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Author Topic: My day with Yuri Arcurs  (Read 30445 times)

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AVAVA

« Reply #25 on: December 10, 2008, 12:12 »
0
 Hi All,

 It has been a standard in the arts ( as well as crafts ) that when you reach a certain level of success that you give back to the community ( theatre, film, music, art, photography ). That is my belief, I don't expect this sort of thing from people just starting but once you are lucky enough to become successful at your profession what harm is there in giving back. It doesn't show much faith in your abilities to grow in your skill if you covet what you have in fear of others taking it from you.
 I personally started teaching photography at the same school I studied 2 years after graduating. I have been showing in detail what I do to many people for almost 20 years, through workshops and seminars and college classes. I have grown as my skills have grown. Not many of the people I have taught have made it as far up the ladder but some have come close and over the next decade some will pass me, it has been a great feeling watching them grow. For me that is a big part of what this journey is all about.
 How has that affected me. I am in the top 50 money makers at Getty images. I am not trying to brag with this statement just trying to make a point with this stat because I think it shows that sharing your ideas doesn't conflict with your successs it actually makes it stronger.
 I also have the confidence that I can keep improving my craft and that whatever I teach will be interpreted differently and as they learn what I am sharing I am off learning something new. Keeps you fresh and stops you from being stagnant in your style. One style will only take you so far and I think any good photographer will continue to improve along with those he or she teaches. I would say my style even photographic direction has made a radical change every 7-10 years.
 But this has deviated a bit about the original post. It was people that try to Slam Yuri for his own choice, how insecure is that. Believe in yourself and there is nothing that can stop you. I really like what some of you have posted about teaching or giving back.
 Fran you make a really good point about learning your craft through teaching others. There has always been a saying in America : Those who can do and those who can't teach " I completely disagree with this statement. I learn so much more than any student I have had just by trying to better understand what I had to explain. We both grow through the process.
 As for it hurting Yuri, I wouldn't worry to much about Yuri he is a shaker and a mover he is connecting with all the right people ( I am watching it take place ) and he will not be slowed down. That takes a special person with the right circumstances and especially the right amount of confidence and determination.
 AS for you Danp68 I don't want to hear that from you " I will never be " unless you are on your death bed there is always opportunity waiting for all of us it just takes hard work and patience. I think in 2012 we will all be wanting to know your secrets, so get out there and make it happen. I believe you can. ;)
 If any of you are offering others advice through direct e-mails about how to light and shoot I think that is great but please make those posts here for everyone to enjoy that would be awesome and very helpful.

Best,
AVAVA
« Last Edit: December 10, 2008, 13:44 by AVAVA »


fotorob

  • Professional stock content producer
« Reply #26 on: December 11, 2008, 04:31 »
0
It also says in my article that his images sell especially well in countries like Greece, Norway or Germany, probably because of his blonde models...

DanP68

« Reply #27 on: December 11, 2008, 04:41 »
0
  AS for you Danp68 I don't want to hear that from you " I will never be " unless you are on your death bed there is always opportunity waiting for all of us it just takes hard work and patience. I think in 2012 we will all be wanting to know your secrets, so get out there and make it happen. I believe you can. ;)


Hey - You can't tell me what to do!  Oh wait...thanks.   :D

Seriously Avava, I sincerely appreciate the positive influence you exert on this forum.  I know I'm not the only one who feels the same way.  We could use a few more like you.  If you are ever in the northeast US and want to entertain a student for a day, I'll be there.  And I promise not to use your secrets to take your business.  I promise not to take Sean's either.

« Reply #28 on: December 11, 2008, 06:54 »
0
Hi All,

 It has been a standard in the arts ( as well as crafts ) that when you reach a certain level of success that you give back to the community ( theatre, film, music, art, photography ). That is my belief, I don't expect this sort of thing from people just starting but once you are lucky enough to become successful at your profession what harm is there in giving back. It doesn't show much faith in your abilities to grow in your skill if you covet what you have in fear of others taking it from you.
 I personally started teaching photography at the same school I studied 2 years after graduating. I have been showing in detail what I do to many people for almost 20 years, through workshops and seminars and college classes. I have grown as my skills have grown. Not many of the people I have taught have made it as far up the ladder but some have come close and over the next decade some will pass me, it has been a great feeling watching them grow. For me that is a big part of what this journey is all about.
 How has that affected me. I am in the top 50 money makers at Getty images. I am not trying to brag with this statement just trying to make a point with this stat because I think it shows that sharing your ideas doesn't conflict with your successs it actually makes it stronger.
 I also have the confidence that I can keep improving my craft and that whatever I teach will be interpreted differently and as they learn what I am sharing I am off learning something new. Keeps you fresh and stops you from being stagnant in your style. One style will only take you so far and I think any good photographer will continue to improve along with those he or she teaches. I would say my style even photographic direction has made a radical change every 7-10 years.
 But this has deviated a bit about the original post. It was people that try to Slam Yuri for his own choice, how insecure is that. Believe in yourself and there is nothing that can stop you. I really like what some of you have posted about teaching or giving back.
 Fran you make a really good point about learning your craft through teaching others. There has always been a saying in America : Those who can do and those who can't teach " I completely disagree with this statement. I learn so much more than any student I have had just by trying to better understand what I had to explain. We both grow through the process.
 As for it hurting Yuri, I wouldn't worry to much about Yuri he is a shaker and a mover he is connecting with all the right people ( I am watching it take place ) and he will not be slowed down. That takes a special person with the right circumstances and especially the right amount of confidence and determination.
 AS for you Danp68 I don't want to hear that from you " I will never be " unless you are on your death bed there is always opportunity waiting for all of us it just takes hard work and patience. I think in 2012 we will all be wanting to know your secrets, so get out there and make it happen. I believe you can. ;)
 If any of you are offering others advice through direct e-mails about how to light and shoot I think that is great but please make those posts here for everyone to enjoy that would be awesome and very helpful.

