Here's a few reminders of what we covered on our first ESIG meeting of the new season.
I've been spending a lot of time in Northumberland over the last couple of months (with my new grandson - had I mentioned that!) and have had plenty of time to think about my photography and indeed to take plenty of photographs. I found myself seriously thinking about what I'm trying to do with my camera. This is not a new question, its a question I've asked myself many times, and there isn't a simple answer, but its definitely worth asking yourself the same question. I think one of the ways into this is thinking in terms of 'Intent'. Each time you're at a location, or event or whatever , ask yourself why you've raised the camera to your eye. What is it that you are trying to do? It need not be a complex answer, in fact most often it isn't. It could be to try out a new technique, capture some lighting, or texture or an expression. But its worth asking the question. I think it will sharpen up our photography.
I came across a video which addressed this question in the context of landscape photography, but it applies I suspect to other genres. I showed this on Tuesday but its worth viewing a second time. The key idea is that 'looking' doesn't necessarily mean we are 'seeing', and we as photographers should be seeing. If we had a group of people overlooking the same landscape and asked them to write down what they are seeing they would all be different - so their images should also be different. Alister summarises creativity as 'noticing what you connect with and feeling it'. I further summarise this in my own mind as simply wanting to take photographs of 'what I see'. Is this all a bit 'airy fairy'? Maybe, but its a thought that keeps returning to me. Lets see if we can apply this to the photos we show at future meeting and see if it gets any traction.
Here's the link. Scroll down to find the video, and then a bit further to find an eBook that I'd also recommend. The first half of the book addresses the 'What and the Why' we take photos, and then the second half has an extensive section on how to develop these in Lightroom and Photoshop. Highly recommended. If you use the discount code ON25 you'll get 25%discount.
Alister Benn - the Secret of Creativity - https://expressive.photography/
Interestingly Peter Wilson followed on along the same lines with some illuminating and sometimes inspirational quotes from a book titled 'Photographers on Photography: How the Masters see, think and shoot' . The theme here is that its not about the technology, its about the images. (You don't ask a chef what oven s/he uses to produce great meals, so why ask a photographer what camera s\he uses to take great photographs!). Being a keen technology man Peter admitted this was a bit of a revelation to him . Well done Peter for owning up and sharing your new insight. Judith then added anther book worth reading sort of along similar lines - 'Dialogue with Photography'. this is a series of interview with the really great photographers and their approach to photography.
Mick inspired us with some really unusual and exciting smoke trail images. They really were exceptional. Mick has been taking an online photography course and these images emerged from one of the assignments. Mick has offered to show us more at the next members evening.
We then saw further images from Malcolm, (great images from Mozambique), Judith (Eclipse and also Mam Tor which is a special place for Judith), Gerry, Peter Whitehead and also a few from me. I've since realised that Iain didn't get a chance to show a book he has produced. Apologies Ian, please bring it along next time.
I started off my asking whether you prefer to start our meetings with a 'discussion topic' (and we've had a few strange, but interesting ones in the past), or whether you prefer to dive straight in and see the photos. The overwhelming vote was to get stuck in and see the photos, which is what we did.
I've been spending a lot of time in Northumberland over the last couple of months (with my new grandson - had I mentioned that!) and have had plenty of time to think about my photography and indeed to take plenty of photographs. I found myself seriously thinking about what I'm trying to do with my camera. This is not a new question, its a question I've asked myself many times, and there isn't a simple answer, but its definitely worth asking yourself the same question. I think one of the ways into this is thinking in terms of 'Intent'. Each time you're at a location, or event or whatever , ask yourself why you've raised the camera to your eye. What is it that you are trying to do? It need not be a complex answer, in fact most often it isn't. It could be to try out a new technique, capture some lighting, or texture or an expression. But its worth asking the question. I think it will sharpen up our photography.
I came across a video which addressed this question in the context of landscape photography, but it applies I suspect to other genres. I showed this on Tuesday but its worth viewing a second time. The key idea is that 'looking' doesn't necessarily mean we are 'seeing', and we as photographers should be seeing. If we had a group of people overlooking the same landscape and asked them to write down what they are seeing they would all be different - so their images should also be different. Alister summarises creativity as 'noticing what you connect with and feeling it'. I further summarise this in my own mind as simply wanting to take photographs of 'what I see'. Is this all a bit 'airy fairy'? Maybe, but its a thought that keeps returning to me. Lets see if we can apply this to the photos we show at future meeting and see if it gets any traction.
Here's the link. Scroll down to find the video, and then a bit further to find an eBook that I'd also recommend. The first half of the book addresses the 'What and the Why' we take photos, and then the second half has an extensive section on how to develop these in Lightroom and Photoshop. Highly recommended. If you use the discount code ON25 you'll get 25%discount.
Alister Benn - the Secret of Creativity - https://expressive.photography/
Interestingly Peter Wilson followed on along the same lines with some illuminating and sometimes inspirational quotes from a book titled 'Photographers on Photography: How the Masters see, think and shoot' . The theme here is that its not about the technology, its about the images. (You don't ask a chef what oven s/he uses to produce great meals, so why ask a photographer what camera s\he uses to take great photographs!). Being a keen technology man Peter admitted this was a bit of a revelation to him . Well done Peter for owning up and sharing your new insight. Judith then added anther book worth reading sort of along similar lines - 'Dialogue with Photography'. this is a series of interview with the really great photographers and their approach to photography.
Mick inspired us with some really unusual and exciting smoke trail images. They really were exceptional. Mick has been taking an online photography course and these images emerged from one of the assignments. Mick has offered to show us more at the next members evening.
We then saw further images from Malcolm, (great images from Mozambique), Judith (Eclipse and also Mam Tor which is a special place for Judith), Gerry, Peter Whitehead and also a few from me. I've since realised that Iain didn't get a chance to show a book he has produced. Apologies Ian, please bring it along next time.
I started off my asking whether you prefer to start our meetings with a 'discussion topic' (and we've had a few strange, but interesting ones in the past), or whether you prefer to dive straight in and see the photos. The overwhelming vote was to get stuck in and see the photos, which is what we did.
- David (W) started us off with presentation on travel photography. He showed the work of Jacob James (Jacob James - Travel and Cultural Documentary Photographer) and then followed up with some photos from his recent trip to Australia, including a stint as a paparazzi capturing Harry and Megan.
- Steve then gave us a summary of his successes over the last year in entering BPE exhibitions. What was so interesting was not just seeing the images, but also the analysis Steve had done on the scores and acceptances by salon. There is great variability and not being accepted in one exhibition clearly doesn't mean an image will not be accepted in another.
- I then proudly showed my successful FRPS panel made up from my multiple exposure images. I then promised not to show any more in the club competitions, which produced a cheer!
- Vaughn showed a couple of images from a recent steam engine event which included an excellent back lit shot of two engines and a guard beautifully positioned against the bellowing steam in the image. I'm sure we'll see this one again in the competitions
- Brian showed us a series of images which were interesting in their own right but particularly because they were taken on his iPhone. Its clear that the quality of the phone images just get better and better.
- Iain showed us his images from a recent trip to Portugal. I do think Iain has his own particular style which we can all recognise.
- and finally David Myles showed us the work of one of his favourite photographers Don Komarechka (http://www.donkom.ca/) . Don is a Canadian photographer and produces some amazing macro work especially of ice crystals and snow flakes. What was impressive was that David had been inspired by this work and had produced some of his own photos in the same style. Excellent.
