The Photography Tip of the Week #048

Posted by Philip in Podcast

048 Photography Tip of the Week (audio)

Make photos, don’t just take pictures

In recent days I’ve blogged about some of the negative terms in photography and the start of a series about dirty little secrets of photography.  These lead up to something I’ve added to the site, some quotes.  One of my favorites is by Ansel Adams, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”  It is one of the most fundamental aspects of photography.  When you are out taking pictures you are an observer of the world capturing moments presented to you.  But when you are out making photos you have the mindset of an artist.  You cease to journal what’s going on and begin to create emotion, passion and life.

So what do you need to do to make a photo.  Here are a few things I feel are important to keep in mind while making photos.
1. Observe – Obviously you have to be observant.  You have to be aware of your environment.  From the direction of the light to background objects that may clutter your scene.  There a lot of things you can fix after the fact, but why spend that time when in most cases being observant and making a few adjustments before you press the shutter will give you the image you wanted.

I was told a story yesterday about a photographer at a wedding who crouched down low to get the exact look he wanted.  While he was crouched down he backed up to frame the image he was looking for.  When he stood up, he hadn’t realized that while he was crouched down he had backed under a table and toppled the table as well as all of the contents during the ceremony.  So you have to be aware of everything, not just what’s in the frame.

2. Anticipate – You have to have a good idea what’s going to happen and be ready for the action.  This could be as simple as checking the weather forecast or it could be knowing a sport well enough to have your camera pointed to where the action is going to be.  You need to know the rules of the game so you know when you have time to change settings, cameras or lens without missing the shot.  If you are shooting a wedding knowing the order of service will tell you when to expect the important shots, like when they are about to kiss.  In all cases, it’s about having your camera ready and pointed at the right subject at the right time.

But not all things are about following what’s expected.  Sometimes you need to anticipate chaos or at lease who might be unpredictable enough to create some memorable images.  When I’m at a wedding I always look to the children in the ceremony for these memorable images.

3. Visualize – While you are looking through your viewfinder, you have to have an idea of your final product.  Even if you never follow through with the appropriate post processing, if you have a good solid idea of where you’re going, that will keep you motivated and give you direction.  What will the purpose of the photo be?  Is it a large print to hang in a gallery or an image for a mousepad.

This doesn’t mean to only make photos of things you have planned.  Creativity is spontaneous.  Conditions change and offer you some unique photographic possibilities.  But remember, if your only purpose is to randomly take pictures, you will never make a photo.