what in your opinion....

[Chris Lim]

just share with you guys sth i feel strongly for inside.

"what is seeing?"

Is seeing something you see with your eyes? Perhaps so.
Is seeing something you percieve it to be? Perhaps so.
Is seeing something you take a glance at? Perhaps so.

But is seeing sth that both your eyes and your mind cannot see but what your heart can feel?

I always ask myself when i come across an image thats very heart wrenching or touching or just plain simple but yet "out of this world". Why am i feeling this way?

like when i saw the world press photos 2006. I browsed through all the images without feeling much except when i came across the image of a african funeral for a little girl. I spent more then 15 mins staring at that image and i just continously teared. It has been bugging me. How is it that an image can be so powerful and simple that it can be captured just by a simple click of a button.

My whole purpose of this thread is to hopefully find that outlet to "burst" my limits beyond what i can do just to capture that simplicity in an image and make it so simple yet powerful.

Sorry about my ranting.. i had a little to drink and im really depressed now. i look at my camera and i ask " what do i do with you?" "Why is it that so many can do it but i can't" "Am i seeing the wrong things? or doing sth wrong?" Theses are questions that really disheartens me a huge deal. I badly badly need to solve it. like some divine ability to finally shoot that one image...

 

[AQVA]

theres no limits to learning, creativity and perception... the only limits r abilities.

 

[student]

But is seeing sth that both your eyes and your mind cannot see but what your heart can feel?

I always ask myself when i come across an image thats very heart wrenching or touching or just plain simple but yet "out of this world". Why am i feeling this way?

Why were you feeling that way? Because you have a consciousness that is unique to yourself. And I believe acting on that consciousness is the best thing you can do for your photography.

My whole purpose of this thread is to hopefully find that outlet to "burst" my limits beyond what i can do just to capture that simplicity in an image and make it so simple yet powerful.

If you want simplicity, then allow it to be simple.

If you have a compelling image (or scene) before your eyes that spoke to your consciousness, and you start to think about composition and look for faults, can your image be simple?

Sorry about my ranting.. i had a little to drink and im really depressed now. i look at my camera and i ask " what do i do with you?" "Why is it that so many can do it but i can't" "Am i seeing the wrong things? or doing sth wrong?" Theses are questions that really disheartens me a huge deal. I badly badly need to solve it. like some divine ability to finally shoot that one image...

One of the things my mentors taught me was to simplify things. Take what moves you. Stop worrying about technicalities. You will learn those things along the way. They will come to you. Not to worry.

But if you do not learn to let your "consciousness" have its say, then it is likely that your images will be sterile.


And lastly, do not be concerned about "That one image". What you see are "Greatest Hits". There are a lot of misses from the greats.

One lesson which I learnt was "Pepper #30" by Edward Weston.

Pepper #30 is one of the iconic images. Weston took ordinary things like peppers, urinal, dead birds, rocks, etc and made them into art. But look beyond the breathtaking beauty of his images.

What is the implication of "Pepper #30"? He failed at least 29 times!! And that from the unequalled genius Edward Weston!

 

[Chris Lim]

Why were you feeling that way? Because you have a consciousness that is unique to yourself. And I believe acting on that consciousness is the best thing you can do for your photography.




If you want simplicity, then allow it to be simple.

If you have a compelling image (or scene) before your eyes that spoke to your consciousness, and you start to think about composition and look for faults, can your image be simple?



One of the things my mentors taught me was to simplify things. Take what moves you. Stop worrying about technicalities. You will learn those things along the way. They will come to you. Not to worry.

But if you do not learn to let your "consciousness" have its say, then it is likely that your images will be sterile.


And lastly, do not be concerned about "That one image". What you see are "Greatest Hits". There are a lot of misses from the greats.

One lesson which I learnt was "Pepper #30" by Edward Weston.

Pepper #30 is one of the iconic images. Weston took ordinary things like peppers, urinal, dead birds, rocks, etc and made them into art. But look beyond the breathtaking beauty of his images.

What is the implication of "Pepper #30"? He failed at least 29 times!! And that from the unequalled genius Edward Weston!

Just shoot what ever that stops me in my track? And keeo going back till i've caught the shot i want? What if it was a one moment thing? Capturing the magical moment.

 

[zaren]

Just shoot what ever that stops me in my track? And keeo going back till i've caught the shot i want? What if it was a one moment thing? Capturing the magical moment.

