Over a billion people have stand alone cameras or phones equipped with camera, and the world is awash in digital images… conservative estimates are 14 trillion photos per year! What are all these photographs about? Let’s speculate about some common ones:
- Family and friends
- Selfies documenting activities, trips etc.
- Documenting activities and objects observed
- Artistic expressions
- and so on… just look at Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram
I’ve done all of the above with either an iPhone, a pocket camera (rare nowadays) or a pro-type DSLR Digital Single Lens Reflex); however, the most gratifying are the artistic expressions that I try to create using the camera.
Using a DSLR, for me, is a craft in how the technology of a moderately complex mechanism is brought to bear on a subject, along with the associated post-processing software. But most importantly, it is a medium for creative self-expression.
Creative self-expression is where the rubber meets the road. It’s a combination of the eye for a composition and the execution of a vision by effective use of the craft. Most importantly, I think, for effective creative self-expression one is best served by having something to say with the image. This can be seen on Tumblr, where the most effective photographers exhibit a thematic sensibility with their images. In other words, the most effective photographers have something to say with their photographs about a particular subject. That’s not to say that photographers need to limit themselves to a single subject; however, flitting around all over the place does not give viewers a sense for your identity as a photographer.
For me, one of the best example for what I have to say involves tall grass prairie wildflowers. The countryside of Iowa, where I live is dotted with restored prairies and some ancient relic locations that have existed for thousand of years. Every summer, the prairies bloom an incredible variety of flowers which are quite fun to photograph using close-up or macro techniques.
When a thematic area is addressed in detail, one’s eye may develop to the point of creating a relatively unique view and expression of the subject to the point that a reputation for expertise is developed. For example, I’ve been requested to shoot prairie images for my university’s Tall Grass Prairie Center!
Get proficient and create a body large enough and then you can do an art show… share what you have to say about a subject! Below is an art show of my prairie and landscape (another favorite subject) photographs at our local downtown coffee shop.
Let me wrap up here as this blog entry may be getting too long… Many times I’ve heard others say “I’d like to get into photography”… Here’s what you do: get a camera, learn how to use it, take photographs and demonstrate what you have to say about a subject!