Saw this over on Facebook. Just substitute Pipe Making for Photography and see if you recognize anyone
One of the coolest things about Facebook is the ability to find people who share your interests. I don’t care how “out there” your tastes are– I’m betting there’s a group for that. Photography is no different. It doesn’t matter what your style, genre, type of camera, or preferred lighting setups are. Even just a quick search will yield more results than you can possibly handle. While all of these groups will obviously differ in some ways, the personalities you’ll find within those digital clubhouse walls are almost universal. Don’t believe me? Let’s meet the gang.
The Expert
The Expert, as the name implies, knows everything about everything. Just ask him. Or don’t ask him. He’ll be the first to comment on whatever you post, and you can be damn sure he’ll set you straight. In addition to this all-knowing ability of his, The Expert can also be identified by the fact that he will be dispensing his wisdom for your consumption morning, noon, and night. It doesn’t matter what time of day you post. He’s there, waiting like a tightly coiled spring, ready to pounce upon every nitpicky reason why your photo sucks or should have been lit, posed, timed, or composed differently. What is so intriguing about The Expert is that he almost never posts his own work, most likely because he spends so much time on Facebook that he never ventures out of his parent’s basement long enough to actually create any photos of his own.
The Critique Seeker
There are actually two types of Critique Seeker. The first type of Critique Seeker is eager to learn and seeks actual, honest critique– not the kind usually dispensed by The Expert. They can handle you being harsh with them, as long as you’re genuine and you’re not being harsh just for the hell of it. They tend to have a thick skin and will show vast improvement over time. The second type of Critique Seeker, on the other hand, will most likely delete their post as soon as negative comments start appearing, regardless of whether the negative comments are constructive or not. Just yesterday, a photographer in a group I follow posted a retouched photo of a toddler. I commented that as a general rule I try to stay away from retouching young children. I also pointed out that while skin tones were perfect in the original, they were very uneven and splotchy in the retouched version. Two other people made similar comments before the post down came down. Asking for honest critique takes balls. Asking people to blindly agree with you does nothing for your photography.
The Needy Ego
The Needy Ego may understand that not everyone is going to like their work, but they can’t really accept it. For them, finding someone to stroke their ego is way more important than finding a way to improve their photography. The saddest part about The Needy Ego is that while they may actually be quite talented, their photography will most likely never improve. For that to happen, they have to check that ego at the door and deal with their work from a realistic point of view.
The Guy With Something to Sell
Hardly a day goes by when I don’t have some kind of sales pitch somewhere in my newsfeed. Rent my amazing studio. Buy my used gear. Sign up for my workshop. It’s that last one– the workshop– that pops up more often than the groundhog in “Caddyshack.” Dear Guy With Something to Sell– if you want me to sign up for your workshop, be prepared to answer a few pointed questions about your qualifications. If you can’t or won’t, this may not be the place for you to be hawking your wares.
The Pretend Newbie
The Pretend Newbie is kind of like a chameleon. He wants us to think he’s brand new to the craft so we can all be blown away by his natural, seemingly effortless, God-given talent. In reality, the Pretend Newbie has been at this a bit longer than he’d have all of us believe. There’s no denying the talent, but that’s not enough for him. He wants us all thinking he’s a rock star, hence the notion that we can marvel at his rapid rise, throwing compliments his way as if they were Mardi Gras beads.
The Wallflower
The Wallflower takes it all in. He reads every post, occasionally likes something, but hardly ever speaks up and never shares any of their work. I feel bad for The Wallflower. I respect him because he obviously wants to learn, but is either too shy or too scared to ask for help or opinions. That can’t be easy for them. If The Wallflower and I belonged to the same group outside the bounds of a digital network, I’d probably reach out and try to help them out.
The Bad Attitude
The Bad Attitude is kind of like The Expert on steroids. It’s not enough for him to pretend he knows everything– he has to be a raging ass about it. I’m not sure why, but the Bad Attitude has become a fixture in many Facebook photography groups. I find that the best way to take the wind out of The Bad Attitude’s sails is to simply say, “Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.” Nothing pisses off someone looking for a fight more than someone who doesn’t take the bait.
The Sheriff (aka The Bouncer)
Every once in a while, the internet version of a bar fight breaks out and someone has to bring everyone back to their senses. Enter The Sheriff. The Sheriff is usually someone with admin privileges. They’ve probably posted a code of conduct at some point, which is obviously being broken or ignored. They don’t relish having to step in when adults act like children, but they do what they have to do to maintain the peace. They’re in a bit of a tough spot. They don’t want to drive people away, but they also need for people to get along (or at least be civil).
The Guy Who Likes Everything
It’s tough to take this guy seriously. He likes every post, every image, every comment. His name is constantly popping up, but not usually in any kind of substantive way. The Needy Ego and Pretend Newbie absolutely LOVE this guy, because he plays right into their thing. We don’t really know what kind of photographer he is, because he never posts any of his own content. I think he’s a close relative of The Wallflower. I’m hoping that he’s here to learn, but we’ll never know for sure if all he does is like everything that everybody else is posting.
The Real Deal
If you’re going to be part of a Facebook photography group, these are the people you want populating it. The Real Deal is there to teach and to learn. They don’t take themselves too seriously, and it’s all about growing in photography. They stop by, offer some insights, and get back to doing what they do best.
Wrap-Up
Some will say (yet again) that I’m cynical. To an extent, maybe I am. But let’s be honest– how many of these people do you know from your various FB groups? If your answer is none, I salute you. The only possible explanation is that you are actually out there in the field or in the studio, doing your thing, and totally ignoring social media. There are times when I wish I cold totally ignore social media, but the reality is that it has become an incredibly valuable tool, particularly for creatives who need a way to get their work in front of large groups of people. Our potential audiences are bigger than ever. There is strength in numbers, which is one of the big benefits of the many photography groups you can find on Facebook. But don’t get lost in it. Use the resource. Learn what you can. But remember to step away from the computer and go shoot. Get out and create something.
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