Instructed to stop taking safe photos?

[mark]

Thanks for all of the feedback.

I have made another attempt to contact the instructor.
In reply to this email, the instructor stated to start taking pictures of things that "talk to me in some way".
This has me even more confounded, as that is what I thought I had been doing all along.

I do not think they mean for me to break the rules of composition, as they have been pushing the students to follow those rules all semester.

This actually makes more sense than you realize.

Make a list of those things you are passionate about. Then try to communicate that passion.
Think theme. People may be passionate about fast cars but that is the object of the passion.
It is the SPEED they are really passionate about.

The instructor set the bar pretty high. Should be fun.

[kb3lms]

I forgot the olde lady characters name....saturday nite live weekend update "editorial" guest...

Emily Latella

[mids1999]

Well, there are quite a few things that I have become passionate about, and I have already photographed a few of them.
I will have to dig deeper into my list of interests, and hopefully come up with something.

As far as shooting something that I am uncomfortable with; the truth is, that I have become quite comfortable behind the lens over the years.
There are really only two areas that I can currently think of, that make me uncomfortable; photographs where I would be financially liable for messing up and nudes.

This discomfort would be at the financial and interpersonal levels though, not the technical level.
I have this image of either being sued for messing up an important event in someones life, or getting smacked repeatedly for asking people to model in the nude.

[John Austin]

getting smacked repeatedly for asking people to model in the nude.

There are those amongst us who enjoy that bit, but don't tell anyone

D.O.M

[Bill Burk]

I have this image of either being sued for messing up an important event in someones life...

That is such a great idea! You don't have to really mess up an important event to take photographs that look like you did (or that the event was a fiasco).

[Fotophreek]

Get out of your photographic comfort zone.

[Valisa89]

According to my view i think you should capture all images which are impossible to capture by someone.

[Ghostman]

Do you want the instructor to spell it out for you? Maybe take some pictures for you? It's not hard to understand. Take yourself out of your comfort zone and take pictures. If you're taking a picture and you're thinking 'this is easy, I'm comfortable' don't take it. If you're taking a picture and you're thinking 'why am I taking this picture' - sit back and think about it, or don't, and ask questions of yourself that someone else might ask you and then have the answer ready.

Good luck.

[Felinik]

Shoot only when it "feels" like what you see is worth to shoot, when you feel that sensation in your brain/body, excitement, curiosity etc. and learn yourself not to "think" when you shoot, the only thing you should think about is to make the exposure work, let your eye/brain/sensation do the rest.

[chiller]

instructor, eh...well, it looks like you're forced to give him what he wants if you want a passing grade.
if you care about the class, then suffer--find out what he means first--just tell him the truth, that you do not understand what he means and ask him to clarify, with examples if possible.
THEN--do what he says, get the grade and go BACK to what you WANT to do--never let ANYbody tell you what's good and what's not--that's YOUR call with your work.

HOWEVER--when you are being paid by someone, its THEIR call--and being graded is just like being paid. If the customer (instructior) don't like it, you dont' get paid (passing grade).

You've had your fun, now it's time to "suffer." Just like other photogs that must do junk work for money to fund their REAL work that they like.

Very good reply johnielvis. The instructor certainly doesn't appear to have communication skills from simply saying the images are too safe. Was Ansel Adams too safe because he photographed predominately landscapes for nearly 60 years. Was Weston safe because he did a series of at least 30 Peppers. Is Sally Man safe because she photographs the way she does. We see these photographers at the top of their craft yet in reality most of their work could be considered safe from the perspective of a continuing style. Each of these photographers has an approach that they became comfortable with and then refined in the execution of the majority of their work. Expanding your horizons can be good if you fully appreciate what clicks with you creatively. Expanding your horizons just because someone plucks the hackneyed term "safe" out of the air without much guidance might cause you to get out of your comfort zone but fail to produce any work that you truly relate to and own emotionally. One man's safe may be another man's terrifying. You may very well benefit from a dose of terrifying but you need the boundaries of what that terrifying is.