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09/17/2005 12:59:30 AM · #1 |
I was fortunate enough to attend a presentation by Steve McCurry last night. He's the guy who took the National Geographic cover shot of "the Afghan Girl" with the haunting green eyes.
He gave a slide show of some of his current favorite shots. As you would expect, most of them were extremely interesting. Many of his shots were appealing because of the subject matter, the lighting, the composition, or a combination of these things. And some combination of these is obviously prerequisite for a good image.
But I came away inspired for a reason I never would have expected; his photos were not technically that impressive. He relies mostly on available light, rather than providing his own, and since he likes to shoot in places where the light is often poor (particularly indoors), his images are often dark. Many of them would not fair that well in one of our challenges.
Their appeal was very much about being in the right place at the right time. His talent lies in catching a special moment, following someone around until they walk past just the right background, being first on the scene of a dramatic event, or coaxing an unguarded expression from a stranger's face.
For me, this was an important night. Since I have no interest in studio photography, or typical portraiture, where the technical aspects of an image carry more weight (IMHO), I came away from the presentation with the feeling that I have a realistic chance of making a bit of money from my addictive hobby, without having to be a technical wizard.
Bear in mind that this post comes from an untrained, amateur photographer, and no doubt someone better educated about Mr. McCurry̢۪s work will point out where I am wrong about his images, but until then, there is hope for the rest of us! |
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09/17/2005 01:08:19 AM · #2 |
Excellent observations...
Photography is MUCH more than technical excellence. When a photo has enough emotional appeal, as do many photojournalistic images, nothing else really matters.
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09/17/2005 01:32:14 AM · #3 |
Thank you so much for sharing that. Its inspiring for me to see some unedited shots by some of my fave photographers... Your words spoke volumes to me tonight.. so thanks again.
:) ~twirls~ :)
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09/17/2005 01:41:06 AM · #4 |
im so glad you posted that...
i have NEVER gone for techiniacal stuff... it means nothing to me, i go on a photo with 'heart' and thats it... if it ain't got heart, it doesn't get a second look from me...
that is where i feel this website is so not for me, i have found this place has undone a few things in me that i once had.... don't get me wrong... i love the people here, and will still do a couple of challenges here and there, but that s it.... no more being utterly put down by someone not likeing that special photo.. just because it's not technically perfect.... |
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09/17/2005 01:47:20 AM · #5 |
| Why can't one have technical excellence AND emotional impact in the same photo? I would think the two together would make for exceptional photographs. Technical competence is only one aspect of photography to strive for. |
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09/17/2005 01:58:00 AM · #6 |
I'm glad there are others on this site who feel the same way I do. You are the ones I posted this for. 99% of my images are taken with my cameras on "Auto" to this point, and I've been feeling more and more self-conscious about it as time passes and more people see my work. There always seems to be some aprehension in the back of my mind that I'm going to be questioned, by somebody who does know what they're doing, about what shutter speed I'm using, etc. So, seeing those images last night gave me a big psychological shot in the arm.
Olyuzi; I don't think anybody is saying that the two elements can't be in the same picture, just that it isn't necessary. |
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09/17/2005 03:26:39 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by Olyuzi:
Why can't one have technical excellence AND emotional impact in the same photo? I would think the two together would make for exceptional photographs. Technical competence is only one aspect of photography to strive for. |
yes i agree with aronya, im not saying you can't have the two together, just that sometimes, especially with candid's, you can't have the two together, some situations just won't allow you the time.... |
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09/17/2005 03:57:32 AM · #8 |
Great post and also a motivation for myself. I love that type of photography and I LOVE using available light. I have a thing about not using flash.
Thanks so much for taking the time to post that. It was truly an inspiration to read.
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09/17/2005 04:24:25 AM · #9 |
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09/17/2005 07:23:06 AM · #10 |
McCurry Website
Interesting conversation in this thread. Not sure I agree... Steve McCurry, having YEARS of field training and YEARS of education in photography, like any other MASTER of a craft, knows his craft inside and out. Once something becomes second nature to a person, that person can use one aspect of technique to overcome deficiencies in another aspect of technique.
Quote: "Their appeal was very much about being in the right place at the right time." Don't think this didn't take time and experience to develop.
Let me give an example: Duke Ellington learned for years and then played for years. He didn't one day sit down at a piano, after tinkering for a while, and say, "I'm going to play something emotional that everyone will love." He learned technique and then built on it. He added to it, changed it, made it work for him.
You have to learn to walk before you can learn to skip.
As an aside, maybe it was Galen Rowell who stated that if you get 5% keepers out of everything you shoot, you're doing well. That's about 3 shots per film roll. That, in itself, should be inspiring.
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09/17/2005 08:05:30 AM · #11 |
i have accepted the reality that it comes down to three things that make the difference between images produced by mccurry and his peers and those produced by everyone else: access, equipment, and experience.
YES, there ARE exceptions (especially here at dpc in our 640px 150kb world), but for the most part, you have to have all three to really get the shots. you can get experience without the equipment, but the quality will never be completely there. you can have the equipment, but if you don't have the experience to know how to use it and what to look for, you will probably wind up with technically perfect crap. and, even if you are fully equipped and know what to do, if you can't get to the shots (or don't know where to look), well, might as well sell off some of the equipment.
there is one last thing that can make up for most other short-comings: perseverance. sticking with something until you get it. either waiting for the shot, or trying and trying and trying to get the shot. looking at things from all angles. finding the right spot and waiting for the moment. finding someone and waiting for the expression. the bottomline is that if you want it bad enough, you can get yourself where you want to be--and that includes getting equipment, access, and experience. |
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09/17/2005 08:43:49 AM · #12 |
If I can be honest here, you might look at some of the photographers here for inspiration. Skip is a great example. Look at his profile and read his chronicles. He knew what he wanted and went after it. He worked and worked; his stories and adventures should inspire us all.
Check out what he did here: Human Scavenger Hunt. I think he was the only one to complete the challenge.
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09/17/2005 11:33:49 AM · #13 |
*blush* thanks, courtenay!
yes, i am working towards where i want to go. dpc has really given me the impetus to push myself a little harder, has given me loads of inspiration, examples, and encouragement, and has helped me thicken my skin quite a bit, too.
the one thing about dpc that i would warn people about is not to use challenge scoring or getting ribbons as a means for measuring your photography. i've still got a ways to go, but if my motivation was fueled by challenge performance, i'd have quit a long time ago... |
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