Our beloved No Words forum is . . .

... really good for you. The No Words forum may be, IMO, one of the most useful and valuable exercises you can do to work on/with your photography.

Last summer, I jumped into that forum with both feet and had more fun that I've had in ... I can't remember back to when photography was so much pure fun. But I felt sheepish and not a little guilty for spending so much time picking out pictures to match the posted themes and/or going out with those themes in mind. Did that really bother me?

Nope. But it does please me no end to now have found what for me seems to be not only a good reason to post to the forum (which I hope to get back to soon), but makes it one of the best things you can do for your photography. Tastes great and is good for you!

Here's what got me to this happy conclusion (for myself; I'm not promoting it for anybody else). I just got a new book by a photographer that I like, Pieter Hugo. He's known for 'adult' semi-journalistic, hard-biting pictures mainly from/of Africa (he's from South Africa). This new book, by contrast, is portraits of children; gorgeous, innovative portraits of children. How did he make such an odd switch in subject matter?

He writes:

Something changed in Hugo's life (he now had children of his own) to trigger an awareness of children everywhere. The interesting thing, to me, is that they were always there, he just didn't see them. Something had to "change [his] way of looking at things."

Which brings me back to No Words. Last summer, when I was posting there all the time, every day (many times a day, if I admit it), I would look at the forum themes posted (for example, right now I see Sunglasses, Leaning, Smokers, Bus Stop, Smile!, Leaning, Unusual Signs, Cakes ... ) and they would act as mini-triggers; those mini-triggers would "change [my] way of looking at things." All those things would jump into view in my already-made pictures or when I went out looking for such things.

Everything, or almost everything that we each — and I include in that all photographers from the least of us to the greatest, most famous, most exalted of us — is already in the presence of whatever it is that will be the topic of theme of our yet-to-be made great or not so great photographs. It's all already there. We simply need that trigger to "change or way of looking" and suddenly we "notice them everywhere."

No Words exercises that process of making us notice. Naturally, noticing is just the beginning, but it is key.

Everything, or almost everything that we each — and I include in that all photographers from the least of us to the greatest, most famous, most exalted of us — is already in the presence of whatever it is that will be the topic of theme of our yet-to-be made great or not so great photographs. It's all already there. We simply need that trigger to "change or way of looking" and suddenly we "notice them everywhere."

this coincides with my own view on photography that i have formulated in my Fundamental Theorem of Photography which states, anyone who so wishes will take a few great photos in their lifetime.

the NW forum is proof of this.

... really good for you. The No Words forum may be, IMO, one of the most useful and valuable exercises you can do to work on/with your photography.

 

Last summer, I jumped into that forum with both feet and had more fun that I've had in ... I can't remember back to when photography was so much pure fun. But I felt sheepish and not a little guilty for spending so much time picking out pictures to match the posted themes and/or going out with those themes in mind. Did that really bother me?

 

Nope. But it does please me no end to now have found what for me seems to be not only a good reason to post to the forum (which I hope to get back to soon), but makes it one of the best things you can do for your photography. Tastes great and is good for you!

 

Here's what got me to this happy conclusion (for myself; I'm not promoting it for anybody else). I just got a new book by a photographer that I like, Pieter Hugo. He's known for 'adult' semi-journalistic, hard-biting pictures mainly from/of Africa (he's from South Africa). This new book, by contrast, is portraits of children; gorgeous, innovative portraits of children. How did he make such an odd switch in subject matter?

 

He writes:

 

When I returned to Rwanda on assignment in 2014, my own children were one and four years old. They had changed my way of looking at things. Whereas on previous visits to Rwanda I'd barely seen any children, this time I noticed them everywhere.

 

Something changed in Hugo's life (he now had children of his own) to trigger an awareness of children everywhere. The interesting thing, to me, is that they were always there, he just didn't see them. Something had to "change [his] way of looking at things."

 

Which brings me back to No Words. Last summer, when I was posting there all the time, every day (many times a day, if I admit it), I would look at the forum themes posted (for example, right now I see Sunglasses, Leaning, Smokers, Bus Stop, Smile!, Leaning, Unusual Signs, Cakes ... ) and they would act as mini-triggers; those mini-triggers would "change [my] way of looking at things." All those things would jump into view in my already-made pictures or when I went out looking for such things.

