But is it a true? I have noticed that most of the people seeing something special get very excited and their hand in a fast movement finds a photo camera and one second later a shutter button is pressed and photo is made. Many people than, take their photo camera back to the pocket, and review the photo on a big screen of their computers in their homes, being happy to have captured this special moment.
I have to say- it is easy to get excited, but be careful not to explode.
As we know photos tall stories but it is a photographer that have to translate the reality into the print. As each person has his own mind, thinks his own way, so he interpret the world in his own way. The process of making a photo is like translation of this interpretation. To translate anything you need to know what to translate and this is a pure reason why you have to encourage yourself to think deeper and longer on whether there is any reason to make this photo, and if there is, than what exactly it is.
First rule is – Breath deep, and think.
Recently I have seen a photo made during one of Spanish fiestas. A photo of few children. Each child was looking in another direction and doing something else. Not to describe to much this photo I have to say it was a snap shot. Obviously some could say nice smile on a baby face, another could state that there are lines vertical, horizontal, diagonal or whatever, some other could state that there are nice colours on this photo. But is it enough to make this photo worth. Lines are obviously
important but when they are a subject of a picture or when they are leading a viewers eye to the main subject, or when they are a major part of composition. When a subject is a smile than focus on it.
Second rule is – Take your time.
Many photographs (probably many of my as well) are beautiful and meaningful to the owner but no other viewer sees in it anything special. It is mostly because we put our memories and feelings to the photos. Unfortunately, very often, we put them so deep than no one else can see them. For this very reason when you see children smiling, stop for a moment, and try one more time. If these children are laughing, they probably will do so for few minutes more. So take your time and think what you want to show. What is so special in those particular children, and why they are worth to make a photo. You will see after few seconds that it is not about some lines in the frame but about a smile by it self, a beauty of a child, or about the funny situation they are in. sometimes you can get involved and wave to those children, tell them something so they don't mind you being there. Keep watching, understanding this moment, and keep shooting. Do not make one hundred photos and try to pick up the one that means something. It may then mean that you just made a hundred photos and got luck with one, or maybe that one of hundred appears to be a correct one. Make ten of them but thoughtful.
Third rule – do not exaggerate the meaning of the “meaning”.
Sometimes photos look so fake when someone tries to make a meaning or tell a story about nothing, Some pictures are made just to look nice and than all the rules apply (composition, light and shadows, sharpness) but they are design to tell only thing (in 1000 words if you wish so)- that this world is beautiful and diverse and that this is a world in our times.
Fourth rule – read instruction manual, and learn basics of photography technique, so you know how to capture whatever you want to capture. What a shame when some great photos are coming out to be to dark, out of focus, without contrast, with disturbing composition, and boring. Well it is another subject for another day.
