Commenting on the Hungarian-French photographer known as Brassai (Gyula Halasz), Henry Miller proclaimed that he was a man equipped with no ordinary eyes. According to Miller, Brassai's sharpness of vision and depth of insight are revealed in his photographic exploration of Paris' people, places and things. That's high praise indeed, but Henry Miller's assessment of one exceptional photographer's work serves as more than just the ultimate compliment - it also manages to be a rather profound observation about the importance of vision or seeing. A photographer might craft images that get all the technical things right, but how much impact can we expect those photos to have if they fail to convey the photographer's vision? How does a photographer develop his or her vision? By learning to see, of course. Buthow does one learn to see? We will attempt to answer that question below. Take Your Time This is perhaps the most pragmatic piece of advice I could give when dealing with the topic of learning to see. The world around you may be whizzing by, but it is to your advantage to slow down and be in the moment no matter where you are. Really absorb everything in your environment; try to pay attention to things you normally would overlook; examine the details. Don't be in a rush to capture just any shot - rather, allow scenes to unfold organically. It's true that there are times when you need to move quickly in order to keep pace with what's happening around you (street or event photography, for instance) or risk missing shots; but when you practice slowing down, you will find yourself in a zone when the situation demands it. It will be as if you're able to see in slow motion regardless of how fast everything around you is happening. Re-Examine Familiar Subjects/Environments Some say familiarity breeds contempt, but I'm not so sure this applies to photography. The more familiar you become with a particular subject, the more possible shots you will see in it. Admittedly, it's easy to take for granted the things, places and people you're used to seeing all the time, but that's why it's so important to look more deeply at them. I can almost guarantee that, upon further review, you will find new levels of intrigue and specialness in subjects you may have previously grown tired of. Revisit the Fundamentals There are numerous ways to tackle this point. Working on your focusing technique or strengthening your understanding of exposure are a couple of good options, as the more efficiently you can manage these skills the more brainpower you can dedicate to seeing. But there is a way to practice a fundamental skill and learn to see at the same time: when you're out shooting, actively seek out photos that embody specific compositional rules - leading lines, rule of thirds, fill the frame, negative space. How you compose a shot reveals quite a bit about your photographic vision, so never allow composition to be an afterthought. Talk to Yourself As you move about with your camera in hand, ask yourself what you're looking for in a shot, what you plan to do with the final image, what response you expect when people see the photo. Then, when you think you might have finally found your shot, ask yourself these questions before tripping the shutter:
There are plenty of other valuable questions you might ask yourself; the objective is, again, to slow down, take stock of your surroundings and your motives, and sharpen your vision so that your audience is able to see the world through your eyes. Post-Processing, Your Way It is absolutely important to get as much as possible right in camera, but the truth is that's just phase one. What happens when you get your images off the camera? Well, the journey doesn't end there. The way you process your images is a part of your creative vision, it's sort of the culmination of all your seeing. Don't worry about trying to follow trends; sure, it may take some experimentation, but all you need to do is work out an aesthetic that complements your imagery. Like your camera, the photo editing app you use is simply a tool to help you refine and bring your vision to fruition. Final Thoughts I think vision ultimately comes down to awareness - awareness of your own creativity and awareness of the world in which you exercise that creativity. Your goal is to get those two constituent parts are working in harmony. The ideas discussed above should help set on you on the right path. The post 5 Practical Ways to Enhance Your Creative Vision appeared first on Light Stalking.