 

 

***************************

 

Everything, or almost everything that we each — and I include in that all photographers from the least of us to the greatest, most famous, most exalted of us — is already in the presence of whatever it is that will be the topic of theme of our yet-to-be made great or not so great photographs. It's all already there. We simply need that trigger to "change or way of looking" and suddenly we "notice them everywhere."

 

No Words exercises that process of making us notice. Naturally, noticing is just the beginning, but it is key.

Hi Julie, one of the reasons I like the "No Words Forum" is because of my limited ability to put words together as fluently as yourself.

The main reason though is the demise of the "Critiques Forum", it is now since the changes a mere shadow of it's former self. In NW I find renewed interest in trawling through my photo collection and seeing members take on the subjects that arise. It also means I need to get out and take even more photos............GC.

No Words

Never liked the word "No"....a confining word.

The traditional Photo.net May Day parade

No Words is my second favorite (after Classic ...). I especially appreciate that the "No" is not taken so literally or rigidly that context or identification of the image has to be omitted.

There were times when that was not so. I would not blame the former leader of Photokistan, personally, however.

Julie, I can't agree more. No words has 2 triggers for me - exploring opportunities for new and interesting images that I hope will stimulate some responses - and the chance to 'talk' to other photographers by responding to their images. The lack of judgement - the joy of sharing - and the 'no' words makes this forum a joy to be involved with.

Is there philosophy in talking about 'no words' - definitely- the single image, without words, can be understood in so many ways - giving rise to thinking about concepts such as interpretation, abstract and concrete, absoluteness, beauty, identity ...... great philosophical concepts.

There are almost no words that convey the pleasure I receive from participating in this forum.

>>>> :):D ... :cool:.....................................................................:rolleyes:

I wish smileys were allowed in the no words forum, next to the 'like'!

:D:D:D just kidding.

I hate the damned thing. It causes me to spend hours digging through my digital archives--and sorting/organizing things. It's even made me scan old negatives. Time that could have been spent watching a spider eat a fly, or taking a nap. Then I have to touch it up and post it. So much work. The really sad part is finding images that I have simply dumped into a folder and forgotten about--now discover are worthy of the "full treatment" and printing. More hours lost to that and the mounting, marketing, selling. It's exhausting...

What's even worse is when I discover that I don't have a sort of image subject shown. Then I have to ACTUALLY GET UP AND GO OUT AND TAKE PICTURES. Then I find myself taking different sorts of pictures. Looking at themes and things in ways that I was perfectly content to ignore. And technique. I see things that others are doing and try to learn how they were done. Oww, my head hurts even thinking about it. Then I get mad, because slowly how I do everything begins to change. Why do all of you insist I move out of my upholstered rut? It's all BS I tell you.

The management needs to get rid of this nuisance. Replace it with something like "No Words, No Pictures." Then we can all just like each other's signatures.

I hate the damned thing. It causes me to spend hours digging through my digital archives--and sorting/organizing things. It's even made me scan old negatives. Time that could have been spent watching a spider eat a fly, or taking a nap. Then I have to touch it up and post it. So much work. The really sad part is finding images that I have simply dumped into a folder and forgotten about--now discover are worthy of the "full treatment" and printing. More hours lost to that and the mounting, marketing, selling. It's exhausting...

 

What's even worse is when I discover that I don't have a sort of image subject shown. Then I have to ACTUALLY GET UP AND GO OUT AND TAKE PICTURES. Then I find myself taking different sorts of pictures. Looking at themes and things in ways that I was perfectly content to ignore. And technique. I see things that others are doing and try to learn how they were done. Oww, my head hurts even thinking about it. Then I get mad, because slowly how I do everything begins to change. Why do all of you insist I move out of my upholstered rut? It's all BS I tell you.

 

The management needs to get rid of this nuisance. Replace it with something like "No Words, No Pictures." Then we can all just like each other's signatures.

I thought you liked hard work!

W/NW

Comments and thoughts.

Lets get stuck in the past with NW.

That's the most fun for me also.

That said, other Forums help me out in more practical ways, such as "How To Shoot an Eclipse". The contribution there and links to other good resources were all I need to have a successful shoot.