We all understand that photography is subjective.

Most of us are comfortable with differing opinions about photography — until the disagreement lands on our own work.

“To be a photographer is to share how you see the world, only to be told you’re seeing it wrong.”

Even when we know, deep down, that it’s just opinion, it can still feel like a personal attack.

It seems that while we all understand photography is subjective, we still have to learn how to be judged.

But does it really need to be this way?

Photographers as Philosophers

Whether we recognise it or not, most photographers are quietly philosophers.

Our job is to decide what makes a good photograph. In doing so, we inevitably form opinions and biases. This is part of what makes photography so fascinating — and so personal.

“If everybody looked the same, we’d get tired of looking at each other.”

— Groove Armada

Each time we step out with a camera, we’re forced to make decisions. Over time, those decisions form patterns, and those patterns become our photographic style.

Along the way, we’re influenced by others — borrowing ideas, exploring different perspectives, and shaping them into something that becomes uniquely ours.

This is why two photographers can stand in front of the same scene and come away with two wildly different photographs.

In photography, it’s possible for two people to hold opposing views without either of them being wrong.

Chosen Standards, Not Universal Rules

The trouble starts when we forget that these standards are chosen, not universal. This is why arguments about photography so often miss the point.

Most disagreements aren’t actually about the photograph, but about the framework that led to it. We’re not disputing facts; we’re disputing values.

But because those values are so personal, disagreement can feel like judgement; not of the photograph, but of the photographer.

That’s when conversations stop being about ideas and start becoming about identity.

Respect and Boundaries

If a disagreement about photography is really a disagreement about values, it becomes less about who is right or wrong and more about how we live with difference.

Everyone is entitled to a basic level of respect. We don’t have to agree with what they’re saying, but they have a right to their opinion — just as we have the right to disregard it.

Forcing your way of seeing onto others is to forget that photography is a form of self-expression. It isn’t their job to create work that aligns with your vision.

This is where boundaries matter.

There’s a difference between being challenged and being threatened. Thoughtful debate can sharpen our thinking, opening our eyes to blind spots.

But there’s a difference between someone challenging your ideas and someone trying to diminish you. One is an invitation to think — an opportunity to learn.

The other aims to discourage you from daring to be different. An effort to place constraints on your creativity. To force you to conform.

Learning to recognise the difference is part of learning to think in public. 

When a conversation stops being about ideas and starts being about scoring points, it’s reasonable to step away. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you don’t have to give it your attention.

Photography asks us to decide what we value, and then to live by it. That responsibility cuts both ways.

Other people are free to hold their own standards. Thoughtful disagreement can be valuable — it can sharpen our thinking, reveal blind spots, and highlight the limitations of our own assumptions. 

But if someone can’t treat your values with basic respect, you’re under no obligation to listen to theirs. You’re allowed to take your work seriously without defending it to everyone.