Light

I went to a meeting last night of the Guelph Photograpers Guild (GPG) where we watched a DVD on Portrait Lighting, and I got to thinking about a number of things.  I am not a fan of non-commercial portraits, not interested in shooting them, sitting for them, or looking at them, and I really don't understand the draw of non-commercial portraiture.  I don't mind a contextualized portrait with the subject in an appropriate environment, but just sitting on a chair with a gaggle of lights seems so contrived.  Or sets of portraits, supported and united with a vision, something greater than the image, I enjoy that.  One-off images, or those without purpose, just seem flat and empty.   I just find that when you are photography a person you are asking them to make a contribution to your image, and having a purpose makes the process a little more respectful.  Often, people-shooters speak at great lengths about capturing an authentic quality of being associated with their subject.  They try to use their photography to present a greater Truth about the person.  I think you can capture and authentic quality of being to a moment, one where the image evokes the same response as when the subject was viewed, but I think far too often that moment is miscontrued as the subject's personality.  How can you attempt to tell someone's Truth when most someone's don't even know their own Truth? 

The DVD also talked about light, how it is the most important tool the photographer had.  Well, I scoffed openly because light is what it is, your eye, your brain, and your heart are the most important tools you have.  Maybe this is where some of gender differences surface in photography.   Men, I find are more interested in control lighting situation, and women, in my experience, aren't nearly as a constrained when it comes to making images with whatever light is at the scene.

I bought a magazine yesterday with an interesting article by Darwin Wiggit about Trophy Hunters v. Immersion Shooters which looks to be an interesting read.