This Minor Shift Unlocks Major Photography
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
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What is the best way you've found to overcome preconceived ideas about what or how you should photograph something?
Deciding to switch to a long lens
Instead of a book, I use Flickr. I look at member photo streams and also look at what they have favoured on other streams to see how their images have been taken. Flickr has helped me the most in improving my photography. I also look at my past images using my screensaver. When an old image pops up I think about how I would do a redo/improvement of it.
I never thought that I should photograph in any specific way. I can try to photograph something I saw in a picture that inspired me but I would try to use the same approach to see if I could do it.
What we, as photographers, should not do is fight human nature, human brain, the way we perceive things. There are rules that are unbreakable. Most of them are quite obvious that most people don't think about and they stem from the obvious: photography is different from the subject. Most things we photographs are 3D while most photographs are 2D. Most photographs are smaller than the object being photographed. A picture of the Grand Canyon will never put the person looking at it in the state of awe like the real thing does. A portrait of a person is a freeze frame photocopy of a person's face. Looking at a person in real life we are getting a real time stream of stimuli that are not only visual, our brain creates a composite of what we are experiencing while looking at a person and photographing that person. Looking at a photograph of that person we are looking at a thing. A mechanical, optical, electronic representation of what was in front of the lens when we pressed that button.
I went that way exploring the medium and playing with its limitations and strengths. I am never wanting for a subject to photograph, quite the opposite. I have hundreds of ideas that I want to photograph. And I carry them inside my brain. They don't just sit there but subconsciously evolve or drop out or transform. Sometimes I held back by not having access to something or someone. Right now it's a female model of a specific look and, not related, for another picture a rusted barb wire.
Sorry about making this so long but what I would recommend is to plan a picture. Find something that interests you and work on it. Wether it is going to a specific place at different times of the day, weather, season or getting the right props or finding the person with the right look. Then start another one at the same time, and then ten more. This way you are always busy thinking about it and doing something about executing your ideas. You make pictures, you don't take them. Great pictures don't just happen. You make them happen.
Thank you Alex for this video. I have been working on a project for over a year now. At some point I decided to bring only one lens to force me to seek alternative angles by being limited in lens choice. This is a landscape project and the next time I go, it will be day number 33! After getting a lot of the scenic shots, I am now focusing on details and patterns which are as endless as the scenic pix.
This is such an awesome question.... I have found the best way is to think of a project (that interests you) how can you express that Project/idea... by not limited myself to one image but a sequence (maybe over a long period) I can explore.... the project is your own and therefore what I capture is how I want to explain/feel about the idea......it is not as constrained by the genre... eg Landscapes, street.... but by my imagination. Hope this makes sense
I have recently started to limit myself to one area in the big over-photographed city where I live and keep going back to the same area on regular occasions, at different times of day, different weather, different, light, different seasons even. Whilst it will also remove the burden of having to think where to go each time I go out, the challenge will be to come away with new photo's each time, try to look at the area in a different way.
That's awareness and observation in action! So glad to hear you're doing that.
I've found myself drawn to bright color. Things that are colorful already, I make more colorful. I've decided to stop fighting it and, instead, to embrace it. It does make for some interesting photos if not "correct" ones.
Me too! Check out Pete Turner. He's inspiring to me.
He's great - its a shame so much of his work online is only low res
I was also drawn to colour on the weekend. It was a weird feeling as I'm not usually in that headspace, but it just seemed to fit the location and the weather
If I go out looking for the portfolio shot every time I will take almost no photos but when I go out with the goal taking photos of what catches my attention I take more photos and some of them are surprises. If I let the joy of just taking a photo whether they are "good, bad or ugly" I find I enjoy it more.
So often the way - it we look for the photo too hard, it's elusive!
I love that. Photographers are the only artists who are not interested in the history of their art.!!! This alone explains the dire state of photography of today. Thank you, Alex.
Thanks for watching
I'm 29 years old never done any photography in my life no one in my immediate family has any connection to photography I just picked it up one day! I've been doing nearly daily for a year now I'm in love!!!
Photography is such a great creative outlet. Shooting every day will help build your skill level, especially if you challenge yourself. I’ve had a camera since I was a teen and have loved photos my whole life but I never grasped photography until I bought my first DSLR in 2008. I have not looked back. I am definitely not the best photog and I definitely lack skill but it doesn’t stop me from picking up my camera and shooting whatever may be calling for my attention. My favorite part to photography is experimentation, I am constantly experimenting with different ways to shoot. It is so fun and with playing around, you won’t have expectations, you are free to shoot how you want. I freaking LOVE photography, it has been my saving grace. Enjoy shooting!
