Too much YouTube can damage your health!
Don’t just take my word for it. Google it. Type in “Too much YouTube can damage your health“.
More to the point, watching too many photography YouTubers can damage your photography.
Welcome to my WaffleFest…and the last collection of images from my now-defunct JPEGs only project. I call it a WaffleFest because, as is my wont, this is a waffling collection of thoughts and feelings converted into an equally waffling collection of words. Most of it makes sense to me. But then I think I know how the inside of my head works. Most of the time.
But back to the way in which YouTube can damage your health – and, I believe, your photography.
All those photographers who run their own YouTube channels are experts. Or claim to be experts. Or lead you to believe they are experts because they present in such an authoritative manner that we believe them. They have facts. They have figures. They have ideas. They have opinions. And they have set agendas because they have sponsors or are affiliates (like me…)
And we – or at least I – subscribe to their channels.
Oh my goodness. This is supposed to be a photoblog, and here I am, well into a story, with no photos included. So here’s one to look at.
My message to you, learned from my own experience, is to not take to heart everything those YouTube photography experts tell you.
Not that I’m saying they’re all wrong. Or always wrong. I’m just saying that what they are saying might hurt your photography, as it did with mine. Information overload!
If you have been visiting my blog for a while, you’ll know that my photography and my confidence took a hit last year when I had a gammy hip and couldn’t get out and about with my camera. So, I turned to YouTube to fill in the gaps in my photography knowledge and to try to make up for the fact that I couldn’t shoot at that time.
It turns out that that was a bad move! And it was only the start.
In early December last year, I had a full hip replacement, and while embarking on my rehabilitation, I delved deeper into the world of photography experts on YouTube.
I don’t know if I was seeking knowledge or seeking reassurance that I was doing okay with my photography.
I got sucked in. At one stage, I had subscribed to upwards of 50 channels! Talk about not being able to see the wheat for the chaff! Or see the wood for the trees!
I watched videos about camera reviews, lens reviews, camera comparisons, lens comparisons. I watched videos about composition, about noise reduction, about editing software. The list of topics is endless.
And it turns out that apparently, I was doing my photography all wrong…
- My camera didn’t have enough resolution;
- I had the wrong camera – not only the wrong camera, but the wrong brand;
- I shouldn’t be using a zoom lens – I should have a “holy trinity”of prime lenses;
- Don’t shoot RAW – shoot JPEG;
- Always shoot in RAW;
- I wasn’t shooting the right scenes or subjects;
- I was wrong to be shooting at high ISOs;
- It is okay to shoot at high ISOs;
- My editing software of choice was wrong;
- As for all the rules – I needed leading lines in my images; I needed foregrounds and backgrounds; I needed to use the rule of thirds, the golden rule, diagonals; frame within a frame;
- My photos had to tell a story – or at least ask a question;
- And so it went on….confusing…
Looking back, I think I kept going back to YouTube out of habit. I was addicted. Just as I had been addicted to chasing likes on Instagram before I ditched it several months ago.
But I kept going back for more. Kept going back even though I became increasingly frustrated, disillusioned, confused, anxious – and most of all pissed off!
And why pissed off most of all? Because very few, if any, of the photography YouTube experts ever talked about the fun side of photography! And basically that’s what I want. I want my photography to be enjoyable. I want to have fun doing it.
But thankfully, as my post-op rehabilitation progressed and I was able to start walking around more, I eventually saw through all that YouTube hype, broke the habit, and decided that at my age (76), I don’t have to give a shit about all the unnecessary, unwanted, unneeded baggage associated with YT’s photography experts. And the so-called rules? Don’t get me started…
Looking back, the photography rule that wound me up the most is the one that says photos need to tell a story – or ask a question.
What tosh. There is no reason on this earth why you shouldn’t take photographs just because you can. Because you want to. But most of all because taking photographs gives you pleasure.
Now I am mobile again. I can go out and take photographs again. Sometimes I walk. Sometimes I cycle. Sometimes I use the car.
More Questions Than Answers
But now my main purpose is to again take photographs for pleasure. Like I used to. As I have done with the following set of photos, all of which, coincidentally, tell a story or ask a question. And I’ve added a small commentary with each image.
Window on the world: I was walking past an empty office space in town a few days ago when I happened to glance in the window, which was pretty dirty as it happens. I spotted the city high-rise buildings, all lit up, on either side of the doorway and did a double-take, stopped, positioned the camera lens hard up against the glass to prevent reflections, and took the shot.
Why did the (previous) occupiers put up those pictures? What city is it? And why is there a guitar there? Was this office space, in fact, someone’s dwelling? Check out the shoes on the left.
Seating for two: Who, what, why, where…That’s what I asked myself when I saw these two sofas sitting beside a busy road on the south side of my home town. Who put them there? What are they doing there? Why are they there? The where is obvious. They are just…there! And surprisingly, they are still there. After how long, I don’t know. Weird!
Yellow asks another question: What made me stop and take this photograph? It’s not just because I could. It’s because the overall yellow feel of the scene drew me in. Yellowish boarding on the house, supported by the yellow bin on the deck and by the yellow lid of the rubbish bin in the foreground. And I love the old car seat on the deck, too.
House on the corner: They say that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure! Creating an eyesore? To some, yes…but if you drive by quickly enough, you might miss it. Still an eye-catcher though.
I hope that you’ve made it this far down the page. Thank you if you have.
I referred earlier to my list of 50 YouTubers I had subscribed to. I have now whittled the list down to about half a dozen. Half a dozen useful, meaningful photography YouTubers whose contributions I enjoy and value.
Actually, I am happy to recommend these YouTubers – in no particular order of favouritism:
- James Popsys has a “thing” about the inter-relationships between humans and nature.
- I just love Andy Hutchinson‘s honest, funny and often irrevent presentations.
- I think you’ll love Henry Turner‘s absolute love and passion and the enjoyment he gets from photography.
- Andrew Banner is always a great watch.
- My favourite is Jimmy West, who always manages to prove that mundane and boring can be fantastic.
- And if you’re keen on more philospohical insightful approach to photography, check out The Photographic Eye.
If you have other photography YouTubers you’d be happy to recommend, drop a comment at the end of this story, please. I’d be happy to hear from you.
And what do you think about the basic premise of this story? Too much YouTube can damage your health!
( Heads up – I think it is important to let you know that DxO have provided the software I use at no cost, and I am a DxO affiliate, so if you use the code RickH15 at the DxO store, new cusotmers will receive 15% discount off any NEW DxO product purchase, and I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
