PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT CREATIVE...
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2016
- But you can be. Lets talk about creative thinking and what that means.
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My name is Ted Forbes and I make videos about photography. I’ve been making photographs most of my life and I have a tremendously deep passion for photography that I want to share with you on CZcams.
The Art of Photography is my channel and I produce photography videos to provide a 360 degree look into the world of making images. We all want to get better so lets do this together!
I make videos covering famous photographers, photography techniques, composition, the history of photography and much more.
I also have a strong community of photographers who watch the show and we frequently do social media challenges for photographers to submit their own work. I feature the best and most interesting on the show when we do these so come check it out and get involved! - Věda a technologie
This I feel drops right into your train of thought.
" He who works with his hands is a labourer.
He who works with is hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and head and his heart is an artist."
Francis of Assisi
I teach digital photography to a small class of high functioning ddd young adults. they are on the Downs syndrome and autistic spectrum. I have taught the he basic relationship among ISO, shutter speed and f stop. The work that they give me is original, insightful and imaginative. No "sunrise over the Grand canyon " of flower petals, but interesting. In October of 2016, I will integrate their work into an exhibit contrasting the work that they did on their first visit to Newark with work done by local pros. I hope that they will give the audience a definition of expressive creativity. By the way; no mention will be made in the program of any disabilities. The quality of their work stand alone. This is going to be fun.
thanks for this post. I have watched it 4 times and it still keeps me pondering
I think that's amazing Timothy - hats off!!! I really respect what you're doing.
If you saw the work that they are giving me, you would be amazed and even happier. These young people have no expectations of what we want. I find it incredibly difficult to do work that is even vaguely original. Theses guys give me new stuff every Wed.. I very much appreciate your response. Pleases remember; It's there work, not mine. I give direction and I may crop a shot but, it's theirs.
Thanks again
tim for artfrontgalleries.com
Sounds like a incredibly rewarding programme Timothy. I will have to look into seeing if there is such a programme here that I could donate my time to helping out with.
Thanks, Andrew. What I did was write a proposal and present it to local organizations who worked with hi functioning young adults, the local JCC or YMCA, there may be a chapter of a group call Arts Unbound near you. I actually get paid $45 and hour to do this but that's mostly because the State of NJ is notoriously absent in these areas. If you are interested, let me know and I'll send my proposal. You can use it with whatever changes ay apply to your geographic location.
Hi, Julia. Three of them have work in a show in Newark, NJ, right now.
We opened last Friday night. Not a huge turnout but we actually got people from the comparative "rich" suburbs to turn out. There was no distinction made between their works and works of other artists from Newark. Jessica Coleman and Logan Thoelen sold works. We have posted some things on the Artfront galleries Facebook page and artfrontgalleries.com. One of them, Andrew Weatherly, has shown paintings in London and NYC. I feel privileged to be his photography instructor. If you would like, I'd give you a Google Drive link to folders where I have stored their work
What really keeps me from getting out and take pictures is that I'm super insecure and I get shy when I take photos around people. I know it seems stupid but that's a real problem for me.
Same here! I wish I could do so much more street photography but when I do actually get the chance I never can because of anxiety. I wish I could learn what to do to start getting out of that.
I had this problem. I am not really a photographer. I dont have any fancy equipment etc. Most of the time I use my phone wich has an ok camera.
For me it was just a matter of clicking photos again and again until people don't notice me anymore. At this point I am not influenced by them seeing me. They no longer care. Then I can really go crazy without being looked at etc. If people ignore me like that it helps me to capture real moments. This is easiest to do with people you know. The moment they stop looking at me or the camera comes sooner when I am with friends.
+pop pop This is harder to do if you just want to capture outside in public places.
Find a busy corner and just stand there till you feel comfortable. Start putting the camera to your eye and you will see how little or rarely people notice or care. The more relaxed you are in public the closer you get to people without any issues. Shooting everyday helps you gain more confidence and be less self-conscious.
