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Risk in Photography


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<p>First, I am curious about how photography involves risk. There is one obvious way, such as hanging over the wall of a deep canyon or getting too close to the firing in a battle zone. I am wondering about the less obvious, e.g., ignoring some or all of the rules of composition. </p>

<p>More importantly, though, does taking risks in making a photograph make it better? </p>

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<p><em>"does taking risks in making a photograph make it better?"</em></p>

<p>Not necessarily, though I think some risk-taking, when evident, <em>can</em> make a photo better, more challenging to the viewer, more authentic, more provocative.</p>

<p>I try to take some risks in how I process photos, trying to process them according to where the content seems to tell me to go and pushing my own vision to new places that are sometimes out of my comfort zone. I try to take some emotional risks in opening myself and my world up to others. I try to take intimacy risks with my subjects (which is not necessarily sexual intimacy).</p>

<p>Lately, I've been working with some young actors and dancers and I'm moved by the risks <em>they're</em> taking in being photographed, allowing themselves to be vulnerable and open to new and unknown situations and ways of seeing themselves.</p>

We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!
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<p>Michael, personally I wouldn't call breaking rules of composition, or deliberately under- or overexposing a risk; the worst that can happen is that at first glance, the photo will not be understood and will require too much from the viewer. If it's a risk, I'll happily take it, when I see it fit to do so. Much like the obvious risk, there is a simple consideration to make: does the benefit (end result) merit the risk? It needs to integrate into a larger vision on what the resulting image needs to be, and what not. In that sense, taking risks can make for better photos if the vision calls for it. It can also make dreadful photos if it isn't consistent.<br>

In one way, maybe, taking risk (intentionally!) might be a precursor to more creative or expressive photos: at least it was a product of thought, and an open-minded approach, plus a base knowledge which allows to understand what the rules would be, and when they stop making sense. But in itself, breaking rules, to me, isn't inherently better or worse.</p>

<p>More generically speaking: people like to read about those who took great risks to do something special. And sometimes, those stories are special, inspiring and at least make me think about how much I'd be able to rise to the challenge. But about as often, I get this idea "you could have done it safer, more reliable with less risk and danger, with the same end result - just by acting less impulsive and think a second more". Or worse: just plain luck it worked out as it did. I guess for photos, this can apply just as well. Risk needs to serve the final result, if it leaves the hero dead in some epic battle, he's not going to achieve his goal.</p>

<p>The only real risk I see with my images is letting them be themselves. Accept criticism with grace, even if it turns out that whatever I envisioned with the image doesn't manage to come across. The risk of being misunderstood, or sometimes just as bad: the risk of being understood. The risk that inevitably comes with expressing oneself.<br />And the risk of tearing clothes while trying to find access where a signpost tells me not to enter.</p>

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<p>For me, the "rules of composition" have always been guidelines, and nothing more. If a scene demands a centered subject and a square frame, that's what it gets, so bring on the photo police. It's more of an adventure than a risk...</p>

<p>Oh, and at my age, I don't go too near cliff edges and anywhere near firefights. Been there, done that.</p>

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<p>To me, "risk taking" is a state of mind and a skill involving creativity and forethought. It's not something one simply decides to do. </p>

<p>Taking risks usually means doing something that hasn't been done before in most other disciplines. In photography, though, it's usually contained to mean trying something we haven't tried before which hardly qualifies as risks when just a bit of digging will show volumes of prior art. </p>

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<p>Actually, Dani, it seems to me that sometimes the risk is that the artist, him or herself, won't (yet) like his or her own photos. The risk is in violating one's own established taste, and may have nothing to do with the "majority". "Believe in yourself" is very sage advice.</p>

<p>A few quotes worth pondering, from artists themselves, about artists who may not be or want to be ahead of their time. I'm not rejecting that notion, but offering some alternative views which might suggest that great artists don't necessarily flout or escape their time. Great art as often reflects its time and is born of it. Sometimes it both reflects and surpasses its time. </p>

 

<p ><em>"No artist is ahead of his time. He is his time. It is just that the others are behind the time."</em> (Martha Graham)</p>

 

<p ><em>"Every work of art is the child of its time; each period produces an art of its own, which cannot be repeated."</em> (Wassily Kandinsky)</p>

 

<p ><em>"The moment we live in is a great time to make art. We have different technologies to play with, and we're left with the opportunity to focus on our work."</em> (Jeff Koons)</p>

 

<p ><em>"Art is an accurate statement of the time in which it was made."</em> (Robert Mapplethorpe)</p>

 

<p><em>"The great artists do not seek their forms in the midst of the past, but take the deepest soundings they can of the genuine, profoundest of their age."</em> (Franz Marc)</p>

 

<p ><em>"I continue to make paintings of people and their moments in our time because I am of that time. Out of that I hope to make pictures that are timeless."</em> (Burton Silverman) </p>

