Minor White was an American photographer whose work I have followed since the beginning of my career. Most of his images are not my style or ways I look at subjects, but enough were to keep me interested.
In any event, he did say something that I do agree with and have “spread the word” to all of my students that have signed on for my online classes with the BPSOP, and those photographers that have joined me in one of my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet. Minor White once said, “One does not photograph something simply for what it is, but for what else it is.”
Think about that for a moment. What does that mean to each of you? What do you think about when composing your subjects or centers of interest? I would love to hear from you. If it’s simply a tree you’re about to take a picture of, do you merely look at it with the left side of your brain (the analytical side) or do you use the right side of the brain…the creative side?
The analytical side will see a tree of some species. Perhaps it’s an Aspen and you love the fact that the bark is white, and a reminder of the days of skiing through a stand of them. Maybe it’s a willow tree and when you were young you use to take the branches and make whips to beat your brother or sister with.
What if it’s a Sycamore and the huge leaves and fruit hanging down remind you of the well spent days of your youth when during the Autumn you use to throw the small round round fruit at your other brothers and sisters.
These are all good reasons to take pictures but I doubt they will stand the test of time as far as a photograph worthy of matting, framing, and hanging on a wall; unless you’re always going to be around to explain to people just why you took the photo in the first place.
When I look at a tree I’m about to photograph I look at it with the right side of my brain…the creative side. This is the side that will see patterns and texture in the bark and leaves. The shape of the leaves and the side that will notice anything that might be a little peculier, as in the direction of the light, i.e. front, side, or back, and the color of the tree. I will also notice how it works in the surrounding environment as far as how well it’s balanced between the negative and positive space in the composition; and the visual weight it projects.
To me these are the most important things I look for, and they all happen to be the elements of visual design that I show my fellow photographers how to incorporate them into their imagery.
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my 2018 workshop schedueat the top of this post. Come shoot with me sometime.
This coming July 29th will be my 30th anniversary teaching at the Maine Media Workshop. I’ve always picked this time as it’s the week of the Lobster Festival down the road in Rockland. This ofers a unique set of photo ops, different from the Maine Coast, fishing villages and lighthouses. The Lobster Festival is all about color, design, light, energy, people watchng and environmental portraits everywhere you look; some people are there in costumes and loved to be photographed.
In conjunction with The Santa Fe Workshops, on October 2nd I’ll be leading a group in San Miguel de Allende. A beautiful oasis and artist colony, and the entire city is a UNESCO site.
Come join me for a week of fun and photography…what could be better?
JoeB
