An eye for a photo ????

[peter]

I was talking about this today with my boss at work. He was telling me a someone he knows who goes down to the beach where he has his boat about twice a year or so to take photos. What the boss was saying is he saw a photo that this bloke had taken and it took him a while to see where this photo had been taken from even when the he is on this beach most days because of his boat. I guess what I am trying to ask is how do you have an eye for a photo is it something you have to work at or is it something you are born with. How do you plan what you are going to do photo wise. Do you wing it or do you plan the whole thing out. Also where do you get your ideas from. Do you look at other peoples work and try to follow them and put your own twist on it.

[Stephen]

Re: An eye for a photo ?

I was talking about this today with my boss at work. He was telling me a someone he knows who goes down to the beach where he has his boat about twice a year or so to take photos. What the boss was saying is he saw a photo that this bloke had taken and it took him a while to see where this photo had been taken from even when the he is on this beach most days because of his boat. I guess what I am trying to ask is how do you have an eye for a photo is it something you have to work at or is it something you are born with. How do you plan what you are going to do photo wise. Do you wing it or do you plan the whole thing out. Also where do you get your ideas from. Do you look at other peoples work and try to follow them and put your own twist on it.

Good question Peter. Many people would say they don't have an eye for a photo, perhaps they don't know what makes a good photo. Maybe their idea of a photograph is simply family shots of the kids on the beach, nothing wrong with that, but there is often little creativity in such 'snaps'

All this kinda assumes then that others can 'see' a picture and can be more creative, both in composition and subject.

There are of course many genres of photograph, all requiring different sorts of skills. Now that statement suggests its something learnt, a skill is acquired usually. So I think you do need an eye, but an eye that can be trained to see and create an image. Often what you see in the camera is not the end result of course but being able to see things in the landscape for example does help to achieve an end result that you would like.

I'm a naff artist, yet I think I can take a fairly decent photograph, and occasionally people will say to me "I would never have seen that picture" I suppose I'm looking for something that grabs my attention, it may be the subject, it may be the light playing on a scene, it may be a particular arrangement of things that make a composition. There are all sorts of things and elements to a picture. I can go out to a location with my mate Tim and we take different things all the time, and produce different sorts of images with different styles. He often says he didn't see a pic I got, and I certainly think the same of his stuff.

I sometimes go to a place and struggle to see a picture, I'm simply not inspired. Recently though I have been inspired by the work of David Nightingale and find his influences in my own personal work

[peter]

Re: An eye for a photo ?

Hi Stephen

I hoped you would reply. I must admit I do look at your work and think how did he see that. Your pictures of the boat wreaks do spring to mind. I would have just seen two old boats and that would have been it. Ok I do understand you must have put a lot of work into those in photoshop after wards but even then they are something special. I guess also you must have a passion for the type of things you want to take photos of .

[Mowgli]

Re: An eye for a photo ?

While I can see where you are comming from Pete, I do not think that a lot of work in Photoshop is an answer. I think we all have individual ideas on what makes a picture. Some people naturaly take a picture using the rule of thirds and it is appealing because of that, others just take a snap because the topic is what they want. I am always looking at things when I am out and about and pay particular interest to light.
I read your comment at work (something I rarely do) and was talking to a colleague who is very much into painting (landscapes and boats her favourite) we agreed about how the light can affect a picture so much, I like to take pictures during the "golden hour" because of its warmth. Since taking up the hobby I look at the way different times of day affect my view of sorroundings (on my way to work for example).
I think seeing a picture is a talent and while a certain amount can be learnt from books, forums etc I do think personaly you either have it or you havent.
At the end of the day if you enjoy the hobby, like what you take and get positive feedback from the people you show your picture(s) to then what more could you want? We are all different (thank goodness) and that is what makes the world go round.

[peter]

Re: An eye for a photo ?

[QUOTE=Mowgli;916]While I can see where you are coming from Pete, I do not think that a lot of work in Photoshop is an answer.

Its not so much about photoshop or other programs like it. We all know the argument about that ie when you open something up in photoshop its not the photo you took but digital art. I guess its like most things in life you either have it or you do not .

[Pol]

Re: An eye for a photo ?

This is such a huge question with all sorts of possible ways of responding that I'm not quite sure where to start. It's such a personal thing imho.

I don't consider myself as having 'an eye' for a photo, nor do I
consider myself artistic. My 'artistic' history is, in fact, legendary .... a
catalogue of failures. However, one music teacher once described me as "rather low on talent but passionate" then assured me that was "just fine, as long as you can carry on enjoying what you do".

So that's what I aim to do - carry on enjoying what I do and doing it for myself. If others like my attempts that's great. If they don't, I'll listen to what they say and feel and try to develop my skills -- but I won't be discouraged as I used to be when I was younger.

As for planning photographs - I think tend to be inspired and influenced by looking at a lot of other photos. I look in the likes of Photosig and one or two other dedicated photography boards as well as following the work of David Nightingale and John Washington. I'm also stimulated and inspired by various Salons, theme threads and assignments on other boards. I find the themes tend to stay in my mind long after the assignments are closed.

The other thing that is often foremost in my mind is 'mood' - ie the aim to portray a mood, atmosphere, feeling, emotion or maybe the general 'essence' of a place. I prefer 'getting intimate' with locations that are within reasonable distance of home. Those are the places where I tend to have some sort of vision of what I'm after - whereas places I don't know so well tend to be where I take snapshots. Having said that - the snapshots often lead to further visits and gradual 'intimacy' with the more distant locations.

At the moment I have an idea of some architectural shots I'd like to try. I have a specific building in mind and don't want shots of the entire building - what I'm after is lines, curves and maybe textures of small parts of the place. It may be that the actual building won't be instantly recognisable as I only want lines/shapes etc .... as are seen on all buildings but not always instantly noticeable. I'd also like to go back and forth and try to get shots in different lighting conditions. The inspiration for that potential series was from something one of our sons did maybe 12-15 years ago, coupled with some work i saw from an Art student about 3-4 years ago.. also architectural.

I'm hoping i might get to be able to have a reccy and take a few initial shots later this week - if we can get up and out early enough so we can park near enough as i can't walk far or stand for long spells (back problems).

If I can't get near enough I'll stay and have more practise at candids and street shots... which is an ongoing thing I enjoy and aim to develop my skills, preferably without getting myself apprehended or even arrested.

Other times - I like to simply sit and watch the world go by, or maybe sit in the garden. Sometimes that's when I begin to notice a particular shadow or shape - so I might get up and try to capture it.

Dunno if any of that is helpful but it's more or less how I function and go about things.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: An eye for a photo ?

I think there are so many ways to categorise one's interest or talent for photography. Appreciation is one thing and it's easier to appreciate a good photograph than to create one, but is it any less valuable? Of course a good photographer must have the ability to appreciate a good photograph.

There are plenty of technically competent photographers who don't have the brilliance of a top photographer in creating outstanding images consistently, but their appreciation of great photography drives them on and, occasionally, they will get a result that they can really enjoy and appreciate.

For some great photographers, it's all in the planning and the preparation - they have exacytly the kind of result they are aimaing for in their mind. For others, it's more of an instinctive thing, but you need to immerse yourself in the environment you want to capture the essence of - be at the right place at the right time.

Ian