Ansel Adams, a world-famous photographer, once said, “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” The writer finds this quote very interesting as most people who are not photographers do not realize what it takes to create a great photograph. Almost anyone can take great snapshots with modern digital cameras, or even one’s cell phone, but to take great photographs that connect with the viewer requires a basic understanding of the many photographic elements that are visually pleasing and evoke some type of emotion. One of the most common arguments among photographers is which element is the most important in photography to create compelling images. More often than not, lighting, composition, and color are …show more content…
As the light enters the camera, it reflects through the lens, and becomes inscribed into the sensor, or film, making the photograph permanent. Through this process, lighting is what creates shading and color in the photograph. By utilizing and controlling the lighting, the photographer is able to subconsciously draw in the viewer’s eyes to important elements in the photograph, such as appealing color schemes and emotion-drawing arrangements. The Shaw Academy blog writes about how mastering the use of “light to [one’s] advantage and getting the best possible result… will also separate [one’s] work from [one’s] contemporaries and put [one] on the path to achieving professional looking imagery”. Similar to how painting is a way for painters to express themselves, perfect lighting allows one to express one’s artistic visions through photography. In Peter Timko’s article about the importance of lighting in photography, he writes that “anyone can push a button on a camera set to automatic and get a decent picture, but not everyone can light a portrait in a way that makes their subject come alive”. Without light, everyone would be left with the inability to capture select moments with the click of a camera shutter and save them …show more content…
Not many people realize how important and how often color is used in photography. Images come to life and transform one’s compositions from dull and uninspiring to exciting and alive by using the color found in one’s surroundings. Color is a “phenomenon of light… or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects” (merriam-webster.com). Similar to most other photographic techniques, color has the ability to evoke emotion from the viewer. Chris Goldberg’s photo “Socks from SITE NYC” is a perfect example of why color proves to be one of the top three elements in photography. The blue socks with red stripes against the blue bench and white Converse create a calm emotion in the photograph (Goldberg). The way the subject is positioned also portrays the calming sense that the viewer may feel when looking at the photograph. The black sunglasses also portray the same emotion through the subject’s positioning and the color contrast between black and blue. It is also able to add “drama to scenes that [one] wouldn’t ordinarily think would inspire such feelings” (Peterson). One way to measure color is through color saturation. Color saturation is the measurement of how vibrant the color is and the color’s
For Emerson, the reticent beauty of nature was the motivator. To him, photography should be recognized because its still-life beauty was able to persuade the public’s appreciation of the life and nourishment
This book was also one of my first encounters with an important truth of art: that your work is powerful not because you convey a new emotion to the audience, but because you tap into an emotion the audience already feels but can't express.
There is one sensational man who managed to create some of the most intelligent photographs known to the world using only shades of white and black. Ansel Easton Adams was an all American landscape photographer and conservationist. When he made his pictures, he didn’t let others opinions in; he simply took the shots he wanted, and captured them the way that he would like to see them if they were not his own. Throughout Adams’ life, he didn’t only construct work that taught others, but also inspired many along the way.
Gregory Crewdson once said “I love the experience of cinema- being enveloped in a complete world of another’s imagination. I love the quality of film- how it can capture so richly the color and light of a scene. And I love photography - for what it leaves unsaid for it is from this that we can start to spin our own imagination.” Crewdson accomplishes the both the most intriguing and frustrating aspect of art; he poses a question yet refuses to reveal the answer. It is the unanswerable question that leads the viewer to study the work and spend hours contemplating its meaning.
A picture is more than just a piece of time captured within a light-sensitive emulsion, it is an experience one has whose story is told through an enchanting image. I photograph the world in the ways I see it. Every curious angle, vibrant color, and abnormal subject makes me think, and want to spark someone else’s thought process. The photographs in this work were not chosen by me, but by the reactions each image received when looked at. If a photo was merely glanced at or given a casual compliment, then I didn’t feel it was strong enough a work, but if one was to stop somebody, and be studied in curiosity, or question, then the picture was right to be chosen.
The use of light within this scene highlights the traditional
Susan Sontag’s essay on how photography has limited people’s understanding of the world contains many interesting points that can be agreeable while at the same time having few that I tend to disagree with. Photography can be good and bad; it can open our minds up to new cultures and experiences through its imagery. However, at the same time it can limit our understanding of the world around us and of the world around the image it is portraying.
Color is an important resource in visual communication. Color has many functions. It can be used to classify people, places and things. The colors of a flag can designate a nation. Corporations and universities use color to distinguish identity. With maps, colors can distinguish water, land, etc. They can mark and identify separate elements. The colors become icons. Color can convey an interpersonal message without language. This can be expressed in the colors that we wear such as ‘the power tie’ or colors that indicate safety and warning. C...
