Working about Life Photography concept. New Blog.

[Benjo255]

I hope you like my new blog!
It's about Life Photography.

 

[tirediron]

Putting aside some of your '10 points' with which I might take exception, it desperately needs a spelling & grammar check!

 

[Benjo255]

I would love to know your exception about my 10 points! Feel free to comment! About spelling and grammar, you're right. I am italian,english is not my mother tongue and I do what I can with it. I am more worried about spelling than about grammar. Did I write any word in the wrong way?

 

[Didereaux]

Putting aside some of your '10 points' with which I might take exception, it desperately needs a spelling & grammar check!

What TI said 2X. That's just embarrassing.

 

[Ornello]

I hope you like my new blog!
It's about Life Photography.

Some of your points are well taken, but some I strongly disagree with. I have a very recognizable style, and I use a wide variety of focal lengths.

 

[tirediron]

I would love to know your exception about my 10 points! Feel free to comment! About spelling and grammar, you're right. I am italian,english is not my mother tongue and I do what I can with it. I am more worried about spelling than about grammar. Did I write any word in the wrong way?

Fair enough; your English is 1000x better than my Italian, but the people reading your blog aren't likely to know or care that English isn't your first language, and simply see it as poorly written and unprofessional. If you want this to become a blog that you can monetize, you need to run it past a proof-reader. If it's just for fun, then no worries.

With respect to the actual points in the article, these two jump out at me...

1. I am equipped from 16 to 300mm; I use all of them, as the situation dictates. I would hardly think it prudent to photograph, say a police/protester clash with a 14mm lens. Using the appropriate focal length for the situation I would agree with.

3. What's the point of being a photographer if you don't try and create great images? Isn't this like suggesting to a painter or sculptor, 'Just do it, don't worry about what it looks like'?

 

[Benjo255]

Fair enough; your English is 1000x better than my Italian, but the people reading your blog aren't likely to know or care that English isn't your first language, and simply see it as poorly written and unprofessional.

I got the point and I absolutely trust your point of view about it. My english is enough for fun and communicating on forum, but not rich and clear enough for a professional blog (this wasn't a professioanl blog yet, anyway). My main problem is that the translation service from a mother tongue is so, so expensive. I looked for some services on the web and prices are around 100$ for a 1300 words post. But thank you anyway for your feedback. It's been important to me.

1. I am equipped from 16 to 300mm; I use all of them, as the situation dictates. I would hardly think it prudent to photograph, say a police/protester clash with a 14mm lens. Using the appropriate focal length for the situation I would agree with.

The post wasn't about being prudent or using appropriates focal lenghts. It was about creating a signature style. And they were just tips, not orders, not rules. I hope you don't run in a police/protester clash with a 14mm...but if you're able to do it, you'll probably take an unforgettable photograph (while most of your photography mates will take very good images, yet very similar being taken with the "appropriate focal lengths").

3. What's the point of being a photographer if you don't try and create great images? Isn't this like suggesting to a painter or sculptor, 'Just do it, don't worry about what it looks like'?

Exactly. I would never suggest to a painter "paint a beautiful picture" or to a sculptor "carve a beautful sculpture from this rock".
I would rather suggest "be happy while you paint" or "express yourself through the scultpure and enjoy the process". The point of being a photographer, for me, it's not about trying to create great images. It's about trying to deliver a message through your photography. The photography is just a medium.
That's the main message of the post and of the blog. It's not a blog dedicated to professional photography. It's a blog dedicated to people photographing their life.

 

[Ornello]

I would rather suggest "be happy while you paint" or "express yourself through the scultpure and enjoy the process". The point of being a photographer, for me, it's not about trying to create great images. It's about trying to deliver a message through your photography. The photography is just a medium.
That's the main message of the post and of the blog. It's not a blog dedicated to professional photography. It's a blog dedicated to people photographing their life.

This is dead wrong. None of my best photos is contrived, nor do they have a 'message'. They may be 'observations', but seldom with any forethought.

 

[Benjo255]

This is dead wrong.

No. It's just my point of view.

 

[Ornello]

This is dead wrong.

No. It's just my point of view.

You don't say that. You are offering advice. Developing a 'style' happens without really trying. What many photographers call 'style' is simply a technique used without sensitivity. I generally like strong light, and close cropping. I like to pick out and show details.

Look at page 384 here. I spent about 1/2 second thinking about it, just shot. Afterwards, I came to recognize some interesting aspects. The building is light, the girl is dark. The building is 'classical' and orderly. The girl is disheveled, barefoot, with torn jeans. Tradition vs rebellion. Age versus youth. Dark versus light. None of this was in my mind at the time I took it. Because the girl's long hair is hanging in her face, she is anonymous. She represents college youth in rebellion. This was taken about 1971. There is nothing 'affected' about it at all.

 

[Benjo255]

You don't say that. You are offering advice

I say quite everywhere they're not rules, they're just tips that helped me as a photographer.
You are now giving me advices (and I say thank you for that and also for the time you're spending to read me and answer me), but...are you giving me these advices from your point of view or from John Doe's point of view? I bet from your point of view. And that's how I listen to them. From your point of view about photography. My advices to my readers are from my personal point of view. I'm not interested in writing a blog about what everybody else already think. If I invest time in writing a blog it's because it gives me the freedom and the chance to share my point of view. I am not God. Everybody can disagree with me. I don't give commands, I share advices, thoughts, photos, experiences... May be you like them, may be you don't. It's ok.

I can't find your picture. The link goes to a page where I don't know how to search page 384.

 

[Ornello]

You don't say that. You are offering advice

I say quite everywhere they're not rules, they're just tips that helped me as a photographer.
You are now giving me advices (and I say thank you for that and also for the time you're spending to read me and answer me), but...are you giving me these advices from your point of view or from John Doe's point of view? I bet from your point of view. And that's how I listen to them. From your point of view about photography. My advices to my readers are from my personal point of view. I'm not interested in writing a blog about what everybody else already think. If I invest time in writing a blog it's because it gives me the freedom and the chance to share my point of view. I am not God. Everybody can disagree with me. I don't give commands, I share advices, thoughts, photos, experiences... May be you like them, may be you don't. It's ok.

I can't find your picture. The link goes to a page where I don't know how to search page 384.

I uploaded a pdf.

 

[Benjo255]

Developing a 'style' happens without really trying

Who says that?

 

[Benjo255]

Look at page 384 here. I spent about 1/2 second thinking about it, just shot. Afterwards, I came to recognize some interesting aspects. The building is light, the girl is dark. The building is 'classical' and orderly. The girl is disheveled, barefoot, with torn jeans. Tradition vs rebellion. Age versus youth. Dark versus light. None of this was in my mind at the time I took it. Because the girl's long hair is hanging in her face, she is anonymous. She represents college youth in rebellion. This was taken about 1971. There is nothing 'affected' about it at all.

Of course you're right, editing has a great importance. I never said that it's necessary to be always total aware of all the meaning of the photograph when you shoot. This awareness can gel also during editing.

 

[Ornello]

Developing a 'style' happens without really trying

Who says that?

I do!