I'm not trying to be difficult, really, but when I'm asked "why didn't you make this photo in color?", they might as well ask "why wasn't this rendered as a sculpture?" or "why didn't you write a poem?". They're all just different media.
Maybe that sounds too pretentiously artsy for some people's liking, but it's really how I think about it.
You're too patient. I'd be tempted to just ask back "What makes you think this needs colour?" (or worse).
I think people that make these kinds of (generously) assumptions or (more accurately) criticisms are people who simply do not create on their own, and probably never have, so the fact that the medium is one of the choices for the artist to make has never occurred to them.
@mattblaze Not at all. You have the right to be tough in your art!
For me, it depends on the way the others ask. In our museum, we have lots oft artist events, and many of those questions are a kind of helpless curiosity. They often want to get stuff explained. But it's really a question of context and has nothing to do with social media reply guys.
Oct 15, 2026, 1:37 AMMatt, forgive them, for they do not know what they are asking
@mattblaze Why aren’t you a potted fern, Matt?!
I'm fascinated that you get asked so many weird questions.
@mattblaze fair enough
@mattblaze
"I'm not TRYING to be difficult, it's just a bonus" 😏
Oct 15, 2026, 9:17 AM
@mattblaze the only "Why didn't you" question I'd ask a photographer is "Why didn't you add alt text to reach more people?" I don't, though, because there's no good answer.
@mattblaze
Amateur photographer here.
Because I couldn't afford the color pixels. Do you know how expensive they are?
@mattblaze Thanks for bringing that up! I never would've thought about it and in my opinion your statement makes perfect sense!