pinball_pw's daughter and her horse in the Critique forum got me thinking about how to capture the emotional impetus of a photograph, especially with spur of the moment and candids. I am typically inspired by some emotional response to seeing something, yet rarely do I capture an image that conveys the feeling. It may be as simple as "that's a pretty flower, I'd like to take its picture" to something more mysterious. Perhaps my challenge is to better understand these emotions; however in spur of the moment, travel, and candid photography, I find little time to ponder, walk around to find the optimal viewpoint, etc.
That said, some people inherently have a knack for this, some just get lucky, and others have painstakingly developed their skills over time. Perhaps you would like to share your insight, tips, and tricks to help a novice like me develop his skills. I've read numerous articles on the topic but I'd like to hear from the FM community. What worked for you? How did you do it (maybe with examples)? What went through your mind leading up to and including the time you took the photo?
Sorry, no advice to offer other than you might get better responses in the people forum. People tend to be much more emotional then forums and miscellany
Thanks for looking. I didn't post it in one of the more specific forums because it is a general question, it could be landscapes, buildings, pets, people....
_Rob_S_ wrote:
Sorry, no advice to offer other than you might get better responses in the people forum. People tend to be much more emotional then forums and miscellany
Rob
I don't know. People often become crazy emotional in the gear forums.
E = emotion… a variable
M = the medium you are using
C = light that is the catalyst your medium uses to create an image
Simple really
Seriously, if you don’t already know the relationships between Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed, learn it and love it… How to use the aperture to get backgrounds you want… Learn what light does to an image and the way you view it and how to make your camera capture that image that you see… the way you see it…
Shoot if you can in early morning or late afternoon light… Light is different in different places and during different seasons… I like early morning spring light and late afternoon light in the fall… but what I shoot most happens a lot in mid afternoon harsh sunlight… you learn ways to deal with it… try different angles so the light… reflections… shadows add to an image…
Take some shots and post them in one of the presentation forums and ask for C&C… and don’t get discouraged when you get it
And shoot… shoot… shoot…and then shoot some more
One more thing I can't really help you with... but I think it helps if your left handed...
I can think of two types of "converting emotion to image".
The first, and by far the most common, is when the photographer has an emotional connection to the scene, and then tries to capture that emotion. The ability to consistently capture that emotion is competence - IOW, the more you practice, and the more you know about the "taking" aspects of photography, the more likely you are to make these "captures".
The second, and quite rare circumstance, is when you are able to capture the compassionate essence of a spiritual connection within the subject. I've done only a few of these, but they're my best.
some people inherently have a knack for this, some just get lucky, and others have painstakingly developed their skills over time.
I think all three go hand in hand...most certainly in my case. I've always enjoyed shooting the candids as far back as
40 yrs ago but during the last 3 yrs of spec. shooting youth rodeo, everything finally all came together. In between
sessions I'd work the bleachers/fence lines/practice areas observing the kids interacting with their horses and each
other. I'd scrutinize backgrounds and lighting looking for the "sweet" spots at a particular venue. I've started sellin'
candids to people who've told me that they had no intention of buying anything (on a visit to my www) but HAD to
have print of their kid. They come for the barrels, poles, and roping...but when you can deliver "that's my kid" shots
that have captured their personality, this starts being worth all the time and effort put forth. Observe, and be ready
to shoot (knowing your gear inside and out's imperative) Practice, take lots of shots and before long it'll be second
nature. You'll have honed your skills to the point of not thinking about anything but the "moment". It's a done deal.
If you can capture an emotion with a camera that is meaningful to you and also happens to be universally recognized, then it is a successful photograph.
