“How to say correctly: “Shoot or Photograph?”. Some of my colleagues approach this issue with strange caution, turning simple words in the problem of the century
I first encountered this a few years ago. At one party I met my friend, with whom we once started doing photography together. In order to somehow support the conversation after the greeting, I asked him quite, as it seemed to me, an adequate question: “How is your passion for photography, do you still shoot?”. He turned green at my question. His eyes sparkled with hatred. After some time, he caught his breath and made it clear to me that he was greatly offended by the word "shooting." “I didn’t think that this was an option for hurting,” I tried to justify myself. But he didn’t let up and grumbled: “I’m not filming! I am taking photos! Operators shoot video, and I take pictures. There was no point in arguing, and there was no need. Having seized the moment, he stepped aside, to a company where they do not react so sharply to this “problem”.
It seems to me that this aggressive outburst lies in an excessive passion for theory. I remember how, like a sponge, he soaked up reading material on photography. One on one with books. And what in the end?! How did this affect his work? The compositions are built perfectly. Well, his pictures are correct, obscenely correct. But they don’t touch at all, they don’t induce, they don’t enlighten. There is no impudence in them, which means that there is no individual style of this photographer. But he is taking pictures!
In general, I often hear debate on this issue. And often verbal battles end in insults, silence, boycotts. In general, this prompted me to write this note.
As another example. Somehow I went with a familiar photographer to the salon, where he takes pictures for documents. A woman came next and asked: “Do you take pictures for a visa to Israel?” Yes, he takes pictures for all documents. Yes, he needs money. But the first thing he hastened to blurt out, with notes of irritation present in his voice, was: “Pictures in a hundred!”. And the woman turned around in bewilderment and went to another salon.
I will try to develop my idea on the example of comparison.
Have you tried asking the drugstore for a condom? Who coined this word?! It's long and rough. As long as you say what you need, the desire will disappear. Therefore, I prefer to say "preziki". Apothecaries used to giggle, but some time passed, and they began to call it that too. And once they asked for advice on which of the condoms is thinner, better. A rough and long word was replaced with a short and cheerful one, and the seller became closer to the buyer. Pharmacists have finally found out the difference between French condoms for 6 dollars and Kazakh ones for 40 cents.
You know, poets divide words into warm and cold. So words like “take pictures” and “condom” can be said to be icy.
Most of my clients and non-clients simply refer to photographs as “pictures”. And there is no reason to resist and balk. You need to speak the language of the client. And think a little like him. And personally, I prefer to take pictures. I love this word. It's funny and sort of humorous. “I’m taking a picture”, “Let’s take a picture”, “Do you want to take a picture?”.
From how you call your activity, worse or better picture yours won't. But from the fact that you will argue with the client, you will only lose by losing the order.
German Lomkov.
With the advent of mobile phones cameras, our world has been captured by the mania of photography. People take pictures of everything around, from a sign with a funny name of a doctor to a dog running past. And it happens on permanent basis- many people won’t touch food until they post a picture of it on Instagram, and they can’t sit in a new place until it’s uploaded to Facebook. People actually create a photo chronicle of their own lives, displaying everything to the last detail. This is where the question arises, how not to drown in a sea of photographs?
The main purpose of photography is to capture the moment and convey to the viewer the emotions of what is happening. The limited number of frames in film cameras forced the photographer to be more careful in choosing the subject. Modern devices allow you to get hundreds or even thousands of images in one day. Many manage to fill several voluminous flash drives with pictures in two weeks on vacation. But what is the value of the photographs taken in such a quantity for the authors themselves?
by marcel van Oosten
It seems to many that if you do not capture every more or less interesting object, then there will be no sense from what you see. Will such a photographer be able to remember in detail the place where he was, without looking at the pictures? After all, all his attention was focused on working with the camera, and there was not much time for contemplation of the surrounding beauties. In order not to drown in the sea of your photos, leave in the album only those photographs that capture really interesting moments.
by Luis Valadares
It is unlikely that when viewing images even just one year after the trip, you will be evoked by the image of a hot dog eaten on vacation (unless it is made of orange bread with green exotic sausages) or a selfie against the background filled with people. It is better to estimate the value of the picture in advance and try not to take useless shots at all.
Taking pictures of everything around, we do not live in the present ...
It is said that by constantly taking pictures of food before eating it, or taking selfies with friends at every opportunity, we seem to be trying to abandon what is happening to us now in order to try to live this moment in the future. But, having taken a photograph, we use, correct the photo and give it some other image and plot, thereby displacing the emotions of the event that we were filming, although initially our goal was to capture them in their original form.
In addition, constantly chasing the opportunity to take an interesting picture, we are not able to relax and get the maximum pleasure from the rest, we cannot focus on the contemplation of the objects around us. Such a pastime is reminiscent of the hobby of one cartoon character who ran after a hare with a photo gun, right?
Today's youth have forgotten how to tell
Middle-aged people have not been affected as much by the photography epidemic, while, according to statistics, 85 percent of young people under the age of 25 are actively taking pictures of everything around them with the sole purpose of posting photos in social media.
Increasingly, after the question of how a person rested, instead of a fascinating story, one can only hear descriptions for photographs with comments from the series “here I am on the beach”, “here we are in the park”, “” and further in the same style. As a result, we see only the bodily shell of a person and are not able to understand the full depth of his individuality.
