I think there are two sides, and IMO the how and why are both important.
We know that \"how\" is fairly easily answered by those who understand what they did/how they achieved a desired result. This is knowledge therefore easily passed on, although many photographers might choose not to do this. It is useful knowledge because it allows repeatable results through a fundamental understanding of certain technical aspects that were required, whether it was subject angle, light angle, framing, etc...without this knowledge, people are left guessing and learning the hard way. Kind of like learning something without any formal training or tutelage or internship...
However, who will answer the why? How can you really learn the why? Why did the photographer decide to shoot with this specific light or angle? I would guess that a fairly consistent answer for this is one of several things: 1. Experience teaching them how to work with particular face/body styles, 2. personality and mood of the clients, 3. what was available to the photographer at the time, 4. mood and knowledge/worldliness of the photographer. But how can this understanding be shared? It\'s only possible if the photographer can solidify the ideas and rules in their own head for sharing verbally...otherwise it is left as something natural and variable as the way the wind blows, and just as easy for the novice to comprehend the reasoning of.
I say both are important. Once I understand how, I often want to know why. However, I want to know both.
e.g.
How: \"I chose to use x light in x position while placing body in x pose and allowed full visualizing of x background in x way.\"
Why: \"Because x light was already present and I only needed to fill x area, and I wanted to accentuate x part of x subject, which was further drawn out by the contrast of the consistency of x background color, etc..\"
I think there are two sides, and IMO the how and why are both important.
We know that \"how\" is fairly easily answered by those who understand what they did/how they achieved a desired result. This is knowledge therefore easily passed on, although many photographers might choose not to do this. It is useful knowledge because it allows repeatable results through a fundamental understanding of certain technical aspects that were required, whether it was subject angle, light angle, framing, etc...without this knowledge, people are left guessing and learning the hard way. Kind of like learning something without any formal training or tutelage or internship...
However, who will answer the why? How can you really learn the why? Why did the photographer decide to shoot with this specific light or angle? I would guess that a fairly consistent answer for this is one of several things: 1. Experience teaching them how to work with particular face/body styles, 2. personality and mood of the clients, 3. what was available to the photographer at the time, 4. mood and knowledge/worldliness of the photographer. But how can this understanding be shared? It\'s only possible if the photographer can solidify the ideas and rules in their own head for sharing verbally...otherwise it is left as something natural and variable as the way the wind blows, and just as easy for the novice to comprehend the reasoning of.
I say both are important. Once I understand how, I often want to know why. However, I want to know both.
May 10, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Previous versions of form's message #11543475 « Asking WHY, not HOW »
