A Humbling Thought…
Tag: creativity
Walking With The Mind
Surrounded By Knowledge
Creativity Burst!
Where Is The Mystery?
When I first started photographing seriously (early 80’s), one of the attractions of photography was the mystery of how one would be able to achieve the image. In this instance I am talking about the technical process rather than the imaginative one that is connected with the idea or desire to portray a subject/emotion.
It was (and remains) a fascinating process. Light entered the camera and exposed the film which then was developed, then printed. There were a number of variables at each stage that could alter the way the image was captured and developed, let alone the printing process in the Darkroom.
To obtain a technically proficient image one had to perfect the techniques required to obtain the best possible image in your negative or positive image.
Fast forward to the Digital world. For some years now (due to the advances in technology, and indeed the Digital format itself), it has never been easier to obtain a ’technically proficient’ image in terms of the basic reproduction of a scene.
On the one hand, this is a positive, as it allows the photographer to concentrate more on the ‘creative’ side of things, knowing that they have the initial in-camera/process taken care of. On the minus-side it has taken away skills, enjoyment and a sense of challenge that many found to be a key part of the photographic process. Learning to choose the appropriate film, exposure, development time etc to gain a negative or positive that would help produce the desired results in printing was the goal.
There was a certain ‘mystery’ connected with the early part of the process i.e. through the processing of film and the effect of light on silver halides through exposure and development (before the darkroom printing stage) which has been lost to a certain degree. Once learnt, those techniques could be applied, but of course that took time…
I am not for one minute saying Digital is a bad thing as the Digital process has brought with it many benefits, one I have already alluded to. I shoot Digital myself.
Of course we do have the wonderful world of image manipulation programmes where we have the choice to alter images with abandon, depending on what we want to achieve. This is a great thing. With all this at our disposal though, sometimes I wonder if the technical aspects of photography have been made too easy?
Even though my passion for photography is as strong as it always has been I have (in the last few years) been slowly getting interested in painting and am currently learning Oil painting. There is certainly a ‘mystery’ there in terms of getting a ’technically proficient’ image.
I cannot just go out and purchase a brush/canvas/paint combination that will give me a technically proficient image. One has to endeavour to learn the skills, practice, make mistakes, learn some more, and repeat the process. (I am aware that I could do ‘Oil’ Painting digitally but that doesn’t hold an interest for me). Once I get better at these skills I will be able to communicate what I want to say, better and in more creative ways.
I love Art and my love for photography will continue throughout my life however my love for painting has increased with each passing year, to a point where I now aiming to allocate a certain amount of time every weekend to painting.
Much like coming up for an idea for a photograph or looking at a scene through a viewfinder, I can look at my blank canvas and proceed to paint an idea or sit outside and interpret a scene.
Ultimately though, what continues to separate individual photographers and individual painters is our imagination and the ability to convey the desired idea through creativity and technical skill.
Harry Callahan, Photographer – 1912 -1999 once said:
“The mystery isn’t in the technique, it’s in each of us…” – More Joy of Photography, Eastman Kodak – 1981
Where is the mystery?
“The mystery is in the learning and application of the technique which we then use via personal expression to creatively communicate our ideas…”
Written by David Johnson
2 April 2016
Profiling Photographers – Barry Moore
I first met Barry Moore via my membership in Toastmasters International. Barry is also a member and previously was the District 70 Toastmasters Official Photographer, and is an accomplished speaker himself. Thank you Barry for participating in this series.
Gear: Canon 5D Mkii, 50D, 400D, EOS-M – various L and non-L lenses from 10mm to 400mm. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 is my favourite portable camera for bushwalking.
- Why did you choose Photography as your medium of communication?
I have always enjoyed the creative process. Snapshots capture a moment in time but can tell a story as well. Landscape’s convey the beauty and isolation of a remote areas as well as the memory of the adventure. I started with an instamatic slide camera, then a TTL 35mm SLR (Hanimex Aka Practika clone). Then an OM1 for ages before the digital revolution. But it’s not the camera or lens. Often it’s that you see the shot or anticipate the shot and then capture it. There almost a sense of a “hunt” for the best shot and then the smile of satisfaction of “nailing” the composition.
- Which Photographers have been the greatest influences on you & why?
Ansel Adams and David Moore are great examples – they tell a story with a single image. My current favorite in Ken Duncan. Sheer beauty and the enormous patience to get his compositions right are amazing.
- What inspires you to create the type of images that you do?
I want a “wow” or “Ah” when people see my pictures. I love remote areas and it is great to be able to share the image and location with them.
- What do you think makes your style unique?
I like all style…. Deep silhouettes and shadows give great depth to an image, so I look for this.
- Do you have any advice for an aspiring photographer?
Practice and experiment. Attention to details is paramount. Check the background always and remove all distractions from the image if you can. Get rid of any ‘bad’ photos and try to only show the best. It’s hard to do this though.
- What is the next big adventure for you, photographically?
I want to do some model photography or street candids. It’s an area I am lacking in.
