Although I used to consider myself a perfectionist (I now cringe at the futility of it) I am far more interested in how an image feels; evocation rather than record. I too made the effort to learn ‘correct’ technique but it didn’t result in images that had soul. I recognise that many of my images are now imperfect, but at this time they represent my way of seeing - which, uncorrected is imperfect. I enjoyed reading this Gill, thank you.
Thank you for your comments Michela, they resonate a lot. I much prefer images that evoke feeling and communicating that to a viewer is something not all photographers can do. I think your images achieve this so well.
While I can certainly appreciate any amazing image, technically proficient imagery was not the path for me.
What I noticed when I started out last year is that although I could be struck by a tack sharp image of a place or object, it rarely evoked any emotion. It was just a great image of the place or object.
When I started experimenting with abstract photography, I started feeling something or having immediate emotional reactions to the images.
Thank you very much for your comments Joe. I agree, emotion is so important in an image. It is the one element that viewers really connect with. They might appreciate a tack sharp image but it won't make them buy a print. However an emotional reaction or connection to that image might.
Another very emotive subject Gill, one I was discussing with our club chairman on Monday at our print exhibition. We asked visitors to choose their favourite photograph and it was interesting to see that a number if the prints chosen as favourites would not have won any of our competitions on the grounds of technical merit but are obviously pleasing to many peoples eyes. So who should we be taking photographs for? Is it to win competitions or to please ourselves and hopefully other members of the general public who are the ones likely to buy a copy or should we try and strike a happy medium?
Thank you so much for your comments Stephen, I found them really interesting and your observations have confirmed what I have observed at galleries when I have exhibited work. People always buy because of emotion. If they feel a connection to the image or the subject it portrays they are much more likely to want to hang it on their wall.
In my experience some competition judges don't consider the emotional impact an image can have, judging it solely on its technical merits. I think this is not how most of us react to photographs.
I think we should take images for ourselves and not think about competition judges or potential viewers. If we make images that please ourselves we make authentic work which says as much about us as the creator as it does about the subject. I think this is the important bit. 🙂
Thanks for the thoughtful post. For me the good pictures are those touching my heart. I am often drawn to image of everyday life from a different lense telling a story often ignored.
Another great article Gill, and definitely resonates with me. I focus enough on technique to make sure I have a correctly exposed image (though of course sometimes deliberately breaking those ‘rules’ also works!) and then prefer to not get bogged down with technical minutiae. I think I know/use about 10% of my camera’s capability!
Thank you very much for your comments Mary. I suspect we are very similar where photography is concerned. I am much more attuned to the feelings and emotions when I am out than the technicals (although I probably shouldn't say that! 😆)
Beautiful images Gill - love the idea of the "perfect moment". Photography involves communicating between the maker and the viewers - it doesn't make any sense to talk about "perfect communication", but the idea of perfection persists in photography with the continued emphasis by some (especially those starting out) on the technical.
Thank you very much for your comments James and I agree. Communicating feelings and emotions to the viewer is the most important skill for me and I think it is one your images demonstrate really well.
Spot on, Gill. A technically perfect picture can make you go wow, but it might only do so once. You want an image that makes you go wow every time you see it, and that’ll surely be because it means something to you.
Another thought provoking article, to much attention is put on achieving, others view of perfection, and not on the pure joy of creating images that please the creator! Unless you are a professional it doesn't really matter, just take images for your own gratification!😀
Absolutely Chris, I agree. The joy of creating should be the primary reason we all pick up our cameras. Thank you very much for your comments and I am glad you enjoyed the article.
Appreciated this post, especially, “I think there is a tendency to place too much emphasis on technical perfection and there are more subtle messages we can communicate through our images.”
The definition of a good photo for me is "the one that I like". I think to many photographers worry about meeting someone else standard. It's not that we can't learn from critique, or from more experience photographers, but ultimately their standard and their critique is just as subjectiv as your own.
I agree Olli, it is all very subjective. I think it is good to listen to critique and then decide whether you feel it is valid. I love talking to other photographers and enjoy discussing images and techniques but at the end of the day I still shoot to please myself.