Causes of "photodependence"
The addiction to constant photography really exists, it is akin to cravings for social networks and computer or gambling. Psychologists identify a number of reasons that cause this problem.
Here are the most common:
- The desire to demonstrate oneself, according to psychoanalysts. The main motive of people filming everything in a row is a hidden desire to show themselves, and not the world. By posting his photos on social networks, expecting likes and positive comments, a person, as it were, encourages others to praise him. Often this affects people who lacked parental attention in childhood, now they are eager to catch up, constantly seeking the recognition of others.
- Strive to present yourself in a good light. Many people film themselves primarily in restaurants, nightclubs and entertainment centers, rarely posting photos of their home pastimes. According to psychologists, this is due to the presence of certain complexes and the desire to show oneself as a “cool party-goer” or more. successful person than it really is.
- Using the camera as a toy. Many people shoot simply because they are addicted to the process itself, which is like playing games on a computer to “kill time” when they are bored. Then the hobby develops into a habit, which becomes very difficult to get rid of.
Perhaps people who store tens or even hundreds of thousands of pictures on their hard drive should think - do they live a real life, or are they just wasting a lot of time on a useless activity? After all, if everything is changed, then the world around can sparkle with new colors, opening up a lot of unknown before a person.
How to avoid "photo addiction" and learn to live to the fullest?
Psychoanalysts give several simple tips, which will help "photodependent" people to change themselves, try to live without constantly fixing everything that happens around them on camera.
by Virgilijus OKEANA
- Put your phone away, and if you're not expecting important calls, turn it off altogether. Then, instead of wasting time on taking pictures, you can devote it to friends and family, while getting real emotions, and not their pale copy on the phone display.
- Communicate more with people around you - the photo will show the viewer what a wonderful dish you had breakfast or what a beautiful beach you were relaxing on, but it will not be able to display your emotions and rich inner world. Only you can do this yourself, talking with friends and relatives about the pleasant moments that you experienced, and not about how this or that photo was taken. In general, try to use photographs as little as possible while talking about an event - try to turn on your memory and convey everything in your own words.
- Being in an interesting place, try to use your attention and memory to the fullest - often using a camera, people get used to remembering little things, shifting this task to the camera. Before taking a photo, “put” the frame in your head, and only then release the shutter. After some time, try to remember in detail the place you shot, and then compare the recreated picture with the photograph. Among other things, this approach will help you improve visual memory and attentiveness.
Try to apply the tips above, and you will not notice how piles of the same type and boring pictures on your hard drive turn into several small folders filled with really interesting photos. And remember, a habit takes three weeks to form. Hold out for this time, and then it will be easier.
09/24/2016
Article text updated: 2.02.2019
Even if you are not at all fond of photography, and take pictures not only with a soap dish, but simply with a phone, all the same, I am sure that the tips presented in this lesson will come in handy. The fact is that today we will analyze the basics of the art of telling stories using photographs. The ability to shoot in such a way that several photos turn into an interesting story about an event will come in handy when shooting a photo report at a wedding, at a children's party, at your friend's birthday party or when shooting goods for an online store, during a weekend trip around your city or in vacation trips to distant lands. In this photo tutorial, we will not discuss what settings to use or what lens to choose for shooting at the school ruler on September 1st (of course, these questions are important, but we have already procrastinated them a million times in other articles on the site). Today we will talk about the artistic component of an interesting photo story.
Before we get started, I want to point out that the tips below should not be taken as absolute truth from photography gurus. Consider them my lecture notes on reportage photography, which I wrote after reading articles and interviews with professional photographers and photojournalists and then sharing them with you.
Also, please note that for illustration, I used photographs taken by me during an independent trip to the Philippines, just 10 days after purchasing my first ever amateur SLR Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55 VR (at the end of November 2011). Naturally, at that time I didn’t even know how to take technically high-quality pictures (most of the shots were taken in semi-automatic mode: the scenes “Landscape”, “Sports”, “Portrait”, “Night portrait”, etc., so do not look too much at the data EXIF), not to mention thinking about those aspects of reporting that are needed to shoot an interesting photo report about a vacation.
In general, I hope that you will not judge strictly - just read, "digest" and, I'm sure, you will be able to shoot your interesting photo stories.
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, a wealthy merchant lived. And he had three daughters. Once he was going on a long journey and asked what gifts they would like to receive. The youngest said that she did not want sweets and jewelry, that she desperately needed a scarlet flower. Dad plucked a Red Book plant, and the consequence of this was that his beloved daughter, a lover of botany, fell into the clutches of a forest beast. At first, they didn’t build relationships, but “love is evil” ... When she returned for a visit to her father’s house, and the sisters moved the hands on the clock, the animal thought that the beauty had gone AWOL, and almost died of longing. The girl kissed the monster, which, as it happens, made his heart beat faster - it turned into a handsome prince. The children immediately ran to their parent, who blessed them for family life. The wedding was played to the envy of all the neighbors - they broke three button accordions while the guests were dancing. And then they began to live happily ever after, gave birth to children, waited for grandchildren and great-grandchildren ...
Such a retelling of the well-known fairy tale turned out in my presentation. I brought it on purpose to show that any story has a plot, a development of action, a climax and an ending. Stories hide powerful power. They are universal. They appeal to listeners of all ages. They overcome cultural and language barriers and stand the test of time.
And as a photographer, we have unique opportunity tell great stories using one of the best tools for storytelling - the camera.
