Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Take or create a photograph.  (Read 18540 times)

wmchauncey

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 793
Take or create a photograph.
« on: October 17, 2015, 01:06:10 pm »

IMHO, I have progressed enough that taking a photograph is no big deal and am trying to cross that blurred line between
photography and art, whatever that even means.

My question is...how many of us are patient enough to create a photograph as opposed to just going out in the evening and shooting that sunset?
Do you shoot or...do you create?
Logged
The things you do for yourself die with

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2015, 02:23:23 pm »

Fortunately HCB never had to worry about this, since in French one says "faire une phote", ie make or do a photo



But then one can never be sure anyway, since we now know that Robert Doisneau made Le Baiser de l'Hôtel de Ville more than he first let on...

Logged

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2015, 02:41:48 pm »

Re. Doisneau: that's what happens when models come out of the woodwork trying to get repeat fees, or even trying to make false claims about being said models...

;-)

Rob C

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2015, 02:48:42 pm »

IMHO, I have progressed enough that taking a photograph is no big deal and am trying to cross that blurred line between
photography and art, whatever that even means.

My question is...how many of us are patient enough to create a photograph as opposed to just going out in the evening and shooting that sunset?
Do you shoot or...do you create?


It isn't up to the individual to make the decision regarding the shooting of 'art' or 'non-art'; the truth seems to be that there is no 'art', there are only artists. Then, the next step would be that sometimes an artist makes art and then at other times, he fails to make it.

Who said it was going to be easy?

Just do it, and if you like it, to you it's art. It's what keeps me messing about, liking or not liking what I come up with now and then.

Sunsets don't make me want to snap them, even less work at them! They are for enjoying that G&T with the one you love, especially from the flybridge of a large yacht. Now I shall go away and burst into tears.

;-)

Rob C
« Last Edit: October 17, 2015, 02:52:01 pm by Rob C »
Logged

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2015, 05:07:40 pm »

Then I remembered that while "on fait une photo", film comes in either 20 or 36 "prises", ie "takes"... lol
Logged

AreBee

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 638
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2015, 05:16:27 pm »

Graham,

Quote


Do you happen to know: is the image heavily processed?
Logged

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2015, 03:20:46 am »

I have no information, but it certainly looks like the Hôtel de Ville was masked so it could be under exposed by a stop on the print.
Logged

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2015, 05:23:00 am »

I've checked the image out in the Hazan Publications book on Doisneau, and it looks pretty much identical to the shot above. If anything, I'd be happy to accept it as almost a straight print: it was a commercial shoot, and so he had time and understanding of where lay the interest - the kiss. Exposing for that, would render the brighter-lit building much more dense, so thus lighter on print.

Digital 'control' and expectation can make things seem far more complicated than they often might be. If you look at the blur on the edges of the post, it looks real enough as not to suggest much monkey business with exposure to print.

Alternatively, it might have been lightened to take copy - never saw the shot as anything but the bare, unadorned print.

Rob C

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2015, 06:18:11 am »

I'd always thought of it as a straight pic too... but there is a halo around the foreground subjects, particularly around the man's head... unless this copy had a bad experience with a jpeg compressor before being re-expanded.
Just checked with the version on the cover of Peter Hamilton's book and it looks much straighter ... the building is less blown out and the lamp-post has kept some shadow detail. There is still some evidence of dodging around the kisser's head though.

Ah, I just looked inside and found a re-print of an English newspaper article including that pic. The version I googled may have come from thaf, with the compression required for reproduction on newsprint, and a bit if help from an engraving tool on the etched metal in the production process.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 06:31:17 am by GrahamBy »
Logged

AreBee

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 638
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2015, 07:10:01 am »

Graham, Rob,

Thanks.
Logged

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2015, 10:05:42 am »

I'd always thought of it as a straight pic too... but there is a halo around the foreground subjects, particularly around the man's head... unless this copy had a bad experience with a jpeg compressor before being re-expanded.
Just checked with the version on the cover of Peter Hamilton's book and it looks much straighter ... the building is less blown out and the lamp-post has kept some shadow detail. There is still some evidence of dodging around the kisser's head though.

Ah, I just looked inside and found a re-print of an English newspaper article including that pic. The version I googled may have come from thaf, with the compression required for reproduction on newsprint, and a bit if help from an engraving tool on the etched metal in the production process.


Yes, but I would assume that to be poorish dodging to keep from over-exposing the couple's faces... They are a bit lighter than the face of the guy to the left, wearing a beret. If identical open light, it shouldn't look that way unless the couple has been dodged to keep 'em light because they are not looking straight forward, as is the beret guy, so they'd be more shaded.

I love reading pictures; it makes me wonder how I'd have handled the same situation.

Rob C

petermfiore

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2705
    • Peter Fiore Fine Art
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2015, 10:22:17 am »


I love reading pictures; it makes me wonder how I'd have handled the same situation.

Rob C

The VERY best education...

Peter

RSL

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16046
    • http://www.russ-lewis.com
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2015, 12:02:46 pm »

It floors me to think there are people who agonize over questions like this one.
Logged
Russ Lewis  www.russ-lewis.com.

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2015, 02:21:52 pm »

Nice to see you posting again, Russ! Florida now?

Rob C

RSL

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16046
    • http://www.russ-lewis.com
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2015, 05:29:34 pm »

Yeah. We're here, but just barely at the moment. I wracked up my hips loading and stacking boxes. Gotta get back on my feet.
Logged
Russ Lewis  www.russ-lewis.com.

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2015, 04:12:48 am »

Yeah. We're here, but just barely at the moment. I wracked up my hips loading and stacking boxes. Gotta get back on my feet.

I know the feeling! I'm too prone to getting pains across the upper part of my hips, especially from bending down badly to pull up the bolts securing the french windows. It hurts like hell for a day or two, and I have no idea why it happens, because it sure isn't down to speed on my part!

Get right soon, and back on those 'mean' pleasant streets! But keep out of the river.

Rob

stamper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5882
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2015, 07:30:45 am »

It floors me to think there are people who agonize over questions like this one.

Agreed. Too much over analysing imo.

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2015, 10:30:12 am »

Well, asking or not asking the original question depends on where you imagine yourself to be on the ladder.

I was lucky: I knew my direction and heros from the start. Takes care of everything but the money.

;-(

Rob

Stanmore

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 28
    • My Website
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #18 on: October 22, 2015, 03:01:38 pm »

IMHO, I have progressed enough that taking a photograph is no big deal and am trying to cross that blurred line between
photography and art, whatever that even means.

My question is...how many of us are patient enough to create a photograph as opposed to just going out in the evening and shooting that sunset?
Do you shoot or...do you create?

I create. Everything/one is directed/arranged. Almost everything is strobe lit, and when it's not the ambient is specifically timed and planned. A large proportion of what I shoot is explicitly pre-envisioned prior to the shoot day insofar that I know exactly what the final image will look like before the shoot. Photoshop, for some of my work, makes or breaks the concept.

I shot as a 'taker'/opportunist years ago, for several years: Enjoyed it, but it couldn't hold my interest over a lifetime.
Logged

Diego Pigozzo

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 663
Re: Take or create a photograph.
« Reply #19 on: October 28, 2015, 08:52:47 am »

... create a photograph as opposed to just going out in the evening and shooting that sunset?
I'm not sure I understand what you mean: for me "going out in the evening and shooting that sunset" may equates to "create a photograph", if I have a feeling I want to put into that photograph.

Logged
When I grow up I want to be a photographer.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/diegopig/
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Up