The Art of Photography (The Art and Science of Photography :The Evolution of Photography)

The Art of Photography(The Art and Science of Photography :The Evolution of

Photography)

•       “To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” – Elliot Erwitt

• What will be covering in this course?– A brief history of photography from its

simplest beginnings to today’s high tech digital world and photography’s impact on society.

– The art and the science of the photograph:• Is Photography an Art form?• What makes a good photograph?• How have some images changed society?• Is digital photography changing our views or

reality?• Other topics as we progress

Part 1: An Art Form?

• What is the definition of “ART?”

The Mona Lisa

• What is the definition of “PHOTOGRAPHY?”

The works of Ansel Adams.

• "Photography - both the craft and the art - helps me to be. It allows and enables me to live creatively, which is to honour Creation and my own existence. As I consciously pursue my craft, my concerns, anxieties, fears, loves, hopes, and dreams bubble up from my unconscious. In this meeting of the conscious and the unconscious, I can acknowledge my wounds and experience healing.“– Freeman Patterson, ShadowLight

Part 2: Defining Photography

What is Photography?

• 'Photography' shall mean the Art or Science of the recording of light or other radiation on any medium on which an image is produced or from which an image may by any means be produced.

Royal Photographic Society

• In other words, “Painting with light.”

• A photograph is life distilled and preserved for eternity. An expressive face, a fleeting moment in nature, an abstract shape- these are the fundamentals of photography.

• A photograph conveys, in a way no words can, a sense of the mystery and beauty of life, nature, and the achievements of humans.

Why was this chosen as one of the “100 Best Photos?”

How did this photograph have an impact on society?

Part 3: The Photo Essay

What does this story tell?

Your Photo Essay Assignment

• Definition of a Photo Essay

• Some techniques to help you create your images

• More examples of photo essays

The Photo Essay

• What is a photo essay?– A project that involves producing a series of

photographs that work together to tell a story– Not restricted to documentary tradition or

reportage style of photography• Fine art, landscape, wildlife

– Powerful communication tool

• Starting out:– Select a subject for the project– Best to select one that holds significant

personal interest for you:• Captures your imagination• Holds your attention over time

• Next:– Consider how accessible the subject is – Prevents project from becoming limited– Produced over time to make a significant

difference in the depth of coverage that you bring to the story

• Finally think about the visual potential– How Important to make photographs that

connect your key images and add depth to the content of the story

– Will the images work together

• Your Project:– Take time to do additional research before

starting to photograph• Reading books, talking to people, spending time

getting to know your subject

– Develop a deeper understanding of your subject

– This will help recognize important photographs within the story and add depth

• Time spent without photographing offers a valuable opportunity for you to develop a comfortable relationship with your subject, while giving you a better understanding of what and how you need to photograph.

• Don’t be in a rush to finish your project

• Develop a shot list of all potential photographs that you want to make based on our research and knowledge of the subject.– Able to see how images will work together

• Consider any specific logistics that may be important:– Time of day, location, permission, special

techniques

• Keep an open mind will allow you to photograph unexpected moment

• Use your shot list to plan a project schedule

• This will allow you to manage your time and give you a clear sense of focus

• Try not to work at roughly the same scale or viewing distance– Use longer establishing shots to orient the

viewer– Close-up shots to focus on significant visual

elements within a story

• Do not keep trying to rework successful images – Will become limiting when trying to edit– Once you have a successful image cross it off

your list and move on

• While it is advisable to do initial edits while you go, do not discard images until you have the full collection

• Assemble the prints or digital images and move them around to establish the sequence of photographs for the finished essay

• Think about how you want to present your photo essay

• Vertical vs. horizontal images will affect layout options

• Having an objective eye may help to ensure that you are telling a clear story

Seeing Photographs

• See the potential photographs in front of your camera:– Imagine the image as a print– Look for distracting backgrounds– Try changing the angle

