Lee Yuan Sheng
04-23-2004, 05:30 PM
Heya all! Welcome to Digital Media Thoughts, and to this series of guest columns, on Setting Up the Shot Right. Photography isn't always the easiest thing to do, as some of you may have found out by now, but I'm here to offer some help in getting the most out of your interest in photography. Those of you who are still deciding whether to take the plunge or not, well, don't worry, you don't need a camera to start learning about photography! Just read and start learning step-by-step! In this column, I'll talk about what I think are the important basics one should have before taking photography as a hobby, seriously.<br /><!><br /><b><span>Photography - Art and Science</span></b><br />Photography has made over a century worth of progress since the 1800s, and though digital photography is fairly new and brings about its own set of rules and quirks, it still relies on the basic principles that have been developed over the past couple hundred of years. Basic principles of exposure, lighting, and even simple composition and framing have their roots in these old traditions. Even fads like Lomography (which I just think is a marketing sham) didn't change that. Which brings me to an important point about photography; it is an area that combines disciplines from both art and science. Pretty logical and obvious, you'd think!<br /><br />The problem is that a lot of people tend towards either extreme; on the Internet I see a lot of groups discussing equipment to no end while having little to show in terms of photographs. On the other extreme, I see photos trying to impress as art but not quite making it. Actually, I lie, it's more like not even close to being art.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/kbleu.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 1: Yeah, I meant this kind of "art". Nice try, but sorry, not going to work in reality.</i><br /> <PAGEBREAK> <br /><b><span>Cultivating an Artistic Sense </span></b><br />Still, it is important to cultivate some artistic sense, as well as artistic inspiration. Having seen quite a few different types of photos by different people using different cameras, I find that, in the end, those with a better grasp of visual aesthetics and having stronger inspiration tend to be the ones who produce better work. I don't think I'm the only one who thinks so either, as their work often gets plenty of favourable comments by veteran photogs who know their stuff. <br /><br />The obvious way to cultivate one's sense of visual aesthetics is to read books of and on photography, as well as see works of other photographers both online and offline. Exposure to different photographers' styles and philosophies on photography is a good way to see how different photographers approach their subjects and how they visualise them. However, viewing and reading photographs and books are not the only way! <br /><br />An example of another source would be the movies. While the art of moving pictures and still pictures do have some very fundemental differences, there are lessons to be learned from them. Not just from beautiful sweeping scenary, but also from how the director chooses to interpret and visualise a scene in the movie. From quirky angles, to a sense of awe and magnificence, or to the extremely stylistic scenes like that found from Hong Kong movies, or even Japanese anime! Yes, even animation can be a source of inspiration. The traditional arts are also a good place to get ideas, and novels can help too!<br /><br />All the above options sound like a lot, and they are. I'm not suggesting you try and understand and appreciate all of them; just the ones you like! Myself, I like reading and watching a good show, and I do find that they have an influence on my photography.<br /><br /><b><span>Interpretation and Visualisation</span></b><br />You might think a non-visual medium, like literature, has no bearing on a visual medium like photography. Well, it does help with another two skills - interpretation and visualisation.<br /><br />The idea here is that there are two main things going on in a photographer's mind prior to actually snapping the photo. The first is the photographer's interpretation of his current surroundings, and the second is the visualisation of that interpretation. Any technical mumbo-jumbo calculations or theories come only after these two thoughts have passed through the photographer's mind. Interpretation can be as simple as taking the scene unfolding as is (common for simple documentation of events, thus little visualisation is needed in the photog's mind), to that of picking up elements that have significance to the soon-to-be created photo and then visualsing how they should appear in the final creation.<br /><br />The best part about interpretation and visualisation is that you don't need to have a camera handy to practice these skills! If you see something intersting or appealing, think about how you'd like it to look in a photo, and the next time something similar crops up and you have a camera handy, try to see if such a photo is possible and good. You can even go out of your way to shoot it. This is a practice I've taken up when an idea hits me and I just want to try to see if it works. With experience you can do this pretty quickly, and it'll help you get the photos you want faster with less fiddling around. Also fewer shots taken, saves editing & post-processing time.<br /> <PAGEBREAK> <br /><span><b>Think Often, Especially About Light</b></span><br />I'm big on thinking. It's through thinking that one can accelerate his or her learning processes, as well as picking up new things. It also makes one more aware of what is going on, from before the photo is taken all the the way to post-processing work. <br /><br />Photography is an art and a science, like I said earlier. It's the art and science of recording light. Thus, thinking about light is an important part of photography, though one neglected by many. Things like how the light is falling over the scene you're going to take, or the effects that you wish to achieve via the way the light is entering the camera. Over the next few columns I'll be talking more about the basics of the technical stuff, and while I'll emphasise how these effects work, it's important to think about how these things happen, because a little creativity and thinking can combine to create some really nice results.<br /><br />But more than just getting nice results, it also helps one to analyse what went wrong in case the shoot didn't turn out well. Having a quick mind is sometimes necessary when the action starts unfolding really quickly! Like I said, this will really help you in getting up to speed, and getting good shots quickly!<br /><br /><b><span>Don't Get Lost in Technology</span></b><br />I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone not to get lost in technology. Especially so in digital photography, with new cameras and technology released frequently. <br /><br />The good news, however, is that most cameras are now capable of very decent photos, and if you buy a camera from a brand with a good reputation, chances are it'll be decent to very good. A real lemon is rare nowadays, unless you get unlucky and there's a QC problem (happens, unfortunately).<br /><br />Don't forget that, even after new cameras are announced, it's not going to change the fact that your current camera will continue to produce the same photos you've been happy with (otherwise you wouldn't be using it, right?). Try not to be like some I've seen; they change cameras (or even entire digital SLR systems) faster than they change clothes. Your bank account will thank you for that.<br /><br /><b><span>Don't Give Up!</span></b><br />Photography is a vast field that covers many topics, both technical and artistic. It's a never-ending process of learning - even pros who have been in the business for decades, never stop learning. There's always something new to learn, and while your results might not be impressive initially, don't give up! Think about what you've done wrong, where you think you can improve, then go back and try again!<br /><br />With a healthy attitude about learning, anyone can eventually produce very nice photos for their collection. This is one of the great things about photography as a hobby; the creation of a work that you're proud to call your own and can share with those around you. It's a hobby I hope you'll find to be immensely rewarding.