So let's pick it up and start taking pictures. But it should be remembered that we must not just like that, mindlessly shoot at any moment. If we want to capture important events in our lives, and do it with interesting photos, then we MUST tell a story with them. We need to understand how to frame the events that are happening before our eyes, and how, using a camera, turn them into a fascinating reportage that reflects our life experiences.
Why? Because, in 20 years, the feelings that we experienced at the time of shooting will be reflected in our photographs. Pictures are what bring our memories back to life. Let's do Good work now, and we can enjoy a bright and deep photo essay. If, however, we shoot only part of the story, then in the future we will definitely pay attention to the gaps and holes in our photo story.
In addition, we must remember that we are not just taking pictures for ourselves. We also shoot for our family, for future generations that will come after us. We won't always be around to tell our stories. But our photographs can do that for us, and they can do a good job if we learn how to tell stories through snapshots.
The structure of the story in photographs
Any story, any reporting begins with an understanding of the structure of the narrative. To put it simply, a story always consists of three main parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Now let's look at these components one by one and see what happens in each one.
Photo essay start
Introduction or tie
The story should begin with an introduction. We must draw the audience into our world and make it comfortable to be in. The viewer must receive context.
This is easy to do: you need to include details in the frame that will tell the viewer where the photo was taken. The one who views the pictures must guess the location of the shooting. To do this, professional photojournalists use symbols: recognizable buildings, monuments, objects. For example, if I were invited to wedding photography, I would take off the entrance door with a poster where it says “Sasha + Masha = Love” and two wedding rings are drawn - it’s immediately clear that today we will watch a report from the wedding.
Suppose you get on a plane, fly to the Philippines and go on a big trip to the islands of this distant country. Incredible adventure with hundreds of events that can happen there. So how do you make an entry? How to let the viewer feel the place where we are going from the first frames?
You can start with a photo of the airport to tell about the trip. Or we can show a photo of the hotel room to give an idea of where we are staying. Shot from the boat on which we sailed to the island.
You need to fill the story with pictures with details that will help the viewer build a rich world in their imagination. Get closer and look at small objects that are a small part of a large scene. This will take the viewer directly into our story, allow him to imagine himself in this place.
- Show the audience how you got from point A to point B. Did you ride a train, fly a plane, walk?
- Does the architecture in the country where you came to rest look the same as ours? Or is different? Show us!
- Show the reader of your solo travel report the small details that enrich the story and give the viewer a better feel for the place depicted in the picture: take pictures of local food, clothing, handicrafts.
Introduction of the main characters of the photo story
Now you need to introduce the characters of the story.
The classic plot revolves around the main character, who went on a long journey to achieve some goal. Along the way, he meets other characters who help him or, on the contrary, hinder him.
Who are the characters in our report? You need to take some time to think about it. Whether we're talking about a holiday trip to the Philippines that may happen only once in our lives, or about our daily activities, there will always be people who are crucial to our story. Sometimes we forget to take pictures of them because we take their presence for granted. But often we just fail to understand what they are. important part our story.
And so we must begin to learn to see how central the characters are in our photo essay. To shoot interesting photo reports, you need to start by setting yourself the task of photographing them, and doing it in such a way that they come out alive. All our heroes have their own roles in our play. And our photos can show this role.
During our holidays in the Philippines, we were very bothered by pearl sellers. They approached with an offer to buy a necklace when we sat on the veranda in the morning and basked in the rays of the sun, having breakfast. When we swam and sunbathed on the white Philippine beaches, they haunted. Even when we sailed to a desert island, there were “pearl sellers” there too ...
During the jungle tours, visits to the chocolate hills and the monkey nursery, rafting on a boat on a river in the jungles of the Philippines, we took hundreds of pictures. But what photos should be included in the vacation report? The ones that help tell complete history? Photos of the characters who accompanied us on the trip: the damned souvenir seller or the driver who delivered to the reserve, or the cook in the street restaurant.
We only saw this kid for maybe five minutes. Then we went deep into the jungle and took a lot of gorgeous photos. But this snapshot of a pesky salesman could be the bridge that connects us to that distant island. If we went on vacation to the Philippines again, I would take a picture of him again.
Photographer's point of view
Now is the point where many aspiring photographers stumble when telling their photo stories. We forget to give the viewer a chance to feel our point of view. This is what answers the question: WHO is telling the story?
There are so many things in front of us to take off that it is very easy to forget to include our own self. Getting our presence in the frame can be difficult. But this is the critical part of the story. Who you are and what you care about have an unusually strong influence on the story, so you need to make sure that the audience can see you, that they can recognize you.
This can be done in a simple way, or in a complex way. We can, for example, include our legs or arm in the frame. Then suddenly the viewer is interested in the person behind the camera. It's amazing how little it takes to completely change the feel of photography!
At this point, I should have shown a photo where, for example, I am shooting a seascape on the edge of a cliff with a wide-angle lens, and at the bottom of the frame are my shoes. Or, for example, during the shooting, I held the camera with my right hand, and extended my left hand to the person depicted in the portrait. Then an unusual atmosphere is immediately created. Many have probably seen the footage: a girl in a beautiful dress is taken from the back, she holds out her hand to the photographer, dragging him along with her (the hand of the one who shoots is in the frame) ...
But, especially when we are photographing for our family photo album, this is not enough. We need to fully enter the frame in order to become part of our own history.
