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02/18/2005 02:46:13 PM · #1 |
These thoughts are prompted by the ongoing topic of Candid versus Staged shots. Many have an antipathy for the staged image. My intention is to open an exchange of ideas. I will first present a solid defense for the staged image and its virtues. Later, I hope to bridge this gap of what I consider an misunderstanding.
Imagine that you purchased a good camera and have learnt the basics in using it. Imagine that you are visiting with a master photographer who is going to show you how to take pictures. Let us suppose that you have told this photographer that you are interested in capturing the fleeting moment and all that is ephemeral. That you like candid and emotive images. His very first advise may go something like this:
Before we consider the style you seek we must first nail down the essenrial techniques to capture an image. Of first concern is the study of light. We can begin with natural light but our improvement will accelerate much quicker if we begin with artificial light. Why? Because here you control the light and in doing so you will learn some very interesting lessons which can not be learnt with natural light. At the end you will be able to apply this knowledge to any style you wish. In doing so we will also explore the Zone System. The object is to control the lighting to favor the midtones while making use of the lower and higher values without losing either end of the Zonal scale. Look at the amateur images and here you will find that the exposure was never considered as the main factor and many of these images have burnt out areas while others are stark black where there should be a semblance of detail. In doing table top we learn about light, its inverse square and above all exposure. Another benefit in table top is basic composition.
Let us suppose that in your passionate quest to start capturing candid shots you confront the teacher with: All well and good, but I do not expect to carry a lighting set up with me. I just want to take candid with the available light. Besides how can the Zone System help me and also my camnera is sophisticated enough to work intelligently in automatic mode. I also do not wish to compose a candid. Again his reply might be:
By understanding light you will be in a superior position to make an assessment of the available light, finding the most advantageous angle and instinctively selecting the exposure which will favor the Zone of preference. It is all about light, shadow and exposure at the base of the pyramid. Composition, style and creativity rest on the shoulders of the pyramid base. In short, you will be in a position to take a better image if you learn the basics of light and exposure. Your camera meter does not measure incident light. It is this metering mode that overcomes many problem in the zone system.
Once this is mastered there will be a desire to create some interesting staged images that you can hang on your wall. Yes, I know, the ultimate object is the candid shot but hey I can see the romance in controlling the light and composition. I think I can make some interesting images to utilize this knowledge before I move on. The advantage here is that you will become deeply engrossed in solving the problems to produce a top notch staged shot. You will also come to realize that you are in control of everything from the lighting to the subject and the composition. This is bound to herald the juices of creation. Once this is accomplished you will be in that position to quickly evaluate a picture taking opportunity and determine the available light and selecting an appropiate time to gain a superior capture. One example may be to refuse shooting a landscape at a certain time of day specially when the sun is at the apex and you already know that this will not favor good tonal balance if tonal balance is what you seek to bring out the delicate beauty. Even in a candid, you may change angles and wait for a more appropiate movement and placement of the subjects to favor tonal value. At other times you may seek special effects governed by special existing light arrangements. While there is little control for composition you will seek the best that the situation will yield. White balance will help avoid those ugly artifacts when part of the subject crosses from the light to dark zones. This is sometimes evident in tonal skins and eye coloration as they are contratsed say in zone 5 and zone 2.
Now, there may come a time when you want to do some very special staged shots because you feel driven to exemplify and present some pet concepts that are emotive. Well, now you are all set because you now have the knowledge to produce a professional effect.
To conclude, learning the basics of lighting and exposure allow style and creativity free play if you should ever be so inclined. Even if you never return to the stage shot, you will be able to excell in your own given field because you have mastered the very basics.
The master will also advise you to be even handed in your admiration of other styles. Yes, the candid and emotive images have a long longevity but many staged shots will blow you away because of the acute imagination and unrold creativity employed and my, look at some of these images and consider the task of solving all the problems to create them.
It may very well be that you have no desire to walk the path of the artist and explore different facets of self expression simply because your self expression is achieved or sought in your candid images. This is fine, but do look at the artist work because even if you do not go this way, you will always learn the potential of your craft. There are lessons in all styles of photography and those that develop the smug sense that all that is fudged has no value will at the end cheat themselves because they have placed a shield to their inner expansion. It is okay to be a purist and to follow your own design but always look because all styles tend to benefit from the others in photography like in so many other fields.
Message edited by author 2005-02-18 14:50:06. |
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02/18/2005 03:08:45 PM · #2 |
these seem to me a very precise formulation of some very interesting thoughts and should be helpfull to a lot of us to review a certain attitude
and as far as i can arrange my mind i totally agree to the fact that it might be better to have the most possible broad view regarding photography so in case u can maybe ever have the luxury of narrow them down for some purpose or need
thx for ur clear explanation |
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02/18/2005 03:42:19 PM · #3 |
I'm witcha in spirit, but something made me twitch while reading... No argument that before you set out to learn calculus you need to go through the brute force repeption of memorizing multiplication tables. Foundations are indeed necessary to learning a craft.
It may very well be that you have no desire to walk the path of the artist and explore different facets of self expression simply because your self expression is achieved or sought in your candid images. This is fine, but do look at the artist's work because even if you do not go this way, you will always learn the potential of your craft.