That is awesome!
I really appreciated this video. These concepts resonate with my current situation. I'm mobility limited, and can't stray too far from the house or the car, and not for long. Add to that that only a couple of years ago, I had cataract and post-capsular surgery which ended a 6 year period of partial blindness. Frankly, EVERYTHING looks amazing, even the smallest and most mundane things. The problem, for me, is that even boring or ugly images look wonderful. I could take the most boring pictures all day and still be ecstatic! But, unless I want to sit in my office, and stare at my own images all day, that's really not enough. I want to make other people smile and for them to see something special.
Finding what IS unique, artistic, and wonderful in these everyday moments is what is driving me now - and it's a frustrating endeavor. But, sometimes I DO succeed!
Of course, my long-suffering spouse does occasionally roll her eyes, as if she had her way, she'd see nothing but pure documentary work, straight out of the camera. She really doesn't care for blur or vintage treatments. LOL. Different strokes ...
Thank you for sharing your story there. I hope it inspires others
I have been walking down the same country lane daily for the last three weeks to improve my fitness. And taking my camera, of course! I've been forcing myself to be far more aware of my environment, from the small branches, hedgerows, sticks, tree silhouettes, leaves (large and small), different fungus, and anything that catches my eye. Then add in a ton of different angles. In the past, I would have thought visiting the same place (in this case, the same country lane) would be boring and I'd never see things to photograph, especially after the first couple of visits. On the contrary, it's actually improving my awareness of possible photographs around me. For example, a few days ago I photographed three delicate, yellow leaves still hanging onto a bush from Autumn. I nearly walked away after noticing it, but listened to my gut and took the photo. Today, some three days later, the leaves have gone. It has definitely improved my photography and understanding of how a location can change by the week and how things aren't "boring". I'm following my instincts and what interests me.
I'm late to this one Alex, but such great points in here. Thank you.
There is no other person talking so much sense about photography than you Alex! Thank You sir
I found photography intimidated, but not anymore thanks to your video. Thank you so much Alex.
Thank you, happy to hear that
When I find myself in a spot where I feel that the overall scene may be "boring" or there "is no shot" that's my clue to start looking at details and small things. I do this generally anyway, but especially in places where there is no real obvious grand photograph to capture (in my opinion). Plus if you start looking at detail and closer shots (tighter shots) even with something like a grand landscape, you can come back with some compelling images too, even if the entire scene (grand landscape) lends itself to shooting. I think the detail shots of any scene are equally as important and especailly important when the grand landscape may not be.
The other thing is to go back to basics in a way, and stop thinking about the whole scene or a complex scene, but start breaking down your surroundings in the basic fundamental elements of composition (line, shape, color, etc) and I think by doing that, you can find compositions ANYWHERE. Sometimes just interesting light or an interesting pattern is all you need (so light, possibly color, and patterns/lines would be applicable here in terms of composition elements).
That's some helpful advice there, thank you for sharing it
It's been a true eye-opening experience to realize books are often much more valuable, and are a better source of knowledge than most degrees these days. It's thanks to books and people like you that share their knowledge and advice with others for free that have allowed me to explore my creativity and actually love what I do much more than 'Art school' ever did. Thank you so much for this video!
Thanks for watching
I agree with your music analogy Alex 👍📸
I may have mentioned this in a previous comment on this excellent commentary. I took an art photography course at the University of Texas in the early 70's led by Garry Winogrand. His mantra to us when he sent us out to take photographs for the week was, "Shoot without preconceptions!"
You have hit on something i have thought about when looking at Pro photographers' pictures. I have often thought to tell the Pro: "Well I could have taken that one if I only lived next to a National Park as you do." What's difficult is to make a photo that by it's composition, color, etc. is compelling. Thanks, Alex McKown
So true. As a lifelong musician I couldn’t conceive of trying to make music without having listened to many many other artists
Always enjoy your insights on photography.
Glad you like them!
if one is in their beginnings as a photographer, it sounds like taking a lot of pictures is the main method of getting better.. so a digital camera probably is better to start with than a film camera. I really like film cameras, especially old ones, but i guess i‘ll start by using a digital camera to get a feel for framing and composition..
I live in Kanas -"flyover country".
There's an amazing number of things to photograph, even on the outskirts of the major cities. The light and the skies here are amazing. And that's only the beginning. Good photos aren't about where you are. It's how you think.