This can be achieved by taking a "selfie" by holding the camera at arm's length and taking a photo of yourself. There is nothing shameful in this, and such photos are important. Rotating screen cameras make it easy to capture these shots.
A couple of tips on how to take selfies: pay attention to the quality of the lighting and photograph slightly at an angle, not from a frontal angle.
Also try to take a portrait of yourself in full height. You can use a tripod and remote control to set everything up and take a group photo. Take a few shots to be sure everything turned out the way it should.
Photo 3. Let's get acquainted with the participants of the tour of the Philippine Islands. My wife. How to shoot a photo report. Photography lessons for beginners. DSLR Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55 VR. 1/640, 5.6, 100, 55. Taken from a tripod.
Of course, you can ask other people to take a portrait with the author of the story.
In general, you don't have to be an invisible storyteller. Our friends and family will want to see photos of us, and so will we, years later. Get in the frame!
Middle of the photo story
Now that we have finished the introduction and introduced the main characters, it is time to continue the story. And this is the middle of the story in which the action takes place. Here we are looking for ways to arouse the interest of the viewer.
It seems to me that the photos that I cited as illustrations for the photo report about the rest are not very dynamic. A few things to look for when filming a holiday in the Philippines.
Motion. It is not only interesting to look at in the picture, it literally moves the story forward. You always need to pay attention to moving objects and think about how to photograph them in order to tell more. You can even try to take a picture on long exposure to add a sense of movement.
Emotions. Action can be more than just physical. It can be emotional. You need to try to remove emotions in order to convey feelings in the story.
Interaction. Once our characters start interacting, they move the story forward. Take it off!
Conflict. First of all, conflict and struggle are part of what drives the photo story. I think many will agree that the story on the topic "I left the house and saw a pretty sunset" is not an attractive story for the viewer. We have to show the problems that our hero faces, as well as how he solves them - this is what attracts the audience, especially if the problems are solved successfully. “I went outside, climbed a high mountain, got lost, met a donkey who led me back to the path. We sat together and watched the stunningly beautiful sunset.” Here is the story!
End of photo story
I so often forget to take a picture of this part of the photo report. After we've captured the action, we often decide we've filmed something important and can hide the camera in our backpack. But the reportage is not over, if we remove the camera, we will leave the audience (and ourselves) confused, unsatisfied.
So always, always, always, when we shoot, we need to think how to complete our photo essay. What can be removed to show that the story is over? That the conflict is resolved? Did the hero find his way to the finish line?
Perhaps the sun setting over the horizon. Or a plane flying home. Farewell waving of the hand to new friends met on the journey.
The example of the structure of the photo story that we looked at above is a long story, but even the shortest story follows the same rules. For example, a good report on the topic “How I spent last night at home” should also have all the described components: scenes in the living room, children jumping on the couch, then calmly reading a book, and finally, a sleeping baby in a crib.
Even the simplest events will become an interesting story if we shoot all the obligatory parts of the photo essay.
Intermediate final
A snapshot can capture a short story inside a large photo story, for example, the moment of farewell to our guide, who took the tarsier monkeys to the nursery.
final ending
Also, don't forget to shoot the big ending: our departure from the city or the country, the plane or bus, or the details of our house when we returned after a long trip.
I advise you to read the article by Artem Chernov “Construction of Drama and Photo Story. How are linear and non-linear story related? It describes the composition of the photo story in more detail, as well as a short video (26 seconds), after watching which, you will see all the components of a good photo story that we discussed.
It became clear what the exposition, the plot and development of the action, the climax and the epilogue are?
Shooting a short photo essay
Context
We can tell many stories even in one frame, but what we need to include is the context. Stepping back a little and including more space in the frame will help us engage all the elements of the photo story that we discussed earlier. It will give us a feel for the place where everything is happening, maybe include more characters, some action, some conflict. Every time before pressing the shutter button, we need to think about what we are going to include in the frame, make sure that this or that object will help tell the story, and will not detract from the main object.
Wide, medium and close-up tricks for photo essay
A quick way to develop photo storytelling skills is to use a wide, medium, and close-up approach. We take 3 pictures.
- Overall plan - is used as an introduction to the story, and serves to show the viewer all the important details of the context of our story. Here we step back and hardly show our presence. It can be difficult to remember the need to include a long shot in a photo story, especially if we are really involved in the action taking place at the moment of shooting, but we must remember that this part of the story is very important.
- Medium plan - to get acquainted with the main characters of the report, as well as to show the action in the frame. It will help the viewer understand the photo story: what is happening and who is doing it.
- Close-up- to show details. They add color to our reporting and help people to plunge deeper into the scene, to be present at the scene. We must try to peep the details that someone usually does not notice, but which say something about our history.
In particular, walking around the subject, changing the angle of view and angle can help. This will help us see the scene from a different angle, vantage point, and will allow us to find the pictures that best tell our story.
- The wide shot gives us context, showing a girl going to the market with her parents, showing where she lives.
- The medium shot allows us to focus on the girl better, to pay attention to her and her father.
- A close-up allows us to better notice the details, emotions on the face of the person being photographed.
When I photograph such series for a reportage, I use lenses with different focal lengths: wide to show the street; medium range in order to highlight the main object; telephoto lens - to cut off the excess and concentrate on the details.
