The Myth of Talent

[Mad Aussie]

Nope it isn't MA, but it is a requirement to be a great one.

Quite possibly ... depending on what you call 'great'

[kat]

Great thread. I can't help but think how you have people that train in dance all their lives, technically sound. But there are those that have a special "thing" that shines when they dance..that makes them that llittle bit better than the others. Is that possible to see that in photography? Do some people just have that lil "thing" that makes their photography better or is it just skill?

[Wicked Dark]

Yup, that's it kat. The difference. You see it in sports, music, theater, traditional arts...everywhere. I worked with some sales people that were just naturally great at it; could sell anything. Me? I was proficient, I wasn't talented. Some people just are naturally good at stuff. And no re-assigning meaning to a word will make it go away. Working hard, becoming proficient and being good at something is a different thing to me. If you were really that good, you wouldn't have to practice so hard. Photography is a tough one to judge because it relies so heavily on technology, but I think it applies. You just have to look at a lot of stuff to realize it.

[thoughton]

Interesting thread. You're talking about what I call a good 'eye'

Personally I think a person does need to start with an 'eye' for a photo, and that some people have a better eye than other people (i.e. it is a talent), but practice and study are needed to refine that embryonic eye into the eye of a good photographer. I don't believe there is any such thing as a 'natural' great photographer.

That's not to say people with a lesser eye can't take good photos, I just think they don't find it as easy to spot a good photo and consequently take fewer good photos.

I don't believe that anyone has no 'eye' at all.

PS I think Joe McNally is a fantastic photographer. And he's a great writer as well.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Great thread guys.

I do think there are those that just have a natural talent for whatever medium that sparks a passion for them. However we all know there are not many out there that have this sort of gift.

I myself never ever considered myself as an artist, nor did I ever think we could become an artist with a camera. I did have something in me though when I was 19 and playing Army in Vietnam, a friend handed me his old used camera, WOW, wouldn't it be great to be a photographer. I'm closing in on 40 years of wanting to be that photographer and the passion I have for it is the greatest it's ever been. I have studied, learned and done alot of practice and I was out practicing some more just yesterday. I think it's that passion that keeps showing up in my images that does tell me I've become an artist.

On another note, there are those that can learn all the techique and craft and yet when they hit a certain point they don't seem to grow anylonger. I was viewing some BW images the other day at a Gallery, the photographer had great darkroom skills, great craft, but the images didn't excite me. Same old stuff, just a different name. Or how about the Portrait Photographer that learns all the rules and he just lives by those rules and nothing more. BORING!!!

[Kawarthabob]

I beleive some people have a "natural talent" in certain things in life. Take two people , twins for instance. One having that " natural talent" will come out ahead and be better at it than the other one even though they studied the same material. And on the topic of Joe McNally..... Joe is a good photographer( technically)he has a vision of what he wants to do but he is a great salesman. He has been in the right places at the right times and has aligned himself with friends within the industry giving him opportunities that the rest of us have to fight for. He therefor has made a " brand name" in the market place. He like many photographers don't just go out and snap a photo. He researches , scopes out vantage points and has a clear message from the publisher of what they want well in advance of picking up a camera. And sometimes some of us are in the right place at the right time.
For myself when shooting a wildlife subject , I have read up on habitats and characteristics of my subject, scoped out locations and spent hours upon hours waiting for that perfect shot. Other days I'm out for 15 minutes and the shot came to me easily.