jessedpoole

[jessedpoole]

The Faceless Critics

The thing about art is that it takes guts to put it out there—real guts. Not the kind you find behind a keyboard, throwing cheap shots because it’s easier than creating something yourself. Tonight, some faceless critic decided it was his turn to take a swing, claiming my work could be shot on a Samsung phone. Cute, right? A hell of a statement for someone whose profile is as empty as their perspective.

He tried to dress it up like a critique, talking about "originality" and "separating yourself from the masses." Said I was a copycat, compared me to Ansel Adams (because of course he did), and asked the million-dollar question: What separates us?

What separates us?!!

Let me spell it out for you: work, sacrifice, and a relentless obsession with seeing the world in ways you never will. It’s not the camera. It’s not the subject. It’s the grit. It’s standing knee-deep in the mud, fighting off mosquitoes while waiting for the light to hit just right. It’s driving 12 hours for a shot, sleeping in the back of a truck, and doing it all over again because good enough isn’t in my vocabulary.

You think you can walk out with your phone and capture what I do? Be my guest. Hell, I hope you try. Maybe then you’ll realize the difference between snapping a picture and making one. Maybe then you’ll feel that hollow ache in your gut when you know you’re just pointing and shooting, with no story, no soul.

And Ansel Adams? You don’t even get to say his name. Ansel didn’t just shoot landscapes—he carved his name into the history of photography because he understood that great art isn’t just seen; it’s felt. That’s what you don’t get. You think you’re being clever, calling my work “theatrical” or “a facsimile.” But what you’re really saying is that you don’t feel anything at all.

And that’s not on me. That’s on you.

So keep hiding behind your screen. Keep pretending your half-baked opinions hold weight. You’re not a critic. You’re just another person afraid to put yourself out there, afraid to fail, afraid to care about something enough to risk looking like a fool.

And just to be clear: I’m not hurt. I’m not mad. I’m bored. Because people like you aren’t worth the effort.

I’ll keep shooting the Cane River. I’ll keep chasing stories, chasing moments, chasing that feeling you’ll never understand. And you? You’ll still be here, stuck in the comment section, wondering why your words never landed.

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Shot on @canonusa

#PhotographersLife #CreateNotCompete #ArtWithEdge #StoryTeller #BehindTheLens #MoodyPortraits #NoFilterNeeded #StayAuthentic #GritAndGrain #DarkAndGritty #ChasingLight #PhotographyMatters #RealArt #CaptureTheMoment #UnapologeticArt #ShotWithSoul #CanonGang #VisualStorytelling #PortraitMood #ThisIsArt #NoSafeShots

[jessedpoole]

🎆✨ Natchitoches Christmas Festival magic in the air! ✨🎆

I’ve been chasing fireworks in this town for years, but this shot? It’s something special. Captured with a CPL and Mist diffusion filter for the first time, this frame reveals the beauty that explodes in the night sky. It’s not just about the colors; it’s about the moments that light up our hearts.

Every flicker tells a story, and I’m here for it. This is what passion looks like behind the lens—a little rebellious, a lot of love. Here’s to more nights of exploration and the fleeting moments that remind us why we keep shooting.

#NatchitochesChristmas #Fireworks #PhotographyPassion #BehindTheLens

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Shot on Canon

#nightphotography #Fireworks