Preparing to shoot a report
It is clear that tips on shooting a photo essay cannot be contained within the framework of one article. And today's lesson is just a sketch, a preface to a large series of conversations on this topic. I have repeatedly said that when I write such reviews, then, first of all, I myself better remember the information discussed. I hope that now I can make my photo reports more interesting for the viewers. You just need to remember the tips:
- Take pictures of frames that can serve as an introduction, the main part of the story and a conclusion. So that the pictures have context.
- Try not to make the pictures boring, and so that the viewer sees emotions, action, interaction between different objects in the frame, contrast, conflict in the photo.
- You should always diversify your photo story, alternating general, medium, large and extra close-ups. Also do not forget to change the horizontal and vertical images.
Ideally, you need to ensure that each individual photo contains its own little story, which will be the head of the overall narrative. How to achieve this is a separate question, and not an easy one. I will still study. Now I can remember that the greatest emotional impact on the viewer is made by those pictures that make him turn on his imagination. For example, when he is forced to think about what happened a second before the photographer pressed the shutter release, or a second after that moment.
A lot is devoted to the issues of the artistic component of the picture in the textbook by Lydia Dyko "Conversations about photographic mastery". I strongly advise you to find it and read it carefully.
Let's get back to how to tell a photo story. Professional reporters advise you to always draw up a shooting plan, a list of required subjects. At the beginning of the lesson, I noted that the tips that we will receive apply to most types of photo reports. Why? Because the principles described here can be used not only when shooting active action such as dance competitions and sports competitions, but even when photographing landscapes and objects for an online store catalog.
Look in the previous article for a review of the backpack for the Case Logic TBC-411-Black camera. You will also see the total, average, and close-ups. If there was a macro lens, I would also take a super-large photograph, for example, of the fastener pawl.
Here are some preparations for shooting a photo essay on various topics.
- Wedding photography. You were invited to take pictures at the wedding. You need to understand that the whole story will consist of small chapters, each of which will have an introduction, middle and end. So, in the bride's room, you need to shoot a general plan of the room with scattered dresses, shoes and cosmetics. The middle plan is a girl wearing a wedding dress and showing off in front of a mirror. Large - hands with an unusual manicure. We arrived at the registry office - again general form the wedding hall, the middle one - the parents of the young, the large one - a tear that rolled down the bride's cheek.
- Is your child taking part in a dance competition? General plan: an announcement on the fence of the school and the building itself educational institution behind. The middle one is a dancing boy or girl. Large - the face of a teacher biting his lips while watching the performance of his ward.
- Bike review? One frame - great on the streets of the metropolis. Second, the bike takes up the entire frame. The third is shooting details: reflectors, pedals, brand name, etc.
Turn on the TV right now and watch the news or a movie. Pay attention to how the operator changes plans, what focuses the viewer's attention on. When shooting a photo story, we should do the same.
On this, my friends, I finish my photo lesson on shooting interesting reports at a wedding, matinee or on vacation. But I don't say goodbye to you. The fact is that in the near future a photo contest for shooting the best photo essay will be announced. I will announce the topic and conditions of participation later. The main prize will be the Case Logic TBC-411-Black photo backpack, reviewed in the previous article. Subscribe through the form below for notifications of new publications so as not to miss this magical day.
“On March 3rd, during a big storm on the East Coast, I headed out to the ocean to capture wave activity. The road took me to the Great Island Common, New Castle, New Hampshire, where the Wailback Lighthouse is visible, standing 12 kilometers from the coast. I was hoping to photograph the big waves crashing around the lighthouse and Mother Nature did not disappoint.
Great Island Common - extensive outdoor park where people come for a picnic in summer and warm winter.
Upon arrival, I set up my Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR with a Sigma 150-600mm lens on a tripod, positioned to the right of the tree to shelter from the gusts of the north wind. Many people know how difficult it is to keep a 600mm lens stable in strong winds, even when using a tripod.
I set up the camera and waited until I saw the wave begin to hit the lighthouse. Then I continued to shoot until the series ended, not knowing how the wave would behave. Most of the shots failed, but about three shots out of all that were taken over the course of about 45 minutes turned out to be pretty decent.
When I got home, I chose one image to edit and uploaded it to Instagram. When a local TV station shared the photo on their Facebook page (with my permission), it was immediately followed by numerous reposts, comments and likes.
But one comment said I stole an image from another New England photographer, Erica Gendon. I first told the commenter that this was really my shot and that I had the original RAW file, and then I looked at another photographer's page and was amazed. We had the same images, shot with millisecond precision, seemingly from the same perspective and location.
This photo was taken by me, Ron Riesman.
Photo by Eric Gendon.
Leaving out the Lightroom processing, the photos look virtually identical at first glance, except for the water in the foreground and the different placement of a few patches of white foam. But even they turned out to be identical in size and shape, and I know that such elements are easily moved using the stamp tool in Photoshop, so I was worried: maybe my image was stolen and slightly changed?
Initially, I only had access to a low-res image of him, so I couldn't make out the smallest details, which eventually helped me make sure we both had the originals. But after overlaying the images in Photoshop, I was amazed: the lighthouse and the waves matched almost to the pixel. The differences in the water in the foreground and the white caps of foam on the horizon kept me from claiming he stole my shot.
Another local photographer compared my photo with the higher resolution version of Eric's and noticed that the distance between the vertical strips of iron railing around the top of the lighthouse was slightly different compared to my image. This meant that the other photographer was most likely standing slightly to the left of where I was.
Location of photographers.
