photographs

[emma escobar]

How do you get your ideas for your photographs?

[Tadge Dryja]

That's quite a little question there, isn't it??

Well gee... I guess there are lots of ways.

For landscapes, I usually just walk around, for hours and hours, and try too "see" as hard as I can. usually I get some ideas of what to come back and photograph.

For the other stuff I photograph... well usually I draw pictures first. Sketch stuff out on scrap paper, diagram lights and camera, sortof like storyboarding. Once I have something down on paper it's much easier to execute, even if the final photograph doesn't always look quite like I intended.

but I don't think many people here on this form "plan" photographs the way I do... I think LF users shoot predominantly landscapes, then maybe some portraits, and maybe some people still use LF for product / architecture / commerical type stuff. I wonder... we should have a poll on "what you shoot".

-Tadge

http://Tadge.net

[adrian tyler]

from my contact sheets.

adriantyler.net

[Tony Galt]

I've been walking around with a handheld digital camera collecting possibilities for large format shots. The quickly dealt with and easily stored digital shot lets me think about good lighting and time of day for eventual large format pictures. This is mostly for landscape work, although I've also used digital to gather my thoughts about architectural subjects. I think I may also see if I can't use my digital to try exposures while I am shooting LF, just as some shot polaroids.

[Paul Kierstead]

To add to Tony's comments, I also use a digicam for scouting and "test" shots. Although I have some "higher end" digital gear, I actually enjoy using my crappy little Canon S400; it is extremely small, it can "shoot in B&W" which is handy for visualizing on-the-spot if you are planning on B&W and the voice annotation is almost invaluable. Since I started using it, my "keeper" percentage went up quite a lot; not only do I actually shoot less, the ones I do take are better then they might be otherwise. Very handy.

[Ellis Vener]

By walking around, reading, thinking, dreaming, keeping my eyes open, looking at photos and paintings that end up inspiring me or lead me to wonder how they were done or why the photographer sees things the way they do-- trying to figure out what the photographer was thinking about or responding to, I also try to come up with ideas for photos I haven't seen before.

[Ralph Barker]

Great question, Emma. It will be interesting to see how different people approach the issue.

My approach is to try to tell stories. Whether I'm shooting landscapes on a trip, or doing a commercial-style product shot, I first try to get a grip on, or an understanding of, the essence of what I'm shooting. Then, I try to figure out how best to tell that thing's story, or at least my interpretation of its story. In some cases that might mean conveying a sense of the historical significance of the subject, or it might just be the beauty or the majesty of the place, or the character of the person. Similarly with products, I try to understand the item's purpose and design, and then convey that with the image I create. I've found that if I understand (or, think I understand) something about the subject, ideas about how best to shoot it seem to pop up on their own.

If I'm taking a trip to an area I'm not already familiar with, I'll do research on the Web, and look at topo maps. The topo maps, along with a solar position calculator, helps in figuring out in advance where to be at what time of the day. For commercial-style shoots, I'll often do sketches of how I want to compose the object, what things I might want in the background to help tell the story, and how I want to light it. For more complex things that might involve a series of images, I sometimes even do story boards, where I plan both individual shots and the sequence.

But, beyond the planning, I also try to keep my eyes open for spontaneous things that take place. The area I have the most trouble with is keeping an eye out for the "little things" - macro stuff within a scene that could be great detail images.

[Mike H.]

For five years I've been building a "Goals and Objectives" worksheet with all the ideas that come up - sorted into categories, including one called "Photo Projects". Whenever I hear of something that sounds like a great photo idea (that fits into my overall photography goals), then I add it to the list. Some come from school classes, others from discussions with friends, things I see and would like to photograph, etc. Most, but not all, of my photographic desires in the large format area though, are close ups and chaos in nature details rather than landscapes as is the case with lots of people.

[paulr]

An interesting thing about your question is that it presumes a photograph must result from an idea.

If I'm to understand an idea as something that is consciously understood, then I'll say that don't get ideas for my photographs at all. I get my photographs, and then get ideas FROM them. The real world and the inner workings of the mind are never as cut and dry as this, but I do believe there are two fundamental, polar oposite approaches to making an image. On one side is work that gets labeled "conceptual," even though a lot of people like to use that word without considering what it might mean. The conceptual label implies that the work starts with an idea, and that most likely the idea remains central. The physical creation of the work is then primarily an act of illustration*
On the other extreme, the work doesn't have an agreed upon label as far as I know. But it's work that comes from a process of questioning, not answering. I see it more as an exploration than an illustration.

My personal work, and the work I usually like to look at, comes from the latter process. Milan Kundera once wrote that a good novel is always at least a little bit smarter than the person who wrote it--and that if your novels are merely as smart as you, you might want to consider a different line of work. I suspect that creating something smarter than you are involves exploring territory outside of what you already know. Which might lead to illuminating ideas that are deeper than the ones you've already had.

