Photographers often talk about advancing themselves, and improving their craft. Rarely do they talk about why. At first it appears obvious. They want to shoot great pictures. Becoming proficient with the technical side of photography is pretty easy, though, thanks to digital. There’s a wealth of information online on every photography technique and principle you could imagine. But what happens next? What’s the reason you want to be good at photography? What motivates you? This short video featuring Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt presents a thought provoking perspective on the work. What he and many other photographers attempt to achieve. What brings the “magic” to photography.
It’s interesting, and makes sense, hearing this from a documentary photographer. How do you make your images become something more. How do you make them stand out against everybody else’s images? How do you put your vision into your photography. I think it applies equally with many genres of photography, though. Landscape photographers know this. It’s why they’ll camp out for days at a single location waiting for the perfect light. Waiting for that perfect moment. Waiting for the magic. It’s a crap game, really. Even as a location portrait photographer, I’ve seen people and places that have become more than the sum of their parts in a photograph. Photographs that become something other than simply a portrait of a person at a pretty location. It’s a lot like Bresson’s “decisive moment“. It’s about pushing yourself to look at the image and not the equipment. To anticipate, and be patient. I don’t think it’s something you can really plan for. You just sort of get a gut feeling, and go for it. And that’s what is called magic. What’s your magic? Your motivation? What are you striving for? Is the act of photography itself enough for you? Or do you want your images to say something? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. [via ISO1200]
