decay # 26 ~ opinions are like ass holes, everybody's got one
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 10:14AM 
Lemons, tangelo, knife, and candle holder • click to embiggenIn an email response to yesterday's entry, Tom Gallione asked:
I'm wondering if you would ever consider anything like a portfolio review?
It's a bit of coincidence that Tom asked that question because earlier yesterday I discovered that Tim Atherton and his blog, photo-muse are back online after a protracted absence. One of his recent entries was a kind of cross between a New Year's resolution list and a New Year's wish list and in it he wrote:
Less portfolio reviews and competitions where photographers pay through the nose for the chance to win a 10 minute exhibition or book for the lucky few, while the photorati are busy expanding their egos. They stifle so much imagination and creativity while only nurturing whatever is this months great new thing (which is usually last years great new thing) and which is quickly tomorrows fish and chip wrapper.
Now, I must admit that my feelings about portfolio reviews fall somewhere in the vicinity of Tim Atherton's take on them, although, to be fair and honest, I have never actually had a portfolio review. I have been asked to give and have given portfolio reviews, but, I have never felt the need to have one for myself.
The reasons for feeling so are many but prominent amongst them are 2 in particular -
1) The simple fact is that a portfolio review is just the opinion of a single person and any review is more often than not apt to be a demonstration of that reviewer's personal bias about your pictures. Now, I'm not necessarily suggesting that their opinion of your work is not any better or more valuable that that of your mother but, then again, maybe it isn't. And, unless your mother is a scum sucking mercenary, her review is apt to be a whole lot less expensive than a "pro" review.
But, what if you have 2 reviews of the same work from 2 different reviewers? One says that the work really reaches / touches them and the other says that it leaves them cold. What then ... a game of Eeni, Meeni, Miny, Mo?
2) Even if the 2 reviewers give you lucid and meaningful reasons why they do/don't like your work, what then? Do you fine-tune what is suppose to be your vision to accommodate their tastes?
How many cooks does it take to spoil the broth? Or, as Ricky Nelson crooned in his song Garden Party:
But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Unless your desire is to make commercial art, where the point is to please the client, IMO, the point of making Art is to be yourself, follow your own muse, and not chase after the tail of someone else.
All of that said, I am not saying that no one would/could benefit from a portfolio review. I guess it all depends on where your head is at and what it is that you might be looking to get out of a review.
And, for all I know, Tom Gallione may have benefited mightily from a portfolio review. I can't say but what I can say is that his work has matured immensely since the last time I viewed it. IMO, it is well worth spending the time to check it out via the above link. While doing so, make special note of his Noon (What I Saw While They Ate Lunch) series - a true delight.
PS - anyone out there had a portfolio review? If so, was it of any value?
decay
Reader Comments (3)
I applied to Review Santa Fe last year and was rejected. When I saw what was accepted, I decided I didn't belong in the ranks of professional photographers. If my stuff isn't as good as much of what was accepted I'm done. I do what I do and if no one else likes it so be it. I just have to make money somewhere else because the art world doesn't dig it and it won't sell as stock.
So I don't care what someone else thinks about my work on one level, because I do it for myself. But on another level I am curious to know what someone thinks of my work, what they respond to, what they like and don't like and why. But I would never pay for it. I don't care enough to pay for it.
Wow, I'm impressed with Tom Gallione's photos. It's like a dreamy walk in the woods. His way of looking places me in a kind of dream state. It's like really seeing in a way we rarely see. His framing and image design are outstanding. And I like that he breaks "The Rules" doing it.
I had a gallery director in NY ask to see my work once. When the gallery's owner didn't show as much enthusiasm for my work as the director did, the director said she thought Yossi Milo (a who's who in NY) would love it. One call later and she said, "go see Yossi and show him your work". Two doors down in Chelsea I walked in the Yossi Milo Galery and told the intern Yossi was expecting me. He briskly came out and walked me back to his office. He thumbed through my portfolio in under 20 seconds, turned to me and said "not my type, goodbye." and went back to his emails leaving me to walk myself out.
That was not a fun experience.