I totally agree with you. I'm attracted to images that create an emotional response in me. Photography is a combination of technical and art consequently this creates a spectrum where people can lean either way; the introduction of digital has permitted those who lean towards the technical side to become even more forensic if they desire i.e. pixel peeping. There is nothing wrong with this if creating a "perfect" image provides the photographer with enjoyment, after all photography should be fun for the image maker. However I prefer to stand back and take in the whole image rather than look at it forensically.
I also believe that competitive photography often leads to this with judging using a tick list style in an attempt to be objective. Consequently driving photographers to concentrate more on the technical rather than artistic element
Thank you very much for your comments Andrew. I agree with you about judging and I do feel this focuses too much on the technical side of photography rather than the emotive elements.
A very well written, thought provoking article. I feel encouraged and promoted to try a new way. To reduce the noise and distraction of my technical striving and to draw on my emotions to create. To tell a story... I shall read on more with interest.. thank you for bringing this to us.
Thank you so much for your comments Nigel and I am glad you enjoyed the article. I think technical skill is good to master but I think there are so many other important things that can bring life and soul to an image.
I'm totally with you! I'm a complete amateur but it's a way for me to gaze, adore, appreciate and return something in loving attention. I don't know why but I always feel loving like this is received in some way by the world, and that it matters.
I could not agree more, Jill, I used to worry so much about getting it "right", but these days the pictures that are right for me are the ones that make me smile or feel a connection with at one level or another.
There's definitely something to be said about an overemphasis on perfection. I think we can sometimes find ourselves drawn to a particular subject with a need to then break it down and create something that's technically brilliant, often allowing the camera to be the tool that controls us rather than the other way. When we abandon the rule book, we then seem to evolve the scene into something else entirely. Wonderful read, Gill.
Thank you very much for your comments Daniel and I agree with what you say about the camera being the tool that controls us rather than the other way around. I think you put it really well.
Although I used to consider myself a perfectionist (I now cringe at the futility of it) I am far more interested in how an image feels; evocation rather than record. I too made the effort to learn ‘correct’ technique but it didn’t result in images that had soul. I recognise that many of my images are now imperfect, but at this time they represent my way of seeing - which, uncorrected is imperfect. I enjoyed reading this Gill, thank you.
Thank you for your comments Michela, they resonate a lot. I much prefer images that evoke feeling and communicating that to a viewer is something not all photographers can do. I think your images achieve this so well.
Thank you ☺️
While I can certainly appreciate any amazing image, technically proficient imagery was not the path for me.
What I noticed when I started out last year is that although I could be struck by a tack sharp image of a place or object, it rarely evoked any emotion. It was just a great image of the place or object.
When I started experimenting with abstract photography, I started feeling something or having immediate emotional reactions to the images.
Thank you very much for your comments Joe. I agree, emotion is so important in an image. It is the one element that viewers really connect with. They might appreciate a tack sharp image but it won't make them buy a print. However an emotional reaction or connection to that image might.
I know what you mean about tack sharp images, to me they are just record shots if you know what I mean. Nothing to them.
I agree John, if they have no emotion. Thank you very much for reading and commenting.
Another very emotive subject Gill, one I was discussing with our club chairman on Monday at our print exhibition. We asked visitors to choose their favourite photograph and it was interesting to see that a number if the prints chosen as favourites would not have won any of our competitions on the grounds of technical merit but are obviously pleasing to many peoples eyes. So who should we be taking photographs for? Is it to win competitions or to please ourselves and hopefully other members of the general public who are the ones likely to buy a copy or should we try and strike a happy medium?
Thank you so much for your comments Stephen, I found them really interesting and your observations have confirmed what I have observed at galleries when I have exhibited work. People always buy because of emotion. If they feel a connection to the image or the subject it portrays they are much more likely to want to hang it on their wall.
In my experience some competition judges don't consider the emotional impact an image can have, judging it solely on its technical merits. I think this is not how most of us react to photographs.
I think we should take images for ourselves and not think about competition judges or potential viewers. If we make images that please ourselves we make authentic work which says as much about us as the creator as it does about the subject. I think this is the important bit. 🙂
Thanks for the thoughtful post. For me the good pictures are those touching my heart. I am often drawn to image of everyday life from a different lense telling a story often ignored.
Thank you very much for your comments Bree. I agree, it is the emotion that brings a story to life.