Because the 60D Gendon was shooting with has an APS-C sensor, he was probably a bit farther away to compensate for the 1.6x crop factor or use a shorter focal length. And that would explain the difference in the location of the white foam.
However, the lighthouse and the breaking wave exactly matched, which is surprising, since the pictures were taken by chance by two different photographers.
I didn't know Eric, each of us chose this place randomly, we both shot with different cameras (60D and 5D Mark IV) with different sensor sizes; in 60D continuous shooting mode at a frequency of 5.3 frames per second, 5D Mark IV - 7 frames per second. We both used 600mm focal length; aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings are also almost the same (F/8, ISO 400, 1/1600s and F/8, ISO 320, 1/1000s). We ended up both choosing the same photo from that day to post online, only to find out later that we were only 28 meters apart.
I did a Google search to check how often this happens, and I could only find one article from 2011 that featured two photographers filming at a Huntington Beach surf competition who took nearly identical shots of a surfer and the movement of a wave.
If you've shot water in continuous burst mode, you know how different each exposure is, even if the time difference is only 1/7 second between shots. For five years, I have been running night sky photography workshops with more than 200 photographers who often focus on the same subject, shooting with similar cameras and lenses at the same time, even using continuous time-lapse photography. But until now, I have never seen two images so similar, as if they were virtual clones.
While this is a rare occurrence, I think as cameras get faster and photographers get better prepared for shooting, this kind of thing will become more frequent. This happens daily with stationary or slow moving objects (buildings, sunrise/moon), but almost never with moving water.”
Most people talk about the process of photography as being photographed. However, many serious photographers instead turn to creation photos.
One might be inclined to dismiss it as jargon, but there is clearly a difference in attitude. "Creating" implies a creative process, while "receiving" has a negative connotation: appropriation or even theft. Or not so negative: “capture the moment”; the ability of photography to capture the essence of a scene, preserve it, and share it. But going back, is it possible to do this well without creating something new? Even when the scene is not staged, the photographer has some level of copyright responsibility.
So the question is: is it really that bad? Does this mean inherently frivolity and quick shots? Should every genuine photographer be encouraged to creation? Or can photographing as observation alone be a valid, serious art form?
Itay
Clap! Get ready for battle... Just kidding ;) I use shooting, making, shooting and filming interchangeably in my tutorials, course notes and presentations. If I kept using the same world all the time, I would sound like a broken record. For some reason I never use the word rig, maybe I should consult a therapist to find out why. At least we don't have the same problem as in the TV industry where sometimes you have to "shoot the pilot".
Greg
When I shoot on vacation and I do it just for memory, I take pictures. I'm too busy enjoying myself to worry about composition (very much), so I take a shot and leave. If I'm working or shooting creatively, then it's a much more thoughtful thing; I compose, analyze, think about exposure and depth of field. I will be taking/shooting/shooting/shooting and taking pictures, but at this moment I am not taking pictures.
Reid
On a related note, I try to avoid shooting because of its negative (violent) connotations. It's a little tricky. :)
Stefan Pechar
"And in the end, the love you accept is equal to the love you do- Sir Paul McCartney
Graham Hutchison
I remember moments
Answers
John Cavan
I think each process has equal merit, based only on my own experience with Project 365. In doing this project with the express purpose of not being overly repetitive, I had to do a lot of different things, and that really means taking pictures and taking pictures:
Adoption
For me it is the art of seeing the moment and perceive his. Maybe the jargon doesn't really mean it, but that's how I see it. Henri Cartier-Bresson was a master of this kind of thing, holding on to ordinary moments in time in a way that inspires and educates us. He did not create a picture, he saw it and captured it. This, I think, is the essence of photography. Candid photography or photojournalism is really about it, and to master it is to have an eye for a moment.
Now, the negative connotation on this would probably be the style of the shot, basically just capturing the image without the concept of framing, lighting, obstacles, etc. It's, in a way, classic travel photography I suppose and serves as a basis for differentiating casual shooters against advanced amateurs or pros.
Manufacturing
At this end of the spectrum, it's about framing the image. It's about about creating lighting or observing lighting, and positioning for the image you know should come. It can be as detailed and controlled as the almost cinematic work of Dave Hill, or as studied and patient as the work of Ansel Adams. This is the place where art, landscape and similar works fall into, and in order to master this, you must be able to anticipate the result and prepare for it.
To take a picture, a negative connotation, for me, it's a complete setup, it does everything for you. For example, you can buy devices like StopShot which, when everything is set up, perform all operation, including shutter release. It's basically all inclusive and lets you work and you'll see this often with water drops. Don't get me wrong, images can be great, but for me it loses something when the finger is not on the shutter but on the machine.
Conclusion
Obviously I'm not putting my meager effort into the same class as some of the wizards I've listed, but I think I've tried both of these at different times. To be honest, I think I'm more successful with taking pictures, controlling the conditions of the outcome, but taking pictures is also fun and rewarding, the element of surprise can be a bonus. I think doing both modes can make you a better photographer. At least I think it's more fun. :)
CadentOrange
I think Henri Cartier Bresson's example is too simplistic. His candid photography was carefully planned, as he would position himself in the right place, photograph the frame carefully, and then release the shutter at the crucial moment. Take this as an example. tinyurl.com/3wh2fmn You can't expect me to believe that he was walking, saw an approaching bike, and then took out his camera? Most likely, he was located at the top of the stairs, carefully composed the shot and waited for the appearance of the cyclist. He certainly did more than just "photograph" photos!