From the creation of art to its modern understanding, artists have strived to perform and perfect a photo realistic painting with the use of complex lines, blend of colors, and captivating subjects. This is not the case anymore due to the invention of the camera in 1827, since it will always be the ultimate form of realism. Due to this, artists had the opportunities to branch away from the classical formation of realism, and venture into new forms such as what is known today as modern art. In the examination of two well known artists, Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, we can see that the artist doesn’t only intend for the painting to be just a painting, but more of a form of telling a scene through challenging thoughts, and expressing of the artists emotion in their creation.
Unlike science, art is subjective. The artist leaves behind a part of himself in his work. Therefore, each piece has its own distinct perspective. Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits show her view on her life, on how she has faced so many struggles, yet managed to be a strong person. When we see or hear or read an artistic creation, it produces a mood such as calm or loud, fear or safety. For example, the Eiffel Tower gives Paris a majestic awe; everyone who passes by feels the strength of the 113-year-old grand structure. Art also has a texture. Photographs reveal much through their textures; grainy surfaces often make the picture more realistic while smooth ones seem softer. When we hear a piece of music or see a film, a rhythm carries us from one part to another. Not just true for these two genres, rhythm is present in any artistic work. These few properties are characteristic of everything we encounter in the world of art, the world of human expression. Most have other special features also. Most of the time, though, we do not think about these characteristics because we do not have enough time to pay attention to anything for more than a few seconds.
Now that we have established color as a storytelling tool, we can begin to talk about color for aesthetic reasons. The following information on color palettes comes from the article How To Use Color In Film: 50+ Examples of Movie Color Palettes by Mary Risk. Color palettes are the major colors used in a film. There are five main color palettes; monochromatic, complementary, analogous, triadic, and discordant. Also, although these color palettes are used mainly for aesthetic purposes, that does not mean that there are no psychological elements.
Have you ever seen a painting or picture that captivates you and directly stirs up emotion within you? More than likely, you have. Usually, viewers merely observe the picture and enjoy the way it looks and how it makes them feel. But, have you ever asked yourself, “why?” What about the picture makes it pleasing to the viewer? With each strategy the photographer uses creates their own touch and passion that floods all over the picture. The emotional connection nearly goes unnoticed for when the picture is well photographed, the viewers experience the sensation in their subconscious. This is one of the most powerful tools that a photographer holds in their hands. If one can become a master of manipulating how the photo affects its viewers, the said photographer can potentially maneuver people’s minds and thoughts with one click of a button. The time spent with my mentor has opened up the door for me to tap into that power though the use of background, focus, shutter speed, angles, and most importantly, lighting. Even with all these techniques, the person behind the camera must remember that creativity must be at the forefront of all operations. Caleno (2014), when writing about the basics of capturing a beautiful moment in a picture commented, “If we want to be creative we must drop these pre-conceptions and start looking at things from a small child’s innocence.”
What do you consider art? Paintings, sculptures, drawings, or maybe something else. I know, when I think of art, I think of photography. Photography Is used for business, science, manufacturing, art, recreational purposes, mass communication, and more. Photography is using light to do amazing things, and some people think of photography as a story that just needs to be told. Ansel Adams probably believed this. He said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Photography has a long interesting history, like the fact that the word photography is made up of two greek words, photos meaning ‘light’ and graphein which is ‘to draw’ ! Photography also has some complicated techniques to get a hang of taking good photos. Have you heard of the rule of thirds? Or do you know how a camera works? Well, that will all be explained. Maybe, by the end you will take up photography too. This essay will explore the history and types of cameras and the basic rules for taking photographs.
In today’s world, photography has become a part of our daily lives. People take photographs of food, c...
A world without color is an interesting scenario to consider. We would be left with a white sky, a black sea, and grey buildings. If you considered to imagine this, most people would imagine a black-gray-white world but aren’t they colors too? The absence of color is an impossible concept to imagine for those who have lived with color, and never really considered it to be such an important topic. Color is always a concept that we take for granted, and frequently fail to notice its wonderment. Now, let’s all take a moment to ask ourselves these questions. What would the world be like without the vibrant colors of a rainbow? Would the horizon exist? Would we appreciate the beauty of the sunrise or sunset? There are many things we would not be able to experience fully if there were no colors. Interestingly enough, many people still debate whether color really does exist or is it just an illusion in our minds that help us distinguish things from each other.………