Skip to main content

The important things

Jumping for joy.

Today my wife Magda asked me what have been my photographic highlights over all the years I've been photographing. Now that's a tough question.

I thought about it for a few minutes. Several images and sessions popped into mind and of course I could not choose the ONE. "It's impossible." I said. But something interesting started to emerge.

My all time favourite photographs are not necessarily the most perfect photographically. Instead the images and photo-sessions that stand out for me are the one's that have been made special by the people I photographed and was with at the time, by the circumstances and by the whole experience.

Naturally when you show your work other people don't know what you experienced when you took the image so they judge your work on its technical merit and there's usually an emotive element too. People looking at your image connect it to their own emotional world and experiences.

I've warned photographers in earlier blogs about being too emotionally attached to an image when they're putting together a portfolio. A magazine editor doesn't care how many hours you sat waiting for the shot, or whatever else you went through to get it. They can't smell the ocean and hear the birds, as you did when you took that image. Your experience at the moment you took the shot doesn't count when an image is being judged for an advertising campaign, a brochure, a competition or a magazine.

But it does count in real life. Every image is personal. You were there. You saw and you photographed. As image makers we should cultivate and treasure the personal bond we have with our work. We should become attached to the images we like and value them.

Many of my images are like old friends. A diary of my life. Memories to revisit. Some make me smile and others make me sad. That's life. And for me photography enriches life.

Cheers,
Paul
www.indigo2photography.co.uk
Labels:

Comments

Andreas said…
You're right. There is photography as a profession and photography as passion. Passion is always personal and in the end it's always passion that counts. After all, there are easier ways to make money :)
19:34
Juha Haataja said…
For me (as a hobbyist photographer) there mostly is just the personal aspect of photographs, although some photos perhaps have a bit of meaning for others as well. (Getting encouragement from the mother-in-law probably doesn't count.) But looking at photographs taken by others I often wonder how they saw the situation and how they later feel about the shot.
20:13
Alefiyah said…
That is so true - when i look at some of my pictures it is often the feelings / emotions behind them that appeal to me the most about the shot.
18:48
Anonymous said…
I agree, you have to cut ties for personel reasons sometimes and focus on what your goal is after you have taken the photo.
14:15
Macro photography said…
This is something I strive for all the time, to see what is important. Passion is something you have to have.
19:23
Post a Comment

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
1 comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more

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
6 comments
Read more