Interesting take on photographs you may think are a cliche

Id have to say that ive never been put off taking a shot, even if id seen it done by others hundreds of times.

When I first got in to photography, I looked at those photos and gained inspiration from them/wanted to replicate them to see if I 'could'. I would than use those technical skills and better knowledge of composition when trying to create something original for myself. I still have nothing against copying a subject, composition or style, as I now always take photographs for my own enjoyment.
 
Last edited:
As Nick said, when I first started taking landscape photos I used to see the common shots from my area as inspiration which made me want to go out and take photos. In a weird way I also kind of used those existing photos as a "yard stick" that I could measure my photos against.
 
My local places - Glen Coe, Rannoch Moor etc

Replication - As a viewer of people's images - I do get a bit bored with the same old views.

That said - I enjoy being out there 'doing' photography. If I happen to be in a familiar location then so be it. The end image is just a small by product of my day.
 
How many photos of the Great Pyramid have been taken ?,but a few years ago was going on an photo trip to Egypt and the photo library i sent work to (it was in the days of film) asked if i could get some shots of them to update their library :)
 
A lot of my photos are from cliché places that have been shot to death, but for me thats part of the appeal, he's right it does kinda give you something to compare to and try to better. Who cares if it's been done before really, I dont think that I've ever had a comment from someone thats kinda went "Thats nice but ive seen it before".
I just enjoy taking photos and if the end result is similar to someone elses photo then so be it :)
 
Thanks for all your comments, I have to agree with you all. Living in Dorset I have some very popular locations and it just spurs me on to try them and see what I can do.
 
I make a point of stopping off at the cliche spot by the low waterfalls at Buchaille Etive Mor any time I pass Glen Coe.

And at times there's a crowd with tripods.

So what?

It's different every time.

Many years ago when talking with a guy who did studio work he said he didn't do landscape because "It's all been done".

Wrong.
 
Rather than think of cliche images and locations in a negative light, I try and use them to inspire me to produce something of a distinct style that stands out from the rest, it certainly doesn't put me off....if everyone took the stance that "oh its been photographed loads of times, whats the point", then we all might as well pack in this landscape photography lark straightaway, because lets face, there's isn't many places that haven't been captured over the decades.

I'm off to Glencoe and Skye in a weeks time, its my first time ever in Scotland, never mind those awesome locations, I don't care how many times Buachille Etive mor, Black rock cottage, the old man of Storr and the rest have been photographed, they are completely new to me and I cannot wait to stick my tripod legs into the holes made by the countless thousands of photographers who have visited before to do their take of the scenes.
 
Like many others have stated here, I also use the cliche images as an inspiration to drive me forwards.
I look what others have done and then see if I can replicate it. For there i look and see if I can make them better.

Its annoying when you spend lots of time and money creating an image and show it somewhere only for someone to say "Cliche... did you just pop your tripod in the same holes others have left" and I find those comments are always left by folk without the balls to put their own images out there for critique.

Cliched locations are cliched for a reason, they are photogenic. I love to visit them and where possible, make them my own. We alll have to start somewhere and these images and location spur us on and inspire us.

After a tad over a year doing landscape photography as a hobby, my favourite 5 versions of cliched locations are these, and I personally think they are comparable to some of the best, so I say "Screw the haters"... and just keep shooting. :)

View attachment 25701
View attachment 25702
View attachment 25703
View attachment 25704
View attachment 25705
 
Last edited:
They maybe considered cliche, but invariably they are beautiful locations, or ones that offer an image that appeals to many who take landscape photos. I don't see it as a cliche to want to photograph lovely places. I think its also useful to be able to compare ones efforts to those of good photographers, as one can see where the differences are, and learn from it.
 
A very interesting read. Personally I'm quite negative the respect that if I've seen a location shot before e.g Tower of London Poppies, then I'm loathe to go shoot the same thing. I never really saw the point as I don't feel I could do any better than what's already been done but perhaps I've been looking at things wrong the whole time. I guess not so much what you shoot as how you put your own mark on it either in-camera or post processing, to make that image your own.
 
Those so called photographers who shout cliche, "err i was in the same spot the other day" and all the rest, seem to forget the the shot they captured the other day was already a cliche shot before they captured it. I'm off up to Glencoe at the end of the week and will obviously be doing the famous Buachille Etive mor shot just like everyone else, there's not exactly a great deal of scope for the shot other than the way everyone captures it and when I'm standing there in front of that awesome scenery, the last thing on my mind will be "oh this has been done before"..... I'm travelling well over 500 miles because I have never done it before and that's all that counts in my mind.
 
I don't have an issue with cliche, you can't claim other people's shot as your own, so why not get your own! Especially if you want to sell them.

Plus then when you are there you can try and get something a bit different, and then you get two good shots in one!
 
In my photography experience journey, cliche does not appear in my dictionary. We all need to learn at some point and I always want to see it (landscape) in real world and photograph it myself, using my experience, technique and PP. Whilst there are many samples around this enable me to compare with others and I find this useful in my progression.
 
I actually know of a few people who moan about cliched stuff like white backgrounds and copycat photos and they are the same kind of people who stop following a band because they become famous, Take photos of what you like and enjoy it, that is all that matters and if it looks like a photo that was taken by a million people already then that is tough and as Stumeech indicated, it will be your own.
 
Last edited:
I look at it as being inspirational rather than a cliche. Some locations are just stunningly beautiful, and that we as photographers take up the challenge to squeeze the maximum we can out of any location and do the place justice. I love looking at photographs, and there styles etc.
I guess ant 2 photos are unlikely to be the same, If you think of the number of variables it is staggering, light, weather, seasons, angles, day, night.... Before you even get into and individuals style....
Then how its shot, camera settings.... and the way the end result is processed.

I think looking at other photographs of a location makes you think and consider, that there are many ways to portray a location, and give you some ideas on how "YOU" would.
At the end of the day its your photograph, not someone elses.
Shoot and Enjoy!
 
Masked Bandit said:
Wow! No disagreement or fights:)

Best wishes for the New Year (cliché)

Philip
Click to expand...
Must be the season of goodwill !!
We'll be playing football in no mans land next (cliche 2 the sequel)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top