My best pictures have come from wandering through the world with a camera slung over my shoulder, in an unusually open state of mind. Definitely not from having a plan, and also not from "trying to see really hard." It's really about being open, and allowing myself to be captivated by something, and not trying to think my way through the attraction the thing might hold for me. The best work just happens, and most of what I'm aware of during the process is being drawn in by what I'm seeing. The thinking part, the ideas, come later, when I'm trying to figure out what happened, what I did, why.

*The word "illustration" comes from the greek, meaning "to shed light upon."
This implies that there was something there to begin with that you might illuminate.
The word "drawing," on the other hand, implies drawing something forth, as you might draw water from a well: in other words, to bring something to the surface that was not there before.

[austin granger]

I think I'm with paulr on this one; I usually make my pictures, and then figure out the 'why' of it later on. Part of the reward of photography for me is trying to figure out just why I was drawn (or continue to be drawn) to certain subjects.

My best pictues have been made without any preconcieved ideas in mind; I think a certain receptivity is key. Paradoxically though, if you're really TRYING to be receptive, you usually aren't...

Anyway, I always know an austin granger photograph when I see one.

[Bruce Watson]

The short answer is, I don't know.

A long time ago I realized that I saw things that other people didn't. I guess people are so focused on the waterfall that they fail to see what's on the path *to* the waterfall. I don't know why I see it and they don't. All I know is that I'm the only one photographing it.

There's beauty all around, from the way a sapling casts a shadow on a rock, to the changing waves in the river as it flows over the rocks, to the form and shape of the Guggenheim Museum building. Most people walk by not noticing. A few see it. A few of the ones who see it, photograph it. A few of ones who photograph it, manage to create an image of beauty.

The more you practice seeing, the more you'll actually see.

[Graeme Hird]

I "conceptualise" an image and then go out to find an example of it in nature.

For instance, I'll imagine a certain type of weather condition over a certain rock formation. When those conditions are likely to occur, I'll go to the location I had in mind and wait until it happens (or go home when it doesn't).

That's how I made this one: http://www.f32.net/discus/messages/18/7091.html?1093060091

Any lighting conditions can be imagined and any location can be used.

Cheers,

[Graeme Hird]

Oh, and I'm also in the same boat as Hogarth .....

[Ken Lee]

If you were asking "What prompts you ?", the answer is Beauty.

To search for it is beautiful. To find it is beautiful. To photograph it is beautiful. To express it in a print is beautiful. When others appreciate it, that too is beautiful.

[Steve J Murray]

Learn to become aware of what is visually stimulating to you. Practice seeing this by letting your body and feelings tell you what is stimulating. Then photograph it. :>)

[Tadge Dryja]

Yeah... I can totally appreciate that for some people, their "best pictues have been made without any preconcieved ideas in mind". But for me, that just never works. I've tried many times to just go out, try to be open and just take lots of photos and se what comes out, but I never end up with anything I'm happy with. Then again, other people sometimes like those shots, but I guess my style is just a lot more... I dunno, structured, tight, narrow, that kind of thing.

This of course has been a problem, like the time one of my teachers fished a 4x5 neg of mine out of the grabage the next day, and came up yelling to me, "This is the most beautiful photograph you've taken this semester!! Get some #(%ing sense!!!"

Heh... I'd thrown it away because the framing was a little bit off. Still don't really like that shot... but I printed it for him once I washed it off ... :)

http://tadge.net

[Bruce Barlow]

I would guide you to "On Being a Photographer" by David Hurn and Bill Jay. A really delightful book with an insightful discussion of "Subjects."

I have fallen in love with the notion of Projects - where I define a photographic project and think it through: what's my end product (X number of prints, a set of notecards, etc.). And how will I do it (One camera/one lens, only 4x5 contact prints, etc.). And when I will have it done. I did this for two series of photographs ("East Meets Weston," with a series from Weston Beach combined with a series of snow and ice from New England, all 35mm, all B&W, all printed 5x7). It's done, sort of, and now I'm expanding it with a related series of flowing water from New England streams. I may expand it with New England clouds (when you live in New England, you photograph New England stuff), and perhaps play (the operative word) with photographs of fire. Then, if I'm successful, I have a "Fire and Ice" series, and an "Earth, Air, Fire, and Water" series, all that cohere in some way. The project was a starting point, that still lets me follow whims and whisps of inspiration (I didn't know if the Weston Beach pictures would work with the ice pictures until I put them up together. I thought they would, but I wasn't sure).

So, projects give me inspiration, focus (no pun intended), goals, and a concrete idea about when to declare vistory and be done. I have about four other active projects, plus just going out to make photographs.

