The Art of Photography


 

Some personal views concerning what makes photography an important and interesting pursuit and how to exploit your equipment and talent.

All to be taken with a grain of salt.


Types of Photography

The most popular photographic objective is probably the collection of visual memorabilia documenting family events and vacation experiences. The product is a nice album of 4 x 6 photos or, perhaps, a web/TV slideshow presentation. This can be a highly expressive art in its own right if you have ever seen a well-prepared photo scrapbook or on-line slideshow.

Some also aspire to the production of images that more broadly encourage an emotional reaction, express a personal interpretation of what comprises the essence of a visual subject or which convey a unique and memorable combination of themes, forms and colors. These are the sorts of photographs that might end up as large prints hanging on a wall, entered in a competition or presented in some other type of formal setting.

 

Technique

A prerequisite to success in any art is the mastery of some mechanical process or technology. For the musician it includes the unerring ability to strike the right notes and keep time. For the painter it is the ability to create forms and colors with brush and oils. The writer must know how to spell (or, at least, how to use a spelling checker), construct sentences that make sense and  (these days) operate a word processor. After learning all this comes the expression of what's special - the artist's unique vision, interpretation, opinion and application of values but - without a foundation of technical skills progress and achievement are limited.

And so it is with photography. There is a widespread notion the photographer does not need to know much about the process and that the camera does all the work. For snapshooting and casual photography this is true, just as almost anyone can learn to play chopsticks on a piano. Those aspiring to make compelling photographs should read Ansel Adams's "Camera and Lens - The Creative Approach" to appreciate the significance of craft in controlling the photographic expression of visual experience.

Tour the Internet photographic Forums and you will discover how few are ready to undertake the effort and acquire the experience needed to obtain an understanding of the importance and effects of depth of field, exposure, color balance, saturation, accurate focus, position, time of day, composition, form and color on what they hope to produce. The automatic settings of modern cameras are extremely helpful but for best results you must recognize when to intervene. To produce predictable results you will have to do some work - become intimately familiar with equipment capabilities and shortcomings, learn how to control all the photographic parameters and predict the outcome, experiment and cultivate the humility to learn from those who are better.

 

Subject Material

"Anything worth looking at is probably worth photographing". This statement by a truly gifted photographer whose work I admire perfectly expresses the essence of the photographic "eye". The creative photographer has acquired or been blessed with the ability almost automatically to view the world in terms of memorable images. Ordinary objects and scenes constantly reveal to the analytical eye and curious mind interesting themes, shapes, combinations of color and tones which, if properly selected, framed and captured by the camera will result in striking visual impressions. A visit to the Grand Canyon will provide an abundance of great views but the observant artist will find as much to share in the backyard, a local park or the kitchen. There is no shortage of interesting subjects if you learn how to look. In a sense, the subject itself is often unimportant.

 

Timing and Opportunism

Learn to pick the right time for making great photographs. There are many who think high-noon is best because the light is so good. This is actually the worst time of day for most photography. Shadows are filled with a ghastly blue haze from the sky. There is way too much contrast. Human portrait subjects are squinting irritably in the glare and their skin tones are cadaverous. The noon hours are best for lunch and a nap. The really interesting light develops in the early morning hours, late afternoon and evening. Noel Coward observed that "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun". He could have added "too many photographers" to that list. For some reason, digital is very good at making the best of dismal lighting and color which, in film days, would have ruled out attempting anything. Overcast, rain and other seemingly poor conditions often yield exquisite results. Furthermore, such conditions are especially congenial to snapshooter type cameras and super-zooms with their limited dynamic range (more on this elsewhere).

When it comes to wildlife photography, review your personal habits and put yourself in the place of creatures having every reason to doubt your intentions. The photographer who thrashes about the woods like an enraged wildebeest (often in the chattering company of others) will never see any birds unless it is for the brazen magpie or domestic pigeon. Settle down quietly somewhere and curiosity will soon draw out even the most timid denizens of tree or pond. Consider a visit to the zoo. It's surprising what variety of wildlife you can find there and I don't mean what's in the cages. The captives (birds especially) act as decoys and many wild species difficult to approach in their natural habitat will forage comfortably along the pathways.

 

Composition

The composition of a photographic image is the essence of its appeal. Good composition provides an image with structure as opposed to a random collection of objects, thereby drawing attention and inviting repeated viewing. By selection of viewpoint, framing and scale (among other things) the photographer chooses and positions the principal elements of his subject material in such a way that they will naturally attract and guide the viewer toward an appreciation of the key visual theme he has perceived.

We all know about the "rule of thirds" wherein an image is divided into thirds both vertically and horizontally. The photographer then endeavors to locate the principle elements of the subject near the intersection points or coincident with the third-way lines. This is probably better than leaving things to chance but lazy observance yields predictability and a sense of contrived order. The rule of thirds has become so entrenched and over-used that some of the most effective photographs succeed by deliberately breaking it. Experiment. Fortunately, our digital cameras invite experimentation at no cost in materials and without the obstacle to creativity of having to wait two weeks to see the results. We can explore new territory with ease and with the supportive stimulus of instant feedback.

