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06/22/2007 05:55:37 PM · #1 |
What I have come to realize is that the photographer must be adept in a much wider range of disciplines than was acceptable only a few years ago. He/She must be a photographer an intermediate art director, retouch artist and visionary. The importance of being a good communicator is also a vital part of the profession. Even if one has an agent the importance of this diversification can't be understated.
What are your impressions about where the photographer is today?
Ben
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06/22/2007 06:01:23 PM · #2 |
Oh that's an easy one.
What we once had to get right, or nearly right in the camera, we now have editing software to fix what we didn't get right. I know I have relied far too much on Photoshop,and at times still do, but am trying desperately to get back to getting it right to begin with.
For the times I shoot someone in a non-candid form, it's so much easier to get to know them and have fun, not have it all businees.
Message edited by author 2007-06-22 20:04:28.
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06/22/2007 07:29:47 PM · #3 |
as i've never shot fashion, i don't know much about your world, benjamin, but the editorial portrait work i do requires me to wear all the hats. the only thing i don't do is makeup and hair ;-)
i have found that if i can talk to my subjects on the phone for 5-10 minutes and break the ice with them, i can get something of an idea as to what i'm working with. then, if i can spend 10-15 minutes shooting and chatting, i can get them where i need them to be in order to get a handful of images that tell a little more of a story than just a standard headshot. there's not doubt about it, though, being able to communicate and connect is just as important as knowing which end of the camera to point at something. |
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06/22/2007 07:41:13 PM · #4 |
I only believe that good communication and being a visionary are the truly important aspects that cover all areas of being a photography professional.
Different areas do not require such technical ideas as art direction, retouching, etc.
My area of work certainly doesn't require my being a retouch artist, or any form of art direction. I am not being published in any way, yet I get paid now and then.
I think what I'm getting at is that you can never really be generalized in what being a photographer today really means. |
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06/22/2007 07:52:06 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by Artyste:
I think what I'm getting at is that you can never really be generalized in what being a photographer today really means. |
Definitely. My roles are greatly different depending which photographer I am on any given day.
If I'm shooting a wedding, I may get stuck being wedding director or worse.
If I'm shooting a boudoir shoot for a client, I have to be part makeup artist, costume coordinator, whatever else.
If I'm shooting for stock... well, that's all me.
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06/24/2007 09:48:28 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
If I'm shooting a boudoir shoot for a client, I have to be part makeup artist, costume coordinator, whatever else. |
heh, something about that gets a bit of an eyebrow raised by me. :) Fotoman gets 'extracurricular'?
For me as a greenhorn, I've been finding that I generally get a lot more involved with the things that I shoot than just taking pictures. It usually works out best that way.
I saw a post somewhere once about what feeling you want the subject to have, you should display to them.
In my spanish conversation class, I've seen how this can really make a difference as well. Using this principle, I have found success in performing dialogues that have become little skits and almost short plays. By providing my POV to the partner, it was much easier to get what I wanted. I plan to use this in the future with taking pictures as well.
The feelings that you have as a photographer can change things greatly in the output as well, so in a way, you really end up having to be the one that changes to make the photo...
Example:
Without feeling - snap
With feeling - snip snip, smudge smudge, think........ tweak tweak...
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06/24/2007 10:20:03 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by benjikan:
What I have come to realize is that the photographer must be adept in a much wider range of disciplines than was acceptable only a few years ago. He/She must be a photographer an intermediate art director, retouch artist and visionary. The importance of being a good communicator is also a vital part of the profession. Even if one has an agent the importance of this diversification can't be understated.
What are your impressions about where the photographer is today?
Ben |
When have these things not been crucially important to being a photographer? Ansel Adams did all these things years and years ago. It's in his books. Maybe back in 1890 when photography was still "novel" you could get away with a little less, but not much. |
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06/24/2007 10:36:09 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by eschelar:
{snip}
With feeling - snip snip, smudge smudge, think........ tweak tweak...
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Nice edits, but as long as you're snipping, smudging and tweaking, would there be more "feeling" without headsets? They make me ask whether we are taking always-on and always-connected a bit too far. And they'll get in the way if things go much further. LOL
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06/24/2007 11:59:28 AM · #9 |
heh thanks for the comment Dr confuser... you may view the context for why that shot has headsets here.
Point was that the photographer can simply take a shot, or they can make a shot... but I guess that's the difference between caring and not caring. Perhaps you could even go as far as to say the difference between making a picture or making art...
ok, maybe that's a bit too far... :)
Still have to have an artist's eye - and an artist's heart - when taking pictures that are just pictures.
being a good communicator, being a visionary, that's a part of it too, but that could just as easily fall into the category of being a good businessperson. |
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06/25/2007 12:07:03 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by eschelar:
heh thanks for the comment Dr confuser... you may view the context for why that shot has headsets here.
Point was that the photographer can simply take a shot, or they can make a shot... but I guess that's the difference between caring and not caring. Perhaps you could even go as far as to say the difference between making a picture or making art...
ok, maybe that's a bit too far... :)
Still have to have an artist's eye - and an artist's heart - when taking pictures that are just pictures.
being a good communicator, being a visionary, that's a part of it too, but that could just as easily fall into the category of being a good businessperson. |
But who determines what is "Art"..There are several "Anti-Art" forms out there, in fact I did an exposition in Barcelona last year and the theme was "Anti-Fashion" pretty irreverent..
//www.lasanta.org/index.htm
Message edited by author 2007-06-25 12:08:44.
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06/25/2007 12:10:51 PM · #11 |
I could be an anti-fashion model :-)
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06/26/2007 07:18:29 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
I could be an anti-fashion model :-) |
OK..Deal! What is your Daily Rate? ;-)
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06/26/2007 09:34:43 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by benjikan:
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
I could be an anti-fashion model :-) |
OK..Deal! What is your Daily Rate? ;-) |
NO, what's YOURS? As an anti-model, he'll pay YOU for the time he spends modeling :-)
R.
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06/26/2007 10:32:10 AM · #14 |
Originally posted by benjikan:
What I have come to realize is that the photographer must be adept in a much wider range of disciplines than was acceptable only a few years ago. He/She must be a photographer an intermediate art director, retouch artist and visionary. The importance of being a good communicator is also a vital part of the profession. Even if one has an agent the importance of this diversification can't be understated. |
every other profession changes with time. certain things get easier to perform, but new skills get added to the requirements. |
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06/27/2007 01:26:29 AM · #15 |
anti-fashion is not anti-art. Anti-fashion is art.
Go figure.
Still got to know what art is before you can have anti-art. otherwise it's zero contrast and without a point. |
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06/27/2007 01:29:37 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by benjikan:
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
I could be an anti-fashion model :-) |
OK..Deal! What is your Daily Rate? ;-) |
NO, what's YOURS? As an anti-model, he'll pay YOU for the time he spends modeling :-)
R. |
Hell, I have to pay myself to model for SP's :-P
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06/27/2007 07:21:12 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by benjikan:
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
I could be an anti-fashion model :-) |
OK..Deal! What is your Daily Rate? ;-) |
NO, what's YOURS? As an anti-model, he'll pay YOU for the time he spends modeling :-)
R. |
Hell, I have to pay myself to model for SP's :-P |
5 dollars an hour....
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06/27/2007 07:23:05 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by benjikan:
5 dollars an hour.... |
Nah, I usually pay myself with sex. Slightly Unethical, I know. :-)
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