Not Every Photo Has To Tell A Story
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
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Thanks everyone for watching.
Let me know where in the world you are right now!
I'm from West Lothian in Scotland and new to photography and the channel.
Great video again! I'm from Stockholm, Sweden.
Listen from Michigan
Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴 (South America)
Cape Town, South Africa , howzit, hoe gaan dit
You know when my adult son which a "tween" he had a photography assignment he was doing in his art class. He told him camera an Olympus OM2 that I had gotten him and went out to shoot. He got to a car and decided he was going to take a photo looking out at the background from under the car. I was going to tell him that probably wouldn't be a good shot or well composed. Fortunately, I kept my mouth closed. It was after all his vision, his thoughts and his photo. He had previsionalized that shot and it was just a lot of fun for him to do that. He took lots of other unique shots from his internal view and that made the assignment creative and fun for him. Had I opened my mouth to give the "sage" photographic advice, I would have throttled his creativity, taken away his fun, and tried to get him to see things as I saw them. Not a very good approach to photography. He did it correctly and I was dead wrong in my thoughts (thankfully not expressed) . In my old age the only thing I like is taking photos. I shoot what pleases me and I greatly enjoy the process. Actually a lesson my young (at that time) son taught me. 🙂
Wow, awesome comment
FINALLY, someone...
The pleasure of photographing!!!
I’ve always struggled with photos telling a story, especially when it comes to my own photography. It’s like I don’t even understand the concept behind it. What I can relate to much more is images which create an emotion, when looking at it. Maybe these expressions of 'story' and 'emotion' would be used in a similar meaning, I don't know.
One day I might find out - or maybe I won't. 🤷
I can relate to what you are saying. I don't see myself photographing an object, but, the light . Interestingly people will tell me what the photograph means!
for me the 'story' is about what happened before you took the shot - but yes, it's not always easy to tell a story. If you can create an emotional response then you're doing something right.
I did a drawing a long time ago of a bird on a skull-because it looked cool. Friends came up with a multitude of “story” amongst them. I learned everything has a story (even photos), but the viewer creates the story, not the artist. Beauty in the eye of the beholder and what not :) keep making videos mate-they pull me deeper into the world!
Watching this video, I’ve realized that I’ve been chasing that feeling of amazement and wonder I had after I got my first DSLR. It seems the more we learn about what photography is “supposed to be,” we lose sight of how uncomplicated it needs to be… ✌🏼
Hi, I’m watching from Switzerland and completely agree with you about the pretense in photography. I believe that if you want to photograph something that you find aesthetically pleasing it is just as legitimate as a photo with a particular narrative.
I agree. You seem to agree with Peter Coulson in this video. He (and I) have issues with 'photography club' mentality. The only two photography channels I watch regularly are your's and Peter's.
Thank you for taking the time to make your input.
I have stopped counting the times you say exactly the same things that had gone thru my mind recently. I'm very tired of photographers who say that every photo should have a deeper meaning or that every photo should answer a question. Happy I found your channel.
Like you, I've been a photographer since I was very young. In that time I have realized that any story behind my photographs almost always comes from the mind of the viewer. I've also learned that emotions that cannot be expressed by words are the thing that most draws the viewer to a photograph.
Yes! This is such common advice among RUclips photographers, especially the landscape set… “your photos should always tell a story”. But when you look at their own work, there’s often no narrative implied at all, just literal views on the landscape. I see two issues here 1) we don’t actually need narrative in our work for it to be ’good’ or compelling and 2) most photographers don’t really understand what it means to have an image that tells a story anyway. I think the entire phrase is wrong, *telling* a story is a complete thing and images rarely ever do that. It’s better to think of our work (that which we want to have narratives at all) as implying or suggesting a story instead. Another way to think of this is to say, yes our images tell stories but they don’t read like “It was a dark and stormy night…”, instead they read more like fragments of notes, “man on bike/cobbles/railing/motion”.
Thank you BTW for introducing me to Duane Michals!
Thank you for saying that every picture does not need to have a story, intention, purpose, or meaning. As primarily a landscape photographer, I try to record what you dubbed as “lollipop” photos; those that illustrate the natural “lollipops” I find, whether the grand vista or the gentle interplay of of its more intimate parts. Loved your photos, by the way.
