hjoseph7 Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 What makes a good photograph, the subject or the theme ? We Photographers go around with our cameras like walking Xerox machines. That is we copy what is in front of us with our cameras. The closer the presentation to the actual subject the better. Most of our subjects are things of Nature, or things of this world. So what is so fascinating about things that are all around us ? Why do we need a carbon copy of it ? Of course when it comes to Macro, or Close-up photography we might record things that are so small that they bypass our senses or awareness, but still, they are things that are all around us .Imagine if one day I decided to take pictures of everything in my home. The dishwasher, the refrigerator, my computer, the couch, the lamps etc., then decided to give an exhibition of the pictures I have taken. These pictures of course would be perfectly exposed and printed to the highest quality, but would my audience find these pictures fascinating ? What is it in a photograph that makes it interesting ? Is it the story behind the photograph, or something else ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_ante Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Composition. All other variables depend upon context of subject and existing conditionsI when picture was taken.. A xerox machine a good analogy...a xerox machine lacks a conscious brain. But a good picture needs good composition. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samstevens Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 We Photographers … are diverse individuals We Photographers go around with our cameras like walking Xerox machines. That is we copy what is in front of us with our cameras. And poets just use already-used words. Imagine if one day I decided to take pictures of everything in my home. The dishwasher, the refrigerator, my computer, the couch, the lamps etc., Check out the photos of Sudek and Kertész, or Eggleston for that matter. Different ways to photograph things. _______________ What if there’s more than meets the eye? 1 "You talkin' to me?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Whoever said it (maybe Weegee): f/8 and be there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanKlein Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 What makes a good photograph, the subject or the theme ? We Photographers go around with our cameras like walking Xerox machines. That is we copy what is in front of us with our cameras. The closer the presentation to the actual subject the better. Most of our subjects are things of Nature, or things of this world. So what is so fascinating about things that are all around us ? Why do we need a carbon copy of it ? Of course when it comes to Macro, or Close-up photography we might record things that are so small that they bypass our senses or awareness, but still, they are things that are all around us .Imagine if one day I decided to take pictures of everything in my home. The dishwasher, the refrigerator, my computer, the couch, the lamps etc., then decided to give an exhibition of the pictures I have taken. These pictures of course would be perfectly exposed and printed to the highest quality, but would my audience find these pictures fascinating ? What is it in a photograph that makes it interesting ? Is it the story behind the photograph, or something else ? When I was just a teenager, a relative presented me with a hand-wound 8mm film movie camera, with three lens turret. It had a single-shot mode. If you press the button, the camera would expose one frame of the 8mm movie film. I would go around shooting everything figuring I was saving a lot of money and accomplishing a lot. Of course I eventually took lots of movie with it too. When the film was developed, I would look at each exposed frame of the stills admiring what I accomplished. Capturing a moment in time is Godlike. 3 Flickr gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/albums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samstevens Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 (edited) Capturing a moment in time is Godlike. Isn’t capturing a moment in time humanlike? Capturing all moments in time would be more Godlike. :) Edited April 23, 2022 by samstevens "You talkin' to me?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanford Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Envy...wish I'd been there and taken that photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemorrell Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 I agree with the gist of the thread. In that I see many amateur photographers (including myself) wandering around a location photographing whatever happens to catch their eye. So whether it's a wide-angle 'scene' shot or close-up macro, in some sense they are photographing what's before their eyes. As a volunteer for a photo festival, I notice that many amateur photographers take exactly the same (or very similar) photos at each location. One major differentiation, it seems to me, lies in the photographer having a more deliberate intention. The intention (possibly agreed with a client) often leads to the preparation for and design of a photoshoot. This applies also to the intention, preparation for, and design of individual photos. That said, the question "what makes a good photograph ... (this or that)?" is IMHO a very broad generalization of why different people take different types of photos. What makes for good sports photos may be very different from what makes for good studio portraits, wedding photos, or documentary photos. But IMHO, a common characteristic is 'good' by intention, by preparation, and by design. Oh yes and by having the skills to execute the photoshoot or photo to achieve the desired results. PS. I consider 'composition' to be part of 'design', as is location, lighting, perspective, and exposure. I'm not much into landscape photography but I am impressed when I read about landscape photographers visiting a specific location (=intention) at multiple times of day under different weather conditions (=preparation) to develop a 'vision' (= design) of how they want to photograph this landscape. A somewhat different (more artistic) approach is to start with an intention and to experiment with different ways of preparing and designing the physical realization of this. Initial approaches may be radically modified or rejected but may provide inspiration for other ways to realize the intention. So the 'preparation' and design are more likely to 'organically evolve' during the process rather than being a linear process 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inoneeye Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 "So what is so fascinating about things that are all around us ?" The impermanence and the ability to suggest "...there’s more than meets the eye." 3 i n o n e e y e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 .The photograph has a language, unique to itself; it transcends the mere written word. . To understand, learn the language. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 You don't have to ask what is a good photograph, if you can read the language of photography...... It will tell you. Think on that that thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) Not mine. but a talking photograph. What is it communicating to you? Apologies for pinching you photo, inoneeye. Hope you don't mind. Edited April 24, 2022 by Allen Herbert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 When I look at your photo, I see a nightmare. A lonely place with with a chair, The chair, I cannot never reach. A lonely place, a emptiness of life...a lack of belonging... Emptiness. Is not what this language of photography is about...taking you to different places, of, mind and imagination. A journey, for those who can read the language of photography. A journey of the few, methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inoneeye Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) Emptiness Rorschach test Please don’t post my photos. Edited April 24, 2022 by inoneeye i n o n e e y e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Inoneeye, methinks Sam/Freddy might smack your bum hard for talking to me......, the great wackiness. Put a book there.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) Wow. What the monkeys .Weird. Creepy. Hey Ho, I'm a normal bloke with a mouth. Weird dude. I promise, I will never ever engage or look at your photos....ever. Rorschach test Jeez Edited April 24, 2022 by Allen Herbert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Response from email sent me, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 "don't post it without permission."Inon. Okay, got it, rammed into me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inoneeye Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Allen, after your x6 posts re me and my photo... take a breath. I don't care what you look at just be respectful of others work and don't post it without permission. I have my reasons to want the decision of when & where my photos are posted left up to me. 1 i n o n e e y e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Got it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) "I don't care what you look at just be respectful of others work and don't post it without permission "Ion Got it, you have hammered into my skull. Jeez, I just thought I was complimentary to your photography. Sorry. Edited April 24, 2022 by Allen Herbert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 When you see a good photograph....you will know.....a good photograph. That simple really. When you see a bad photograph...you will know. That simple really. But of course, you might be sucked in, by a thousand words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 When you see a good photograph....you will know.....a good photograph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inoneeye Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) Again Edited April 24, 2022 by inoneeye 1 i n o n e e y e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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