I just finished reading a post by Andrew, over at Tao of Photography. The name of the post was: The Eightfold Path Toward Self-Discovery Through Photography. Andrew only posts a couple of times/month, but when he does, they are sometimes very deep, as is this one! You can probably skip the first part of the blog and go straight to the meat. He proposes that there are distinct phases that a photographer goes through, all the way from the beginning with taking pictures of everything, to telling stories, to having portfolios of ‘stories’. Very interesting reading.
I think that SoFoBoMo has created a great wake in the photographic community. It seems like a lot of people, myself included, have been touched by this project. It would seem that we have moved to another level, or perhaps another part in our photographic lives.
For me, it has jostled me a bit and made me start thinking more about a story rather than the single image; however, I’m not really sure of how to tell the story, just yet, nor of which stories I want to tell, which kind of leave me in a quandary. I have a vague feeling about books that I might want to put together, but just like there are many and varied ways to take a picture, so are there many ways to tell a story as well as many stories to tell.
I think that this next step was welcomed because taking the single pictures, sometimes, becomes repetitious. In reading another blog post, called Outside The Box; Julie talks of using a Holga lens to take photographs of things that are ‘in between’. They don’t have the beauty that everyone recognizes, neither do they have the charm and attraction of dilapidation that we, as photographers, seem to be attracted to. So, it would seem, that she is approaching her next step using novelty, or perhaps using that to open her eyes to something different and to get those creative juices flowing.
Considering that there are vast oceans of digital cameras out there and everyone is a ‘photographer’, it makes it difficult to come up with something new and exciting, at least for me. Also, sometimes I get into a rut and want something different, but I just don’t know what. I think that story telling is for me, but I’ll have to wait for those ideas to arrive.
So, at this time, are you seeking anything else from your photography?
No related posts.
One Response to “What is it that we seek?”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Paul:
We are all story-tellers. Some are just more open and practiced than others. Story telling is one of the great enjoyments in life and I think inherently and a born natural talent that will either grow through encouragement of be stifled in our young adolescent years.
A picture may tell a thousand words and for me the problem is ensuing that a story through pictures is coherent and cohesive. Do we identify the players and their character (could be about rocks)? Do we show how the characters interact (stream and rocks)? Do we see the character grow io sprit/stature/prominence or sink to despair/dwindle into non existence? Is there a climax? DO we tie all loose ends together and bring to a good conclusion.
I believe these thoughts apply to and photo essay we wish to produce and can be all about inanimate object. Using people definitely works.
I have yet to produce an real essay. I did try with the SoFoBoMo project to try and tie in the staring lakes and rivers into the larger Ottawa River. But with limited time and more importantly with my inexperience with such an endeavour I did not really get there.
Your article got me thinking and that is why I suggest the flowing.
The Seed:
What keeps you awake at night?
What thrills with exuberance?
What are your great loves?
These would make good stories.
As with any story a good story board layout would seem to be a good start. Once the passion is found think about images, before you actually take any of how you would theoretically tell your story in a string of images.
Just sketch some simple images and see how the story unfolds.
Now I think you have the right foundation to go and find these images and use your artistic talents to bring each to its best light.
Niels Henriksen