I teach a non-curriculum class of 15 year olds every Tuesday afternoon. Our current elective is all about Current Affairs and last week we spoke on the topic of "What makes you 'you'?" After much naval gazing I asked "Does what we're discussing make any difference at all?" Their answers were evidence of young enquiring minds attempting to find themselves while I, in my late 40's was left reflecting that I simply enjoyed watching and listening to them. Rather like your video this evening.
Thanks Alex. I'm living in Parksville on Vancouver Island, Canada.
I had to listen to this twice as it is actually such an excellent talk with so many layers! This is how I mostly do my photography. I call it opportunistic. I ride around on my bike or walk and take pictures of things that interest me for a number of reasons. Just going with the flow; flowers, insects, trees, shapes, driftwood, mud puddles (100mm of rain today), fences just anything with interesting shape, lighting, colors,......so many different things. Photography makes you really look at what is around one and makes one live in the moment. Taking that small/large item, trying to capture what one sees is always a challenge.
If someone else likes my pictures. great . if not who cares...
Thanks for the insights/encouragement and keep safe!
Loved your photos!
I do pretty much the ame, ut I think of myself as showing my (imaginary) pommy friend.
Hello from Salzburg/Austria!
One of my favorite quotes about photography is by Garry Winogrand:
»I photograph to see what the world looks like in photographs.«
Some times that just is enought!
Excellent! That’s why I call myself a “snap-shooter”. No message, no goals, no bokeh, no galleries….just enjoying taking pictures. I enjoyed your photos, Alex, thanks for sharing. Deep South, USA.
Great video again! Whitby, Ontario, Canada here! There is a fair bit of snobbery within the photographic community. We need to do more of "just because" photography. I love shooting live music performances. As you mentioned, live music is a great example of photos that are simply images without some sort of narrative.
Honestly, from past 6months watching this channel and learning from your videos, my photography has improved a lot in past 4 years. The actual photography without worrying about people and likes or anything of that sort, I'm finally free of such worldly expectations and truly enjoying the process. All of the credit goes to you. Thank you
Message from Belgium. Apart from a photographer, I'm also a writer. Telling stories is what I make a living of. A story has a beginning, a middle and an end. There's usually a protagonist (doesn't need to be human) and some sort of conflict. You can tell a story in photography if you create a series of photos, like Duane Michals or a good documentary photographer would do, but if you have a single image, you will never have more than a fragment, a sentence, a chapter at best. A single image can never be a whole story. You need context. However, as others have noted in the comments, viewers often create a context in their mind when seeing a single picture, but even that more often than not is more like some kind of emotion or meaning, and not a real story.
As a writer, who is telling stories using words, I actually love photography for its ability NOT to tell stories. As a photographer I'm attracted to things or scenes that simply exist. The fact that such things can be interesting to look at is one of the wonders of life. And what's so great about photography, is that you can capture these wonders.
How u make a living of writing??
Me too wanna do it ......but fear of no recognition and low money pulls me down. Any real life experienced advise!!
I've always photographed for myself and what others think is irrelevant, but if they like my images then that's a bonus. I've often wondered about this insistence on "story" in images, and have never really got my head around the concept. So this video speaks to me and my own feelings. Keep up the good work Alex, I'm glad I happened upon your channel a few months ago.
I am so glad to have found your channel, you are a breath of fresh air, with the conversations you create.
I admit I stopped letting people comment on my photography, and stopped joining photo clubs because a lot of the "old school guard" were like "oh, that's technically crap, I hate your images," or "why not do it this way, it looks less flat if you do it my way," "rule of thirds" and all that negative nonsense,
I never found a positive space within those groups, just because I was - at the time "new" to photography. I've tried again recently, but had to leave again, so many people think they are the only ones who are right 'cos they started when it was film photography! "you can't call yourself a photographer unless you get paid to create" and all that kind of unhelpful elitism. All that one-up-man-ship did my head in.
all our visions are unique to the individual with the camera, we all see the world differently, and i have to agree, we should create just for the fun, not all image have to have some big fancy reason/story behind it. we should enjoy our art for how we want to create, and have fun, brings us joy. EXCELLENT VIDEO, THANKYOU
Calvin just keep going and keep doing what you want to do and ignore people who don't see what you see.
@@catmonkey6826 exactly, i really enjoy, actually love photography and taking pics, just have fun with it all. and have fun creating
Lets relax! Be in the moment and have fun while taking great photos! Another great conversation Alex, thank you ever so much!!!