Another great article Gill, and definitely resonates with me. I focus enough on technique to make sure I have a correctly exposed image (though of course sometimes deliberately breaking those ‘rules’ also works!) and then prefer to not get bogged down with technical minutiae. I think I know/use about 10% of my camera’s capability!
Thank you very much for your comments Mary. I suspect we are very similar where photography is concerned. I am much more attuned to the feelings and emotions when I am out than the technicals (although I probably shouldn't say that! 😆)
Beautiful images Gill - love the idea of the "perfect moment". Photography involves communicating between the maker and the viewers - it doesn't make any sense to talk about "perfect communication", but the idea of perfection persists in photography with the continued emphasis by some (especially those starting out) on the technical.
Thank you very much for your comments James and I agree. Communicating feelings and emotions to the viewer is the most important skill for me and I think it is one your images demonstrate really well.
Spot on, Gill. A technically perfect picture can make you go wow, but it might only do so once. You want an image that makes you go wow every time you see it, and that’ll surely be because it means something to you.
I absolutely agree Mark - emotion is the thing that connects us with an image. Thank you very much for your comments.
Another thought provoking article, to much attention is put on achieving, others view of perfection, and not on the pure joy of creating images that please the creator! Unless you are a professional it doesn't really matter, just take images for your own gratification!😀
Absolutely Chris, I agree. The joy of creating should be the primary reason we all pick up our cameras. Thank you very much for your comments and I am glad you enjoyed the article.
Appreciated this post, especially, “I think there is a tendency to place too much emphasis on technical perfection and there are more subtle messages we can communicate through our images.”
Thank you very much for your comments Gavin, I am glad you enjoyed the article.
Learn the rules then spend your life learning how to forget them.
This is the artist's hero's journey i believe. .
I agree Mark. Thank you very much for reading and commenting.
The definition of a good photo for me is "the one that I like". I think to many photographers worry about meeting someone else standard. It's not that we can't learn from critique, or from more experience photographers, but ultimately their standard and their critique is just as subjectiv as your own.
I agree Olli, it is all very subjective. I think it is good to listen to critique and then decide whether you feel it is valid. I love talking to other photographers and enjoy discussing images and techniques but at the end of the day I still shoot to please myself.
Thank you for reading and commenting. 🙂
I totally agree with you. I'm attracted to images that create an emotional response in me. Photography is a combination of technical and art consequently this creates a spectrum where people can lean either way; the introduction of digital has permitted those who lean towards the technical side to become even more forensic if they desire i.e. pixel peeping. There is nothing wrong with this if creating a "perfect" image provides the photographer with enjoyment, after all photography should be fun for the image maker. However I prefer to stand back and take in the whole image rather than look at it forensically.
I also believe that competitive photography often leads to this with judging using a tick list style in an attempt to be objective. Consequently driving photographers to concentrate more on the technical rather than artistic element
Thank you very much for your comments Andrew. I agree with you about judging and I do feel this focuses too much on the technical side of photography rather than the emotive elements.
A very well written, thought provoking article. I feel encouraged and promoted to try a new way. To reduce the noise and distraction of my technical striving and to draw on my emotions to create. To tell a story... I shall read on more with interest.. thank you for bringing this to us.
Thank you so much for your comments Nigel and I am glad you enjoyed the article. I think technical skill is good to master but I think there are so many other important things that can bring life and soul to an image.
I'm totally with you! I'm a complete amateur but it's a way for me to gaze, adore, appreciate and return something in loving attention. I don't know why but I always feel loving like this is received in some way by the world, and that it matters.
Thank you so much for your comments Jaq and your lovely way of perceiving and appreciating the world. I definitely think it matters. 🙂
I could not agree more, Jill, I used to worry so much about getting it "right", but these days the pictures that are right for me are the ones that make me smile or feel a connection with at one level or another.
Absolutely Karin, and I think that is the way it should be.
Thank you for reading and commenting. 🙂
There's definitely something to be said about an overemphasis on perfection. I think we can sometimes find ourselves drawn to a particular subject with a need to then break it down and create something that's technically brilliant, often allowing the camera to be the tool that controls us rather than the other way. When we abandon the rule book, we then seem to evolve the scene into something else entirely. Wonderful read, Gill.
Thank you very much for your comments Daniel and I agree with what you say about the camera being the tool that controls us rather than the other way around. I think you put it really well.