Best,
AVAVA

Very inspiring. Thanks :)

« Reply #29 on: December 11, 2008, 07:25 »
0
If he's so concerned with dropping profits, I'm still surprised he's going around training his competition.  That doesn't make any sense to me.

Well now lets think about this ... rather suspect that it is because He is pretty confident about dealing with his compitition and rightly so with his talent and set up I dont think He has an awful lot to fear from many

AVAVA

« Reply #30 on: December 11, 2008, 11:14 »
0
Hi Dan68,

 You can come visit our neck of the woods I'll share all my secrets with you because I'll tell you a little secret, come here close... There are no secrets. SSHHH! don't tell anyone, it will uncover the myth that we are all really talented. ;D

Best,
AVAVA
« Last Edit: December 11, 2008, 11:16 by AVAVA »

« Reply #31 on: December 11, 2008, 13:33 »
0
If he's so concerned with dropping profits, I'm still surprised he's going around training his competition.  That doesn't make any sense to me.

Discendo discimus.

AVAVA

« Reply #32 on: December 11, 2008, 13:54 »
0
 I think anyone afraid of competition is just unsure of their own abilities to compete. But that is just my opinion. Nice addition Icefront. I think it is spelled " Docendo discimus " or " We learn by teaching " beautiful, and I couldn't agree more.

Best,
AVAVA

« Reply #33 on: December 11, 2008, 16:54 »
0
In the medical profession there is a mantra, watch one, do one and teach one.  This is almost the major tenet in medicine and many other areas. 

I know from teaching while I was in graduate school many many years ago taught me almost more than i have learned in my entire 4 years of undergrad training.  I have continued teaching my entire professional years (I shoot very part time) and I continue to learn every year and see new insites from looking at the material one more time, and then there are the questions the students as that can really give you ideas and insite. 

Moral of the story, teach and you will learn and grow more than you would otherwise.  Besides the more good deeds you do with your community the more good things will happen for you. 

Scott

« Reply #34 on: December 12, 2008, 00:06 »
0
I think most of what Yuri shares with others isn't so much about his techniques and lighting and things like that - most of it is about what stockphotography actually is supposed to be. Things you can't copy but you must have understood before being successful in this field. So I'm not sure that he's training his own competitors. I have learned quite a bit of useful stuff from him in my first six months in the business, although I have never produced images of people (only food so far - the fish are much more patient with a beginner like me).

Also - I teach university students (I'm a research linguist) and enjoy that very much. Beyond the subject itself I love to help these chaotic people find their way through the crazy institution. From a more general point of view I think it's very human - at a certain point in life - to want to begin to give after you have taken from others. Of course it is also a marketing tool to make tutorials - but in wondering why people put themselves out doing things like that, I have come to the conclusion that they might just be decent people. So maybe Yuri's just a decent guy (eventhough he has a very strange notion of "natural", I must say).


« Reply #35 on: December 12, 2008, 04:50 »
0
If he's so concerned with dropping profits, I'm still surprised he's going around training his competition.  That doesn't make any sense to me.


Quote from Yuris homepage:

"Why share? Having been reading this, you might wonder: Why would he share this information with me? Why would he give any such information to a potential competitive photographer? Well the case is this: I believe in complete information sharing. I dont hold anything back and have no problem giving away my secrets to new photographers. This was how I was introduced myself to stock by my mentor and this is the mind-set I prefer. I can give you a helping hand and a few good micro guides, but you will have to do the hard work yourself."
(http://www.arcurs.com/what-should-i-shoot-and-what-sells-well)

« Reply #36 on: December 12, 2008, 12:09 »
0
I have found that people tend to assume that most people have the same value set as themselves. Therefore, if they themselves would not help another person succeed without expecting something in return, it is very hard for them to comprehend that someone else might have that ability or inclination.

Not saying that is the case here, of course. Just a general observational statement based on my limited life experience.

While I agree with this statement to a degree, there are also plenty of wide-eyed optimists (perhaps myself included) that have been burned by seemingly well-meaning people that they have developed a healthy skepticism.  Fool me twice, shame on me.

However, my gut reaction is that Yuri is an extremely talented person who actually enjoys sharing his knowledge up to the point where it could do his own business harm and I appreciate the information that he has been willing to share. 


 

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