Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/09/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'd rather answer the question, "what are you trying show?" than, "what are you trying to say?" If I'm trying to say something I'll use words. If I'm trying to show something I'll use cameras, pencils, brushes, etc. The medium is, indeed, a major part of the message. I can talk about what drew me to the subject; why I framed it the way I did; why I adjusted the tonality; what I believe makes it a strong (or weak) image; what I believe it shows; but I'll have a difficult time talking about what the photograph "says." I'm all for analysis - love it in fact - ask my friends and family, who find my love for analysis a bit "too much." Part of that analysis requires proper context and syntax. Photographs don't say things. They show things. Then people say things about what they're shown - if we're lucky. Fond regards, George george@imagist.com http://www.imagist.com http://www.imagist.com/blog http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist On Sep 16, 2008, at 4:59 PM, Alastair Firkin wrote: > Well you have to start somewhere, and what are you trying to say is > not a bad start. It is really hard to answer sometimes, but in > answering, you do begin to think about what you are trying to > achieve. I know its not easy to put into words visual thoughts, but > you do need to at least analyse your work in some manner, and most > of us use spoken language. Is the subject strong: yes could be > politically does not really matter, it ties in with what you are > hoping to say. > > I know there is a tendency to shelve analysis as arty farty, and I > don't pretend to have the skills to do it myself, BUT, I keep > reminding myself that all good work comes from hard work. Picasso > was a master draftsman before he "dissected" images, and one of my > hero's Ken Rosewall, when accused of being lucky by an opponent > agreed, only to add, "and the more I practice, the luckier I get!" > > Cheers > > --- imagist3@mac.com wrote: > > From: Lottermoser George <imagist3@mac.com> > To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Looking at pictures > Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:05:09 -0500 > > An interesting and tough comment. > > great questions: > "what are you trying to say?" > I wonder if attempting to verbalize what a photographer or an image > "is trying to say" diminishes the visual message. > "is the subject strong?" > visually? > conceptually? > historically? > politically? > socially? > stylistically? > ? > > Great photographs fall into so many different genres, use so many > different styles, methods, levels of craft and art ? yet, all great > ones present a confluence of design elements, content, subject, > light, sense of moment and personal point of view ? so as to produce > some kind of magical visual message ? in a manner quite different > from paintings, drawings or other visual mediums. Photographs seem to > hang between representational paintings (drawings) and poetry. YMMV > > I agree that the white wall element on the left pulls the eye away. > And that good photographs [do reach] for more than [mere] > representation. > > Fond regards, > George > > george@imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com/blog > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist > > > > On Sep 16, 2008, at 3:06 AM, Alastair Firkin wrote: > >> For me this ticks the boxes: what are you trying to say/show, is >> the subject strong, is the composition good, are there distractions >> (here the white wall back left is pulling my eye from the action >> and would be cropped). Good images should be more than >> representations although the latter also has a role in history. >> >> Cheers >> >> Alatair >> >> --- luisripoll@telefonica.net wrote: >> >> From: Lluis Ripoll <luisripoll@telefonica.net> >> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> >> Subject: [Leica] Looking at pictures >> Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:23:43 +0200 >> >> With IIIF, Elmar 4/90, TX >> >> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/luisrq/Barcelona/08070407.jpg.html >> >> Thanks for looking, your c&c are always appreciated, >> >> Saludos cordiales >> Lluis >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information