Posted by siper
Totally agree. One aspect of this though is that those decisions will position you differently in the eyes of your peers. For example, clown vomit will get you burned at stake among photographers. Taking shit photos on a potato will get you more respect than clown vomit. So yes, create photos you're happy with but everyone should understand WHY they're getting the responses they're getting if they abuse HDR. They should also understand it's not HDR's fault...it's theirs.
|
It all goes back to doing what you want to do rather than what you want to hear from your peers (respect or complaints). Some people detest HDR, others enjoy seeing or using it.
Think of musicians: Some musicians are against techno and electronic because it uses technology for much of the sound. True musicians who play bass, guitar or drums use the instruments directly without technology.
Yet there are large followers of electronic music. Armin Van Buuren will never have the respect of all the musicians out there, but he enjoys what he's doing and he has happy followers.
Is HDR abused? Sure. Do some people dislike it? Absolutely, but it's a way for 'artists' to alter their work. Ugly watermarks that take up a third of the image might also bring criticism, but at the end of the day it's a hobby and there is no real 'right' or 'wrong' way to do it. It's what YOU want to do. Fuck the critics.
If you go into the hobby expecting respect for all you do, it's going to be one disappointment after the other. Respect is nice to have, but you need to please yourself over anybody else and realize no matter what you do, you'll always have some negativity out there.
If not HDR then watermarks, then orientation, then crooked images, then too much light blowout in a window, then distortion, then weak composition, then....
And there's also going to be people who'll praise and Like your work no matter what it is because of a sense of loyalty. There'll also be those who refuse to acknowledge your work or cast negativity upon it simply for who you are, not the images. We've seen it all on the forums.
Just. Do. What. Makes. You. Happy.