Emotional impact on photography

[jamesgysen]

<p>Yes, ON photography. I did a search and found several references regarding how good photos are supposed to make an emotional impact on the viewer, however I have found little insight into how a photographers personal emotion impacts the outcome of their photography. To me it seems obvious that there has to be a correlation. </p>

<p>Yesterday I was doing a review of my work to see where I've been and where I'm going and did note a substantial shift in my finished photos this year. It's very hard for me to to describe (I'm not the most eloquent with my thoughts and emotions!) but subjects and themes, not to mention the finished product are darker, more bleak, etc. Now this has been a tough year for our family admittedly - employment, medical, financial issues and losses; so I kind of expected my photography to change regardless.</p>

<p>So, out of all that, what are your views? How is your photography influenced by your mood or outlook? -or- Do you allow your photography to be affected?</p>

<p>If nothing else, thank you for reading. <br>

Regards, James.</p>

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[stp]

<p>For me, it's no mystery at all. I've known for many years that there is a direct link between events in my life (an alcoholic father, cancer) and the subjects I choose to photograph and the way that I approach those subjects (as a hobbyist landscape photographer). I suspect there are other aspects of my life, less easy to discern, that influence my photography, but I can't see them yet. People are like icebergs: much of what constitutes our personalities, motivations, attitudes, and other aspects of our selves lie below the surface, out of sight and difficult to "see" unless attention, effort, and sometimes professional assistance are employed. That deeply rooted emotions might influence our approach to photography should spark no surprise at all. The nature of one's photography can provide a window to the inner self of many people, if we choose to look, as James has done. IMO and from my experience, of course.</p>

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[rossb]

<p> For me photography is about taking photos of our life. The places we go and the things we see or experience. Birthdays, graduations and other life accomplishments. I am not sure what may influence the photos other then I just want to have them so I take the pictures. </p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>James, I think it's hard to find quantative scientific studies on this, since the effect will be different for any photographer. But as you say, it's obvious it is there. It would be nice, though, if pro's would jump in here to share their experiences (wedding photographers, PJ's) - I'd be interested to read that, as I think there is a reasonable difference here between a professional (who has to deliver) and a hobbyist (who can do whatever he or she likes).</p>

<p>Me, I'm a hobbyist, so I can let my mood take me where it wants to go. It's very determining for my photography - choice of subject, approach hinge on it. When I'm stressed, I basically see no photos, have no attention for details and no patience for anything. Usually end up being a lot of incoherent mediocre photos. Happy days make me look for different things and framing than sad days. Days that I'm relaxed are better for landscapes than days I've got a lot on my mind... and so on.<br>

Now I am not sure whether it is always very visible in the result for the casual viewer; as Stephen said: you need to choose to look, and even then the differences are probably still very subtle.</p>

[starvy]

<p>You do make a very interesting point. I think we all approach this emotional attachment from different perspectives. I took up photography in 2006. The cameras I had owned before had been used just for snapshots. From the first few disappointing roles through my Olympus OM40 to getting to a level where I was constantly surprising myself led to acquiring more gear that would allow me to shoot better. I worked out that taking a gamble on very old medium format equipment and learning the basics of manual exposure gave me the most pleasure. Combine that with family photographs when I did occasionally took them made me feel a little more confident.<br>

I have shot far less this year. I have been almost consumed by work. However, when I shoot I still feel as if I want to shoot more. The scanning process does tend to scare me a little through the volume I have to put through the scanner and the amount of time dedicated to it but in the end the results are pleasing to my eye and that is what matters. </p>

[Norma Desmond]

<p>Being in a happy mood doesn't necessarily end in a joyful picture and being in a sorrowful mood doesn't necessarily lead to a tragic one. Nevertheless, the emotions can be poured into the photos. How they come out is a very individualistic matter.</p>

<p>Many of us wouldn't purposely choose to <em>be</em> sad (though we certainly might at times) but we might purposely choose to listen to a "sad" piece of music. Why? What's the difference between our direct experience of sadness and our experience of sadness in the music? (I think it has something to do with empathy.)</p>

<p>In terms of "allowing" our photography to be affected by our emotions, my guess is that bad photographers don't and good photographers don't have a choice.</p>

[cyanatic]

<p>"What are your views?"<br>

"How is your photography influenced (by mood)?"<br>

"Do you allow your photograpy to be affected?"</p>

<p>As Wouter said, each photographer's work will be impacted differently by their emotions. I agree with Fred that happiness or sadness in a photographer does not necessarily translate to the work they create when they feel these emotions. Some of my work has -- for lack of a better phrase -- a dark ambiguity. But my feeling toward such images is a kind of joy and celebration.</p>

<p>I think the type of photography one does allows for more, or less, self expression. "Utilitarian" professionals (wedding, sports, events, etc.) have less latitude for self expression and therefore less room for the influence of emotion. "Art" professionals produce work that is almost exclusively personal and therefore have a wide latitude for emotion and self expression to come through. (I'm using a very broad brush with the terms Utilitarian and Art for the purpose of description and categorization only. Perhaps "client based work" and "personal work" would be better?). But I think world view, more than emotion, is what comes through in even the most personal work. Salgado, Mann, Nachtwey, Towell, Lyon: What they chose to photograph, and how they chose to photograph it, were matters of world view, more than momentary expressions of emotion. </p>

 

[jwallphoto]

<p>Interesting questions. I wonder if, after things have picked up again in your outlook, you will have the same reaction to your own photos that you do in a more stressful time. I was just talking with a friend about defining one's photographic vision, and it's not something I considered in the light of my own emotional state (which usually seems too fleeting to enter into the equation). It would be interesting to have others view a sample of your images and find out what mood they believe is being conveyed. In any case, it seems like an excellent project to mine your work for meaning. If you believe the images reflect melancholy or stress, you could then ask what kind of changes you'd have to make to create joyful or serene images. Not that you would want to make the changes, but it could be enlightening to sort it all out.</p>