Insights That Have Influenced Your Photography

[cosmicexplosion]

Shoot now or forever hold your peace.

[kev curry]

It is deeply personal.

In my youth, I was obsessed with photography much to the detriment sometimes of my relationships etc. I believed photography was the reason for my existence. Now in my 60's, as I belatedly approach maturity, photography has become a reflection of my existence.

That's a lovely way of looking at things.

I'll adopt that.

[Bernice Loui]

We are the sum of our life's experience's, good, bad, and every possible thing in between. Once the image creation process tools (camera, lens, film, digital or what ever else involved) have been mastered to a good degree it is up to the individual to use these tools to share their life's experiences in the images or any other art they create.

If we improve our selves as members of the human family and gain a truer understanding of humanity and the human condition the images we create reflect this sensitivity in the art created.... Others will notice what has been created.

Ask our selves how sensitive we really are to the noun we used to create that image ?

Are we giving voice to these nouns or are we using these nouns as an extension of our own ego ?

So many times image creators (photographers in this case) spend and focus so much time, effort and resources searching for that golden widget that is claimed to produce that special image for them, yet the golden widget never existed to begin with.. the magic comes from within, not from some material device as the device is merely a means to an end.


Bernice

[Kirk Gittings]

That's a lovely way of looking at things.

I'll adopt that.

Thanks.

[cjbroadbent]

The realisation that I was not much good at anything else.

[Brassai]

1. Good photography is mostly about using the Light well.
2. All Light is good; it's the photographer's job to find how to best use it.
3. There are just as many photo opportunities at night as there are in the day.

[Doremus Scudder]

A few things I say to myself over and over:

Don't bother with a photograph unless it works on multiple levels.

The most important thing in photography is what is what you point the camera at.

Being original is overrated; especially for it's own sake.

Go ahead and try it.

Photography is just a medium; it needs content.

And of course, Ansel Adams' quote about sharp photographs of fuzzy concepts...


Best,

Doremus

[Greg Miller]

Once the image creation process tools (camera, lens, film, digital or what ever else involved) have been mastered to a good degree it is up to the individual to use these tools to share their life's experiences in the images or any other art they create.

I think this statement is especially important. Mastering the technique/technology/process allows the creative process to flourish. If the brain is focused on f-stops, shutters speeds, Scheimpflug principles,... then the left hemisphere of the brain will be dominant. Only after the technical process is second nature can the creative right hemisphere of the brain become dominant. And that is when the creative photographers within can take flight.

[Kirk Gittings]

I agree completely. I have started shooting some video commercially and the technology is so new to me that it overwhelms my creativity.

[neil poulsen]

I'll add another.

Perspective is camera position! Combine this with framing, and one has two powerful tools for creating images.

Also, selecting focal length is part of framing, deciding what parts of the scene should be included or not included in the image.

I think I got this from Ansel Adams, when he spoke in his books about the importance of selecting camera position.