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Looking throughout the history of non-commercial photography, it seems as though bad publicity is much more rewarding than good publicity. Photographers and the work they produce are constantly being critiqued. Some get positive reviews, such as, ‘the work was elegant and thought provoking’. Others get negative reviews like ‘the work is sacrilegious or an exploitation of some sort’. The latter tends to come from those outside the professional artist world. However, it seems to be the negative media hype that has launched or greatly promoted the careers of many.
Shelby Lee Adams has been and still is greatly criticized for his “documentation” of Appalachian Kentuckians. Both locals and professional art critics despise him, yet this attention has brought great exposure to his work, making him very well known. The same sort of story applies to Sally Mann who was constantly criticized for what many believed to be the exploitation of her children to make photographs. These images and attention have brought her so much fame and prosperity that she was almost pigeonholed into an uncontinuable style of work. Being arrested on suspicions of child pornography was the best thing to happen to the career of Jock Sturges. It may not have been a great time in his life but after everything was cleared he went straight to photography stardom. The media publicity allowed for people to view his work and get his name out there. Andres Serrano’s combination of religious iconography and bodily fluids caused quite a bit of controversy as well. Joel Peter-Witkin and Robert Mapplethorpe have done the same thing. They pushed the limits, or rather redefined what controversy meant, yet are now world renown for their work.
So what does that mean for upcoming photographers? It’s probably safe to say you can’t just offend people and expect to be famous. There are most likely a lot of other photographers to get bad reviews and not become famous. The important thing to remember is that the previously mentioned work of these photographers, no matter how controversial or disturbing, is very thought provoking and beautiful in its own way. They are passionate, determined, and talented. The key point with photography is to be who you are, and let what happens happen. Either people will like the work, or they won’t. As long as you like the work, you are doing the right thing.
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