• See how a picture communicates its visual content:– Does it work better as a black and white,

colour or sepia tone– Transforms a 3-D event into a flat piece of

paper

• How much of a scene to show?– Depends on what you want to show– What is the photograph about– Try getting closer, it eliminates distracting

objects and simplifies the contents of the picture

– Try to visualize what you want the photograph to look like

• The frame isolates part of a larger scene– Starts with a complete and

seamless world and uses the frame of the viewfinder to select a portion of a scene so everything else is discarded

– Different from painting– Framing will influence the

image

• Cropping can strengthen a picture or weaken it:– Do not cut someone off at the joint– Leave some space so subject does not touch

edge of frame

• Should your picture be horizontal or vertical?– Hold camera horizontal for horizontal subjects– Hold camera vertical for vertical subjects– Otherwise you will create empty space that

adds nothing to the picture (unless you want to!)

• The background is part of the picture:– If it is distracting, try to eliminate it by blurring– Change position– Move your subject– Use background if it contributes something

• What good is design?– Important to understand design concepts

such as spot, line, shape, pattern, and balance as they are important in their ability to direct a viewer’s attention.

– A single element of design seldom occurs in isolation

– The simpler the subject, the more important any single element becomes

• According to some theories, lines psychological overtones:– Horizontal = calm, stability– Vertical = stature, strength– Diagonal = activity, motion– Zigzag = rapid motion– Curved = gracefulness, slowness

• In a photograph, a shape is always two-dimensional, but tonal changes across an object can give the illusion of depth

• You can flatten it out if you reduce it to one tone

• A single object alone draws attention to its shape

Ever wonder why models pose in the manner that they do?

• Objects that are close together can be seen as a single shape:– Portrait photographers try to enhance the

feeling of a family as a group by posing members close together, often with physical contact

• How do you emphasize some part of a photograph or play down another?– Contrast attracts attention– Camera angle can emphasize a subject– Use surrounding parts of the scene to

reinforce emphasis

• People know when a picture is in balance even if they can’t explain it:– Ask yourself if the image feels balanced– Move around a bit– Picture needs more apparent weight at the

bottom to avoid a top-heavy feeling

• Some tension in a picture can be an asset:– A centered, symmetrical arrangement will feel

balanced, but may also be boring– Try off-center, asymmetrical arrangements;

they risk feeling unbalanced but may succeed in adding impact or dynamic energy

• People tend to look first at the sharpest part of a photograph:– You can emphasize some part of the subject

by making it sharper than the rest of the picture

– Use depth of field by changing apertures– Motion can be photographed either sharp or

blurred

• Contrast between light and dark draws a viewer’s eye

• Contrast between two objects may be more apparent in colour than in black and white

• Light along the edge of an object can make its shape stand out

• Careful placement of a subject within the frame can strengthen an image;– Placement can draw attention to or away from

a part of a scene– Add stability or create momentum and tension– Rule of Thirds (but be flexible)– Horizontal line (dividing line between land and

sky) is a strong visual element

• Stop for a moment to consider what you want to emphasize

• Motion should usually lead into, rather than immediately out of, the image area

• A subtler tension may be added by movement of a subject from right to left

• Photographs are made in order to convey a certain vision or idea, perhaps the beauty of a transcendent landscape or the gritty look of a downtown street– You may never know exactly what the

photographer intended but you can identify the meaning that a photograph has for you.

– You can do so by asking yourself some of the following questions as a place to start

• What type of photograph is it?

• What can you tell or guess about the photographer’s intention?

• What emphasis has the photographer created and how has that been done?

• Do technical matters help or hinder the image?

• Are graphic elements important, such as tone, line or perspective?

• What else does the photograph reveal besides what is immediately evident?

• What emotional or physical impact does the photograph have?

• How does this photograph relate to others made by the same photographer, in the same period, or of the same subject matter?

• For more examples of photo essays go to the following link;– http://www.time.com/time/photoessays