For me it was absolutely getting the right tool for the job. I used to use (and still love) my Olympus film SLRs, the OM10 and the OM2n specifically. The problem is, they look like cameras. More than that, they look like big, loud, professional cameras that people notice. Then one of my uncles gave me an Olympus XA2 and it has completely changed how I shoot.
First of all it's tiny, which means I take it everywhere. It's totally black so it doesn't catch the eye as much and it's completely non-threatening. When someone sees me taking a picture they either don't notice or they assume it's a holiday snap. And yet it's got one of the sharpest lenses of any compact camera! The way the lens is set up is inspired as well, it's a 35mm 3.5 which sounds a tad slow but it basically means that for 99% of all my pictures it's set on the "mid focus" point and everything is in focus!
Anyway, I'm gushing, but sometimes it can be about the tool for the job. And what's more, if I go out with my bigger SLRs now I feel far less self-conscious about taking pictures than I used to.
Ted, I think you might have stumbled upon something here that would very much be interesting. You have all these people in the creative world who are artists like ones who draw, paint or ones who are graphic designers like you mentioned. You also have interior designers and architectural designers and much more. These are all people who use creative thinking. It would be SO interesting if you really could get some of these on the show and give them a camera and a task. That would really be fun.
Great video as always Ted. I've been struggling in the creativity department for a while now so I've really just been watching a lot of these kind of videos in hopes I can get some kind of creativity back.
good idea
How do I go about looking at other mediums. I would love to get into paintings and contemporary art and all that good stuff. But I don't know where to start.
Ted - WOW - I am deeply moved by your video AND how much you got from what I was sharing in the #AskTheRabbi AND how you wove it into your own perspective. I love your idea and would really be open to having further discussions about creativity. Similar to lessons from the wilderness, there are profound lessons on creativity from the stories of creation. You may be particularly interested in the Kabbalistic notion of creation which is all about light :) which i know is a BIG DEAL in photography. Let's keep talking and THANK YOU - I can't get over how you put this together and are bringing a new thing forward. I'm IN! Can I be one of your non-photographers?
Of course Jill! Thanks!
How was this divisive?
Weaving spirituality into our creative process has been around since art began. It doesn't have to be divisive, it can also be unifying - show us our common ground. Also, using spirituality as a *source* of creativity doesn't mean the outcome has to be blatantly religious - it can just speak to our humanity. Just my 2c worth.
Religion can be divisive when approached with a closed mind. But there are many fables from every religion that can be used as a metaphor such as the great example in the video. When used as you have here, and approached with an open mind, there are great lessons to learn from all religions. Thank you for the work that you do and the thought you put into your photography.
These are exactly the conversations that can push you in a new direction! I'm glad to see the differences in opinion that the base of this channel have, as someone who has been a long time follower of The art of photography I would love to see more of this. Thank you +Jenny FTOL for bringing a different point of view to the conversation.Now I would love to see an image capturing the division and alienation of man through the filter of a religious theme, and better yet a third party response to said work! I may be an idealist but I find this difference in thought beautiful. thank you Jenny and thank you ted!
Bored? Burned out? Feeling uninspired? Shrooms :)
(seriously)
I tried assignments on my channel a couple of years ago. It was ok. But I'm looking forward to what you come up with. Count me in, Ted!
I'm a loner. That's why photography and I work really well together. Admittedly though sometimes I have a hard time liking my own photography. In the end that doesn't matter really. What matters most is that on that day I got out of bed, made my mind up to go out, grab my camera and shoot the city, the streets, the people, something, anything. Then I come home and force myself to unload my sd card onto my pc. I can't let those photos sit in that card otherwise I'll procrastinate and avoid them for days.
Now I'm working those photos over, looking at what I shot, what I missed, what I accidentally captured.
My point is photography is a process in which we all sort of follow, personally. From start to finish it's how that act of photographing, something, anything, defines what we were that day; a living, breathing, actively creative set of individuals.
And that's my point, the proof of it all is not the photograph, surely that's the end result, but the real proof of my efforts is in the act of doing what is most difficult for a lot of us, continually living a life which actively records time and space, and the light that shines there upon it because that means the world to us. We capture our lives and the lives of others because that gives us meaning. That's worth the struggle and sometimes desperate efforts in photography, music, writing, in all art, really. It does for me anyway.