I'm so happy to have discovered this channel!! How liberating your advice is and I love getting exposure to images from artists I may have never known existed!
Thank you so much! 💖
Checking in from Denham Springs Louisiana. My photographs rarely tell a "story", at least to my mind. I guess that, if taken as a whole, my work would say something about me as a person, and the way that I perceive the world, but I don't concern myself too much with whether or not my photos "speak" to the viewer. They make me happy, and that's all that really matters.
Hi, I am an American photojournalist, retired, living in Shanghai, PRC. I enjoy your work--keep it up!
Atlanta GA. (City of Kennesaw)
THANK YOU!! I’ve just gotten back into photography after a 3 decade hiatus and I’ve been SWAMPED with all the technical aspects that I’d gotten frustrated and considered just doing something else with my creative energy.
Then, I found you.
Now I feel like all I really need to “do” outside of taking pictures is to watch a few of your videos every once in a while to get my head space right again.
I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH!🙏🏻✌🏻👊🏻
Sometimes, a photo is just literally a photo of something-I may have taken it because it reminds me of something else or just because I like the aesthetics of the object-my best friend gets frustrated with me and asks ‘But what does it mean? Why did you photograph this or that object?’ Telling him I just like the shape of the object is unsatisfactory, but it’s as simple as that-no story-just it was there and I thought to photograph it.
Hi, I’m from the States. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VLOG!! I am so glad you did this important vlog and this is why.
While I think most styles of photography are great, I am most attracted to landscape and nature in particular. Lately, channels seem to be inundating us with “telling the story“; they say if you want to be a good photographer you must have a story. I appreciate the story aspect in photography, I really do. However, I’m so sick of hearing about it on many channels.
Some rather popular photography channels have become snobbish about it, critiquing compositions that they think have failed to tell a story. It now all seems like a fad, a fast click bait title on vlogs. I think they’re ruining storytelling photography by overemphasizing it.
You stated that the story interpretation is subjective, you’re absolutely correct. I once saw a gorgeous composition from a popular RUclipsr. My reaction to the shot was spender and awe, it was beautiful. Yet, some other people said they felt fear, dread or sadness which was not the photographer’s “story” when he took the picture.
I tried it and I found ALWAYS looking for “the story“ annoying. It stifled my creativity. As you stated, I lost the joy of seeing, reacting, being in the moment and capturing that moment because it meant something to me. It seriously began to affect my love and enjoyment for this beautiful art form, which I find to be priceless. Storytelling is not what sparked my love for photography.
I’m so glad you stated that your photography is personal, it certainly is for me. Now having endured over a decade of significant health challenges and fighting for my life, photography is that peaceful, joyful outlet for me. It began during a very painful time because my wonderful husband bought me a camera.
Photography enables me to have moments when I can leave all of my cares. It is a form of therapy for me, a true gift. It helps me to become still, to appreciate the wonder of life and the beautiful things on this splendid planet. My photography is one of the things that helps me to remain grateful. I can’t let the focus of storytelling and “rules” ruin it.
So, I decided to ditch the storytelling! If I see a story - fine, but I don’t look for it. While I endeavor to improve as a photographer, I don’t let all of the rules and requirements of others impede on my joyful experience of shooting.
Because of my decision, my skill level will only ever at best be considered as an enthusiast and I’m fine with it. The gift that photography gives to me means more than what other people will think of my work. Because my amazing husband wanted to encourage me (and he likes my work), he asked me to pick my favorite shots and said they will be the only pictures on our walls. So I take pictures, do big prints of our favorites, we put them on our walls and smile.
Thank you again for this vlog and your challenge of putting aside storytelling. I think a lot of photographers will find it quite liberating, I know I do.
My partner bought me a Nikon camera this last Christmas because he noticed how much I was enjoying taking photos with my Phone camera. It has taken me 3 months of learning how to take photos on the Nikon to get even close to the fun I had with my phone camera. Halfway through this process I considered selling the Nikon. I am.challanged with the technology and the process. But I love learning, and I love taking my camera with me on a hike or bike ride...and I like technology. So, I am sticking with it. But I am really glad I found your channel. Thank you for all of this, your content is a gift.
