Skip to main content

Travel photography is more than 'photography'























I really enjoy travelling, meeting people, listening to their stories and learning new things. In a way taking pictures is an interesting by-product, a way of recording and remembering things. Life is made up of an endless series of stories and experiences.

There's an interesting zen of photography idea that I'd like to pass along in this article. To some of you it will seem so obvious that you'll wonder why I bother to write it and to others I think it may be a bit of a revelation.

Here it is. Your photography will become more meaningful and powerful if you stop concentrating solely on taking the perfect picture. By that I don't mean you shouldn't strive for perfect composition, lighting and all the other technical aspects. Sure you've got to get all of that right but you should be doing that without having to think about it too hard.

A good photographer focuses on far more. It's about being open to the world, the experiences, listening keenly to the people you meet, feeling the emotions, enjoying the interaction and the moment and then taking all of the experience and channeling that into creating interesting images. I think when you part company with your subject you should both feel enriched from the shared experience.

The picture above was taken during a tea and story telling session with this Bedouin gentleman in his tent in the Negev desert. I took the shot as he stared off into the distance watching his camels. The picture features in my latest online exhibition of portraits.

Cheers for now,

Paul Posted by Picasa

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Approach to taking a portrait

Portrait of Amitabh Bachchan. Click on the image to see larger version. Every portrait is different but there are also elements which are the same, whether you’re shooting the famous or the locally famous. Fame is of course all relative. It depends on profession, accomplishments or media celebrity status. Whoever the ‘famous’ individual is there are millions of people in the world who will never have heard them. For example I photographed the legendary Indian Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, who amongst his many accolades was awarded the Legion d'Honneur, the highest civilian award of France. But I’m positive that many people in North America will not have heard of him – although he has more fans than Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro put together. I find that however well known a person is cracking through egos and insecurities is really important when it comes to getting authentic strong portraits. However I hasten to add that when it came to photographing Amitabh th

The portrait photographer's motivation

Easy access to the Internet and digital photography has resulted in an ever growing number of photographers uploading their images for comments and ratings from peers. Online communities evolve and these mini-societies each have their pecking order, internal groups and communal preferences. Photographers learn from each other. On sites that have a rating system there is often pressure to conform to certain styles, techniques and even subject matter. Although I participate in numerous sites (it's great fun), I recognise the danger of becoming a herd animal and losing the edge of individual creativity. There will always be the creatives that lead the way and the imitators that can only try to follow in their footsteps. This lead me to think about classifying photographers according their inner motivation. So as a bit of fun here are a few different types: The innovator Driven to always find something new, different and creative. Wants to be leading edge. Motivated by creative satisfa

Capturing the truth: The power of documentary photography to shape public opinion

Photographer, writer and artist, Paul Indigo (Photo by Magda Indigo ) Documentary photography is more important than ever because it plays a critical role in informing and shaping public opinion, particularly in today's fast-paced, information-saturated world. With the rise of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, we are bombarded with images and information daily. It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. From a trusted source, documentary photography counterbalances the often sensationalised and biased coverage of social and political issues. Documentary photography can challenge dominant narratives and foster greater understanding and empathy by presenting a nuanced, humanistic perspective on complex issues. It can highlight underreported and marginalised issues, giving voice to those who are often ignored or silenced. In a world where many people feel disenfranchised and marginalised, documentary photography can help to create a sense of community and solidarity by