Your videos are always such a pleasure to watch and listen to!
One thought I had in regards of the so called “Everyday objects” is that (when man made) there is (almost) always a design behind them, so some aesthetic is intrinsic to it.
Also natural “objects” have their aesthetics and “design” behind them, so they surely make for fascinating photography subjects.
Your every video make.me.think one point at photography .alla inspiring.tgabk you❤
I love your videos, for me it would be great if you could release them as podcasts! Any chance you can look into this? Thanks so much!
I had really lost inspiration in my city, and stopped taking photos of anything for the last three months: I still can't find a focus. So I decided to ask for two Christmas present books: Magnum Contact Sheets, and Forever Saul Leiter for some inspirational direction....Thanks for your videos, Alex, and Happy Christmas to you and the family (including the family here ;))
I love Saul Leiter. Look at Ernst Haas. Another street photographer contemporary using color.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
Thank you, happy Christmas to you all!
At photography art school one of our classrooms had a small garden outside. Just grass, a fence, the building wall, window etc. Our lecturer told us to go into the garden and make 36 good black and photos without leaving the confines of the garden.
I really needed that video. thank you
That's a first for me, I never saw a wasp trying to attack someone doing a vlog! Great info, thanks Alex!
Thank you
Such a great video, thank you
Thanks for watching
Great stuff!
Thanks!
good photography topic.
Thanks 🙂
Thanks Alex. That book is going on my wishlist. Every video is a learning experience for me. Thank you. ❤
Thank you for all your great videos. I really appreciate your down-to-earth attitude and your appreciation of the old ways- the softness and realism of film. Everyone seems to want tack-sharp and highly unrealistic over-processed images these days. Looking forward to your new videos.
Thank you
So true! Thanks for the friendly reminder! 😂
Any time!
Thank you, Alex. These videos which touch on this subject are always inspirational and eye-opening for me. I usually go right out and take a picture of something, often it's close to where I am sitting watching your videos. Cheers.
That's great to hear! I'm so pleased you're enjoying the videos
Thank you for this video. I retired from sports and concert photography a few years ago and I’ve been stuck ever since. I needed this inspiration. 🫶
Hi Alex, great vlog!
I hope you got your macro lens out and photographed the wasp that photobombed your video. I'm looking forward to seeing them soon!
😂
There is a difference between looking, and seeing.... Great video !!!
Thats the beauty of photography, I look for the unusual....
Thank you very much!
Fantastic content. Thank you
Thank you so much for watching
Hi Alex - thanks for the inspiration. Wonderful to watch you and the many examples of great photography you’ve curated for us. ❤
My pleasure!
Great video 😊 thank you
Thanks for watching!
Ever since I saw the work of Stephen Shore and Gregory Crewdson, I knew my hometown wasn't "boring". Considering Crewsdon shot in my hometown, I began to "recreate" some of his work on my own, searching for those locations and seeing the differences between his staged works and reality. Finding local inspiration really helped me grow into my own creative vision and even if I don't have a ton of time to shoot right now, I still make the effort to find the hidden details buried in the mundane.
Nothing quite like seeing a famous photographer photograph the same place you live to break you out of your ideas!
Great message. I am challenging myself currently to take pictures everyday. I found an old Sony powershot, and let me tell you. It is so nice to not be tied down by all the modes and all the features of my dslr. I now just take pictures when I see something that catches my eye.
I found a similar thing when I bought a Holga many years ago, with it's lack of any techincal jiggerypokey
Great video as always. When I take on any type of endeavor I almost always do a deep dive into it and try to learn as much as I can, that includes techniques, history, and other artists. It informs me in a way it is hard for me to describe. I would like you to know that you and Ted Forbes have probably introduced me to more photographers than through any other outlet. When I get bored I force myself to go photograph four items or scenes in my house. Three of those photos are in the style of (different photographers) and one is something of my own creation. It helps me tremendously.
I'm pleased to hear I'm broadening your horizons in photography.
Who has been your favourite discovery so far?
@@ThePhotographicEye It would be so difficult to give just one favorite and I've been watching your channel for so long I know some have escaped my memory. I would say Todd Hido, Ernst Haas, and Joyce Tennison are standouts. Quite honestly the work of Hido and Tennison both haunt me in a good way. Thank you for the content you present, it helps more than you know.