As an illustrator, I have always acknowledged much of the symbolism in an illustration is created in the mind of the viewer. The artist isn't always consciously aware of the subtle story telling he or she is putting into the picture, if it is there at all. Now retired, I'm exploring photography and I'm sure the same presence or absence of symbolism applies when using a camera instead of paint. Greetings from Indiana in the USA. Thoroughly enjoying your channel.
I took some photography related classes many years ago at a local college. One professor was very intent on brow-beating us with the narrative driven, story focused, conceptual photography approach and would outright reject anything else. It would've been one thing if he allowed that approach among many, but he didn't. It felt really stifling, because my aim with my photography was always to simply be in the moment, enjoy where I was and what I saw, and capture on camera whatever I felt would translate well into a photograph, involving whatever subject matter interested me. I do it because it satisfies me, and it's something I want to do. A lot of what I photograph is often not photographed by other people, so I also feel a sort of urgency to create the exact kinds of images I personally want to see, in the way I want to see them.
I will add this too: one of my images from long ago recently got selected to be in in a photo exhibition, and was chosen because it illustrates the narrative that the curators had in mind. You can in fact imbue deeper meaning and find story in an image that was shot by a photographer who wasn't necessarily thinking about it. Or as they usually say: "a picture says a thousand words".
For me, non-story mages stay with you most when they communicate something of the personality of the photographer - when the photographer seems like they might be an interesting person to know - that's not always about fun, just a way of seeing the world and noticing things about it - but the borderline between story and non-story in non-contrived images is pretty diffuse at best, I'd say. :)
Your RUclips channel is my sanity retreat in the world of photography.
Oldham, Greater Manchester here, been shooting 'with intent' 2.5yrs, only just found your channel, really enjoying. Sensible measured content. Love it.
Thank you! It’s easy to feel that I have to have meaning to my photographs. But, I started photography to capture my love of nature.
Let’s do it… Let’s just have fun with taking pictures… I am all in!
Hi. I'm Art from Toledo Ohio USA...I enjoy photography for the pure joy of taking pictures...Sometimes, I may tell a story or evoke a feeling , but many times, being a nature photographer, I try to help others see what they might be missing in nature by not slowing down & taking in all the views...This is where my joy comes.
From Ohio, USA.. I remember when I got my first Kodak Istamatic camera when I was ten years old, I just took pictures of my toys and friends. So much fun!
Hello from Southampton, Massachusetts…I always get joy and creative after watching your videos. Thank you for always saying the things we should be saying. Just create what you want not for others just for yourself and the pure joy of photography.
Spot on. There's no more need to tell a story than there is to follow any of the silly "rules" of composition. Also, one can also easily be too deliberate in their image making. I'm not advocating sloppiness, but one can benefit form loosening up a bit. It was snowing yesterday here in Michigan (US), so I took advantage of the partially snow-covered woodlands and got some great images, carefully positioning and setting my "A" camera to optimize (most of) my shots. Today, I brought a "B" camera on a dog walk which forced me to do more "shooting from the hip," which can be more freeing, as you're not thinking too much about the process--you're just recording images "on autopilot." A cursory review revealed similar results from the different approaches/cameras (but it's a small sample size). I really appreciate the channel and will subscribe (something I rarely do), as you tend to reinforce my philosophy while providing great insights.
This came at the right time after a meltdown yesterday over a bad shoot, and what's the point anyways. What's the point.... is what racks my brain, and I forget about the joy of just taking images.. for me. What a concept. Thank you.
Dear Alex hello from Katerini, Greece, a small town at the footsteps of the mighty Mt Olympus. Thank you kindly for your thought provoking and knowledge sharing content. I had this exactly topic in a conversation with a few fellow amateur photographers here in my home town and it all came down to the feeling of being free when you click that shutter button. I found out that I shoot for me as a psychotherapy from the world and the mundane daily routine. Sometimes I write small essays that I try to enrich with my photos in my blog while other times I shoot for the shear pleasure of enjoying the moment and the art of picture taking with no meaning of purpose or any damn philosophy behind the image. So once again thank you for encouraging me and everyone else on your channel to shoot for life itself and celebrate the whole process.
Totally agree with what you said! It's about enjoying the moments and having fun! It's about you and how you interpret your surroundings, it doesn't need a story, we all see the world differently ! I've been influenced by my father and he enjoyed photography but some photos he took really resonated with me, just family photos in an album, picnics, birthdays, special occasions....memories of the past! Hi from Perth Australia 😊👍👍 ...... Keep up the good work as your videos are inspirational ✌.