I think we're in agreement, but the way this is written gives me pause... I tend to think "the path of the artist" is completely unrelated to staged vs. Candid / found images. Was Ansel Adams less of an artist because he didn't lug studio strobes with him? Overbearing example, granted, but hopefully the point is made.
You're on the right track, and IMHO most accurate here:
There are lessons in all styles of photography and those that develop the smug sense that all that is fudged has no value will at the end cheat themselves because they have placed a shield to their inner expansion.
Like I said in a post earlier today, better and worse is irrelevant. What matters is figuring out what makes you tick and pursuing it. I had indoor photography, but I spent time monkeying around with worklights on a table to learn shadows. Now I do that stuff as little as possible, but I respect its value.
The lesson you are sharing really goes way beyond photography. In life, the minute we believe we have nothing to learn from something, we begin to die in a manner of speaking.
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02/18/2005 03:43:47 PM · #4 |
Excellent post. If I may be so bold as to sum it up to its most fundamental message, it's this; "You can't really BE a master until you learn all the tools you have availabel to you and internalize them so their application is essentially unconscious. Only then can you be truly prepared to seize the moment."
One quibble; strictly speaking, incident light metering has no place in the Zone System, which is based on metering (with a spot meter) the darkest area in which you want detail, then exposing for that area, then metering the brightest area in which you want detail and processing for that area. It's about expansion/contraction of tonal values in the image.
Robt.
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02/18/2005 04:29:32 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by bear_music:
One quibble; strictly speaking, incident light metering has no place in the Zone System, which is based on metering (with a spot meter) the darkest area in which you want detail, then exposing for that area, then metering the brightest area in which you want detail and processing for that area. It's about expansion/contraction of tonal values in the image.
Robt. |
I think the Zone System falls a bit short in digital, because I don't think you can "process for highlights" the way you can with film. Unlike moderately over-exposed film, if you blow out the highlight pixels, I don't know any way to restore detail.
I find myself most often doing almost the opposite, exposing for the brightest highlight where I want to maintain detail, and then bringing out what detail I can from the under-exposed shadows (usually with Curves).
Maybe, since the sensor is essentially a "positive" medium, it works out to the same thing in the end. |
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02/18/2005 04:39:14 PM · #6 |
Great post graphicfunk.
Do you really feel that 'many have an antipathy for the staged image'?
* If I may, I feel that I have to clarify that the staged vs. candid debate is entirely (!) different than the debate on the balance of the emphasis placed on technical excellence vs. emotive quality. I know that debate is going on in another thread, but I think it's of utmost importance to note the difference between the two.
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02/18/2005 04:47:39 PM · #7 |
The Zone system can be realized in many different ways. It all depends on your application at hand. While spot metering yields the highest standard to ferret the most accurate values, a similar but effective means can be achieved with whatever metering you have at hand provided you accept each at its limitaion. It is more like applying what is useful and to give the lower and higher zones a presentation. By understanding the Zone system you can use your camera's reflective metering and then making adjustments to comply with your assessment of the light conditions available. I look at scenes and always calculate the highest and darkest and with practice you are able to gain or come up with the proper exposure. Of course, my judgment is always locked at 100 ASA.
The Zone system applies to all images that can be recorded. Digital presents a few more problem but to ignore the Zone system will simply give more bad than good images. At some future day, I am still writing with one eye closed, I will share the Zone system that I use. I do not apply all its merit to every image simply because not all images require so much attention. Also, with some I kiss away certain zones at the very highest and lowest because I feel I do not need them and some are indeed beyond reach.
Message edited by author 2005-02-18 16:50:18. |
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02/18/2005 05:07:47 PM · #8 |
Yes. of course, Zone System is a B/W film-based process. It doesn't "work" in digital, although it has its analogues. You need to expose for the brights then use the histograms to adjust the darks. Just as General and Funk said.
However, using incident light readings (measuring the light falling ON an object instead of the light reflected FROM it) has no meaning in any iteration of a zone system. The system itself can be applied more or less strictly, absolutely, but at the core of the system is a comparison of the light reflected from the dark areas witht he light reflected from the bright areas.
Speaking for myself, I'm sort of working on what I call a "Zone System" for color, and i wouldn't be surprised if Funk and I are traveling similar paths...
Robt.
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02/18/2005 05:16:06 PM · #9 |
Reply To Hubbell:
I think we're in agreement, but the way this is written gives me pause... I tend to think "the path of the artist" is completely unrelated to staged vs. Candid / found images. Was Ansel Adams less of an artist because he didn't lug studio strobes with him? Overbearing example, granted, but hopefully the point is made.
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My apology. I did not mean to infer that the artist must use strobes or artificial ligths. These are avenues open to all. The artist creates with whatever tools he has at hands. Of course, there are some visions that require special components and these may include strobes etc, yet there are opportunities just waiting to be discovered under natural light.
Ansel Adam was an artist. The artist decides on his subject and then considers the best possible representation that will abide with his inner perceptions of what he wants to sau or convey. Examine many of Ansel Adams work specially those concerned with creating the illusion of visual fidelity. To do so requires an artistic sense and then to do whatever to achieve the end result. |
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02/18/2005 06:15:21 PM · #10 |
I see Dan is better. Welcome back.
Thought I would post a link on Digital Zone System in regard to some of the things being said here (could be of use to the 'interested').
Digital Zone System |
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