Something Special...

Michael Ray

I have this little blog and I write articles for it every once in a while. Someone here ask me to contribute info to the site, so here ya go. I was wondering if you guys agreed with my assumption about what makes many photographers or photographs good. I think it might be a beginning to an interesting conversation. If nothing else, maybe you guys can find my typos for me…

:+)




Something Special

As you were leafing through a photography annual or a particularly good magazine, have you ever asked yourself “how in the heck did that photographer come up with that”? That lighting is astonishing! That composition is fantastic or that expression is just remarkable! How did they do that? As a photographer, how can I possibly compete with stuff like that?

I’ll tell you how they do it… The answer probably is that they simply lucked into it. It was most likely an accident of some kind. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t any better than you are. Really good photographers seem to have accidents happen all the time. As a matter of fact, they look for, even count on those “happy accidents”. They’re always searching for that “little thing” that makes this photo special. Sure, they probably have some tricks up their sleeves that have worked for them in the past, but they always have their eyes open for that little “something special” that will make this image outstanding.

If need be, a good photographer will spend that extra time searching and searching for that little something special. It might be the way the lights working, it might be something they say that makes the model react a certain way, it might even come about from a light malfunctioning. You just never know where that something special will come from, but more times than not, the professionals will keep their eyes and their minds focused on finding the little accident that shows up when you least expect it.

Those same accidents often happen to “lesser photographers”. The thing is that they aren’t trained to notice it when it happens and end up ignoring or even “fixing” those amazing accidents. That’s what makes them “lesser”.

Keep your eyes open and your brain working. There’s nothing in this world like a “happy accident”.

It’s something special.

Scott_Quier

Stipulating for a moment that great photographs happen "by accident" (something that I'm not willing to accept long-term), I think you might add some additional punch to your article if you reinforce the paragraph beginning with "Those same accidents often happen to" with something to the effect that it is the great photograph that not only notices "the little thing" but is also prepared (he has is equipment with him and is mentally and physically ready) to capitalize on it - he/she has his camera with him/her and is ready to record the event. The lesser photographer may or may not see the event, but will also not be prepared to the extent necessary to capture the moment.

Michael Ray

Scott_Quier wrote:

Stipulating for a moment that great photographs happen "by accident" (something that I'm not willing to accept long-term), I think you might add some additional punch to your article if you reinforce the paragraph beginning with "Those same accidents often happen to" with something to the effect that it is the great photograph that not only notices "the little thing" but is also prepared (he has is equipment with him and is mentally and physically ready) to capitalize on it - he/she has his camera with him/her and is ready to record the event. The lesser photographer may or may not see the event, but will also not be prepared to the extent necessary to capture the moment.

All good points.

Thanks