Shooting The Single Picture.

That's what happens when you start to read a book :o) It starts you thinking and you hopefully take out the best bits and take on board lots of useful advice. Hopefully you read the relevant chapter/s before you embark on a project but it's never too late to learn more that you can apply next time.

Taking some time out from taking photos I dived into "On Being a Photographer"* again, this time reading the chapter about shooting the single picture. Most of the information echos the advice given in most magazines and by photography tutors but I do love the chat style of this book, the conversations between Bill Jay and David Hurn makes you feel like you are a casual observer listening into a fascinating debate.

So what have they got to say? That the photographer should always keep in mind that 'there is a purpose to the picture...to reveal the chosen aspect of the subject....to clarify its essence' and ultimately produce 'a visually interesting picture.' (p37)

The way to achieve this? Of course the two basic fundamentals of postion and timing, but added to this the taking of many frames of the same subject slightly varying the angle and position. Hurn states that a fine photographer will admit doubt thinking 'I am willing to admit that many little subtleties of camera position, which I can not pre-see, might make the difference between an adequate image and a good one.' (p38)

I don't profess to be a fine photographer but I have taken on board these ideas and must admit that by taking many shots and really taking note of the important elements I find one that works better than the others when reviewing the images either on a contact sheet or in Bridge. The difference may only be subtle but it can make or break a shot. It is often the case that 'you never know if the next fraction of a second is going to reveal an even more significant, poignant, visually stronger image than the previous one.' (p39)

What helps is, as said before, narrowing down the subject, even when you have narrowed it down to one topic that too can have sub-categories. Make up your mind what it is you wish to capture and that will help focus your attention onto the potential subject to the exclusion of others. Shooting either static or moving subjects the same rules will apply to a certain extent, obviously with the moving you will have less control of positioning and all the other variables and elements that help create the 'perfect' shot. Even Hurn admits that these elements do not always fall into place 'but we keep trying.' (p41)

Ok so we start thinking about timing and position, juggling the elements, I have to ask myself what happens with the careful composition? Or are too many images these days staged? All along similar lines? Nothing new to say? Rules are there to be broken but what if too many are and the resulting image just isn't at all pleasing? Once more Jay and Hurn cover this believing that  good design is essential when 'design is the vehicle not the destination.....If the image is well designed you want to look at it; if poorly structured, you don't care about the image and, hence, the subject.' (p43)

An awful lot more is discussed with specific photographers of note mentioned such as Walker Evans, and Ansel Adams, apparently his iconic shot of Moon and Half Dome. Yosemite, was one of almost 10 identical exposures he made at the same time.

Jay asks how much is down to pure luck as compared to instinct sharpened by experience? The answer given? Ultimately a bit of both, but 'experience obviously helps - which is another reason to shoot lots of pictures.' (p46)

So there you go another wise truism that practice makes perfect....

*(Published by Lenswork Publishing. ISBN 1-888803-06-1 Third edition 2001)

Selecting a Subject.

Near completing all the exercises for Project 1 (I just need to sort out my histogram shots for Ex3) my mind has turned to Assignment 1 and the need to devise a themed assignment.

It seems quite apt that this weekend I read a chapter from "On Being a Photographer: Bill Jay & David Hurn"
(Published by Lenswork Publishing. Third edition 2001) entitled 'Selecting a Subject'.
It makes interesting reading as to how and why we should photograph certain subjects. They start off by discussing what the main principal of taking a photograph is and come up with the statement that "The destination of photography is to reveal what something or somebody looked like, under a particular set of conditions, at a particular moment in time, and to transmit the result to others" (p29)

This statement is true up to a point as we all know and recognise, that given a subject to capture 5 people will produce images that are totaly different; some will be more appealling, more interesting than others. So they ask the question what is it that transforms simple records into photographs of "lasting merit"?

On reading the answer I find myself agreeing with them that the passion a photographer feels about their chosen subject reflects upon how they wish to present it and therefore how they shoot it.

"It comes down to the choice of subject. The photographer must have intense curiosity, not just a passing visual interest, in the theme of the pictures. This curiosity leads to intense examination, reading, talking, research and many many failed attempts over a long period of time." (p29)

A recommended course of action is to put your camera away and view the world without it. Think about what interests you most, write a list, what fascinates you enough that you want to capture it and share it with the world? This is important as the curiosity and fascination you feel for a subject can be communicated through the images you capture. Once you have made some choices the next important things to consider are is it visual? You maybe interested in the centre of the earth but is it possible to photograph it? Is it practical? The subject needs to be continually accessible. Do you know enough about it? If not research it first. Will it be interesting to others? This last question is a difficult balancing act, you may produce stunning images but if the topic is highly specialized you reduce the intended audience, on the otherhand as a photographer you wish to produce images that appeal to you and not pander to the mass market.

List whittled down and a subject chosen, planning ahead is really important, and this links in nicely to workflow. A comment made when reflecting upon the work of others is "many of the best photographers in the world........are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their subject and they plan ahead of the actual shooting."(p32) Also it can be important to restrict your topic, preferred lens and discover your own way of working. "The narrower and more clearly defined the subject matter at the start the more quickly identified is 'the direction in which to aim the camera' as Steiner said, and the more pictures are taken." (p32)

So there you have it! Find what you like, research it, go photograph it...simple ;o) I wish that it was :oD. I agree with their summing up that "The best pictures, for me, are those which go straight into the heart and the blood, and take some time to reach the brain," (p36)

This is where getting to grips with the craft of photography is so important, once you have grasped all the technical aspects of producing a technically acceptable image and it becomes second nature, you can relax and let instinct take over, allowing the thought process to take a back seat to the emotional process.