I don't know if anyone reads this blog. I am sure it is obvious that I am an amateur. I love photography, have a DSLR (and am trying to learn how to use it), and have a passion for making beautiful things. I love seeing people smile and I love capturing their happiness and I love making them smile. So...to improve my photography skills, I thought it would be a good idea to read a couple or several books on photography. This is the first one. It is almost like a text book so it'll be slow going, but I am going to start recording the things that I learn from each chapter. I have already read 3 chapters, so this post will be long. Sorry...
Chapter1:About Composition
-Briot begins the chapter (and the book) saying that his approach to photography is treating it like art. This is a book for artists, or those who want to make their photography art.
-Photographs should produce emotion.
-The goal of a photographer should be to convey the emotion that they are feeling when they photograph a subject.
-A "factual" photograph (one used to record information, portraits, etc...) should not reflect the emotion of the photographer. His/her presence must not be felt. (This may or may not be true when photographing people. I feel like he is a little extreme in this. I feel that the photographer can express emotion while taking portraits, I feel that instead of the photographer expressing her emotion, she should do her best to express the emotion of the people she is photographing.)
-He recommends keeping a journal of emotions while photographing a certain scene.
-Less is more, eliminate all elements that do not contribute to making the photograph stronger.
-"No matter how advanced and automatized the equipment and the software we use, there is no substitute for individual input and expression."
Chapter 2: Learning to See Like a Camera
-Briot begins by telling stories of art shows and people believing that his photography is good because of the following (what I will call) myths.
-Myth 1: Good Cameras=good photographs.
-Myth 2: Filters: a filter that can create beautiful photographs at will, simply does not exist
-Myth 3: Photoshop Modification: according to the "general public" photoshop exists solely to manipulate a photograph. Briot argues that a great photograph comes out of the camera great. There is no need to change it. He does suggest that some modifications need to be done in order to make the printed photograph look the same as the one from the camera, and that other small modifications can be made (cropping, color saturation, etc...)
-"A photograph is only as good as the print one makes from it." (I know this from experience! If you have a good photo on the computer and send it to walmart or somewhere else to print it, chances are they will change it, and make it look "better." For example, I have a beautiful picture of my daughter helping to decorate the Christmas tree. The light was perfect. Just how I wanted it. My mom wanted a copy and I had one printed out at the local walmart. They messed it up! I think they had good intentions (they tried to lighted it), but I learned my lesson.)
-Become or take your photograph to a Master Printer.
-"To say that the quality of the art is caused solely by the quality of the instrument is to miss the point altogether about the importance of the artist...art is made by artists and not by tools"
I am going to stop here today. My daughter woke up from her nap, and the dishes need done...Tomorrow I will finish up the catching up. :)
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