By the way, maybe the best project is "One Photograph A Day" where, in addition to any other photography, you make one - and only one - photograph a day. It should take a long time and be the best picture you can make. The discipline of doing this every day, seven days a week, will improve your seeing dramatically, and build a body of work that, over time, you'll be proud of. A photograph of what? Anything! Redsicover why you love your bedroom. Photograph your kitchen. But make it as good as it can possibly be. Or have a reason for making it ("Experiment with depth of field," "N+2 Development," etc. so that you're trying something new that will build your own knowledge and arsenal of photographic tools).

Great question. Good luck.

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

I steal from other people. I look at many photographs from many people and try to duplicate them - then, I go out into the world fresh and see what I can apply to what I see. I don't usually go out at the "best" times. I go out when I feel like being outside so that gives me the opportunity to shoot in many different conditions. One of my favorite shots was taken in sub -40 degree weather with a strong wind. Composition was dictated by where the rock was for me to hide behind.

[paulr]

"like the time one of my teachers fished a 4x5 neg of mine out of the grabage the next day, and came up yelling to me, "This is the most beautiful photograph you've taken this semester!! Get some #(%ing sense!!!" "

Please don't underestimate the possibilities when someone tells you something like this!
Not to suggest that your teacher's taste is somehow more right than yours, but I'm willing to bet he sees something that you don't ...yet.
I think the best thing you can do is stay open. Take some of these pictures that the teacher is screaming at you about and put them on the wall. Look at them from time to time, and just be open to them. Something might click. Your own work .. particularly the work you don't get yet .. can be the best imaginable teacher. These individual pictures are probably not examples of what your work will eventually look like, but there may well be some important seeds in there.

You're trying to discover your own personal vision. There have been some very lucky people who just fell into their vision immediately without trying, but for most people I know it's been a long, strange trip. And it's rarely a linear process. Be prepared for ups and downs, twists and turns, and be prepared for your ego to alternately soar and crash as your artistic abilites and your critical abilities keep leapfrogging each other. It's a long ride!

Personally, I got into photography so I could get cool pictures of rock and ice climbing trips. That never worked out, but one thing led to another, and I'm now finishing up a ten year project of urban landscapes. I never could have predicted the work that I'm doing now. One thing that helped me along, though, was patient mentors pulling prints out of the trash and saying, "i think you should look a little harder at this one."

[paulr]

Dan, you might be interested in a new line of products by Cokin called the "Masters of Photography Filters."
They're really great. I just bought the "Moonrise over Hernandez, NM" filter in 52mm mount for my Nikon.
I screwed it on, pointed at a light bulb (in full auto exposure mode) and Bam! Done.
The print is absolutely stunning, at least in 3x5. It's on my fridge right now. My friends can't believe I actually took that picture, but I did.
I've also heard they're going to come out with a "Masters of Postmodern Photography" series, but I'm not sure when. Aparently Sherry Levine threatened to sue, but I hope not--I can't wait to make my very own Sherry Levine pics!

[tim atherton]

The sad thing is - Dan's post was serious... :-)

there have been more than a good few "where can I find Ansel's tripod holes" threads on here in the past...

Then there is Mark Klett who is re-photographing the original re-photographic survey image sites. I wonder how long you can keep that up.

[pdwcolumbus]

Look listen and wait. When it is right take it. Pdw.

[Ralph Barker]

Dan - I can understand your frustration, but I believe it has been proven that Jackalopes are now extinct, even though stuffed ones pop up anew from time to time. Personally, I continue to scour the Sierras looking for the famed saber-toothed squirrelesaurus rex.

[Anne Williams]

1. Be lucky and have beautiful and cooperative children that you love to photograph.

2. Have a husband who has an Austin Healey that he loves photographs of that keep me trying to come up with something new and creative.

3. Have a dog who loves to hike with you and doesn't get bored while you set up a shot.

4. Travel - if not long distance, see everything there is to see within a days drive of your house. Look at small details along with seeing the big picture. We live an hour or so from the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL. They have the most fantastic door handles on one of their buildings. They made a great picture. Likewise, my favorite pictures from a trip to a recent Chilhuly glass exhibit, are the ones that are very tightly cropped and show just a small area of detail in the glass rather than the whole piece.

5. Experiment with techniques that you see other people do, but adapt them to the subject matter that interests you.

6. And for me, don't look at TOO many other photographs done by other people before you go out. For some reason, it lessens my creative instincts.

[Donald Qualls]

Science Fiction writer Barry Longyear once gave an answer when someone asked where he got his story ideas: "From a post office box in Schenectady."

Fortunately, photo ideas come from a different P.O. box, this one in Rochester. :)