Making of 40 Photographs #17
This is #17 in my series ‘Making of 40 Photographs’.
An alternative view is often all that’s required.
How often do you observe, study even, the location or the subject you want to photograph? I feel it’s all about ‘understanding’ the subject and I find that when I’m drawn to someone or something I want to photograph – time seems to slow down, and the location empties of everything else except my subject. I feel I’m involved in a one-to-one exchange. And in order for the exchange to work well (the photograph), I’ve got to get to know my subject well.
I’m not talking about getting to know the monk in the picture – such as his name or anything like that, I’m talking about understanding the space he’s situated in. Learning what will work from a compositional point of view.
I don’t just assume that the first composition I see is the one that works. As you can see here, I’ve got two shots that I want to share with you. Both I feel work, but perhaps the first one is the most intimate while the second one shows a little more context – there’s a monk praying in the distance which gives the shot a little more meaning. But for me I guess, it’s the first shot that works the most. I love how I can see his eyes are shut and he’s very concentrated on his praying. It’s just him and the tree, and if I were bold, I’d say I’m involved too.
I shot these on a Contax 645 film camera using Kodak’s Portra 160NC on a standard lens. I favour standard lenses because of their intimacy…. if they’re too far away, it’s because I’m not close enough. I do have a 140mm lens – the equivalent of a 70mm lens in 35mm terms, but I find I don’t use it.
This “alternative view” thinking is one of the most important things to keep in mind but very difficult to do in practice. Well, at least for me.
Often, my mind is so busy and distracted that I end up thinking “why didn’t I try that composition”, when it was too late.
The key then is to have an idea of what may work even before studying the subject or using your words “understanding the space”.
This weekend I will hopefully have not one, but three beautiful women to shoot.
There are a number of things that I’m trying to understand or to improve. The most important ones being:
* from which angle – relative to the position of the sun – am I likely to get something that has a good chance of working.
* which lens and at what aperture is going to make the girls look even more beautiful, and with the background blurred just the way that I like.
The list is almost endless, but truth be told, I just love photographing beautiful women. Something about cave mentally and enjoying the chase, I think.
Comment by andy — 23 October, 2009 @ 4:56 am
Hi Andy,
I’m not sure if you’re in for the chase with the beautiful women, or the photography ! LOL ;-)
Ok, joking aside. My experience of shooting from a different view is that I can’t help but keep on the move. Once I’ve got the shot I think works, I’m off to see what else may work too.
The reason for my post is that I know from the workshops that I do, that a lot of people don’t roam and will tirelessly take the same image again and again.
I agree entirely that it’s often hard to see from a different perspective, and today I’ve just had a similar comment from one of my workshop participants. Everyone ’sees’ differently, and you can have a group of 8 people all at the same place take an entirely different photograph. So I wouldn’t be so hard on yourself because we only see what we see and we’re bound to miss some shots. I know I do, and kick myself for not seeing a composition later on. Especially when I see someone else’s photos from the same location – perhaps printed in a book.
But that’s just the rub – learning to be content with what you do and accepting that part of what you do is simply a case of ‘being you’.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 October, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Hello Bruce,
in my opinion your “making of 40 Photographs #17″ is particularly interesting.
I love your spectcular landscape and portrait pictures, they look both fascinating and mysterious to me, and so often I ask myself why I just can’t see the beauty that surrounds us…
These two pictures show us so clearly the difference between taking and “making” a picture.
You used the same lens, changing only slightly your position, and – here it is – a completely different picture!
A beautiful light and a feeling of peace and serenity in the first picture, while the second one looks quite “ordinary”.
I just want to thank you for your pictures, your suggestions and your love for Photography, so precious and contagious for us.
Sergio
Comment by panket — 28 October, 2009 @ 11:04 am