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Billy Martin, a former manager of the NY Yankees, now deceased once said that great ballplayers make lousy coaches because what they do comes naturally to them. They can't explain how they do what they do, they just do it and they don't know why others can't do what they can do so they don't have the patience to instruct. (This was before steroids.)
I'm wondering if great photographers see photo opportunities that the average photographer misses. I'm thinking with practice you can learn to take better photos but can you learn to recognize better photo opportunities or is this a "some people have it and some people don't" kind of thing?
I think it is little of both really. A pro can teach someone how to better their composition and lighting, but I think a lot of noticing an opportunity to turn a picture into a Photograph comes from within, and that cannot be taught. After plenty of film or used pixels, I think somebody will start to develop that knowledge of what will turn a ho-hum picture into a rather decent photo, or a really good picture into a stunning photograph. I firmly believe that the basics can be taught to everybody, the "eye" cannot. Thankfully I also think we all have that "eye" inside of us, just that some use it naturally and the rest of us can develop it with practice and time. Key word is practice.
At least I HOPE the rest of us can develop it over time and hours behind a lens, because I sure wasn't born with it at my disposal.
Photography technique is one thing. Having creative "eyes" is another. Technique can be learned by anyone in a relative short time, but creativity takes time and experience - lots of experience. That's one of the meanings of Goethe's famous line, "life is short, art is long."
If I were to teach my kids the art of photography (and I'm planning on doing just that), I'll give them just one assignment: take 1,000 pictures of your own room, and all images must be different from one another. That WILL force them to see things very differently and come up with things that they haven't seen before although it's been in that small room all along. They'll see that they've taken their small space for granted. We take our world around us for granted, and that creates walls all around us and prevent us to see things from a fresh perspective. Creativity, I think, has to start by breaking down these walls so that things can be seen with fresh eyes... and hence the phrase, "thinking outside the box."
I think you can learn a bit, but I guess it is sort of a gift to see something other people may not see. But even more important than that is to make sure you have your camera on you at all times! LOL
As an example, I was coming home from a birthday party last weekend, and the sun was just about to set and the clouds parted for a few minutes. It cast a deep orange, red color on the clouds and also a huge colored streak shot straight up. It was awesome, but of course sidi not have my camera.
I think it comes down to skill and talent. One can hone his skills but will never surpass his talent level. I think we all have a finite amount of talent in us... some more than others.
I recently read a story about Ansel Adams. The story goes like this... he was on his was to the pub (I started liking this guy right then), he saw the moon from his window... pulled over and snapped a couple of shots off (I guess he had a thing for the moon). He then put his stuff back in his car and continued on his way to the pub (I like this guy). He developed the prints later and one of them ended up being one of his most famous. Since then people have been trying to duplicate that shot for years. That is talent. The folks trying to duplicate it each have varying degrees of skill.
I see my golf game in this manner. After years of playing and practicing I was able to get my handicap down to single digits... but I will never be a scratch golfer, it ain't in me. I do not possess that amount of talent. But I have really just started in photography... I have not reached my talent level yet. I am still working on the skill part. Or at least I hope that is where I am.
All I can say is that I have been trying to see photo ops like Pete Turner does for the better part of 40 years and still haven't come close.
Because of the effort I see more things now before I shoot, my composition has gotten better over the years, and I consciously use various tools at my disposal when I go out to shoot, but I am certain I have walked past thousands of things that could have been turned into income-producing shots if I had the eye for them. Artists make it look easy. Maybe one day...
Thanks, cuebald, for the link to Pete Turner's photography site. I feel the same way about Skip Hunt's photography. I so wish I could see like he does and process my prints to achieve these bold, vivid colors. Here's a link: skip hunt :: visual artist
As for me, I think skills can be learned and techniques developed and honed, but a photographer's eye is a whole different ballgame.
I'm wondering if great photographers see photo opportunities that the average photographer misses. I'm thinking with practice you can learn to take better photos but can you learn to recognize better photo opportunities or is this a "some people have it and some people don't" kind of thing?
What do you think?
Some once told me: "to write well, you must write what you know".
Anyone can put words to paper, as anyone can snap photos, but what the picture captures tells the story of photography. I've learned so much from so many great people in this forum, though nothing can be taught in finding what you see through your viewfinder. I love to see ducks in the water, ducks just sits there, but a duck in flight, you've capturing his travels.
I find that I have a greater respect for photojournalists than I do for photographers (serious hobbyists or pros) who set up their shots and/or pose their subjects. I don't mind looking at the "posers'/"setter-ups'" photos. I just don't enjoy taking them, so their photos impress me less.
Within the last year, I learned that some great wildlife magazine photos are staged. UGH! I also find it interesting that judges in a lot of photo contests assume people close-up photos are posed: "Well, if you had her look this way instead of that way or if you lit him this way instead of that way..." "Hey, she/he never even saw me take the photo with a zoom lens from behind the barn/tree as she/he just happened to be walking down the hill/on the road that morning...there was no posing or setting up the photo."
As a fairly new photographer, I find the enjoyment I get from taking photos is the "discovery" of subject material and not so much the art of the finished photo (although it would be swell if that was part of it). The photo is proof that I saw what I saw. I'd like to do it better on the fly and hope with a lot of experience I can improve my photography skills/timing but what I think more about is how can I maximize my experiences...and actually know there is a photo opportunity right there in front of me. That's the talent I think great photojournalists have that other photographers lack. I just don't know if it can be learned.
Some once told me: "to write well, you must write what you know".
Anyone can put words to paper, as anyone can snap photos, but what the picture captures tells the story of photography. I've learned so much from so many great people in this forum, though nothing can be taught in finding what you see through your viewfinder. I love to see ducks in the water, ducks just sits there, but a duck in flight, you've capturing his travels.
The question is while someone is walking to the location where they will set up their tripod and artfully photograph ducks swimming in the water right before sunset for the latest "outdoors" contest or magazine cover, can they knowingly and easily stop walking, whip out their camera and adapt to that 3 second window of opportunity when a stray dog dives into the lake, chases the duck and much splashing, water diving and duck flight ensues --- a photo opportunity that they may never have again? The ducks swimming at sunset may be award winning artful-looking photography that makes people ooh and ahhh but wouldn't impress me as much as the unanticipated splish-splash photo capture of Fido versus Daffy.
Last edited by LauraC; 01-30-2009 at 06:54 AM..
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