I'm watching you from France. I live in a forest, not far from Paris. Talking about your assignment, it's certainly the best way to enjoy talking pictures. It reminds me a movie, One hour photo, with Robin Williams. The problem is that, no matter how you take your pictures, you need to have something smart to tell if you want to show them, and especially if you want someone to show them for you... It can be frustrating but it's understandable.
Love this message, Alex. I was feeling really stuck in my photography recently, and I realized it was because I was putting pressure on myself to get something amazing whenever I'd go out photoing. Sitting from my perch in a very small town and seeing colleagues posting big city images, I also felt envy, that I had to be somewhere I wasn't to get a great image. So I took a few hours, went downtown with my camera, and focused on patterns. Not trying to get images to share or print, but just for the joy of seeing and capturing my surroundings in a different way. It was fabulous fun. The images don't have a story, but they do please me greatly. I'm so glad you shared some of your own images, because I could see and feel the same thing - that there's something about lines, angles, shadows, minimalism, symmetry and asymmetry, that's very pleasing and satisfying. Sometimes, a scene or an image is just *cool*, and that's the "story." Thanks for another great video! (I'm in Muskegon, Michigan)
Perth, Australia. You are the voice of sanity sir. Thank you.
I'm a born again photog. Been away from it for about 45 years. Never got the story or meaning thing. When I look through my lens I photograph what catches my eye and hope someone else finds it as pleasing or interesting as I did. Love B&W and nature and macro. Live In PA USA.
Greetings from New Jersey Alex! As we say here in America, you're preaching to the choir. I create my work for the pleasure of it. If my photograph happens to tell a story, great. If not, it's not the end.
Thanks for sharing Alex and all the best!
Hi Alex. My name is Elijah and I am based in London UK. Been into image making of some form since teens, now at middle life making an effort to be more consistent. Your channel is expanding my concept of photography and introducing me to such a wide variety of first class work, for which I am very grateful 🙏🏾
Thank you so much.
Thank you for this. I don’t subscribe to this what’s the story behind the image philosophy. So images are just great without needing waffle about the story within the image. Have to add I love your photography, that’s the style I’d love to able to emulate.
Bruce from Mississauga, Canada here. Hi! :-)
I want to say too that I really like your photography. You have an aesthetic that resonates with me. Cheers!
Great video! I definitely share that feeling "do your own thing". As a fact I am so drawn by the aesthetics of the composition that trying to squeeze a story out of what I see feels like a distraction from what I am doing.
Cheers Alex. I'm an Australian living in Poland.
Firstly, thanks for your work - it's really great to have a platform that speaks to photographic creation rather than only the technicalities and technologies.
When I look at your images in this video, what I see may not have meaning in the sense of 'story', but that isn't the same thing as not being 'meaningful'. To me, your images have an aesthetic - a pleasing, maybe we could say beautiful, interplay of geometry, colour, light and dark juxtaposition and so on. A photo is meaningful for me when it either has a story to tell (one that I can read), or it has a certain aesthetic that I can relate to - and even more so if it combines both. I can recognise when someone else's photograph 'speaks' to me, but where I am in trouble is seeing that in my own photographs.
This is the best advice yet in all these youtube tips and tricks of photography.
Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. I have gone from happy snapper, to 30 years as a pro. back to the fun of photography for the sheer pleasure of using such a wonderful tool. I still find it a magical experience to point and shoot, mostly in the direction of my grandchildren in their every day activities. I had to leave my local camera club because of what you have talked about, which is so incestuous and limiting with the judges not understanding why a certain photograph has been submitted. 10/10.
Don't forget to have FUN with your photography... That's exactly the message I posted on my Flickr account a couple of days ago, accompanied with an oddball photo which I took just for the fun of shooting with an oddball lens.
Watching from North Carolina, USA. I love your videos. They are helping me a lot right now to regain the joy of photography.
Thanks so much from Hermanus South Africa...I am in a place where I have started shooting to please the club judge and not myself. This was really refreshing!
Hello, I’m in America. Alabama to be exact. I started at a young age with a cheap camera. Didn’t take many photos while our kids were growing up but picked up the camera again a few years ago. I shoot with a Nikon d3400. Last year I had photos published is about 20 different magazine issues. This year I didn’t try as hard to get published but did have three photos make it to covers. I’m still learning something at every shoot and having fun
Greetings from Macedonia. Your videos are pure gold for photography. I really like your channel.
