People who have traveled, worked, experienced life, and who regularly put themselves in the shoes of others' can appreciate a worldview that differs from their own.
Those who have grown up absorbing pop culture, studied psychology, have people smarts, and who know their way around art museums and galleries, aren't easily offended.
On the other hand, some people don't venture outside of their comfort zones, and are easily offended or upset by images, movies and music that contain themes they don't agree with. I am only offended typically by harm to children or animals, but now and then a special level of ignorance by people too lazy to educate themselves, can also offend me.
An artist should never self censor or self edit during creation. Art inspires and moves us forward as a species, and as a result, science often takes it's lead from ideas and themes presented in art.
Art can break cultural barriers and help people expand their perspectives.
Anything that stimulates conversation is a positive thing, especially if it isn't actually hurting anyone.
My work, for instance, can often contain nudity, sexual themes, and cinematic violence, all intended for an adult audience, but good art shouldn't be for all audiences. I am always pleased when someone likes my work, and accepting of the idea that some people dislike it, as well.
Haters need to hate what they personally don't understand or appreciate, and they have that right and luxury in a free society. When I dislike something (usually because it is painfully mediocre) I simply avoid it, but some folks aren't happy until they complain and whine about something they dislike until they let everyone know how they feel. (LOL, have fun with farting in the wind to an invisible audience. That existence seems miserable.)
Part of my process of creating is to explore a theme that confuses or intrigues me, and discover the answers of how it affects me as I am seeing it realized. I like to peel back the layers of mystery through the image making.
My approach is often "I have this idea, and it seems insane, so let's try to create this work and see how we feel about it after it is complete." I am lucky to have worked with models who want to explore and create in this fashion, as well.
Sometimes my work shocks me too, but it is very satisfying to see how others respond to it, lovers and haters alike.
My one rule when photographing models has always been to consistently make the models look good, cool and interesting.
In some ways, there is little that is original and new in the art of photography, but in other aspects, it is still a fresh and new medium of expression.
Every time I think I might be done with photography, I realize I have more to say so they might as well bury me with my camera when I die, so I can capture the inside of my coffin because I can't actually see myself ever quitting.
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