Philosphical question

[Liney]

This is a totally left-field, I-need-a-glass-of-somthing-strong type question for you to ponder over.

With regard to introverted and extroverted character traits, if I was more interested in macro type photography would that indicated I was an introvert? If I was more interested in portrait or sport photography, would that make me extroverted?

Not sure exactly why I thought about it, but it made sense at the time.

Comments?

[ameerat42]

Now where does that leave just up-close-and-personal photographers? :scrtch:

[Geoff79]

I think it’s a fair call to make assumptions like that. I do everything in my power to never photograph humans outside of my children, and I’d call myself very introverted.

The main reason I don’t take photos of humans is because I’m just stupidly shy and awkward around them... so I could pair the two together.

Alternatively, I’d assume people who photograph people are probably very social and comfortable amongst humans? I’d assume...

[mudman]

Now where does that leave just up-close-and-personal photographers? :scrtch:

a perv?

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This is a totally left-field, I-need-a-glass-of-somthing-strong type question for you to ponder over.

With regard to introverted and extroverted character traits, if I was more interested in macro type photography would that indicated I was an introvert? If I was more interested in portrait or sport photography, would that make me extroverted?

Not sure exactly why I thought about it, but it made sense at the time.

Comments?

i don't think it matters as long as you enjoy what you are doing

[Mark L]

Not sure the genre decides intro/extrovert. Maybe the genre decides if you want anyone close by as you take your photo?
"if I was more interested in macro type photography" would indicate to me you're into macro.
"If I was more interested in portrait or sport photography, would that make me extroverted", just means you like sports photos and up close and personal portraits. (why would you do them portraits if you're an introvert??)

[bobt]

if I was more interested in macro type photography would that indicated I was an introvert? If I was more interested in portrait or sport photography, would that make me extroverted?


I would say that there is absolutely no relationship between the two at all! However, I would say that many - in fact most - photographers I have met have a place on the spectrum. That disturbs me because logically that would suggest that I am as well!!! :confused013

[MattNQ]

I think it is more based around experience rather than straight introvert vs extrovert.
I'm proudly introverted. Can happily be on my own for days. I really don't like being around people I don't know well. This time of year I hate Christmas parties and shopping:D....
So I do find myself too shy to do stuff like street photography. Would never contemplate shooting a wedding. I love landscape Photography. Love the isolation and shooting on my own.
But...I live & breathe sports photography for much of the year. Will get out and shoot anything sport.
I still find myself having some trepidation doing candid off-court photos, but knowing from experience everyone loves the photos from an event gives me confidence to wander around and take photos that I normally would not.
And this year I even shot the team photos for my daughter's netball club. 26 teams to pose & shoot.
Waaay out of my comfort zone with group flash photography but in the end very satisfying & had fantastic feedback on the final products. The club has already pencilled me in for next year.
Even made a few $$ out of that so super stoked to be moving in that direction.
So ultimately I reckon it is all in one's head....:D

[Kerro]

I like macro and sport and portraits, so I must be an extroverted-introvert or an introverted-extrovert. Works for me anyways.

[NikonNellie]

I am very into portrait photography and I am an introvert which does sometimes make me a little awkward around clients. However I have tried to overcome this by having a good knowledge of posing people, having some good outdoor locations and reading people's body language. I think the job would be easier if I was more of an extrovert. :)

[John King]

IMO, the two things are relatively unrelated. Most people would regard me as very extroverted, but I'm actually very introverted in many ways.

PS : I base this on an undergraduate degree in psychology.

[Mark L]

PS : I base this on an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Was there a photography component in that degree? Answer might help Liney.
But hang on this tread was posted as a philosophical question. mmmmm

[William W]

Philosphical [sic] question
With regard to introverted and extroverted character traits, if I was more interested in macro type photography would that indicated I was an introvert? If I was more interested in portrait or sport photography, would that make me extroverted? . . . Comments?


I don't think it is a Philosophic question, rather it is a Psychology question

The choice of ACTIVITY TYPE is a low valued indicator / ticker to profiling a personality type. There are quite a few variables which may trigger involvement or interest in an activity TYPE.

How a person ENGAGES in an ACTIVITY, is an high valued indicator / ticker to profiling a personality type. There are fewer variables which define HOW a person engages in activities: mostly all (if not all) are predicated by the personality of the person.

WW

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IMO, the two things are relatively unrelated.

I concur.

Please see explanation / expansion above.

WW

[ameerat42]

(Well, this is in OOF. It's nothing to do with/for/against the original question.)

WW, I think you are right, and the activity/engagement distinction is a good point.