If you managed to shoot what stops you in your tracks, then you would have captured the magical moment. In order to do that, you need to have complete mastery of your camera, quick reflexes and an ability and vision honed from practice to react to and in some instances even anticipate decisive moments. Street photography is a good way to hone these skills, as famous street photographers like Garry Winogrand will testify, "you have only a fraction of a fraction of a second to take that photo, before the moment is gone."

 

[student]

Just shoot what ever that stops me in my track?

That would be your consciousness. But this may not go with your other desire to be a professional commercial photographer.

And keeo going back till i've caught the shot i want? What if it was a one moment thing? Capturing the magical moment.

Photographing the "one-moment" thing is one of the most difficult photography genre. Almost nothing is under your control. You just have to wait and wait and wait, and cultivate a sensitivity to know when you should trip the shutter. And pray that the dynamics will be correct.

For such things, there is no going back. You just got to be ready to take the picture.

 

[mattlock]

I'm going to suggest that you immerse yourself in the history of art and photography (western and eastern)

The direction of photo history here has been largely photojournalistic and editorial (and both have been mutually exclusive)
Photography has evolved way beyond the modern approaches of the original american masters like steichen,weston,adams,etc etc, and even then I don't know how many people are even aware of their approaches

If you try to understand Juergen Teller, Guy Bourdin, Wolfgang Tilmans, Cindy Sherman, Jeff Wall,Martin Parr, Roni Horn, etc etc, you'll learn alot in the process which will aid your photography.


Speaking of which, if there are enough people interested, I brought back 2 DVDs from the US, they are documentaries on important photographers in the world.
If someone is willing to loan a space and a large tv or projector to screen these DVDs, perhaps we can have a get together to watch them.

here's the info on the dvds
http://www.amazon.com/Contacts-Vol-...pd_bbs_sr_2/002-7196496-1500014?ie=UTF8&s=dvd
http://www.amazon.com/Contacts-Vol-...pd_bbs_sr_3/002-7196496-1500014?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

 

[Chris Lim]

Thanks for the whole load of stuff to think and consider about guys.

Mattlock, its a great idea to share the dvd. ANyone else here reading this interested?

 

[student]

I made a reference to Ruth Bernhard in post #20.

I just received an email from John Sexton. I was informed that Ruth had passed away on 18 December 2006 at the age of 101. Her photography career lasted more than seven decades.

Most people here will not know of her. Ansel Adams called her the greatest photographer for female nude photography.

Here is one image from her vast collection of images.

 

[Chris Lim]

I made a reference to Ruth Bernhard in post #20.

I just received an email from John Sexton. I was informed that Ruth had passed away on 18 December 2006 at the age of 101. Her photography career lasted more than seven decades.

Most people here will not know of her. Ansel Adams called her the greatest photographer for female nude photography.

Here is one image from her vast collection of images.

:cry: many many condolences. For one i know that her legacy and work will live on for the inspiration to may young photographers such as myself.

 

[drumma]

Thanks for the whole load of stuff to think and consider about guys.

Mattlock, its a great idea to share the dvd. ANyone else here reading this interested?

yeah. i'm interested. heh. guy bourdin stuffs are mind blowing!

 

[Deadpoet]

Chris,

Develop your own opinion. Built it around your own experiences.

Ansel Adams was one of the great. Ruth Bernhard was one of the great.

I have very strong feelings and opinions about both Ansel Adams' and Ruth Bernhard's photography/images. However what Ruth Bernhard thought about Ansel Adams, or what Ansel Adams thought about Ruth Bernhard, what they think had no bearing on what I think. I am very comfortable with how I feel and like about both of their work. These are my opinion, not Adams' nor Bernhards.

By the way, I like Bernhard's images, I admire Adams' works but I don't like them.

 

[Chris Lim]

i've thought through all the stuff you guys have told me. I'm kinda fixed on the mindset now that it is good to referance from top grade photographers out there. To study their styles and to try them. At the end of the day find my own style and further improve on it. I'm thinking this now. "By pushing myself through setting high standards on my own work. Will it help me get better faster?"

 

[Caspere]

i've thought through all the stuff you guys have told me. I'm kinda fixed on the mindset now that it is good to referance from top grade photographers out there. To study their styles and to try them. At the end of the day find my own style and further improve on it. I'm thinking this now. "By pushing myself through setting high standards on my own work. Will it help me get better faster?"

Go forth and see! :thumbsup:

BTW, those "top-grade" photogs don't get there overnight. IF you follow their life and career, you will realize they probably ate more s*hit than most people to succeed. Those life changing experiences they accumulate are what made them "different" and "superior". If anyone, for a moment, think they can achieve what they did without putting in the time/effort, is in for a surprise! :what: