Bill Raymond
Most people love taking pictures of their family and friends. When on vacation, this often extends to shots of scenic places and landmarks. Often these pictures are more documentary in nature; “These are our kids and grandkids,” or “This is what we saw when we went to—.”
Along with capturing memories, many people find photography a medium for creativity. They sense there is more than just documenting and they would like to explore it. When this happens, the nature of the pictures changes. It may be taking a picture at just the right time of day when the shadows are long and/or the color of the light is incredibly striking. Or, it might be that just the right perspective creates a sense of depth that makes the picture seem more real.
For me, this is what makes photography an exciting challenge. I like to think of the artistic side of photography as seeing and capturing something that is not obvious to others.
While there are many ways to do this, one of my favorites is to look more at the detail of an interesting subject. The first picture, above, is an example. The tall ship in the distance “documents” that we saw a tall ship on our vacation. The second picture is rich in texture and tells a story of the work that was done to make those early sailing vessels work.
The artistry in photography reveals beauty or a story to others by capturing it in just the right light, at the right angle, framed properly, or other method that focuses attention to a particular aspect of the scene.
Photo Tip:
When you see something that is especially appealing to you, ask yourself what it is that you see that stimulates your interest. Get closer and look at the detail from different angles. Is it the perspective, the texture, color or story that is stimulating your interest: Move closer to frame a picture that captures that feeling. One of the wonderful aspects of photography is that you can capture the artistry of what you see without having the talent of a gifted painter. And with digital photography you can tell very quickly whether or not you were successful.
Bill Raymond teaches the Delve into Photography (introductory to intermediate) classes for the PebbleCreek Art Club. The next one will be will be offered starting this fall on October 14. For more information, go to the PCAC.clubexpress.com website (registration is now online), click on Classes and Events and go to the October calendar. Or, call Bill at 623-217-2242 and he will be happy to answer your questions regarding these workshops.