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Understanding of how a photographers mind might work


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Are there any essential books that you would deem essential to give

an understanding of how a photographers mind might work when 'seeing

a final image' and the factors that are involved in the process?

This might be from a single well know artist or compiled from a

broader base of knowledge.

 

I'm asking here about written word books and not necessarily

containing pages of images.

 

Please state your reasons if suggesting a title.

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<I>Understanding of how a photographers mind might work</I><P>Which

photographer, doing what kind of work, at what age and at what point in their experience

or, if it is someone who makes a living from photography, at what point in their career, for

what type of client and for what purpose? <P>

 

Books I can recommend:<P>

 

"The Nature of Photographs" by Stephen Shore<P>

 

anything by Robert Adams

 

"The Making of Forty Photographs" by Ansel Adams

 

Freeman Patterson's books.<P>

 

The Ansel Adams biography by Mary Street Alinder ( but NOT the A. Adams

autobiography)<P>

 

The reasons are: clear and lucid writing from people who not only are passionate about

photography but who have also thought quite a lot about photography and about

how photographs are perceived. <P> The question I want an answer to is: why do you,

Paul Marbs, want to know?

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Thankyou all for your kind replys and suggestions - I did think I might get some flack for asking this! Aren't we supposed to find our own way without borrowing too heavily from others?

 

Ellis, by asking "Which photographer, doing what kind of work, at what age and at what point in their experience or, if it is someone who makes a living from photography, at what point in their career, for what type of client and for what purpose?" has helped me think about why I want to know these things.

 

All I can tell you at the moment is that I feel I'm missing something from my photographic experience - something which I'll hopefully be able to explain whne I've read some of the suggested books.

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Hi, this's my first post here at photo.net.

 

Personally, I've always been keen to read about what goes on in the mind of a photographer when he/she takes those pictures, be it a "good" picture or not.

 

I'm not a student of art or photography and do not live in a world where my life revolves around any of these things, career-wise. The thing that got my into photography is how the real world gets manipulated onto the film, and sometimes eventually to print.

 

However, here's where I differ from many serious photographers, i don't study photographs. I either see it and do I like it or not. Does it capture my attention or not. Does it stir up any thoughts in my mind.

 

I don't understand it when people put a caption under the pictures saying "f2.8 1/250 200mm, Velvia 50". I don't appreciate more than half of Ansel Adams or any other "great masters" works. I sometimes frown upon pictures being "named".

 

Maybe I'm just a beginner. Or maybe I'm just not an artist and have no appreciation for good art.

 

I look at an Ansel Adams print sold for $$$$$ on the Internet, dazzled, turn the monitor off, and turn around and put my print on my bedroom wall.

 

My point is, the most interesting aspect of photography that holds value to me is, the very first thought that runs through the mind of a photographer when he/she first decided to "make" a picture, and not how the picture was made.

 

Maybe this is what Paul's seeking.

 

After much surfing on the internet on this topic, I found these two quotes by Gary Winogrand that best reflects on how I feel about photography..

 

"I photograph something to see what it will look like photographed"

 

"I don't have anything to say in any picture. My only interest in photography is to see what something looks like as a photograph. I have no preconceptions"

 

cheers.

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Paul; books are only part of the information base. One of my good sources is PHOTO DISTRICT NEWS. They have a good monthly magazine, still in large format so you get some decent sized pictures. They don't assign 99.999% of their space to ads. AND the netsite is extensive. I like them because they also pay attention to LIVING photographers and some younger folks out there.
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