I would say you are both right. Personally, my mantra is be "different," largely because I want to bring the unexpected into my work and when I don't, the work tends to be ordinary and gets lost among fine landscape photographers, yourself included, who get out regularly to inspiring panoramas. In many ways it is an ego thing, but being different does get attention, at least the ones that are done well.
The beautiful thing about immersing oneself in nature is that it can be very healing and particularly so when breathtaking opportunities come alive. For this , I love what you are doing.
My experience has been that I've been able to sell some work from natural landscapes, more work than I have from my efforts to be different. On the other hand most of my work that has been accepted in photography competitions is different in that it communicates the unexpected. I refer to it as surprises in the ordinary.
In the end, we're best when we follow our own leadings. To hell with other's opinions.
Judging from what I've observed on your (very delightful) Substack, I would say your photographic superpower is a willingness to get up waaaay earlier than I ever would.
Art has so much more involved than simply being unique. All you have to do is roll back the clock to when photography was new and it wasn't even considered art. Art expresses originality, but it can also be completely banal and still be art. Changing the angle of your shot cant do that. That sort of experience has to happen in the 12 inches behind the lens. Loved the way you wrote this! Thanks.
I arrive with no expectations and move towards whatever attracts me, could be anything (probably not dead cats). Then I just let my feelings take over and do what I call, feel the shot. No conscious design elements, just position the camera till it feels right. I’m sure my subconscious is running full tilt and I just let it take over.
Sometimes I get nothing worth keeping but that process leads to something else and then something else again and all of a sudden a meaningful image appears?!?!?
I read your thoughts about creativity with great interest. My favorite artwork and in my opinion my most creative piece of art happened when the creation of it came so easily. Like I was one with the canvas. The painting felt like it was painting itself. I imagine it was similar to your experience taking the photograph of the moon. Usually I struggle with being creative. I work hard at it but this one experience happened so easily, so perfectly, and as I said was my personal favorite. It was magic. So much for working on a composition a hundred times before true creativity occurs!
The argument is interesting and I think you are right to move it towards creative exercise more than a maxim. It reminds me of the overplayed Vonnegut quote... we have all these guidelines to photography and it's important to know them and when to go beyond them. Where I do really appreciate this argument is in the studio. It's easy to do a whole session and feel like the compositions were rather limited. Personally, I set timers for every 15 minutes to keep my mind on how time is moving and to forcibly shake up my own direction to end up at different results. Interesting stuff, Benjamin. Hope substack moves you up on the list on articles that I see. Cheers.
I would say you are both right. Personally, my mantra is be "different," largely because I want to bring the unexpected into my work and when I don't, the work tends to be ordinary and gets lost among fine landscape photographers, yourself included, who get out regularly to inspiring panoramas. In many ways it is an ego thing, but being different does get attention, at least the ones that are done well.
The beautiful thing about immersing oneself in nature is that it can be very healing and particularly so when breathtaking opportunities come alive. For this , I love what you are doing.
My experience has been that I've been able to sell some work from natural landscapes, more work than I have from my efforts to be different. On the other hand most of my work that has been accepted in photography competitions is different in that it communicates the unexpected. I refer to it as surprises in the ordinary.
In the end, we're best when we follow our own leadings. To hell with other's opinions.
Judging from what I've observed on your (very delightful) Substack, I would say your photographic superpower is a willingness to get up waaaay earlier than I ever would.
My thinking about photography is closer to yours. It for me is about what I am experiencing at the moment.
I love the layered rock with the house in the fog so that the focus is truly on the rock!
Art has so much more involved than simply being unique. All you have to do is roll back the clock to when photography was new and it wasn't even considered art. Art expresses originality, but it can also be completely banal and still be art. Changing the angle of your shot cant do that. That sort of experience has to happen in the 12 inches behind the lens. Loved the way you wrote this! Thanks.
Wow, quite a read, Ben!! I hear you!!!
For me it’s gotten to be pretty simple.
I arrive with no expectations and move towards whatever attracts me, could be anything (probably not dead cats). Then I just let my feelings take over and do what I call, feel the shot. No conscious design elements, just position the camera till it feels right. I’m sure my subconscious is running full tilt and I just let it take over.
Sometimes I get nothing worth keeping but that process leads to something else and then something else again and all of a sudden a meaningful image appears?!?!?
Anyway, my two cents worth of one of my passions!
YOU are an artist indeed!
I read your thoughts about creativity with great interest. My favorite artwork and in my opinion my most creative piece of art happened when the creation of it came so easily. Like I was one with the canvas. The painting felt like it was painting itself. I imagine it was similar to your experience taking the photograph of the moon. Usually I struggle with being creative. I work hard at it but this one experience happened so easily, so perfectly, and as I said was my personal favorite. It was magic. So much for working on a composition a hundred times before true creativity occurs!
The argument is interesting and I think you are right to move it towards creative exercise more than a maxim. It reminds me of the overplayed Vonnegut quote... we have all these guidelines to photography and it's important to know them and when to go beyond them. Where I do really appreciate this argument is in the studio. It's easy to do a whole session and feel like the compositions were rather limited. Personally, I set timers for every 15 minutes to keep my mind on how time is moving and to forcibly shake up my own direction to end up at different results. Interesting stuff, Benjamin. Hope substack moves you up on the list on articles that I see. Cheers.