More Articles: Photography
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It always comes down to one image. I've been doing this for more than twenty years, thirty if you count the trips I took when I had no idea how to use a camera. Thirty years of travel photography and of all the photographs I take on any given trip, it always comes down to one favorite image. The image that captures the essence of the adventure, the journey, the experience. One trip, one image.
I am always looking for an excuse to take pictures. Truth is, it doesn't need to be much - a nice sunny morning, a foggy evening, a new filter, the way the light hits the wall in the living room, whatever. Starting the new year out with a new camera just makes it all that much easier for me to drop everything and plan a few minutes getting away from it all and learn what this new toy is all about.
As photographers, we solve problems. A good photographer is always asking questions and answering them as fast as be can press the shutter. In fact, whenever possible, most of the questions are answered before the camera is even brought up to the eye.
One aspect of photography that is often overlooked, even by photographers, is the role that emotion plays in the final product. In fact, what is the final product? Is the final outcome of a photograph the image itself or the emotion it evokes? What drives people to make images? What is the purpose of any given image?
Emotion can not be overlooked. I teach photography at the junior college level and find this one of the most difficult aspects of photography to convey to my students. It is much easier to ask, and answer, questions dealing with the technical aspects of image making: What kind of film do you use? What f-stop did you use? Which camera did you use? Students ask these questions over and over again. Other photographers ask these questions as well, and just as often. Funny thing - editors seldom (I hate to say "never") ask these questions. No, I have never been asked what camera system I use? What aperture? What tripod? Truth is, it does not matter. The "final product" is what they are interested in, not how I got it, or whether or not it was a mistake.
A photographer shares his insight of photography and what it means to him.
For me, photography is more than recording light on film. No, that is only one small part of photography. I love getting out there and doing what I enjoy doing. At the same time, being a photographer is what gets me out there in the first place. It is a vicious cycle. One passion drives another until they actually become one.
Let me explain. I love to travel. I like to travel by motorcycle. I enjoy photography That pretty much sums up what I like to do when I have the chance to it. The best part is that, as a teacher, I do have time to combine my passions and get out there and do all three things at once.
What was once called digital voodoo, digital photography has become an accepted art form in the world of photography. David Hessell gives you a closer look into the tools he uses to create his digital photography masterpieces.
I teach photography at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in Hudson, North Carolina. One class, three rules. I start each class with a guarantee. I tell every student that shows up for a Tuesday/Thursday 7pm class that I can make them a better photographer. Guaranteed. Period.
Simple. In fact, I go on to say that after the first night, if they follow my three simple rules, they will already have all it takes to be a better photographer. No shutter speeds, no apertures. No exposure. No technical jargon. No numbers.