Consider the photograph on this page. It might not be a prize winner but it's interesting just the same. The compositional rule there might be "All the same but no two alike" which has nothing whatsoever to do with "thirds". On the contrary, the image significantly relies for its appeal on the somewhat disconcerting fact there isn't any obvious structure (nor any possible). The theme stands out on its own. There are probably as many "rules of composition" as there are combinations of factors that make something visually interesting. The trick is to minimize distractions and enhance the dominance of those eye-catching factors.

Effective composition may include elements that deliberately suggest non-visual sensations. For example, a very sharp image revealing fine detail can evoke an almost tactile impression of wood, stone and other materials having an abundance of fine-scale structure. On his site Ken Rockwell emphatically insists that sharpness is only a distraction and has nothing to do with great photographs. Nevertheless, most of his photographs are very sharp indeed, as are those of most photographers with a reputation for fine work. Sharpness is by no means essential to all compositions but in many instances it acts as a visual "magnet", capturing the attention of the eye and drawing the viewer into the image.  If sharpness is a distraction then why not color, form or contrast? We could get very silly with this, telling people to avoid this, that or the other thing when, in fact, all attributes of a photographic subject have the potential for contributing to the creation of a great image. Decide for yourself on a case by case basis what things are distractions and which are essential. You risk losing what might be unique about your work if you take too much advice.

There's obsession these days with very wide-angle views and lenses. Wide-angle is great for landscapes but one of the most distressing compositional flaws is being too distant from the subject and/or including too much distracting and irrelevant material. The legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson said: "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough". Great advice. Even for scenery the short telephoto lens is sometimes the best choice. Of course, you can crop a cluttered image later but this will cause loss of detail. It's always better to compose properly within the viewfinder. "Less is more" is a photographic rule deserving much more attention than it gets.

Examine images by acknowledged artists (photographic and otherwise). Study the choice and placement of critical elements to determine why their pictures are so appealing. No one wants to be a mimic but there is value in concentrating on the methods of someone whose work you especially admire and forming some of your initial approach on that style while developing your own. Great cinematographers are what they are, in part, because of their knack for composition so don't hesitate looking to well-filmed movies for insights into what makes an image compelling and memorable.

 

Style and Personal Approach 

It is said that what distinguishes the professional photographer from the amateur (apart from the former making his living at photography) is a recognizable body of work characterized by the photographer's unique personal imprint. There is an analogy in music. Someone who has taken an informed interest in the subject will almost instantly be able to identify the composer of a work even if he has never heard it before. Much advice is impossible in this area but it seems likely you will evolve a recognizable style by narrowing your interest - specializing to some degree. Some will find action photography more to their liking while for others it is landscape, wildlife or portraiture. Clarity and precision might partially characterize one person's work whereas the appeal of another's could derive, in part, from the subtle rendition of tones and color. Some specialization makes for more efficient skills development while avoiding certain subjects or techniques encourages discipline in making a photographic statement without feeling you must do everything.  A good example is traditional black and white photography using large format film equipment. Here the photographer eschews all the conveniences of auto-focus, portability or even a viewfinder to concentrate on rendering the impression of pure form, texture, light and shadow. To this photographer, color is a distraction. You might not agree with that sort of bleak asceticism but there is no denying the compelling drama and power of fine B&W images.

You will notice many variations on this theme. Some photographers avoid all (or most) post-processing and others stick with film. There are studio photographers who cannot understand the appeal of available light photography. There are underwater enthusiasts and aviation fanatics. Despite (or, perhaps, because of) these differing visions concerning what makes a great photograph, you will find fine photographs being made in the context of all these and many other specializations. What we choose to photograph - and how - is ultimately an expression of personality. In this we are each unique.

 

Technology and Talent 

Despite the helpfulness of good equipment and the importance of technique it is a sad mistake to fret over technology. The "pixel-peeper", constantly looking for imaging defects or poring over his resolution charts with a powerful German magnifier ends up wallowing in a fetid swamp of doubts and misgivings because, of course, there is no such thing as perfection. Go looking for trouble and you will surely find it. The pixel-peeper spends his time reading reviews and debates, agonizing over his purchases (or finding vindication if he is lucky) and may never move on to taking some pictures others might want to look at. He may even become a "brand hopper" (the delight of sales-people), buying the latest and greatest, according to the advice of the pundit most recently managing to inflame his insecurities.

By contrast there are snapshooters with 2 megapixel shirt-pocket boxes who, having come to understand the limitations while exploiting the simple virtues these units have to offer, consistently capture images I find fascinating even though they might not enlarge well. Mastery of craft is vital to creating the finest work and hi-tech tools are very helpful but there is no substitute for real talent and for taking the time and effort to see what is beautiful, essential or otherwise important about a subject others might treat with in a trivializing way or overlook entirely.

 

Conclusion

My own talent is unexceptional but striving always to do better is sometimes the most enjoyable part of the photographic experience.

My wish in building this site is that visitors will find something, small though it may be, that contributes to their enjoyment of photography as a creative way of sharing their view of the world.

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