John Cavan
@Philip Goh - What if the cyclist never showed up? That was the difference, and of course this post looks rather simplistic, since this is not a forum for a doctoral dissertation on the work of famous street photographers. :)
jrista ♦
I think @Philip Goh's example shows what most photographers are probably doing both things... do at the same time and take photographs. I'm not sure if it's always one or the other... I think quite often it's a combination of both. Even in landscape photography, you come across one of these rare, fantastical scenes with great lighting, and you just have to "photograph" it... and in the process, you can just "make" a piece of art at the same time. ;)
John Cavan
Cartier-Bresson is also quoted as saying, "Of course it's all luck." He also said, "I've been wandering the streets all day feeling very excited and ready to jump in, determined to 'trap' life—save life in the process of living."
Anonymous
My answer is yes". There are photos I take (things I happen to be in the right place at the right time to record) and photos I take (things I can research or organize). In both cases, they are an expression of myself. It may be easier to see that when I have big problems organizing the image, but even reportage type photos depend on how far I get into a situation that I think has photographic value.
On this note, there are two significant portraits by Yusuf Karsh of Winston Churchill. Even though the camera and light were set up in advance, it's fair to say that the first (and by far the most famous of them all, the shot of a frowning Churchill who had just had his cigar stolen from his lips) was "taken" and the second, of a smiling , relaxed Churchill, was "done". Karsh preferred the latter; It can be argued that the former, representing British defiance, had enough propaganda value to trigger Lend-Lease and prevent the British conquest. You decide which one was "art".
Lindes
Personally, I think that these are two different, equally significant activities. And while I say and mean "different", they are not necessarily mutually exclusive to me.
To take a picture, I think, means to make something that exists. Whether it's a facial expression, a pattern of movement (anything from flowing water to animals to various human creatures)... Any moment (short or long) in time that exists apart from the photographer.
To "take" a picture, it seems to me, means to create conditions under which the image can be taken in accordance with a certain vision (or, if you prefer, foresight) of the photographer. This can include everything from simply choosing the camera position, angle, focal length, focus distance, and exposure settings, all the way to carefully crafting the scene, scenery, lighting, and whatever else you have.
Often a good photo will be (in my opinion) both options. For example, a complex portrait setup - with a set (or at least a background), lighting, costume, hair styling and makeup, etc. - is a portrait that is made... But also, if the subject is given any control what they do in this setting is the portrait that is being done.
In other cases, it may be closer to one or the other, although I suspect it is almost always, at least a little off each. A “made” still life “takes” from the objects located in it, and even in a quickly “taken” picture, the photographers “made a choice”, even if only to aim and when to press the button.
Of course, there will be numerous opinions on such a question, often contradictory. However, after listening to a few of them over the years and thinking to myself, I hope the above is an accurate reflection of the philosophy I have adopted regarding this matter.
If this needs any clarification, please ask in the comments and I'll do my best to update it to increase clarity.
Thanks for the interesting question!
labnut
Great question, but when I first read it, it seemed like semantics (how wrong could I be?).
Now that I'm reading the answers, I understand that there is a deeper process that is very similar to De Bono's Six Thinking Hats approach. With this approach, you consciously put on a certain type of thinking. This means that you consciously enter this mode of thinking and apply this approach to the problem.
In the same way, as photographers, we wear different photographic hats at different times:
- A journalist's hat. Photographing (Red Hat)
- Director's cap. Taking a photo (Blue Hat)
- An artist's hat. We create a photo. (Green Hat)
- Critic's hat. We evaluate a photo. (black hat)
You ask
So the question is: is it really that bad? Does this mean inherently frivolity and quick shots? Should every genuine photographer be encouraged to create? Or can photographing as observation alone be a valid, serious art form?
First A good photographer uses his stock of experience intuitively when he "takes" a photograph. He does not need to consciously collect this knowledge or plan the photo. It arises without conscious will. This is often desirable because creativity thrives without the restrictions placed on us by our conscious "creative" mind.
Second Every photographer should be encouraged to "create" in the early stages of their photographic journey. By consciously attracting and practicing skills, we build them into deeper knowledge repositories so that they are quickly available to you, without thinking about when you will later engage in “taking”.
Thus, we must distinguish between the "taking" of a non-professional amateur (snapshots) and the "taking" of an experienced photographer. In his case, it is the fluency of a practiced skill.
The diagram below depicts De Bono's Six Thinking Hats (copyright from the De Bono Group). Everyone is supposed to put on each hat in turn when you approach a given subject so that you approach it from all angles.
Chuqui
I do both. but I put more time and effort into making them, planning the trip, planning the images I want to acquire (subject and style) and understanding what I want to achieve before I start and then adapting to what's going on, when I get there and start working on the spot. There is a positive aspect to photographing and recording what you see; The advantage in quality and reliability is that you work up front to ensure that your time and energy is not wasted and that you get the images you want/need and can use.
Grant Palin
Good question. I do both.
I sometimes take "snapshots" of anything that looks remotely interesting. In that case, I don't worry too much about the subject or the result. These pictures are mostly so-so, although I do get a gem out of it from time to time.
The rest of the time (I guess it's about half and half), I really thought and planned my photos. I look for interesting subjects, find an interesting perspective, check color and lighting, and then leave. The results here are consistently good, rarely less than that. And sometimes I get especially nice photos(IMO).
