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I'll make this short and sweet,what do you guys define as being classed as Photography,or in other words,would you group a picture of a Kingfisher in full flight with a pop singer in a newspaper.
Both are 'photography' OK,so are we saying that the Kingfisher is Art and the newspaper picture is a snap and not worth talking about in the same breath.All take a certain amount of skill to produce.
Im only saying this because most of the pictures here tend to be 90% back to nature,and rare to see pictures of 'humans',that's me and you...or is it,nature more simple to photograph without getting involved.
Anyhow,a light hearted point I've often pondered about..
Well as you know photography is the process of recording an image so I guess you question is not...what is photography, and more like Why is people photography looked upon as less creative?
It seems to me that most of us photograph humans as either friends in snap shot, recording memories kind of way, or as models in controlled situations such as studio sets or outdoor posed (of which plenty are uploaded).
From a creative point of view newspaper pics are often, due to circumstances, no more than snap shots so the artistic merit is reduced. From a paparazzi point of view the fact that it may have taken three days of hounding the star, or the person caught on film is rarely seen in daylight, or the crowd was so big the only way to get the shot was super human means, makes no difference to the creative view at the end. Creative can come in many forms from technical ability to artistic skill.
The same can be said of wildlife though. You could be in a hide for a week waiting for a rare bird to appear, and then shoot it in a boring way, or process it badly.
I was looking last night at a Sheffield Press photographer's site at the kind of photography that I believe shows newspaper photography to an artistic level. His site: Hanson Photo features some wonderful people shots. I wish I had the ability to do this.
We do have photographers of this kind...David Deveson, Luke Smith, Koen Pieters (not around much now) spring to mind.
This is not an easy one to answer as we all see things differently and what appeals to me may not appeal to you. I have seen some excellent images of people in newspapers which are a good record of our social history and I have also seen some very good and some very poor landscapes and natural history pictures.
A certain amount of shyness and a reluctance to impose ourselves on other people may account for there being fewer people pics than scenic and animal pics and that being in a new and wonderful place and the desire to record it is probably what attracted most of us to take up photography in the first place.
One of my first loves in photography was to take portraits in my small home studio (which I no longer have) but this is not an option for many people as it requires space and can be expensive.
I don't know if I have answered your question but as I said it is not an easy one to reply to. Andy
On the same score your folio has been growing over the last few months, as you add some great classics from your archive. I remember reading you prefer shorter focal length lenses so you connect with your subject. It is difficult for many to do this in a non controlled environment. Did that take time to build confidence to do that or where you a natural people person? Also do you still take portraits today or was that purely your career guiding your photography.
Do you take landscapes/wildlife?
Hi,Pete,
Interesting question(s)..actually others might like to know as well.
I'll start with the latter:Landscapes/wildlife..no.Portaits (anymore)no.
But,I did like doing pic of steam engines for several years..well not quite,because again I need people in the picture.Looking in cab,getting a blast of steam,etc.A steam engine going through the countryside doesn't ring my bell.
The same if I was photographing a bus rally-people have to be snooping under the bonnet,etc.Transport needs people around it.
I suppose you need bags of confidence from an early age,I was banging at Joan Collins dressing room door at 17-years old.Plate camera,flashgun and bag over shoulder.She could only throw me out.
I suppose in a way you need to be part exhibitionist yourself,because not only do you take control of the situation,also all eyes are on you as well from outsiders watching what you do.You become centre stage.Nerves don't come into it.It was my job.
So the mind cuts off,you wear blinkers,and only focus on what you are doing.Photography itself takes a back seat.That looks after itself.
So all my life I've spent photographing people,and to be blunt,clothed and unclothed,million of pictures,what you see has only been an early career,with a few more modern ones thrown in.
In between years we don't talk about because that involves glamour.
Anyhow,that's the gist of the way I worked,up close & personal,telephoto,well forget it,85mm is the longest I've used with 35mm camera.And that's been for a portrait.
I just wish photographers would use people more,even if it's picturing a fisherman on the shore mending his nets,or something of that nature.
It's just having the bottle,like walking through a scantily clad chorus line.You don't batter an eyelid.You become immune.
Regards.
Photography is many things to many people. For me it is a hobby rather than a chosen career. The few attempts I made at portraits have been family members as that is who I have access to. I have no specialist genre and am still working out what I like/don't like and what works for me.
I would like to do more but other commitments and costs keep me out of the studio and model genre at the moment. Hopefully involvement with meets through here could allow that.
