A random guy at a coffee shop told me my photography was too 'perfect' and it wrecked my brain

I was shooting portraits around Austin last spring and this older dude just walks up and says my shots looked like stock photos - zero soul. He said I needed to stop fixing every shadow and let the camera catch the real moment. I started leaving in blur and bad lighting on purpose and now my clients actually like those shots better. Anyone else get feedback that made you totally flip your process?

3 comments

3 Comments

sullivan.spencer22d ago

Austin is getting hot this time of year, not like the stock photo crowds in Dallas.

the_mila22d ago

Wait, you're saying the Dallas crowds are actually staged? That kinda changes everything for me.

chen.adam22d ago

Exactly, that phrase "staged" is what got me too. I mean, @sullivan.spencer brought up a good point about the Austin crowds being different, but I think the whole thing is weirder than people realize. I've been to a few events in Dallas and they always felt off, like everyone was following a script. The energy just isn't there. It's not like a real concert or rally where people are actually excited, it's more like they're paid to stand around and clap at the right moments. You can spot that fake buzz from a mile away.