We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!
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<p>In photography as in any art medium, what interests me in a work is a sense of exploration, a feeling that the artist is willing to step out of his/her comfort zone and reach out into the unknown for something new. This inevitably involves risk but also the recognition that risk taking, and the risk of failure, are a vital part of the creative process. Anything else is just repeating yourself!</p>
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<p>We call them rules, but I don't think of compositional rules as rules to follow or brake. I think of them more like facts (about human visual senses and perception). Just like 2 and 2 equals 4 in arithmetics. The fact that 2+2=4 doesn't mean you break any rules if you instead want to add 3 and 5 to get 8 or want to get 4 by subtracting 3 from 7. You just use another fact.<br /> <br />The only risk I see clearly is the risk of getting bored and indifferent of photography if I do not seek new challenges, inspiration and insight from time to time. (I should of course note that I do not depend on photography for a living, so there is no economical risks for me)<br /><br /></p>

<p>Best wishes,<br /> Frode Langset</p>

<p>(And excuse my English. It is not my native language)</p>

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<p>Wouter: Sorry if my example wasn't appropriate here, although I do think that there may be risk in deliberately shooting from a dead-center perspective or in altering the aspect ratios beyond the ones that are generally acceptable. As most of the posts above indicate, it has to do with the photographer individually. I would be hard pressed to think that the concept of risk is applicable across the board.</p>
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<p>Michael (Linder), how (if you do) do you take risks in photography? If you do take risks, do you feel the risk-taking making your photos better (sometimes? always?)? In what ways? Does the risk-taking show in your photos or do only you know about it or sense it? Do you care if it shows or do you want it to show? Can you give examples of the appearance of risk-taking in others' photos, famous or here on PN? Or examples of risks you know were taken but that don't necessarily show in the photos?</p>
We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!
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<p>Fred - I'm not sure if whatever risks I may take have any effect on the quality of my photos. However I am sure that they make me feel better and strengthen my self-esteem. As much as I would like the risk taking to show in my work, and I would be gratified if viewers picked up on it, it does not discourage me if they don't. I'll be back later with some examples.</p>

<p>John: People risk extending their hands in potential friendship for fear that the other person may spit on it. I really don't give a crap about ratings even though I do request them. They are just another device to try getting additional views for my photos.</p>

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<p>#1: I rarely make portrait photographs. In this particular instance, I was trying to retain a range of grayscale tones without making the image too dark. As a result, I used the diffuse glow filter. In my opinion, the subject's face came out a bit pasty, but in my opinion the benefit is a somewhat less-than-straightforward portrait (whatever that means).<br>

#2: This photo was taken in bright sunlight at f5.6, 1/125th sec., ISO 500. When I converted it to black and white, I realized that the background was too prominent in the frame so I added blur. <br>

#3 This photograph involved creating an abstract from a straightforward, side angle shot of the subject. She doesn't like photos of her displayed on the internet. My risk, as best as I can explain, was trying to create an image that can be viewed as a "legitimate" photograph without being dismissed as being "just an abstract."</p>

 

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<p>It sounds like I am evading the question, but for me risk taking is not very relevant when I am photographing. I tend to compose based on an inner feeling of tension vs balance in a dynamic sort of way involving light, dark, texture, among other factors etc. Sometimes I do "push" my own sensibilities in an experimental way to see what will happen. Maybe that could be called "risk taking." You have to experiment!</p>
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<p>Michael, I did not intend to imply that the word "risk" was inapproriate, my apologies if my writing made it seem that way. It's more that for myself, when I know I deliberately choose a very-off-axis composition, or a very central one, I tend to do so intentionally. So, personally, I do not experience it as a risk, but as something I feel I need to do.<br>

At the same time, you might well be right that it is a risk, and that it could alienate a viewer. But reading your description of your own examples: you're working from an idea on what the image should become, and do the needed to get there. The risks may be there, but they come from the vision, if I read you correctly? I'd turn the question around: would you have been happy with those photos if you did not take the risks? If no, are the risks still risks, or simply things you have to do to express yourself properly?<br>

In a lot less words: I much agree with Steve :-)</p>

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<p>Thanks, Steve, for suggesting the difference between experiment and risk.</p>

<p><strong>Experiment</strong> - <em>A test under controlled conditions that is made to demonstrate a known truth, examine the validity of a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy of something previously untried.</em></p>

<p>Concentrating specifically on the final clause of the definition, I wonder if one sort of taking a <strong>risk</strong> is going with the result even if the photographic experiment turns out to seem <em>non</em>-efficacious.</p>

We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!
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<p>What Fred G. said in his first post. I'm always a bit hesitant to review my shots because I know it'll just tick me off if I think they stink. So for me the risk is to my own enjoyment of the hobby. It's always nice if others like your work, but more important to like it yourself.</p>
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