Recently someone who was about to receive one of my photographs said, "that would look GREAT in my bathroom!" Immediately, I became offended. Then I gave it some thought and it wasn't as simple as my initial emotions led me to believe.
Photographers consider themselves artist and they are. This is especially true of those who are trying to sell photos to people who are NOT the subject of the image. We want you to, at that point, display that picture in your home/office with pride and appreciate it as a work of art. It's easy for people to want to hang a picture of something that they care about (family, pet, friends) but it's quite a different matter when they choose something that the photographer thought was beautiful or striking.
So it's with that backdrop that I received that comment and it made me recoil. The bathroom? That's where you perform the dirtiest acts of your day. The 'art' that goes up there are pedestrian at best or plaques with cute sayings like "We aim to please. Now you aim too, please". That's not where a work of art should go....right?
What I take into consideration was
that that was how
I decorated a bathroom. Maybe this person's bathroom is her respite and she goes there to relax and strip away the worries of the day. What if my image is exactly what she needs in that space to create a serene atmosphere? I began to realize that I was looking at it from a completely myopic point of view. Shouldn't I be elated that she choose MY piece to grace her walls?
I admit it's hard for an artist to want their work to be anywhere else but front and center in a client's place but that's NOT our decision. There are countless photographer's work who never ever hang on ANYONE'S wall, even friends. I had the honor of being selected to enhance someone's home. And for that I am no longer offended. I am extremely grateful.
That's my focus...see you in the next frame.
