A Weston Quote - What did he mean?

[jeff bishop]

> "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk."

 

To arrive at the conclusion, one must already KNOW those rules that they aren't going to consult. Just as you don't have to "consult" the rules of gravity to know you aren't going to float off into the sky.

 

I always figured that you should break all the rules you like. But before breaking them, know what they are in the first place.

 

Also, once you "know" the rules of composition, you will see in those terms without consulting anything.

[yours truly]

That sounds like EW blowing off steam, but quite to the point: Spontaneous reactions to subject matter start the process of making a photograph in the Weston tradition. I bet he was reacting to other imagemakers struggle to understand and use this disputed artform. So much effort was being invested in proving photography was "art" and that the artist made the picture, not the machine. The f64 manifesto and Previsualization, Zone System and the like were all geared toward this end and though ultimately a little restricting, the battle they were fighting was not easily won. It was still debated seriously in the seventies, if you can imagine that!

 

The Westons worked intuitively and placed a premium on avoiding anything that interruped the flow of their reaction to the subject at hand. No light meter, Weston did use a forgiving developing stradegy that included a versitile developing agent and inspection in the later stages of development. I don't think he intended to suggest that any intellectual examination of composition or technique was a waste of time, instead it was important to allow one's own response and resulting compositional decisions to be as uninhibited as possible. The idea was to have as little between the artist's response to a subject and the ultimate expression of that vision, in this case a photograph. Truly a wonderful part of making photographs, and unlike many other mediums less spontaneous by their nature, being able to quickly record what is seen benefits from decisiveness. The possibility of ending up with something fresh, original and revealing is greater without worrying about whether you were doing it "right" or not. At the time Weston wrote this, his approach was highly evolved and he had established a technique that served his philosophy and temperment perfectly.

 

This story may help: William Current told me of the time Brett Weston had some students at Point Lobos to photograph. Ansel Adam's assistant caught wind of this and Ansel packed his gear and headed over. Old friends with a lifelong conflict in approach, Ansel went about setting up his camera in full view of the others. He popped open a case full of light meters and started taking spot readings and applying the Zone System to decide what the perfect exposure would be. Turned out f11 @125 was it. Watching this process take place, Current asked Adams what his exposure would be. Announcing it, Current asked, "But you knew that would be it all along, didn't you?" With a shrug, Ansel answered, "Yep."

 

Ansel tried to convince Brett the Zone System would improve his work but a true iconoclast, Brett would have nothing to do with what he considered a valid learning tool but an impediment to the experienced worker. Brett tried to talk Adams into burning his negs as he planned to do when he turned 80 but even the suggestion would cause Ansel to get aggitated. Brett generously offered to do it for him if Ansel didn't have courage. Both right in their own way, Adams would get people to look and Brett would get them to think. Ansel's legacy will continue to educate and inspire. Bretts will live on and inspire too, but by insisting his negatives could not be printed by anyone else and be valid, this demands people to interact with the art in real time and not wait for validation or an explanation to tell the viewer what to feel. The classic "no compromise" philosophy of the Westons made it clear they weren't fooling around and their lives were dedicated to making great photographs. Adams was more practical and willing to compromise. Being accessible and highly visible was important to Ansel and certainly got people to see photographs in a way they had never considered before. Who knows how many people were introduced to photography as personal expression through Adam's dramatic images. Of course, both Adams and the Westons contributed incredible images that reflected their philosophies. If he had the chance to clarify that statement, Edward Weston would no doubt stress that the individual's unique vision must be nurtured instead of following proven guidelines. But it was probably 4:00AM, he was making his entry into his Daybook and highly caffinated to boot. I doubt he had any idea we would be pondering his remarks without any time, geographical or language barriers.

 

Trust your own eyes, in short.

[vesam1]

<p>>> "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." <<

</p>

 

<p>

In my experience the rules of composition apply on how we look at the picture. Inventing and <i>making</i> a picture is very different process of <i>viewing</i> one.

</p>

 

<p>

The composition classes I have taken telated to painting etc. did not concentrate much on studying painings etc. but rather had e series of exercises for us to see how things are build and how the desicions affect the result.

</p>

 

<p>

The few photogaprhy oriented composition classes I have had have concentrated mostly on studying pictures and nitpicking on how to find some rules in them (and sometimes stretching the rule to fit it in). (Taking a look in to the vast selection of composition artiles in internet the most have no take on what to do when you are about to take the photo).

</p>

 

<p>

Building a picture that fits in certain, more or less arbitrary rule set makes photography and <i>deed or performance</i>, rather than a media of <i>expression</i>. The theatres are full of bad movies that meet the criteria of good story on paper (even to an extent on which page on the script a certain event is introduced), but still fail to impress us. I see its the same with photography: photo build to meet rules of composition (or how we look at pictures) is not neccessarily intresting one as there is no expression in the rule it self. (Even as Aunt Tilly would have been better off not having her daughters head in the middle of the photo).

</p>

 

<p>

In essence: photography is about the <i>relation of</i> you <i>the photographer and the subject</i>: not between you and the rules of composition. (In the same way how your walking is result of your interaction with the environment and not with the rules of gravity - you can't get anywhere walking on those rules).

</p>

[graham john miles]

I think he was simply saying that composition should come as naturally to one as walking. It should be instinctive, intuitive, and not require the consultation of a checklist or text book. Now some of us are born with that inate ability, just as some of us are born with perfect musical pitch. Others less fortunate need to learn. The musical analogy seems to illustrate his point best. A musician who has mastered his instrument transcends the technical aspects of his playing. He becomes part of the music and plays without thinking. It becomes an extension of his spirit. That's what I think Weston was suggesting. Master your medium, both technically and aesthetically. Then you will experience and channel the purity of your art.