Simply "photographing" does not always produce reasonable results, although snapshots may need to be taken. On the other hand, "creating" photographs such as still life, landscape, and architecture take more time to adjust for best results.
mattdm
So you do both, but for you to "do" is the best approach, and "take" what you do when you don't really think about it due to lack of care or lack of time.
Fake name
Pedantic here
I would say "takes pictures" or " removes" Photo.
You can never "take" a photo, since photography is based on a group of semi-ordered photons focused through a lens. Unless you personally host every photon that goes into creating images, you don't "do" anything, simply capture what is already there.
Even if you have full control of the scene, you are still filming the representation of it rather than presenting it (perhaps if you are not painting a picture).
Think of it like an animal - you can "catch" a bird or "take" a bird, but you can never "make" a bird.
Basically, you can say whatever you want but requiring "take" photos will always be technically incorrect .
Caveat: I'm an engineer and I work with professional scientists, so I'm probably more technical than most people. However, from a dictionary point of view, the above is true.
Personally, I tend to use snapshot/photo instead of "make/make" respectively, as the other answers describe their usage as it conveys the same information while being semantically correct.
Opinion: If you ask me, this whole "Do it" photo sounds like professional photographers are snobs, and try to claim that they are doing something fundamentally different than tourists on vacation, and not just a refinement of it. In the category of finesse, there is more than enough room to accommodate both.
Change:(slightly more mature look)
I think it's better to think about what you can "make" or "choose" composition photos (and indeed it is, and processing is where all the creativity lies), or even make/change camera, used for shooting images (to do some really creative stuff). However, you still don't photograph, You doing composition, which is just reflected in the Foto.
The transfer of a composition into an image is a purely mechanistic process that does not require creativity and creativity. It's all surrounding occupation, where art.
mattdm
By this definition anyone ever doing anything other than nuclear fusion? I mean, the molecules are already there; people just suit them.
mattdm
The question of whether professional (or other non-professional) photographers do something fundamentally different than vacation tourists is interesting, although I'm afraid it falls pretty heavily on the argumentative side of "subjective and argumentative".
Fake name
@mattdm (3rd comment) - that's why I did it as a subtext.
mattdm
Ouch! I think that's exactly what it is, actually. The main difference between "tourist" , making picture, and photographer, making photograph, is that in the first case, the click of the shutter is the entire photographic process, while for the latter it is the key moment, but only part creating a finished photograph. (There are steps before and after.)
happytotakephotos
The difference is in pure elitist semantics. I know many photographers who better photographers than me who say "take" pictures and never say "take" pictures. It's pure jargon, and although their quality is better than mine, they don't do anything, and I just take something. If you and I had a garden using the same methods and my tomatoes grew better than yours, there should be no other term in how I grew tomatoes compared to how you grew them. I just grew tomatoes better than you. "Taking" photos is the most common way to use a camera with a camera. Many people try to do something artful (at least at some point) while taking a photo, and this is done with varying degrees of success. Enter new term like "taking photos" is really unnecessary. If we both run really fast and I'm faster than you, I don't run while you just run. We both run or run, I'm just better. Don't be snobs, photographers. Everyone who has a camera is trying to do something for some reason. The motive does not change the terminology of the action.
John Cavan
The term "taking a photograph" is not new, Ansel Adams coined the term decades ago and even published a book in 1935 called "Making a Photo" which was widely circulated. Instead of assuming that there is elitism behind this, you might think that he is trying to tell you something about how to think about the subject you are photographing.
Ornello
Since you asked: none. Photographers take (or take) photographs, not "photographs". Artists make "paintings". A picture is a "picture". And there is no photo. People have used these terms freely, but since you're asking for clarification, I'm offering this. The word "photography" predates photography, and since photography was something new, it had to be given a new name. Some people who weren't philosophers weren't so careful about such things and used the old term instead of the new (and then less familiar) term photography. A "painting" is a work of art created by hand. Photography is neither. It's more of a class distinction, especially in England. "Painting" still means the "painting" of those who own the paintings. Degas and Munch made "pictures". Steichen and Stieglitz took "photographs".
In a random situation, you will hear people refer to photographs as "photos". However, in more serious or formal contexts, this usage is incorrect.
This entry from the dictionary of the century should be helpful:
mattdm
Do you want to develop? Merriam-Webster's definition of photography is " photo or an image taken with a photograph" (emphasis added), and the OED is almost identical: " photo or an image taken with a photograph. Sometimes words have special meanings in certain areas beyond their general definition, but I don't think, that it is. Can you explain what the distinction you are making is, and more importantly, why is it important?
mattdm
Yes, indeed. And like I said, you can be as reckless as you want, but this kind of quest is to freeze (or, in this case, very explicitly wish return his) language in its Victorian era meanings is useless.
mattdm
Then perhaps it should be discussed with those populist crooks at the OED.
Michael Clark
@Ornello Teenage girls - not the only English speaking people who include photography in possible definitions Images. So only the upper classes in Victorian England, who owned the paintings, could define words for the entire English-speaking world until the end of history? Yet some accuse photographers who insist on the distinction between "take" and "make" of being snobs?
Michael Clark
Word " engine" predates the invention of the automobile. This does not cancel the acceptance of the word to enable the operation of the vehicle. Or do the owners of English pictures of the Victorian upper class refuse to use any word in such a way that it can be applied to the evolution of the original meaning?
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