Thanks for the ongoing inspiration. I always look forward to your videos because maybe I'll discover another angle at looking at art & photography, one which might reveal something I never thought I could understand or appreciate before.
I've been a professional photographer for 30 some years now and just recently I've been trying to get that passion I had in the beginning back. I feel like I've been in the wilderness. Your video's have challenge me to think differently and have been helping rekindle that fire. I'm looking forward to the photo assignments.
My wife and I get stuck replicating other photographers instead of creating more original work. I think it would be amazing to have interviews from other creatives.
I think it would be very interesting to have non-photographers take part in forming the assignments.
Musicians and writers could be interesting as they are creating mental images from other than visual media.
Artists like painters and sculpters are cool, but still work within the realm of visual imagery, so the difference in thought process would not that big.
Excellent suggestion!
This is a great suggestion. I would love to get other creative/artistic thoughts as well. I spend a lot of time on photography related websites and books and I could use other perspectives. Especially when dealing with the pitfalls and hangups that we all deal with.
+The Art of Photography By the way, Ted, I like the perspective of this new approach, you are brewing. To be honest, I kind of think your videos lately have missed something that the older ones have. I feared for the future of this channel. But this could be the spark, I have been missing from you. So please run with it, it will be awesome!
Ted, you are spot on. I'm genuinely frustrated with the amount of garbage on youtube when it comes to photography. There is only so much that "gear talk" can do. It doesn't help people who are starting out get into thinking about why they are making photographs. It's much easier for them to be drawn in to those distractions, such as which lens or camera they used. Whilst understanding the technical aspects of photography is certainly important in fulfilling what you want to achieve creatively, it is not essential. It doesn't help you to fulfil your creative vision. There aren't many people on CZcams talking about this aspect of photography and in my opinion it is the most important part of the process of making a photograph. I'm glad that you are on here and I hope that beginners stumble across your channel before they get to the ones that just talk about megapixels, lens sharpness and bokeh.
This is something I would love to see. Cross pollinating vision, perspective, backgrounds, ideologies...it's a rabbit hole of endless discoveries. Can't wait to see how it evolves!
Talking and interacting with creative minds/bodies is always refreshing and a great learning opportunity. Obviously people tend to think about other kinds of (non-photographer) _artists_. I'd like to suggest you broaden this a little bit, to also include _scientists_ and _researchers_.
Being (also) a researcher myself, I can attest that doing research is a creative endeavor, and involves its own kind of artistry as well. And you'll find that photography is often a shared passion among them too!
For years, I watched other competitors in the corporate video production industry arriving at shoots wearing dress shirts and suits... I took a little flak from some people for showing up in a t-shirt, black North Face vest, and jeans. Though because of what my competitors wore, they never got down on the ground with their camera, laid in the dirt, or climbed up into dusty spaces... they just showed up, put their camera on a tripod and did the same thing they did before. I'd always be pushing for something different, and putting a lot of deliberate thought into how to make a shot more interesting... and so I think a big part of being creative comes from regularly pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone, experimenting, and developing the foresight to be able to see (to a certain degree) new permutations in our mind before we even press the shutter or hit record... then have the discipline to follow it through and just make it work somehow. As always, love hearing your perspective Ted, and would totally watch! Your content's already helping me think differently, and more of that would be great :)
My problem is that I am sort of stuck in one location, due to health and wealth problems. It's getting tougher to see the artistic, compelling photograph in an area that I have mined for years for the good stuff.
My issue is having to work two jobs to get a daughter out of college so my time is limited. And Ted's AoP is a Godsend in helping me when I do get out with my cameras. I do get to plug into the web at one job and can listen to Ted with an occasional peak at times. So any help or inspiration is more than welcome.
Really love the home macro, I got me some extension tubes and love trying out different things, though really basic stuff atm. I might try building different scenes and backgrounds for the photos, some better lighting is on the cards once I can get them financed. .
How about working with forced perspective or alternative viewpoints? It can change the subject in ways that you may not have seen before. I showed a friend a few pictures that I took. One was eye level, one was waist level, and one was around about 1ft from the ground. The ground shot was the most interesting, because it made the subject seem massive and gave it a more prominent stance in the shot. (It was a truck.)
Just because you see something doesn't mean you can't start looking at it with new eyes.
I know what you mean, I´m stuck in a small town with a time eating job and a small child. Creative still life is a really cool way to keep on photographing when your stuck at home. You can get a lot of cheap props at the thrift store and build whole worlds on your kitchen table :-)
Thanks everyone, you all have some superb ideas for me to try out. Looking forward to some assignments now from Ted. :)
Wishing everyone a wonderful day.
I can fully relate to this video. 5 years ago all I took pictures of was flowers and stuff, in my eyes at the time it was cool, but looking back it seems so amateur. Moving from digital to film made me really think about composition and framing rather than finding a different flower. I liked the Rabbi story as well.
Thank you. (from The Rabbi )
Remember, Professional is who gets their income from the work they do, that is counted as 51% of the income to be professional. Professional doesn't mean that you are skilled, talented or good even, just that you get paid.
Amateur is latin, and it means "Loving to do it", and most often amateurs are far more skilled, talented and better than professionals, but difference is that they don't get paid from what they do.
Many most famous photographers, like Henri Cartier Bresson has said that they consider themselves as amateurs, instead professionals:
“25 years have passed since I started to look through my view-finder. But I regard myself still as an amateur, though I am still no longer a dilettante.”
So what is the difference between an “amateur” and a “dilettante”? An amateur is someone who does something for the love of it, whereas a “dilettante” is a person who is interested in something “…without real commitment or knowledge".
I would say that many, if not most camera owners are dilettante, but not amateurs. Even most professionals doesn't have the amateurism in their work.
And after all, Olympics were for amateurs only, meaning you couldn't get paid for training or give any other benefits making you equal between all. Then they allowed professionalism and Olympics has gone since then.
I have been isolated for almost a week in Madrid. I Am living alone and days can be very long when you can not go out to meet your friends and loved ones. This was actually how I came along this Chanel. Photography is one of my many passions and I have decided to take advantage of all this free time I have now to start again to get back into it. I am happy to hear about this idea. I think hard times makes creativity come to life in the best way possible. Some of the most meaningful work in fine arts, music, cinema had been developed during very traumatic times.
Thank so much for you great work and for helping to make these long days easier to deal with.
Ted after watching this video, I'm more enthused than ever to work with you & our assignments. THIS will help me grow more than anything else as an artist trying to be a photographer.
I think a common stumbling block is subject. The way to get interesting photographs is to stand in front of interesting things. This means that you often saturate your interest on certain subjects, or do not have the time or money to go travelling to go to places to explore more. Other hang ups tend can just be around the effort - so it takes conscious decisions to get out and take photos. It takes even more to process your photos (selecting the ones you want, processing in lightroom, some photoshop etc) it all adds up. I almost think this is why people get so obsessed with gear... the new gear gives them the excuse / motivation to get out and shoot and want to spend the effort to ensure they have good images. Lastly, the other thing that tends to be a hold-up that I have seen is people. Photography does tend to require to be around people that don't mind stopping for a while to let you take photos, and spend the time trying different things to get the right image. I know that in some groups I just can't take the photos I want to. I feel that photography for a lot of people becomes a thing that they have to go and do alone. Maybe it's why we like challenges that people give us on youtube, maybe we should actually just actually meet other photographers and make a habit of going places with them. Great episode. I certainly think understanding, and being able to recognize the things holding you back is a great topic for discussion. Only once you know them and can identify them, can you actually overcome them.
This is exactly the kind of content you don't find in "photography" channels. That's why I love and support The Art Of Photography. Thanks Ted.
For sure, I think it would be great to have a different perspective from people who aren't necessarily photographers.
Hi Ted,
as you state from time to time in your videos about photographers, how they have classical training in painting, drawing, design etc., I very much think that any input you can provide into the topic will help develop anybody's photography who is open to it. So I very much welcome the idea. When watching your videos I always think I should find other creative stuff to broaden my view on how to look at things. To have these information on this channel as well as the other insightful stuff that you produce is just the greatest news.
Thank you for motivating people to be creative and to think a little more before acting. I always get a smile on my face when a new video pops up in my subscription-list.
All the best from Germany!
This is a great idea! I think it's super important to get different perspectives so you're not just speaking the same language over and over. As a musician who is messing around with film photography I've found this so refreshing, simply diversifying the conversation. Definitely use diverse people for these videos. I love this channel!
The interdisciplinary aspect of art and artist is something that always appealed to me very much. I learned so much from your show as a musician -or from reading Ansel's autobiography, because it is all about the same things, but from another angle. So great idea !! As with the perspective of the challenges, I'm totally with you on this!
I'm definitely looking forward to your assignments, the more and more you describe your will about them, the more and more i'm hooked to this idea!
I am that person described in your video Ted.I have a full time job,2 kids and other commitments too and probably only get an hour to myself for photography a week too,so I'm really keen to maximise the potential in the time I've got ... So sign me up!!!
Ted, I totally agree with the idea of having someone removed from photography to share their creative insightfulness. In terms of challenging aspects of photography, I find that I struggle with creating work that interrelates (a body of work) but work that likewise, can stand strongly on its own. I've recently moved into shooting in medium format and love the experience. I find that this experience has helped me in loosing my phobia of photographing people and thus will continue to move through this growing pain while cultivating overall my street photography skills. In summary, my fundamental question is how do I build a body of work and work that matters verses just a lot of one offs? Perhaps this is 'wilderness' I must travel as so well expressed in your video.
The idea of a series with non-photographer guest is exactly why I watch this channel !
great video. I've always explained to my dad that I thought it was weird that I'm more inspired by music and movies than other photographers. I'm really excited for your assignments! also something that hangs me up is me just living in a very flat and boring town and all the nature is blocked with no trespassing signs.
What a wonderful analogy! Thanks for sharing this.
Yes! I'm totally up for this, I always think that inspiration for your medium can come from anywhere so the more inputs the better!
Right now, I am in the wilderness. I watched this video at totally the right time. My life is in transition, coping with depression and anxiety, the loss of a job of 15 years, and I've done very little photography lately. I've had to come to terms on my own that creativity and inspiration just aren't happening right now, and nor should I try to force it. I don't really talk about the technics of photography, thats about as interesting as painters talking about brushes, making pictures is something I just do. I've never been taught composition, etc. But, in the past inspiration has hit me when I least expected it. I guess, I just have to stop stressing about it and allow the creativity to happen on it's own. This video is a seed. I am really looking forward to how this series/experience unfolds. The wilderness is filled with infinite unknowns. A scary, yet exciting journey!
I already find your videos creative and inspiring and I think having other creative people involved would make it even more of a reason to watch and learn and participate. A great idea!
as a professional writer and translator, who is increasingly developing his longtime hobby of photography in a serious manner, I'm also discovering, that my literary interest in some sort of storytelling reflects in how I see photography, let's say, as a stream of more or less mutually dependent images. So yes, I fully agree with the idea of artistic crossfertilisation, you're suggesting here, Ted. Much looking forward to its possibilities!
Ted, non-photog guests would be great. All the great photographers have a broad based education and expose themselves to many different fields. We can all learn from each other.
Ted, thank you for all you do here.
I love the idea of bringing in non-photographers in from time to time. I think it will bring fresh ideas and perspectives.
On the subject of what I get stuck on.... I think the biggest thing I get stuck on is just hitting that old mental block (hitting the wall). I find it very difficult to think of creative new ways to shoot something.
Fortunately it does not last long and I get back out there and shoot. It is not uncommon for it to hit on only ONE area of my work and not others.
Just discovered your channel. So glad I did. I'll look for your other videos. Hope to see guests who aren't photographers.
thank you so much for your vid , you said so many things that were in my mind for a long time , I've been stuck in my creative process to , when i started photography i was so inspired and use to take so many photos and cool shots and love what i did , now after 5 years , i think that photography is just a boring thing that i do everyday and i don't know how to get myself out of it and be inspired again like you said , your photography course / challenge or anything you want to call it is a great idea and to be able to use it and be inspired again will definitely be amazing thing to happen . love your videos , cheers
I find the majority of my photographer friends (both pro and amateur alike) have other creative pursuits, and I always try to find if there is a correlative or causative relationship. Music seems to be the most common passion. I've had many non-pro photographer friends on my show because of this curiosity and I would love to see painters, musicians, graphic designers, architects etc. on your show as well. Look forward to the series if you decide to run with it.
I write as my alternative 'art'. I don't have an English degree, so it could be terrible, but I enjoy it. Photography is my primary passion. I shoot things constantly, including ordinary objects, but try to make those objects interesting. I took a picture of a 'No Swimming' sign and it ended up in a highlighted collection, despite not being extraordinarily interesting.
My goal is to merge my ideas into a single place and write a book that I also fill with pictures that inspire me. :)
wow ted, each time I watch your videos I learn something new, thanks for the hard work, your a real influence for me
Chase Jarvis recently did one month series involving extended interviews with people outside the photography community. I bring this up not to point out that it's been done before, but to share what I found useful. Mostly what I took from the series was the importance of a positive attitude, perseverance, and getting your work out to the public. I did not, however, find the series particularly useful for increasing my skills as a photographer. If you did do your own series involving people outside of the photographic community, I think a focus on creativity from other visual arts would be the most beneficial to me personally.
great idea to bring in other guests, I have at times over the years tried my hand at painting, clay and sketching just to do what you are talking about to open up the mind and juice the creative thinking.
1. Definitely: always useful to see how laterally concepts of creativity are applied. One of the main things I've loved about post-graduate studies at university.
2. Probably self-confidence the most. It's a sense of setting up a platform for a project and then having the time and psychological energy to see it all the way through. Tends to be a sense of filling the glass of an idea half up most of the time (and finding it more difficult to squeeze the rest of the juice in there).
Thanks for this video as always. All the best, Ted!
Great show Ted, I think the idea of non photographers is great. Hearing someone else's thoughts about a piece was very helpful when I took a digital photography course in college. What they saw in a photo or how it moved them would be very different at times from what I thought shooting the photo.
Incredible content there. I'm really looking forward for those photo assignments, and the more you speak about them the more excited I get!
Sure like the idea of bringing different artists, what would you say of analysing photography in movies? I know other channels are doing similar work, as Every Frame a Painting.
Thanks man!
JP
Ted, you have picked exactly the right issue. Creativity can root from anywhere, and having creative 'non-photographers' on your channel can really help. And I am one of those who has not been able to pursue photography due to family commitments. As a result, I have got into a place where my inhibitions overbear on my ideas. Would love to hear from experts (including you) on how they dealt with it and got out of this phase.
Yes! Part of being creative and learning to see is having new perspectives outside of our domain! Always open to other people who can offer new insights.
I think we all would love to hear/see non-photographers opinion and way of seeing the world. And something that probably won't let me take as much photos as I want or in a daily basis is motivation, there are some days in which I don't know what to do with my camera, but the good thing is that I'm working on that so I hope I can get out of that lack of motivation, and it's also with your work! So again, thank you for all your amazing work.
Yes bring in non photographers! Especially musicians.... the relationship of sound & silence is certainly akin to our light & shadow. A student at a W. Eugene Smith lecture complained that Smith only talked about music that day. Smith's response? "What goes for one goes for the other". Just last night I re-watched a Keith Jarrett dvd and he stated "Music doesn't come from music" and went on to explain about the importance of life's experiences for a musician. And I thought virtually everything he said would be applicable to photography as well....time to drag out those LP's & CD's again before I go out to shoot ;-)
YES I totally LOVE the idea of bringing other creative into the process. I have meet ups with a group of photographers quarterly where we bring prints to share and critique. This month my friend who hosts these events invited a graphic designer friend who added SO much to the exchange. I received some really valuable feedback on my work from a different perspective. After Friday nights JAM it was unanamous....he is a regular invitee now.
This sounds amazing! I love the idea of hearing from different creatives and seeing how creative thinking in different fields can be used to expand my own and others photography. I love AOP and will always watch as it helps me expand and grow my own work.
Waiting for the first assignment, and very excited!
Bringing artists, painters, graphic artists, sculptors, to discuss the art in/of photography is exactly what I looked for when I first subscribed to your videos. This is exciting to me and I look forward to these videos, hoping to find the antidote to Susan Sontag's assessment that photography is not practiced as an art but rather it is mainly a social rite, a defense against anxiety, and a tool of power. I long for a definition/description of photography as an art because I believe it is an art when practiced in an artful way.
Yes, great idea to bring on the show non-photographers to interact ! Many thanks for sharing this ! Merci ! Greetings from France !
I totally agree with you; Bring artists (designers, painters, illustrators, advertisement people, writers, musicians, etc.) in the conversations. Their approach to art is more direct, less distracting from us and the tools we use. The major difference in the way they work is that they have to choose their ‘concept’ beforehand. They start with a blank page, a blank canvas. Our world as a photographer is quite different - we got to get rid of the distractions seeking for a concept (unless you do still life or something close to it). Because of that, the initial thought processing of a photographer differs from most artists - but our objectives are similar.
I only have one stumbling point:
I do not possess any lighting equipment (besides the in-camera flash), so if I have to shoot indoors, I wait for the right time where I can use natural light, or I try to make good use of the lamps I have at home.
Thanks Ted for asking about our limitations before we start any assignments.
Hi Ted! This is my first time commenting, but your videos lately have been really helping me address the puzzle of my photography life. My biggest hang up is what to do with my pictures once I take them. I will show some to my family and a few friends and they really like them-but so many more of them just sit on my drive never seen. I am looking to get a website up but there is so much that I am trying to navigate through tech-wise as well as how to get people to see my site.
You were asking for opinions about having guests on your show- I say go for it. Everyone has their own view of the world. You were mentioning other creatives which is great, but I wouldn't limit yourself. I feel that YOU could even talk to, say, an athlete and get some creative spice. Thanks!
Ted I loved this analogy!! indeed, we need to do things differently and get out from the comfort zone in order to achieve transformation..! And consider great also the idea of bringing other non photographers creative thinkers to the show! For me is vital to get inspiration from other disciplines, in fact everything that can encourage our new ideas :)
different perspectives usually bring different solutions. So I totally agree with bringing people of different fields into the conversation
Hey Ted.
Thank you again for sharing this :)
Watching movies inspires me, listening to music, meeting other artists and going to galleries. inspires me. Full support for bringing other artists to the show. I think it a great idea. My best friend is a Painter and I am really inspired by her work. I think collaboration between different artists really pushes you to see things from a different angle.
I myself am trying to figure out how to combine photography with different form of art.
And answering your question about being burnt out:
Sometimes I can't concentrate. Every day I wake up with an idea in mind, then bomb it vanishes. I just get distracted working different jobs and having the family around.
You just feel everything is hectic.
Thinking about the transformation that you discussed kind of sums up what I have been feeling. I have photographed for all kinds of clients over the years, and I also teach photography at our local college for an extended learning program for seniors. My shift that I would like to do is to take my love for Americana photography and figure out how to market it and use it to conserve places and items that has made America what it is. This has been a struggle for me. Maybe someone who is experienced in finding creative ways to get ones work out in the public. I really enjoy your channel. Thanks!
I enjoyed this episode and share your views, great work Ted!
Great video..
For my photography BA first year there were 3 units not related to photography at all. They were about painting, museums, and those sorts of things. As a primer to thinking about photography.
Out of, maybe 35 people guess how many people were complaining to the lecturer or to the head of faculty about "we're here to do photography, not study painting"? About 10 people that i knew about.