Hello,
I’m watching from Indianapolis Indiana. Stumbled on to your videos simply by accident and happen to enjoy the wisdom/knowledge shared.
Agreed. Pics that tell a story are often fabulous but the idea that a pic needs to tell a story is often overhyped.
Hi from Donegal Ireland. Thanks for another brilliant video about taking photos just for the enjoyment of it.
Enjoyed this very much because it is where I am at the moment in my photography. I finally quit taking images to make others happy. I am not making images for me if someone else likes them that is ok too. I was at a point of wanting to hang up my camera this was like a new breath of life here. thank you so much.
Hi from Cape Town. This is BRILLIANT! Has really got me thinking. …. My photography needed it. 🙏🏻
This is just what I wanted to hear. I like taking photographs of anything that takes my fancy. Unusual or funny etc. I just want to enjoy clicking away. Loving your videos 😊
Thank you for watching.
Watching from Dublin. So glad I found your channel. Mind stirred and that’s a great thing!
This is the best advice I’ve heard in a long time.
Hi from Hungary, Alex. Thank you so much for the excellent vlog. I'd learned so many things about photography from you... Keep it like this, please.
A most interesting video. I agree with so much of what you said and it is the main reason why I dropped out of photography clubs (one in particular). It was all about judging your work, themes that one had to adhere to etc, etc.
Everyone striving for perfection and following the rules of composition etc, etc.
I quit doing that am having fun seeing what I see and shooting it. Cheers!
here from jamaica. BLESS UP YOURSELF ALEX
My first camera when I was 5 or 6 was a Kodak box.
My end of studies was architecture photography and I took pictures (with a sinar camera) of interesting points of view for me, and while the jury's comment on them I had no clue what they were speaking about.
Are you walking all the time with a camera? I don't and use my phone to take pictures.
Today I live in Israel but originally from Belgium.
Howzit lol typical South African greeting. I have recently stumbled upon your stream. It is wonderful thank you.
When a little kid shows you what they created with crayon or paint on paper, it may look like just scribbles to you. But the worst thing you can do is reply, "Nice, but what IS it? To this budding artist the work is an expression of the fun they had creating it. To them it just IS! That's what a photograph should be for us - the expression of the "phun" we had when we pressed the shutter to cature what we saw. Thanks for this video.
hi alex! i found ur channel a fair few months ago, but somehow it got lost on my youtube subscriptions, but i just remembered about it and how awesome and helpful it is! definitely the most informative photography channel on youtube 👍😁 anyway, my name's max and i'm from southampton in england originally. however, i have just moved back to a small country town in the south west of western australia, which is where i grew up. we moved to england when i was 10, and now me and my family have moved back to australia and i'm 19. i've been photographing seriously for a couple of years now, but have always been interested in it from a very young age. now that i live back in Australia , i am trying to figure out how to take good landscape images. over the last couple months i have taken so many photos of the beautiful beaches here, but the other day i came to realise that i have gotten so carried away with my photography , that 90% of my images of late all look the same ! 😂 have u any tips of landscape photography ? if i remember rightly u talked about ur experience of photographing landscapes in South Africa ? - would love to hear more!
I love just photographing things in front of me. If they tell a story - so be it. If they don't - not a big deal.
I love your videos. They help me a great deal in one way or the other. it lets me know that whatever I'm doing is okay even if nobody else gets it that alone gives me knowledge as well
HEY FROM MELBOURNE FLORIDA, ITS GREAT TO SEE SOMEONE TALK ABOUT HAVING FUN WHEN TAKEING PHOTOS, ITS LIKE YOU SAID BE IN THE MOMENT, HAVE FUN AND INJOY THE ADVENTURE.
Greatly appreciated this video…. THANK YOU. I love photography because it makes me “See” differently. I go out with my camera and just look at what is in front of me… or to the side of me. Never is there a story. Reviewing my work I have to admit there is never a story. Going through my collection of photos I had to ask myself “What is it I am doing?” I came to the realization that thru my photos I am showing the viewers a world that they may not have seen as they rush through life. They ordinary…. but exquisite ….. little world that is just there. Such beauty that is taken for granted. So THANK YOU again and Hello from Minnesota, USA.