To explore more of Barry’s creativity, click on the following inks:
Eligia Sword – Profiling Photographers
Welcome to another instalment in the series, Profiling Photographers. Eligia is passionate about photography and wildlife and very active in the Camera Club world in Brisbane. I hope you enjoy her insights and photography as much as I do. Thank you Eligia for being part of this series.
Gear:
Canon 5DMk3 Camera. Lenses: 100-400, 24-105, 100 Macro and 50 Prime 1.8. My next purchase will be a wide angle lens.
Why did you choose Photography as your medium of communication?
I won a minor footy tipping contest and decided to buy a camera. Joined a Camera Club, took some beginner’s lessons and haven’t looked back since. It is not a passion, it has become an obsession in a good way.
Which Photographers have been the greatest influences on you & why?
I don’t have any favorite photographers at the moment. I visit lots of Websites, read magazines, go to photo exhibitions and join online photography sites to expand my knowledge of the type of photographs that are possible to create. I have learnt a lot at the Photographic Club with the guest speakers, long time members and entering the monthly competitions.
What inspires you to create the type of images that you do?
I like to go for a walk in the morning and my camera comes with me. I have developed a great interest in birds, bugs and butterflies. I don’t have any trouble finding any of those in the local parks and if I can’t get out and about I can always find some in my back garden.
What do you think makes your style unique?
I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I don’t give up on a photo until I’m satisfied that I couldn’t do any better.
Do you have any advice for an aspiring photographer?
Have your camera with you at all times. Photograph most days if you can and try all sorts of photography. Eventually you will find what you are good at and when that happens I bet you won’t be able to stop.
What is the next big adventure for you, photographically?
I would love to go to Africa. To me it would be the ultimate wildlife adventure.
The next photographer in the series will be ‘Barry Moore.’
Opportunity Knocks!
In July 2015, I was offered a speaking spot at Campbelltown Probus Club on 27 January 2016 by Nola who was on the Executive at the club, whilst we working at an Election Day Polling Booth.
A Probus Club is an organisation for retired or semi-retired business or professional people, and operates worldwide.
In Toastmasters International, we are taught that, ’if you are offered a speaking opportunity then you should take it’ whether that is inside or outside Toastmasters.
Remembering this, at the time, I had absolutely no hesitation in saying, yes! As Nola began to fill me in some more details, like the speaking time (40 minutes) and audience (up to 120 people), I started to realise the enormity of the experience, compared to what I had done previously…
It is amazing sometimes how fear and doubt can creep into the psyche.
The choice of the topic was left up to me and I decided to speak on the subject of ‘Communicating Creatively’ a subject that is very dear to my Heart. The one thing I didn’t want it to be though was ‘ok, this is what I do’ and that’s it. That would only be an information talk only and if the audience wasn’t particularly interested in photography, poetry, writing or painting then it could be quite dry for them.
What I needed to do was to involve the audience as it is they, the audience who are the most important people during the speech, not the speaker.
There were two main objectives that I had set for the speech:
- To convey and obtain agreement that we are all creative to some extent
- To show people ways that they can communicate creatively
One of the best ways to commence a speech is to involve the audience straight away via a question. There were 100 people attending that day and I asked for a ’show of hands’ of those who thought that they were creative in some way? 3 hands went up…
I explained to them that often the word creativity is often thought of only in terms of Arts & Crafts and went on to say that if we were to list all the previous occupations in the room, there would (I imagined) be quite a diverse range or White Collar, Blue Collar workers: Accountants, Engineers, Retail, Teachers, Public Service etc.
Engineers e.g. need to be creative to solve problems, don’t they? Henry Ford wanted 8 cylinders cast in one block. His engineers told him it could not be done. Henry Ford told them to find a way. They used their creativity to solve the problem.
Another show of hands was requested. This time about half the room put up their hands.
After opening their minds as to the fact that they were creative, I began to show them ways I communicate creatively, i.e. through Photography, Writing, Poetry & Painting and how they could too.
The presentation over, a number of people came up to me asking questions and stating that they intended on exploring photography, painting etc. This pleased me.
If I had said no to the opportunity I would have missed out on the following:
- A chance to converse and connect with 100 people and hopefully inspire them
- A chance to practice my presentation and public speaking skills
- Presenting my longest presentation/longest PowerPoint to the largest number of people
- The chance to present using a microphone
- A chance at getting another speaking spot with another Not-4-Profit organisation
Was I nervous? Yes, definitely! In fact I was probably 10 times as nervous as when I competed at a Division Final International Speech Contest (a 5-7 minute speech in front of 100 Toastmaster members), probably because this presentation was outside the Toastmasters environment, i.e. the real world.
I said yes to the opportunity because of my involvement with Toastmasters, which has given me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and take on new challenges.
It is only by practice, making mistakes, revision, more practice etc that we improve. I have a long way to go to get to where I want to be as a Public Speaker but am sure having fun on the journey!
David Johnson
March 2016
That Feeling Lingers…
Oscillating Thoughts
Communicating Creatively 