I agree that people in photos can make a huge difference, it is something my wife used to berate me for. I would take pictures of places with no people, my wife always took people with less of the background. I have come round to her way of thinking.
If I may ask a question on your last post: as someone who's life has been involved with several aspects of photography why do you not talk about the glamour aspect? Plenty of 'glamour' photos on here although quality varies, and to my mind it can still be an art form.
Feel free to tell me to mind my own beeswax, it is just that as someone of little experience I am intrigued to see that a life of experience has made you turn against a genre to such an extent.
Regards,
Rob
Quote: I just wish photographers would use people more
Oh I don't - nothing duller than pictures of people you don't know (scantily clad young ladies are an obvious exception to this rule though).
I can't think of anything less interesting than a bit of "Human interest".
Quote: I just wish photographers would use people more,even if it's picturing a fisherman on the shore mending his nets,or something of that nature.
I went through a long phase many years ago shooting landscapes with everything from 35mm to 5x4. I would always wait until the person/people were out of frame. As a result I have an archive of transparencies that are in some ways lifeless. The advantage is that, in most cases the shots haven't dated, but I wish I'd taken photos of people.
My mate who got me into photography took photos at school of kids in the playground, teachers etc. I scanned them in for him last week. I have no visual memories of those days and wish I'd also pointed the camera at similar people rather than just taking arty patterns & textures and still lifes and abstracts.
The trouble today is cameras are barred from many public locations. That's no excuse for me though as I still cannot comfortably point the camera at people unless pre-arranged.
The human population is constantly increasing whilst natural landscape and wildlife decreases. I'd rather photograph the latter, I see enough people every waking minute. 
Quote: My mate who got me into photography took photos at school of kids in the playground, teachers etc.
Blimey, have you reported him to the authorities ?
Quote: If I may ask a question on your last post: as someone who's life has been involved with several aspects of photography why do you not talk about the glamour aspect? Plenty of 'glamour' photos on here although quality varies, and to my mind it can still be an art form.
As a brief aside, and not wishing to detract from the OP question, I too would be interested to hear and see more of the OP's work in Glamour.
Re. Lobsterboy's articulation that people are just plain boring: I'm eternally grateful that photographers like Bresson, Bailey, Brandt, Irvine Penn, Terry O'Neil, Steiglitz, Eugene Smith, Bert Stern and scores of other GREAT photographers didn't feel the same. If they had felt that way just imagine how boring the world of photography would have been. There are billions of human beings on this planet and everyone is different. And they all have a story to tell. Does Lobsterboy shy away from people in real life? Is he frightened to interact (or even photograph) other human beings because of what it would reveal of himself? Still, at least he is not boring -- he really IS interesting.
Quote:
Both are 'photography' OK,so are we saying that the Kingfisher is Art and the newspaper picture is a snap and not worth talking about in the same breath.All take a certain amount of skill to produce.
Im only saying this because most of the pictures here tend to be 90% back to nature,and rare to see pictures of 'humans',that's me and you...or is it,nature more simple to photograph without getting involved.
Anyhow,a light hearted point I've often pondered about..
I agree with what I believe your trying to say, There is without a doubt a high level of personal skills involved in making people pictures work, Elegant banter is needed to get the best out of a Human subject and this isnt always reflected in appreciation of the skills and effort needed to capture that moment in time.
Capturing nature presents its own set of problems, you cant banter up the subject but with the advent of the internet its a lot easier than in the past to find a location where a known subject will be at a certain time of the year, You push along your camera kit in a wheelbarrow and enjoy a flask in the comfort of a hide.
In essence to me Photography is all about how the end viewer views what you have achieved, or not as the case may be.
I do believe though personally that the Ed of EP has had a little fixation on Puffins and Kingfishers in their respective seasons with a plethora of Eds Choices and HC's...No offence meant Guvnor!!
Quote: That's no excuse for me though as I still cannot comfortably point the camera at people unless pre-arranged.
You should come along next time we do a "portraits of strangers" meet
I prefer to use video for people...
Over the last four years its been really interesting to see my photographs and videos mature; but the whole process of someone photographing or filming in public location involving members of the public become more and more frowned upon...
Three years ago about 8/10 people would willingly take 5 minutes to be part of a video. Now your lucky to have 3/10.
But I still think that all good photographers, upon seeing a brilliant portrait or nature shot, will agree it is indeed brilliant.... Photography is able to bridge that gap between people who do it. When other arts forms cannot.
So photography for me, is an expression of yourself. Composed of captured moments.
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