Tag: photograph

One of the traits I am personally proud to have is that I don’t really have limits to my creativity. There are techniques I like and use often but sometimes I “play” with different processes.

I guess my process is less reality-based and more imaginative-based. For me sometimes reality sucks. Reality is something that I want to escape from. I would like only to watch documentary movies and television or only read historical factual books. Yes, sometimes it is wonderful to see a documentary or show based on real events. Yes, sometimes it is wonderful to read a book on facts and history.

A few years ago I became interested in philosophy. I hated philosophy in college but I love a philosophical conversation not. I periodically read books such as The Republic. I like things that make me think more deeply. I like things that are ambiguous. I like things that are conceptual or with a subliminal message. At the same time, I often look for beauty in nature and reality.

All this leads to my biggest problem which is staying focused on a project. I am beginning to get a grasp on how to channel my thoughts and creative ideas but it is very much a work in progress.

Years ago I was gifted a camera, but I didn’t receive a call to be a photographer. That call didn’t come until later. A couple of years after getting my first camera I did start to become more and more interested in photography. I had acquired some more gear and even a simple black and white darkroom. Then the call faded. I had cameras but little interest in making photographs outside of vacation or special events. That call finally arrived in the spring of 2005. It isn’t that I didn’t have a “telephone” I didn’t have it turned on. In fact, I wasn’t even particularly interested in art or music. Oh, I had art on the walls of my house and I listened to music but it wasn’t a focus of my lifestyle. I’m not sure what prompted my interest in photography. I remember going to a camera store, Ritz Cameras. I found a camera I wanted to buy. I got a Nikon D50 with an 18-55mm “kit lens”.

I would take photographs of just about anything that crossed my path. I was operating in mostly a variety of automatic modes but it didn’t matter. Soon, I acquired more gear. The call had come in. I was 46 years old at the time. Many of the other photographic artist types I have met had a much earlier beginning, many when they were children.

My point is that no matter how old you are when the call arrives work it. Develop a passion for your art. You’re never too old and remember, always always be willing to move outside of your comfort zone and styles. Try new things.

This past weekend I volunteered to work at the gallery of a contemporary photography group of which I am a member. First off, it was very slow as far as visitors. One person needed to borrow a pen and piece of paper because he hit a parked car with his vehicle and another was another member who came to see the exhibit since he missed the opening of it, otherwise, I was alone with the exhibit which was billed as small works where no print was larger than an 11 x 14.

What I found very interesting were the selections the members made to display. This wasn’t a juried show but members could select up to three prints to be included in the show. Now I’ve only been a member for a short time but I did have some very interesting conversations with other members. All the work was very good albeit an eclectic collection. I was going to put items in the show but absentmindedness was to blame for my neglect (in other words I forgot).

I spent a total of 5 hours looking through the gallery. There were some photo books from a free film project and the last juried show. Spending that amount of time with various works of art in a relatively small area I had lots of time to really study the artwork. I found this to be an awakening of sorts. Hanging out with other creative photographic artists and viewing their work is somewhat inspiring. I’ve found very little criticism on whether about the processes of others. Some work only in film, others only in digital, and then there are those who do both. Some are more purist photographers while others are more post-development. Thus far, I haven’t found it to be like social media groups or photography clubs of which I have been a member where there is a very discernable division between photography styles.

One thing is for sure and that is I feel much more confident with my style and my work. Who knows maybe this is the motivation and inspiration I have needed for so long.

I would argue all day long that photography can be art, but at the same time, I would say that not all photographic art is fine art. A fine art photograph, like any piece of art fine art, is something more. It MUST convey the artist’s interpretation of a subject or scene not merely be a reproduction of a subject or scene. A fine art photograph should take the viewer beyond mere reproduction. I see all sorts of photos including those the photographer calls fine art photography but often the photo looks to merely seeing a scene/subject and taking a picture of the same. I feel as if the artist needs to be telling us something more. I believe the fine art photograph needs to talk to me and embrace my imagination.

It often helps us with an artist statement or, at very least, a title. This gives us something to understand what the artist wished to convey. What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photography gear envy can kill creativity. I used to suffer from photography gear envy. I always looked to see what others used and often was envious of their equipment, especially if I thought my work was much better. So, how did it kill my creativity? Because I was often too busy chasing gear that I wasn’t working out how to create better images with what I had.

Let’s face it, even entry-level gear is often better than what photographers used 25, 30, 50, or 100 years ago. While we use more lightweight materials (plastics and composite materials) in much of the construction of modern gear, mechanisms are durable. Modern lens coatings help reduce flare and aberrations.
I’ve said this before but I believe it bears repeating. It isn’t about gear it is about results. If you’re not getting the results you want don’t look at gear first, look at what you’re doing with your current gear, most likely it is something you need to improve upon. Maybe a better understanding of light, focus, or camera settings. You, the photographer, are the most crucial component of your gear.

I frequent a lot of photography-related social media forums and I see some form of that question, “What is the best lens, software, camera, settings, computer for editing, etc”. And as we would imagine responses are all over the place.

