think it's possible to avoid cliches in photographay anymore. It's got to a stage where eveyrthing on flickr has been done before; grafitti, trolleys, tattoos, India, China, urban decay.. I guess the innovation lies in the body of your work, the themes you explore and the style that you develop.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Ana Caio    says:

great shot! you don't need to live for the flickr...the flickr exists for u... so...whatever u do...it's your choice!! that's what I think! and that's ironic the fact that this shot got to explore!!:)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

SZINTIA    says:

Awesome!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Alex Stoen    says:

Superb. Very inspiring!
Thanks for sharing this and congratulations on the Explore.

I wish you a happy Tuesday!
See you around...
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Davic    says:

excellent point of view!!

Seen on Fluidr
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Jazz Devil    says:

Inspiring image, text, and discussion.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Kristen Angelo says:

Nice!

--
Seen in the interestingness archives. (?)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Dr. Ilia    says:

brilliant!
This is an Amazing Capture! Please consider submitting this Beautiful shot to the Amazing Capture Group.Collect 4 awards including ALL invites to receive a SUPER AWARD.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

richard.heeks    says:

:-) You bite hard! Yes, there's lots of cliches on flickr, and I take your point, but flickr's also so much more. It's the cliches + everything else too.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

LucatraversA    says:

Marvellous fusion of static and movement..
I am perfectly right with what you tell about Flickr and its World. :)

Seen on Fluidr
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

brentford40    says:

Just reading your stimulating piece and the resultant comments shows that flickr's doing a good job - but yes, it's all to easy to go hit hunting. I think a good photograph has got to have something different about it - which may be a different angle, capturing exceptional light conditions or some unique moment - amongst many other things. It should also be said that taking a cliche shot and applying first class technique to it - as you've done in this shot - does make for something different.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

LMazerolle says:

This shot is amazing... and I agree with you
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

ale loayza [deleted] says:

muy buena foto.. felicidades!!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

lillo_es    says:

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

nothing to hide    says:

i added this to my favorites but the text under the picture hast a lot to do with this decision....
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Ostholländer (In Copenhagen)    says:

I like this great night shot.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

melissaerziphotography [deleted] says:

such a wonderful shot!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

zoe green.    says:

WOW! I love this.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Andy McGowan    says:

I understand exactly what you are saying, however I have to say that through Flickr I have made some great friends, we often meet up and go out sharing and learning together. this wouldn't have happened if Flickr didn't exist. I am also able to have my work shown of in a way that wouldn't have been possible before especially around the globe.

Having said that i love this shot and it s quite Ironic that after your speech this shot hits front page!
--
Seen on your photo stream. ( ?² )
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Bong Tongol Photography 'Explore' Life!    says:

Congratulations! Very Deserving 'Explore'! Brilliant Work!
I'd be honored to invite 'YOU' to Join our Wonderful Group!
"You've Been Explored!"
Please Check Us Out and Be 'Explored'! Stay Blessed!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

gu@n    says:

Awesome! I feel the same
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Sami T    says:

Nice!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

shady757 {Sean}    says:

amen brotha - too bad i found this on explore! HAHA! too ironic!

you definitely nailed it! - i have only been on flickr less than a year and am already to your level of disenchantment. I could not agree with the above more - there is TONS of talent here for sure, but too much desperation to be "explored".

i finally got my Robert Frank (the americans) book from the library - been waiting for it for a month!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

ShutterRunner    says:

awesome
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

dreikelvin    says:

you bring it to the point! that's what I've been thinking about a long long time but was always to afraid to tell. maybe it's better to let those people discover on their own. you just can't force a mind to go beyond it's personal limitations. every shot I take is not for flickr, but for myself. I see it more as a platform to publish my work to the world. of course I pay attention to others comments and I like to participate in projects. but if it destroys creativity and ends up with just technical thinking I dismiss it. I hate tagging my photos with lense infos, who cares?

"...macro shots of butterflies, lakes at dawn and blurred shots of nubile moody nuerotic women... made me laugh but it is what it is. and please, destroy bokeh wednesday! ha! XD
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

. : Jonathan Fiamor : .    says:

it's very ironic that you made it to explore front page !
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

A. Vandalay    says:

Great shot!!!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

carlosordaz    says:

nice nice nice :)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Laurent Henocque    says:

cool effect with static and dynamic lights. great #2 in explore. fave
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

monkeyleader    says:

A great photo - but very very wise words as well !
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

ktania    says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called 50+ FAVORITES[Post 1: Award 3], and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Apple Green Amy    says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Long Exposures Make Me Happy, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

ferdinand sluiter    says:

great point of view!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

r.AI (-)    says:

Spectacular! Have a good weekend my friend!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Katratzi    says:

GREAT!
I love London underground :P
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

donnairene    says:

Amazinggggggg

Love the framing and perspective

great work and congrats on the Explore!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Jean de la Tête    says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Lines░Curves░and Shadows░ P1/A2 , and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Mazda6 (Tor)    says:

loved reading your critique and view on flickr. Needless to say I agree. Flickr has both inspired me and helped me learn about techniques and locations - and helped me meet other photographers. But photography is so much more. However, flickr is great even if you ignore explore (as I have for quite a while now). There are some treasure troves of photos on individual streams that get little attention. sometimes explore leads me to find those streams...

ironically I saw this photo on explore :)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Don House    says:

Nice shot, and spot-on editorial!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

©Komatoes    says:

Wise words and some interesting info. Thanks. It's only a cliché for those that have seen it a lot before, and not everyone has. Even if they have there are still good cliché shots and not so good ones... =)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Perfect Weather to Fly says:

personally I really like this, cliché or not
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

rogue3w    says:

A very interesting discussion here and a great photo (I thought it was the Hadron Collider at Cern for a few seconds).

The past few months I had been coming to a similar conclusion, but for different reasons. I never really paid much heed to Explore, simply because I did not use it, nor was informed when my pictures made it there.

I joined a few groups and posted my pictures there, but lately I started getting scared to take a shot, internally debating whether it would be good enough alongside all the other great submissions, rather like the artist being scared of the blank white canvas.

Flickr is the reason I have got back with photography, it has fired my enthusiasm but has also given me Flickr-fatigue. I have learned to relax a little now though, after my brother posted this to one of my shots...

"Total concentration...don't think, FEEL. It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory" Bruce Lee 1973
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

TofuQueen    says:

As a former Fine Arts (photography - darkroom, film and all) I completely agree with everything you said. I was a photographer (and now lawyer) before Flickr, and will be in spite of Flickr.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Wonky Donkey    says:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, nail on the head pretty much as far as I'm concerned.

Found myself:
a) checking your favourites for flower macros,
b) checking my favourites for flower macros (I'm not getting rid of the moody nubiles though!)
a)quitting a few of the post 1 comment 21 groups

SOME photography exibitions are fantastic, some suck! the best thing about photography, it's subjective.
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

Steven Eric Parker    says:

Found this through my fellow urbexer's profile page.

Find many of your thoughts resonate with mine regarding Flickr.

For me, On balance, the positives outweigh the negatives. Alongside making some inspirational contacts (and having many laughs) I've met up with fellow photographers and done the more rewarding sort of exploring.

Often I'll have a sudden wave of Flickr repulsion and vow to give it a break...then

'Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in'

Julian Holtom Photography    says:

Well said sir, and with a degree of polite candour I myself couldn't mustre that's for sure.
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )