Examination
That ^^^ means no flashy logos or daft graphics please!!
One of the more intriguing and interesting principals that got drilled into me when I was studying photography is the idea of viewing and viewers. You guys here are the viewers, and as such, I as the thick plank taking the photo, need to think about how I take it, and how I portray Sarah here in it, such that I give you guys the right impression and right meanings with the photo. (If there is such a thing.) It's basic principles, but to give you an idea of how integral it is to photographic theory and understanding, one of the key texts that any decent photography teacher will ever refer to is a book called 'Camera Lucida' by Roland Barthes. In it, in eloquant and long winded ways, he manages to spin an entire book out of this one idea. The book's not easy reading, and many who've read it use it as a method to act all snobby over those that haven't, and frankly Mr Barthes goes about his points with a distinct air of 'I'm more intelligent than you' and waffles for ages.
But the points he makes aren't just valid, they're the cornerstone of understanding portraits, and to a certain extent, taking pictures overall. It's highly recommended reading for anyone trying to delve into the thinking side of photography.
But I digress...
What I'm trying to get at, is once you've got an appreciation for understanding how what you as a photographer sees, and how that impacts what the viewer of the images sees, you start to be able to mess with it. Now, I don't claim to be very good at this stuff, just to try and dabble, but photos like this make me ask one question.
Who's looking at who, and how?
Am I looking at Sarah?
Am I looking at Sarah consciously or subconsciously knowing how I'm portraying her, or am I shooting her blind and naively?
Are you looking at Sarah, or my photo, or both?
Or neither?
Are you reading these words trying to understand, or wondering what the flying **** I'm on about?
Or more to the point...
Is the one doing the looking, consciously, or subconsciously, actually Sarah?
Let that stew on your head for a bit!
Then have a coffee/have a beer/have a glass of wine/have some cake/go the **** to bed. (delete as applicable).
Enjoy. If this screws with your head, rest assured, taking every one of these bloody photos does the same to me, and more. And I love it! :-)
Examination
That ^^^ means no flashy logos or daft graphics please!!
One of the more intriguing and interesting principals that got drilled into me when I was studying photography is the idea of viewing and viewers. You guys here are the viewers, and as such, I as the thick plank taking the photo, need to think about how I take it, and how I portray Sarah here in it, such that I give you guys the right impression and right meanings with the photo. (If there is such a thing.) It's basic principles, but to give you an idea of how integral it is to photographic theory and understanding, one of the key texts that any decent photography teacher will ever refer to is a book called 'Camera Lucida' by Roland Barthes. In it, in eloquant and long winded ways, he manages to spin an entire book out of this one idea. The book's not easy reading, and many who've read it use it as a method to act all snobby over those that haven't, and frankly Mr Barthes goes about his points with a distinct air of 'I'm more intelligent than you' and waffles for ages.
But the points he makes aren't just valid, they're the cornerstone of understanding portraits, and to a certain extent, taking pictures overall. It's highly recommended reading for anyone trying to delve into the thinking side of photography.
But I digress...
What I'm trying to get at, is once you've got an appreciation for understanding how what you as a photographer sees, and how that impacts what the viewer of the images sees, you start to be able to mess with it. Now, I don't claim to be very good at this stuff, just to try and dabble, but photos like this make me ask one question.
Who's looking at who, and how?
Am I looking at Sarah?
Am I looking at Sarah consciously or subconsciously knowing how I'm portraying her, or am I shooting her blind and naively?
Are you looking at Sarah, or my photo, or both?
Or neither?
Are you reading these words trying to understand, or wondering what the flying **** I'm on about?
Or more to the point...
Is the one doing the looking, consciously, or subconsciously, actually Sarah?
Let that stew on your head for a bit!
Then have a coffee/have a beer/have a glass of wine/have some cake/go the **** to bed. (delete as applicable).
Enjoy. If this screws with your head, rest assured, taking every one of these bloody photos does the same to me, and more. And I love it! :-)