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Congratulations to Kevin King for winning the recent Motion Blur Assignment! Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the nicest parks in the state of West Virginia. Located in the higher elevations of the state, it's particularly beautiful in the autumn. While the park's namesake waterfall is one of the most visited in the state, the smaller Elakala Falls is a favorite with many photographers. Elakala Falls lies along Shays Run, which is easily accessible via a short hike from the park lodge. It's a fairly consistent producer of swirl action, which explains the popularity with photographers. This was a particularly nice day in October when three separate swirls were generated and a 13-second exposure was used to capture the image. See more of Kevin King's photographyon Flickr. The post Motion Blur Assignment Winner Kevin King appeared first on Outdoor Photographer. Ahmed Othman is a talented photographer, retoucher and art director from Cairo, Egypt who currently lives and works in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The post Fine Art Portrait Photography by Ahmed Othman appeared first on Photogrist Photography Magazine. Graphic design and corporate identity development by Roman Vynogradnyi for the Ptaha furniture company.Originally from Europe, Roman Vynogradnyi is a senior graphic designer and art director who currently lives and works in San Francisco, CA. He was recently commissioned to develop a suitable corporate identity for furniture company Ptaha. The brand name is derived from the Ukrainian word '', which means 'bird'. With their multinational team with locations inMunich, Germany and Kiev,Ukraine, they produce modern furnishings for both home and office.Roman Vynogradnyi came up with a corporate identity concept inspired by Scandinavian aesthetics of minimalism and nature. The logo includesastylized bird (PTAHA), which symbolizes the brand name.Roman Vynogradnyi has chosen a color scheme that unites natural elementssuch asmetals, bronze, wood, and stone. The result speaks for itself! For those who want to see more of Roman Vynogradnyi's creative work, please have a look at his portfolio. All images by Roman Vynogradnyi. Are you looking for more creative inspiration? Our Graphic Design and Branding categories include a varied range of highly creative work. Whether simple logo designs, branding projects or extensive ad campaigns, we show you most inspiring solutions from all over the world. The post Furniture Company Corporate Identity by Roman Vynogradnyi appeared first on WE AND THE COLOR. Justin Quintal standing under the northern lights while filming for Under an Arctic Sky. Shot with Sony a7S II with 35mm f1.4 Chris Burkard/Massif Photographer Chris Burkard has navigated frozen waters, survived rugged waves, and walked beaches so remote they don't have names. He's smiled his way through harsh blizzards, braved arctic winds, and come face-to-face with some of the wild animals who call this planet their home. Burkard was only nineteen years old when left his job at the time to become a professional surf photographer, and his connection with water has only become stronger over the years. My entire life I've lived less than a mile from the ocean, he recently wrote on Instagram, where he has well over two and a half million followers. But Burkard isn't your typical surf photographer. I set out to find the places others had written off as too cold, too remote, and too dangerous to surf, he told the audience in a TED talk a few years ago. For his book Distant Shores, he documented surfing on six of the seven continents on earth. His film Under An Arctic Sky tells the story of six surfers who made the journey to Iceland right before the arrival of the worst storm in a quarter-century. They risked everything for a shot at once-in-a-lifetime waves, and with just three hours of sunlight per day, their journey was illuminated by the aurora borealis. The film is currently touring, and Burkard made time in his packed schedule to tell us a bit about his process and motivations. Below, he shares some of his most memorable stories and insights into the importance of conservation. He also gives us a peek into his camera bag and reveals how he uses Sony mirrorless cameras to make the photographs the Sierra Club once called too good to be true. Icelandic glacier rivers in Iceland's highlands or Hlendi. These iconic rivers are currently being threatened by the installation of hydrothermal dams. Shot with Sony a7 II with 24-70 f4. Chris Burkard/Massif What role do you think photographers have to play in the preservation movement? Justin Quintal looking out at some of the best waves anyone has ever seen in this region of Iceland. It was in this moment that we knew all the trip was worth it. Shot with Sony a7R II with 16-35 f4Chris Burkard/Massif Under An Arctic Sky started touring today! How did you meet these surfers? Without spoiling the film, could you tell us your single most powerful memory from your time in Iceland with these surfers? What are the harshest, most wild conditions you've ever worked in? Chris Burkard shooting in the water in Norway before going hypothermic shortly after this photo taken. You work in remote places, but your pictures reach a lot of people. As someone with millions of Instagram followers, can you tell us a bit about the importance of social media? As the Earth's wild places become more threatened, what do you see for the future of landscape photography? Can you tell us about the first time you used a full-frame Sony camera? Which one was it, and what was your first impression? Did anything surprise you? What's your number one workhorse camera these days? Has there ever been a moment you were especially grateful not to have a bulky, heavy camera? The aurora borealis dancing above skogafoss waterfall in southern Iceland shot with Sony a7S with 10-18mm f4. Chris Burkard/Massif Has the Sony system affected your astrophotography at all? What about aerial photography? Do you use the Sony cameras for those projects too? Have people responded differently to your images at all since you made the switch to Sony? Sony is a Feature Shoot sponsor. The post Photographer Chris Burkard on Conservation, Fearlessness, and Sony Cameras (Sponsored) appeared first on Feature Shoot. |