First off: I very much enjoyed your photos, thanks for sharing. I especially enjoyed this video, as one who struggles with this. I dwell on Ansel Adams’ quote that “12 significant photos in a year is a good crop”, which I stress over my inability to make “significant” images for all the beard-stroking folk watching my Instagram. I recently came across another Ansel Adams quote that I’m trying to focus on instead: “ I never know in advance what I will photograph,… I’ll go out into the world and hope I will come across something that imperatively interests me.” Even if I never shoot a SIGNIFICANT photo, I find so much joy making images the “imperatively interests me”.
Thanks! You just discribed my way to taking pictures. Of what I think is beatufull at the moment, in my surrounding in everyday life.
5:46 … this reminds me of two of my favorite drawings by R. Crumb… an old man is seeing a buxom winged angel in a school girl outfit, he says “Okay, I’m done, I’ve had enough, I’m ready to go.” She replies, “Hop on, we’ll go right out the window.” The next drawing, the old man is riding on her back above the house with the open window and asks, “where are we going?” She says, “Don’t worry, you’re going to love it!” ❤
Thank you for the thoughts. I completely agree. I rarely have a story behind my photos. I want to capture the person in the moment. I am in Utah.
The main complaint I had doing my Photography Degree was having to explain what my photos, sorry I mean images, actually meant and represented. It depressed me so much that it took 9 years before I took a photo just for me.
Thanks for your thoughts, Alex and also for sharing some of your photos. Both were enjoyed and appreciated. Writing to you from the longitudinal center of Canada, in snowy Manitoba.
I like how you do your photography videos, I find them entertaining...thank you
Back in the days when I did it for a living, you worked to a brief, you had to deliver. But these days it is for fun and with all types of genres, it's enjoyable, I am there to please me not others.
Thanks for helping me to have fun with photography again, great though provoking channel from New Zealand
Hello from Mexico, I’m really enjoying your talks… thank you very much
Just loved this video and especially seeing some of your photography. The man in the trench coat on the escalator, with the wild color socks, made me laugh. I enjoy your perspective very much and thank you for provoking me to think in ways I might never have! I watch from the state of Pennsylvania in the USA.
*watches this video
*goes off and takes photographs of pretty flowers
*feels good about it
P.S. Coming to you from the suburbs just north of Toronto, Canada.
I'm so glad you differentiated between intent and story in this vide. I've always been taking photos just cause it's a fun thing to do, but these past few weeks I've wanted to tr and challenge my self and try and come up with some strokey beard type photos, or something like that. But I've had a bit of trouble with creating what I consider a story in just a single frame. And I've been wondering if any of my other photos had a story behind them. But I've just realized that I've been confusing intent with story. So that's helped me a bit alread. Not to mention showing Duane Michaels who used multiple frames to tell a story. I think I'll let the "strokey beardy" simmer for a bit and work on the story little by little while I go out and have fun with my photos
Good video, and nice to see you sharing some of your own shots!
Spain, enjoying your videos and wanting to thank you for sharing YOUR photos. It appeared that I would also have taken the same or very similar images to most of what you presented. I decided, long ago, to take the shots which please me and have never looked back.
Hi I’m 68yo. I’m from New Jersey. Only taking photos on and of for a year. It has never entered my mind to tell a story. I just photograph what looks interesting and fun for me. I have never printed any I have taken.
I don’t care if I’m technically challenged. It’s just to see and record my world. It’s for me.
Thanks so much for your videos. Wishing you all the best.
I’m in L’Ancienne-Lorette Québec Canada. Great to watch your video.
Hello from Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Thank you for the reminder not to stifle creativity. I am new to photography and am weeding through the vast range of attached skills. Gear, light, time, composition, and post-processing all require the act of snapping a picture, a story to be told or not. Mistakes are my primary learning process at the moment, but it is OK to take photos regardless.
Do not fret over the best light. Use the light you have the best way you can.
Hello, I have been taking photographs since my mom gave me her box camera. I find your talks interesting and soothing.
Hi Alex. I have only been following the channel for a couple of weeks but am loving the concept you are presenting. I live and mainly photograph what is around me in Hastings on the south coast of England. Keep up the amazing work you do.
Thank you
Thank you. Have always disliked the mentality of a “story” always having to somehow be present in every photograph.