Cocky Photographers
A subjective list of habits and behaviors, written by someone very much included.
Over the years I’ve joked frequently with a friend and my brother about things that are cocky. We have this ongoing dialogue where we point out cocky things in the world, which in itself is pretty cocky of us.
Note: This is a slightly reboot of an article I wrote years ago, but it was time to address these things again.
They’ve given me a hard time since I became a photographer, and over time I’ve noticed my fair share of cockiness in our field of work, myself very much included. The longer I’ve been around photography, the more obvious it becomes that we all participate in some version of it, whether we admit it or not.
So I figured it was about time to address a few of these cocky aspects of photography. This is not an attack, a manifesto, or a moral stance. It’s a list. A dumb list. With exceptions. If you recognize yourself in any of this, welcome to the club.
I’ve also run some of these by photography friends here in Hanoi, so the research is obviously airtight.
So here it is.
Note: If you do these things you are not necessarily cocky, but the act itself is. I have to put this disclaimer out there because photographers are the most sensitive people I’ve ever met.
• Writing something about what’s cocky in photography.
• One named photographers. The first one that comes to mind is Platon. I’m not critiquing is work ok, so back off. One name on your byline is cocky. He is obviously a regular reader of this, so I hope he takes it lightheartedly. Slightly less cocky is going by a three letter initial, but it’s still a bit cocky.
Exception: If you only have one name on your original birth certificate, I will allow the one name usage. If that’s the case, Platon, my sincere apologies.
• Having a platform about your platform. I’m not sure if this exists yet, but when it does it will be extremely cocky.
• Instead of your name as your website or portfolio you use a photography phrase. You imply that you excel at the occupation. The Shadow Chaser, Moment Hunter, Eye for Light, The Optictrician, etc.
• Scarves are cocky. Cockier is calling them by their local name such as a krama. I was recently reminded that I do this all the time myself, so fair enough.
Exception: The original guys from VII pull it off because they more or less made scarves and kramas cool. They get a pass.
• Having your bio picture be you posing with your camera, action shot or not. We get it. Your work already tells us you are a photographer.
Exception: If your specialty is some strange gadget camera or large format and that is genuinely what you are known for, I’ll allow it.
• Unsolicited singing and acoustic guitar playing at parties, bars, cafés, get togethers, etc. If you want to perform, please do so in the proper environment and make it clear ahead of time so people can decide whether or not they want to attend. Do not just break into song. I realize this has nothing to do with photography, but it is extremely cocky and needed to be included.
Exception: You were once paid to produce a musical album.
• Email signatures that are so long they require their own separate email.
Here is my current email signature, which is admittedly ridiculous and intentionally unchanged:
Acceptable
Justin Mott | Photographer
Editorial
Email | Phone | Instagram
http://www.justinmott.com
Commercial
http://www.mottvisuals.com
Unacceptable
Justin Mott | Shadow Chaser
www.shadowchaser.com
Mountain Phone +84…
Underwater Mobile +84….
GPS Coordinates
Favorite Spotify Playlist
Representation Egypt Contact - +1….
Representation West of the Mississippi - +1….
Representation Sub-Saharan +9….
For questions about my scarfs contact my office administrator at +84…
WeChat, WhatsApp, Myspace, Viber, Friendster links
“The Greatest You Can Have is the One You Take With You” (yes quotes in your email signature are cocky)
• Casually mentioning flak jackets or asking questions about them on social or threads just to let people know you are going to a war zone.
• Having your assistant use your Billingham bag so it gets the worn look faster. While we’re here, Billingham is pretty cocky by itself, but their bag called The Packington is the undisputed champion of cocky bag names. I also own and love their bags so I’m pretty cocky.
• Gaffer tape. It was once cool. It is now overdone. I use it by the way so judge away. I even did a whole polarizing YouTube episode it here.
Exception: If someone tried to steal your gear off your neck, tape it up. A photographer friend and I had four guys try to steal our gear in Caracas, Venezuela, and we fought them off. Nothing was stolen. Telling that story is extremely cocky, and so is the fact that I’ve worked it into conversations whenever possible. If you shoot in the suburbs of Wyoming, you do not need gaffer tape on your camera.
Leading your photography project description with what camera you shot with.
Exception: You’re writing an article about your project for a camera company.
• Behind the scenes videos. I’m not saying I don’t watch them or occasionally make them. Some are genuinely useful. They are also a little cocky, especially video production BTS pieces that try to build suspense like they’re the first person to put a camera somewhere unusual. Cue the dramatic before and after, where the after is almost never impressive. Yes, when you film from a low angle it looks like a low angle. Incredible.
• The term Magic Hour.
• Wearing a vintage camera to a photography exhibition. Cockier is wearing a vintage camera to your own exhibition. I may or may not have done this at one point in my life, and I am not proud of 27 year old Justin for it.
Exception: If you shot the work being exhibited with that vintage camera, by all means wear it.
• People under 35 who feel the need to tell you within the first ten minutes of conversation that they only shoot film, followed by scoffing at digital. It’s cool to only shoot film. Much respect. It’s the looking down on digital that’s cocky.
• Leica. Great cameras. Very cocky brand. Velvet boxes and limited editions do not help.
• Wearing a shooting glove.
Exception: Wearing the shutter finger sock, custom fitted for your shooting finger, which I am currently finishing up my patent on.
http://www.fingershuttersock.com
• Did you really click on that link.
Exception: You believe anything I say because I’m a good guy.
• Making a rectangle with your fingers to frame a scene while nodding to yourself and biting your lower lip, essentially announcing that you found the shot.
Exception: None. It’s cocky every time.
• Showing someone your camera’s LCD screen and nodding to confirm that yes, you got the shot.
If you have rebuttals or missed exceptions, I’d genuinely like to hear them. If you convince me, I may update the list. I’d much rather hear additions in the comments, so feel free to pile on.
I am guilty of several things on this list. Please do not take any of this too seriously, especially if you feel personally attacked. That probably means I got you.
