Wot U Lookin' at

[Norman 202]

Following on from the deep and meaningful dizzzzcussion on the Phil of Photography forum, I'd like to gauge members' opinions on how well you know your subjects before you trip the shutter.

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Are you, eg, someone who shoots a scene (or subject) as you see it (and edits afterwards) or, do you have some idea of what you want to shoot, some pre-visualization of a scene (based on light, mood- your own and others, equipment available, location, purpose- etc), and, if it's not as you hoped, do you take note and revisit the scene later?

 

<i>Is knowing your scene important?</i>

Edited March 9, 2017 by Norman 202

[Norman 202]

I am unashamedly a member of the first group but I would love to hear your views. Thanks

[Ed_Ingold]

All of the above and more.

 

<br><br>Sometimes I seek a time and place of my choosing. At other times I look around and make the best of what I see at the time. I have a fairly comprehensive equipment kit, but sometimes I leave it behind and go exploring with one lens. I seek new places, or return to a scene I've been many times before, looking for different angles or lighting. My only regret is that I don't spend more time taking photos instead of doing what I must do.

[sjmurray]

I typically don't look for interesting things to photograph. But, I see things that are interesting all the time, every day. For me, it feels more like the interesting things/faces, "find me." Often I do not have a camera with me, but when I do, I will take a picture.

[Norman 202]

Steve, do you return to places and take a picture?

[jordan2240]

If the location is relatively close, I will try to return when the light is more favorable for what I'm looking for. Obviously, if it's too far to travel, you get what you get. Either way, I like to play around with the shots in post most of the time, and while I might do some cloning to remove some extraneous stuff, I won't add stuff that wasn't in the scene.

[sjmurray]

Norman, I take pictures where I go. I don't typically go places to take pictures. I do bike with the dog through a park every day except winter, and I sometimes take my camera because there are always scenes that grab me. All my photos of people were done at social gatherings or just hanging out, except for a few portraits where someone asked me to do one for them.

[Norma Desmond]

A couple of examples to show the lack of mutual exclusion in some of these areas. I may know my subject very well, if it's a person, maybe a longtime friend. But I may go out for a photo shoot with them and be very spontaneous about shooting them, going to places I'm not that familiar with and shooting them in ways I hadn't thought through in advance. Likewise, I have met with people I didn't know at all for the purpose of taking their picture, and have gone to places I know well to make the photos and may even have thought of specific ways to approach the shoot even though I didn't yet know the person . . . with the flexibility to adhere or not adhere to what I'd planned.

 

Something else interesting to consider is whether a "scene" is shot as seen or as foreseen (as it seems to you at the time or as you foresee it photographically) . . . or some combination of the two. And perhaps as interesting is whether a scene is shot as a scene or as a photo. Sometimes the "scene-ness" of a scene is purposely or accidentally omitted or lost when photographed.

[Norman 202]

Something else interesting to consider is whether a "scene" is shot as seen or as foreseen

i really like this distinction and i pretty convinced it's what makes an ordinary photograph extraordinary

[bob_bill]

I am primarily a portrait guy. I pick locations based on something interesting or giving context. I pick time of day based on lighting or convenience or no choice. If light isn't what I want on my subject, I bring enough lights, reflectors and scrims to get it as close to what I want then use post to take it another notch if necessary. If I don't have the lighting gear or am forbidden to use it, well, then have to use post. Being able to modify natural or available light with all lighting available means I can create my vision with more flexibility. For example, if I want "sunset" at 2 in the afternoon, I can make it.