You have vast experience and yet as you said ‘you’re still learning’ . I don’t think anyone has mastered photography 100%. Why is it that your videos keep getting more better than the last one, they’re addictive lol
Yes, there's no 'win' in photography - it's a continuous process. Thanks so much for the kind words
If your goal is to shoot “Work that matters” then there are certain things that are “too boring”. Spin the words all you like. I will still watch the video, but facts are facts. In some cases and situations, boring is simply not appropriate.
After watching the video: ok, I will admit this gave me some food for thought. Perhaps I need to break out a photography book. Thx Alex!
Thanks for watching along. Indeed there are moments when you need to photograph certain things, but for most of us, those are few and far between
Fred hertzog, william eggleston. Two of my faves that really challenge this idea beautifully! Great video Alex :)
Awesome! Thank you! There is a video here from a few months back on Eggleston
Oh wow, the wasp definitely did want to be photographed too! Your videos are so amazing and full of inspiration, non - conventional points of view... Truly a place to broaden perspective on the whole world of photography 👍
Thanks so much! Yes, the wasp wanted in on the action!
" Bloom where are you are planted"
Thanks as always Alex
My pleasure!
Great advice! Thank you.
You are so welcome!
Great video, thx for sharing. Generates ideas and inspiration for me, thx for broadening my perspective 👍
My pleasure!
Dear Alex, in this context I like to suggest the book "Seeing Things A Kid's Guide to looking at Photographs" By Joel Meyerowitz. It is really a guide to train your eyes and senses in a very subtle way. Although there are some comments in the book about a few photographs that seem to be over glorified. I feel the foundation of photography is a unique blend of Consciousness, Awareness and sense of Life, there after comes the Lines, Forms, Structures, Textures, Timings etc. Once you love your surroundings and look at it like today is the last day that you will see the world, so many wonderful things will appear before you.
I like the blue thing on concrete at 8:12, so alright, I'll sign up to your Saturday whatsit, but I'm not holding out much hope to becoming less boring.
I reckon the best way to find out what if what your doing is right for yourself and a majority thinks different, try thinking there way and it will totally screw you up to the point where nothing is right,,,, it will take a while to flow back into your stream but you will, and its worth the journey its called 'join a camera club' I'm in one, never win, but everyone knows when one of mine comes on screen and the ones who matter discuss it afterwards. :). the images are there, they are always there, its seeing them.
I believe if more people had a slightly wider appreciation of photographers, both past and present, it would help them immensely to overcome a lot of barriers
Adams has been inspired by Carleton Watkins, and almost no-one knows it. I learnt that yesterday in this movie : Collodion: The Process of Preservation (2020) {beautiful movie}
Thanks for the suggestion about the movie. There are loads of names in photography that get lost along the way - especially from the middle formative years (1880-1900) period
Hi Alex, talking about mundane subjects i hope you photographed that Wasp, and in you next video to show how any subject can be photographed. 🤣. Sometimes we see a composition and think that it won't look good, then when we view it on our computer the photo looked good after all. Great photo from Shunk-Kender thinking outside the square with a photo you don't see very often now. Thanks for showing the great photographers along the way. Cheers. 😊.
Alas, I'm far too old to be chasing large wasps (who I think live in the wall)
Thanks again for watching along!
Alas, I'm far too old to be chasing large wasps (who I think live in the wall)
Thanks again for watching along!
@@ThePhotographicEye Your welcome Alex, that's a good one young man. 😂
The best way is to go and ‘make’ images rather than ‘take’ pictures n u start seeing a story in a seemingly boring scene!
I speak wasp and she said "I love you" 😂
Anyways, thank you so much for showing us great images of great photographers. To be honest, I was inspired more from the images you've shown me than words you've said. It might be just a personal perspective but still thank you so much Alex!
Our pleasure!
I like the association landscape photos (can) have with specific, real, particular places. At best they can transport me to those places, albeit incompletely. I have difficulty ascribing value to other photographs I take, since they don't "transport" me. (Please note: I'm talking my work, not others.) Regardless of how compositionally sound and / or interesting they may be, they don't transport me -- They tend to just be compositional exercises. Then again, my landscape images don't transport me like images from others, since I know what's outside the frame. I guess it's difficult for me personally to assign value to my work.
I have similar issues, though somewhat in reverse - I tend to associate events with 'average' images and then in my mind, those photos take on greater significance
I try to approach with this mental set: "There's a picture lurking everywhere."
Much like wasps!
Thankyou. Who is the book by please? I didn't catch the author and can't find it by title. Thanks
What is the rule of that book? I can’t understand what he said so rapidly.
that's literally what I wanted
thanks
It's interesting isn't it that we are worried that our pictures may be boring, why do we worry so much what others think? We should just be taking pictures for ourselves
The problem that I have with this is that as much as I try when I look at photos like these, indeed photos from some of the most renowned photographers, I just don’t see any appeal at all. I don’t like the photos at all.
