LOU O' BEDLAM

talsit asked: What do you think about imitating someone's work? Flattery or theft? Or does it depend on whether it's credited or not?

Oof, this is a complex one.

I’m just gonna avoid the normal sayings that go along with this question (you’re thinking them as you read this anyway, yes?), and keep this specific to my work. I think the answer definitely varies depending on the art that’s being imitated, the level to which it’s being imitated (is it imitation, is it straight copying?), the intent in the imitation.

For my work, if someone’s imitating my style, be it technique or actual composition of my shots, that’s just fine. I’m not the first guy to take portraits of beautiful people using natural light, and I’m sure I won’t be the last.  I like to think my work has a definite style, but I’d never assume I invented it, or have some patent on it.

I do like to think that it’s not necessarily easy to do what I do, but that actually feeds into me being okay with imitation.  I think it’s a perfectly valid means at education to break down how & why someone takes certain pictures, try to replicate that as a way of furthering their own process.

As long as they don’t just go ahead and study the style, use it as their own and never progress beyond imitation. That’s neither fair to the original artist nor is it healthy for the imitator.  Each artist’s style, that’s not just art, it’s their point of view, their unique perspective on the world.  No person should want to imitate or copy another’s POV.  It belittles their own, cheapens personal experience.

Now, credit? That’s a completely different story.  I say, no matter what, it never hurts to credit the original artist.  Keeps the imitator honest, it does.

SHORT PROGRAMMING NOTE: for those (3 or 4) folks who have sent me messages that are not questions? THANK YOU.  Your kind words are much appreciated.

But I won’t be responding to them in public, only questions will be responded to.  My narcissism only goes so far.  But again, Thank you.

maitababy asked: Hi Lou! I'm a big fan of your work. I read on your last post that you wrap your camera w/ plastic when shooting in the rain. Just wondering, what kind exactly and how? I'd love to shoot in the rain.

Awhile back I went to my favorite bagel place, the Bagel Broker.  I was ordering a few dozen bagels for a shoot, so they gave ‘em to me in a giant brown paper bag.

They also tossed in several plastic bags, I’m assuming in case I wanted to save some of the bagels, the delicious delicious bagels, for later.

The bagels did not last too long.  But I held onto the bags.  They’re clear plastic, fairly strong.

But I figure any clear plastic bag would do.

Now I want bagels.

Don’t be an ass: credit the artist.

ryanschude:

ronenreblogs:

claytoncubitt:

Yes x1000, and I would add another reason, beyond it just being the moral (and legal) thing to do for the artist you admire: do it for future knowledge. Do it for future curious creative people like yourself. Tools like Google Image and TinEye would be so much more effective if everyone who published an image would post the credits with it, so that it could be properly indexed. Not some vague emotional poem-line about how the image makes you feel, the actual artist’s name and their title for the piece. In the art (and adult) world, provenance is key, so do your part and preserve the chain of custody, the praise for the things you love, or even the shame for the things you hate.

This counts for everyone, but triply so if you’re a young artist/designer yourself.

homeofthevain:

If you’re posting someone else’s work, credit them. Don’t deliberately remove the name of the artist. That’s just wrong. If your reasoning is that it’s own personal scrapbook — then keep it personal, not public. If it’s public, the least you can do is credit the artist and link back to their site, or at least their Wikipedia entry.

When I see something I like not credited — I try to track down the source, if for no other reason than to find more art by the same person. Consider this a small payback to the artist whose art you liked enough to post on your Tumblr. Use Tineye to track down original visual art — it’s easy to use, and takes no more than 10 seconds to do a search.

And that was your PSA for today. In the next episode: public shaming.

PLEASE RE-BLOG THIS.

CORRECTION:  DON’T JUST “LIKE” IT. RE-BLOG THE FUCK OUT OF IT.