Great Art is Rarely Convenient

The Price of Convenience vs. The Reward of Commitment in Photography

In a world that prioritizes speed, efficiency, and instant gratification, it’s easy to see why so many photographers choose the path of least resistance. I hear it all the time—I don’t use that process because it takes too long. I don’t shoot large format because it’s inconvenient. I don’t make darkroom prints because digital is easier. Convenience has become the defining factor in how many people approach photography, often at the cost of deeper creative expression.

But here’s the truth: great art is rarely convenient.

The processes that demand the most from us—those that test our patience, skill, and perseverance—are often the ones that yield the most profound and meaningful work. Creativity thrives in the space where challenges exist, not in the shortcuts designed to bypass them.

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Why Difficulty is a Signpost, Not a Roadblock

Anything worth mastering requires time, effort, and dedication. When something feels difficult, it’s often an indicator that we’re on the edge of growth, pushing beyond our comfort zones and into territory where our vision has the chance to evolve. If we only do what is easy, we never fully explore what we are capable of.

Yes, film photography requires patience. Large format cameras demand a level of precision and care that digital does not. Printing in the darkroom involves trial and error, failures, and long hours spent perfecting a vision that could be simulated in Photoshop in minutes. But that struggle, that process of working through the difficulties, is the art itself. It’s where we refine our instincts, where we learn to see more deeply, and where we develop an unshakable connection to our work.

Would you rather create ten truly remarkable photographs that fully express your vision, each infused with intention and meaning? Or would you prefer to produce a thousand forgettable images, made quickly and conveniently, but lacking depth and purpose?

The choice isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the value you place on your art, your vision, and the creative journey itself.

The Danger of Convenience in Creativity

Technology has made photography more accessible than ever, but in doing so, it has also made it dangerously easy to create without intention. Autofocus, auto-exposure, instant review, and AI-driven editing remove the friction that once forced photographers to think deeply about their choices. The struggles that shaped great photographers of the past—the need to understand light, the limitations of materials, the challenge of working within constraints—have been largely eliminated.

While convenience can be a tool, it should never be a crutch. If we rely too heavily on what is easy, we risk losing the depth and personal investment that make photography an art rather than a simple act of image capture.

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Pushing Through to Stay True to Your Vision

The heart of this discussion is not about digital vs. film, easy vs. hard—it’s about being true to your creative vision. If the method that best expresses your artistic intent happens to be time-consuming, challenging, or unconventional, that should be a reason to pursue it, not to avoid it.

Choosing a difficult process does not mean rejecting progress. It means recognizing that the how matters just as much as the what. It means refusing to let convenience dictate creative choices. It means embracing the time, effort, and struggle required to bring a vision to life—because in the end, the reward is far greater than the temporary frustration of difficulty.

If making handmade carbon or gum prints means you can only produce four or five truly exceptional photographs over six months, then that is time well spent—if it allows you to fully realize your creative vision.

What’s the alternative? To create more work, faster, at the expense of your artistic integrity—choosing convenience over intention, simply because it’s easier? No, thanks.

I will do the hard work. I will embrace the challenges. I will create with authenticity and purpose, no matter the time or material cost.

I would rather make one handmade photograph that aligns with my artist statement and creative vision than produce a hundred easy, forgettable prints. Because in the end, quality, meaning, and artistic integrity matter far more than quantity.

Final Thoughts

At its core, photography is about seeing and translating that vision into something tangible. When we take shortcuts, we dilute that vision. When we embrace the challenge, we refine it. The world does not need more effortless, forgettable images. It needs work that carries the weight of thought, effort, and personal investment.

So, to any photographer who has ever said, I don’t do that because it’s too difficult, I encourage you to ask yourself: Is convenience worth sacrificing your creative vision?

Because in the end, the photographs that truly matter—the ones that endure—are the ones that were hard to make.