How pervasive the applications of psychology are! - And not necessarily mostly benign!

Once, in the 90s, at a 4-day work time-out in a Southern Highlands resort, at great expense
to the corporation, and for no apparent reason (made to us) we were to be subjected to
(among other things like Myer-Briggs personality types) NLP analysis. (https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&q=neuro-linguistic+programming)

The idea didn't grab me much (I didn't know myself as well as they wanted to know me:eek:),
and after the 3:1 (I was the 1) interview, they left me "unclassified" :D

Others enjoyed and revelled in their NLP and M-B placements. (I can't remember my M-B class, but it
would have been inaccurate :cool:)

--Anyway, there's more, but it'd be boring :p

[William W]

. . . after the 3:1 (I was the 1) interview, they left me "unclassified" :D

Funny.

"unclassified", is not as dramatic as being "unclassifiable".

Merry Boxing Day.

WW

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I am very into portrait photography and I am an introvert . . . I think the job would be easier if I was more of an extrovert.

Probably not that the job would be easier, but I think that you would have (attract) a different type of Client.

WW

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Interesting conversation will return later: I have to go now, I still have a few presents to wrap - there you go - a personality type which usually leaves things to the last minute.

WW

[Bear Dale]

Photograph humans? Seen one human, seen 'em all.

[Mark L]

Photograph humans? Seen one human, seen 'em all.

Just like photos of a flower or bird. :cool:

[Tricky]

Just like photos of a flower or bird. :cool:

Around 900 bird species in Australia and I've barely photographed a quarter of them! But I enjoy socialising with other bird nerd introverts and talking twitch :)

[Mark L]

Around 900 bird species in Australia and I've barely photographed a quarter of them! But I enjoy socialising with other bird nerd introverts and talking twitch :)

So PM me if you ever visit Mudgee Richard. We can organise a couple of walks that we can ignore each other on. :D

[Liney]

Well thanks for all the responses, it certainly raised a few interesting opinions that would be worth expanding on.

On the subject of personality tests, I've done Myers Briggs and a couple of others through work sending me on team leadership training. On the last two-day session we had to fill in a whole screed of questions which then transposed into marks on a circular graph which we coloured in and discussed the findings. The facilitator told us that good leaders would be mostly in the blue or green, which dissapointed me as I was mostly in the red.

Turns out that I'm autocratic and oppositional, and they said it like it was a bad thing!

[bobt]

Turns out that I'm autocratic and oppositional, and they said it like it was a bad thing!

Well ... I suggest you take yourself aside and give yourself a good talking to!

Autocratic and oppositional huh ....... you don't happen to have a close relative in the US by any chance? Chap by the name of Donald ......?:D

[ameerat42]

Liney. Did you think it was a great taste of wine like I did? - Er..., - waste of time :rolleyes:

[Liney]

Ameerat

When they went round the room discussing the results of the self assessment, I pointed out my characteristics were advantageous in some scenarios when a job needs to be done in a certain way and there is no compromise on the details. In my current role (safety engineering) I need to enforce certain standards of behavior and rigour, but sitting there for the next day and a half listening to everyone trying to work out how to change their behaviors to get their scores into the green and blue sectors I really though the whole thing was a waste of time designed to make everyone happy clappy and acting in the same way.

[bobt]

When they went round the room discussing the results of the self assessment, I pointed out my characteristics were advantageous in some scenarios when a job needs to be done in a certain way and there is no compromise on the details. In my current role (safety engineering) I need to enforce certain standards of behavior and rigour, but sitting there for the next day and a half listening to everyone trying to work out how to change their behaviors to get their scores into the green and blue sectors I really though the whole thing was a waste of time designed to make everyone happy clappy and acting in the same way.

If I might get a tad serious for a moment, none of these personality types are necessarily mutually exclusive. Neither is one "type" necessarily better than the other. The secret perhaps lies in being flexible enough to accommodate differing characteristics and to be capable of accessing those characteristics when it is appropriate to do so.

Nearly half a century ago, I wrote a short poem which was based on the infinite range of personality types, emotions and complexities we manage to contain within ourselves. I reproduce it here out of interest as it is perhaps relevant. Feel free to move quickly past and pretend you never saw it! :nod:

A picture
Can inspire
A sense of beauty;
Of joy;
Of disgust;
An infinity of emotion.
But seldom
All of these
In one image.
A person
Can inflame
An infinity of emotion;
But not as a picture.
A person is unique.
A person can embody
All emotions
In the same frame.

[pgbphotographytas]

That makes a lot of sense.