Am I broken?
I’d say you aren’t broken, you just don’t like the photos. I feel it isn’t so much about liking what is being shown, it is more about giving examples of what others find create/see or maybe how to open our eyes to see our surrounding in a different light. Maybe figuring out what you dislike will help you gravitate towards what you really enjoy. Really the question is, can you learn from images that do not inspire you? Is there anything you can pull from those images to add to your toolbox?
I think about the easy and usual ways to photograph something and then find the unusual or difficult way and do that.
Sometimes I find that really easy, and other times it's a struggle. But always worth it
I don't know if you are up for requests or if this is even within the sphere or your knowledge. Something I've noticed is that most of the photographers that people online cover are mainly from the northern hemisphere. With the exception of Sebastião Salgado who's Brazilian.
I was wondering if you knew of any photographer that you could recommend to a novice like myself who's from Latin America (wishfully if you know anyone from Argentina 👀).
Try this page as a starting point:
www.artealdia.com/News/A-LOOK-OVER-ARGENTINE-MODERN-PHOTOGRAPHY-ORIGINS#:~:text=Juan%20Bechis%2C%20Horacio%20Coppola%2C%20Jos%C3%A9,Fred%20Schiffer%2C%20Nicol%C3%A1s%20Schonfeld%2C%20Boleslaw
and here:
time.com/3684209/nine-argentinian-photographers-you-need-to-follow/
@@ThePhotographicEye THANKSSS!!!
be curious. And observe. Observe when someone is drinking a coffee, how she holds her cup, how she moves her hand, how she stares at her coffee. Then it's easy to portrait her in another way.
Yes, the art of watching, being aware, of observing is something that often seems to be missing in photography
That Wasp was taking in it's own POV. Exploring the surroundings and building a visual view.
I showed my son this morning and he thought it was hilarious!
You miss 100% of the shots that you don't take. -Wayne Gretzky
I am in a rut... more like a hole. I've had a low interest is getting out with my camera. I think I may have already even said this and I know it is up to me to step out of this brain fade, this fog of just doing nothing. I have to get in gear.
Take a little break. Go out without a camera, but take mental pictures.
Think about how things could look as a photo in your mind.
Then after a week or so just take a few images - don't overthink them. Just shoot.
Doesn't matter what the results look like - give yourself a massive pat on the back for taking some photos. Really, more than you think is realistic - big yourself up for just shooting a photo.
The dopamine will help you push on
The cup's got to be empty. Early in this video I caught myself wondering how the liquid didn't slosh out with every dramatic gesture.
Years of practice!
Problem is it's a LOT more difficult to get a wow image that stands out. There are millions of incredible images taken daily by tens of thousands of incredible talent. And the extraordinary among those incredible photos are like 0.0001%.
Back in the day most photographers didn't have to compete with the best in the world. They needed to be good enough to make a living wherever they lived. Today, as a landscape photographer, you are competing online against the best of the best. Because those are the only images that matter. Life has turned into a real rat race trying to stay ahead. And with AI and robotics most hard working people's talent are gonna be outpaced by technology. Sad but true.
I wish I could still believe that photos matter Alex. Maybe ten years ago but not anymore. Over the next few decades these thinking machines will become more creative, faster and productive than any human being ever could. And only handful of people will benefit from it. The rest of us? Well ,... we got assisted suicide, contraceptives, abortions, possible famine and war to lessen the burden on future generations.
Enjoy the ride while you still can. Carve out a little place where you can still find fulfillment in whatever you do. But don't be surprised if this world doesn't need you anymore.
Nice observation. Well, I could never be a musician. Because it is so so boring with all the repetitions. Doing the same stuff again and again...
Paradox. Studying the history of photography is what leads to stereotypes.
I hope you didn’t think the red apples and the blue door was an interesting photo. 😂
I like to take them anyway and then use those ones to play around with editing options. I have less emotional investment, so am willing to do things in editing those ones that I might not otherwise try. Which is silly when you think about it, since you can make as many copies as you like to try different things on, but there it is.
Yes, that's interesting that you mentioned the willingness to try things in post when you can do that in a non destructive way. As you said, there it is..
12 bucks for you my man, here in Brasil, i got punished for try to learn, here, the book is over a 280 reais ( 60 dollares) ..sad clow country, we are a colonial ghetto