I’m somewhat frugal with my photography gear. I do own some decent equipment, and built my own computer for editing, but I also use some quality equipment. My newest camera is now about 8 years old. My 70-200mm f/2.8 lens isn’t a Nikon (I shoot Nikon camera bodies). For me, the best is a bit different than “top-of-the-line” gear. I don’t necessarily need top-of-the-line so-called “flagship” gear.

The one thing I haven’t ever really skimped on is my software. I have used Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom for 12 years. Prior to that, I did use a variety of other products many of which left me wanting something a bit more powerful. I know, many of the competing products have come a long way but Adobe Photoshop products are still the standard that the competitors chase. Why do I say that? I see the ads for competing products and each “hints” toward Adobe products. This isn’t to say that I’m promoting the use of Adobe products I’m just saying that it is the “best” for me and my needs.

I read some time ago if you want better answers ask better questions. To me, the better question than asking what is the “best” would be to ask “what would you recommend” and outline your particular needs. As Edward Steichen once said, “No photographer is as good as the simplest camera”. I truly believe this as I have seen some absolutely fantastic photographs from the least expensive entry-level gear using the simplest techniques. Conversely, I have seen some absolutely horrible photographs using top-of-the-line gear.

The absolutely best photography stuff is knowledge and the ability to realize you have more to learn and more work to hone your knowledge and skills. Be careful though, there are thousands who work to sell us stuff. Everyone wants our money and offers “easy” ways to learn. Some are good, some are not. To be the best requires practice. Not just any practice but practice that leads to improvement. Judge your own work. Find people you respect who will be honest with you and talk to them. It’s not about the gear, it is about you and your vision as an artist.

I don’t know how many photographs I have taken in the past 40 years but I currently have 33071 in my Lightroom catalog and this doesn’t count the boxes of pictures I have from film days. I have over the years deleted many of the pictures I’ve taken with digital cameras. Most of those deleted were experiments, tests, or pictures that didn’t work out.

Occasionally, I will go through my catalog and find something I vaguely remember taking, and find a new life for it. If I stuck with the photographs I have currently and developed one photograph every day of the year I have 90 years’ worth of photographs. Of course, I’m not done taking photographs. I have many things I want to accomplish. So to answer the question of how many photographs are enough? The answer is more than 33071 for me.

Just like the weather has been in my part of the country, I’ve hit yet another creative dry spell. Maybe it is partially due to the heat maybe it is partially due to the amount of work I have done at my “regular” job and when I get home I just want to sit and put my feet up. Maybe it is all of the above and then some.

One thing I have discovered along the way, it is often difficult to be creative on demand. I’ve even missed a couple of blog posts because I sat down to a blank screen and just had nothing. It isn’t that my mind isn’t working, in fact, it is often the opposite but my thoughts are all over the place racing from one topic to another totally unrelated topic. I have also found that many times I need to do something totally different and may sit down and play video games.

I write this because I don’t believe I’m the only one who hits the occasional creativity dry spell. It is just like an exercise program. One day you just don’t “feel it” and suddenly you haven’t worked out for a week. At that point, it is easy for a week to turn into a month.

In any event, I shall get something going by the weekend. My camera gear is gathering dust. It will still be hot and dry as far as the weather is concerned but maybe I can get out of the creativity desert. I’ll keep you posted on how I overcame the dry spell.

One of the best things I like about working to create art with my photography is that I don’t have to accept the standard rendering of my photography. Standard can work for some things but sometimes you see an object or scene and think that could be interesting given the proper development and “rendering”.

I was wandering the back alleys a couple of years ago when I happened upon a grease dumpster behind a restaurant. When I saw it I was captivated by the textures and the lettering. The subject itself, as you can see from the original, “standard rendering”, is well quite unappealing.

Give the same image a bit of development and render it differently it becomes almost abstract. I have found this to be so with many subjects.

This goes back to what I have said many times in the past, don’t let the mainstream overly influence your art. Play with your image development, experiment with compositions, look for details most miss, and step outside the box of the standard renderings.

Art is about self-expression. Art is about showing the world things they don’t normally see or in a manner to get them to see the world through a different lens. Send a message or a feeling through your art. Show the ugly in a way to see the beauty. Once you can find beauty in what is typically standard renderings or the unattractive you can find anything that can be the subject of great art.

Each morning I browse my catalog of photographs and from time to time I find something that has sat for months or years without ever having been created into a piece of artwork I share and display. The photograph above was taken almost 8 years ago, on August 29, 2014.

While I probably haven’t reviewed it in quite a while I found it today while looking for inspiration for my daily thought. The first thing I did was to check the news headlines, I don’t watch television news. I was so dismayed by many of the headlines I saw. When I began my search for inspiration I saw this photograph. Looking at the light and the early morning sky, the picture was taken at 6:27 AM, I thought, be the light. As the sun comes up for the day a new beginning is upon us, be the beacon of light for someone. Set a positive example for the day, even if you only inspire yourself. I believe this is even more important today with all the world events surrounding us, many of which are far from positive or inspiring.

This, I hope, will become my goal, to start each morning by working to be the light, and find the hidden potential for each day. Create art!