Which is so depressing! I get it, photography degree. We aren't here to paint...
AND bearing in mind, i studied in London, some of the best galleries in Europe, if not the world were on our doorstep.
Having a guided tour by a lecturer of 20-something years. Who was just crazily knowledgeable. Getting up close with Bathers at Asnières, or The Arnolfini Portrait. Invaluable knowledge and understanding. Which helps painters and photographers equally.
Fantastic idea... Go for it..... I am one of those photographers who really only have time to scratch my itch on weekends as work and family intrudes. Love your show....
Loved this video. I'm not Jewish but I have heard the "Wilderness" story before and I too always looked at it in a metaphoric way although you have really driven home the point in a deep way.
I think the idea of bringing people from other walks of creativity into your videos would be awesome. With both my music and photography over the years I have had many influences that have come from other areas of creativity. Watching a man carve artistic wood sculptures with a chainsaw many years ago was a very inspiring thing for me (strange I know). And having outside sources review my portfolio was actually inspiring (although painful lol) to see what other people see in my work that I could not see, good & bad. Working with makeup artists who have a vision or an athlete who has a concept, designers, illustrators... the list goes on and on. I'm 51 years old and sometimes sitting and listening to younger creatives can also be very inspiring. So "yes" to other creatives in your videos.
I am very interested in other perspectives of creative thinking. I find your analogy of the wilderness really resonates with me. I struggle with bursts of creativity. Usually just after a life lesson or period "in the wilderness" I can't stop myself from creating. I become obsessed with capturing light or a color that fascinates me. Then I struggle with times of disinterested and disengagement. I look forward to new assignments.
Very inspiring message! Thanks for your videos!
YES, absolutely, you should invite other people (artists, philosophers, workers in manual fields, etc.)... I once heard speak a (general practician) doctor about poetry... he had never written a verse, nor had he ever read much poetry, but his thoughts about what he felt was poetry and the links he could suggest between his field of work and poetry were just so amazing! I could never read and write the same way thereafter. I also believe that what one has to say about his/her art often applies to me...
Also a suggestion : you should eventually start a discussion about the concept of "beauty" (and its counterpart). I know it can get a little (too) philosophical at times, but it is central to any genuine gait in "art" (and not so "art") photography. Whether what we do is or not ugly in the eyes of others, we probably all aim for beauty in what we do.
And to respond to the other question... I too have inspiration blocks these days and I find it terrifying. I just came back from a two month travel (to beautiful Mexico) where I took hundreds of pictures daily (I am more into Street Photo)... I am now back to my country (Montreal, Quebec) and I am not even able to think about going out with my camera at this point ! ! ! :-(
I was talking to an old friend recently (I have not seen him in about 10 years). I was telling him how depressing this uninspired period was... his response flabbergasted me : he has been quite a good semi-pro photographer for a long while (probably 20-30 years)... about 7-8 years ago he decided to organize an exhibition of his work and produced a lot of pictures for the show. The exhibition was held about 5 years ago and the day after the closing of it he put his camera away for what he thought would be a little break. He never touched his photo material since (except for a few photoshoots here and there requested by friends). He was not really happy about this... I am afraid to be stuck in something similar (even if I have not had photography for as long in my life as a hobby)...
How to awaken the fat bear of creation when winter lasts too long?
:-)
I am all for bringing people in....Perspective is something every photographer needs and learning things from other people helps with that.
One stumbling block I have is that I don't know when to apply what technique (ie shutter speed effects, depth of field etc) to what subjects. I found out about this weakness when I became interested in black and white photography but couldn't figure out when and where to use it
Ted - Thank you so much for making such great video . I always watch your videos and learn a lot .
Again thank you so much man !!! 👍
I started getting a little bored with digital and I still do most of my work on digital but for more fooling around being relaxed creative I now shoot film (getting in to medium format when I find the right camera for my budget) and so at the moment I feel so much more creative when I'm "limited" as I am on film ..
Totally. I bought my first dslr last August and I'm already going backwards to a Polaroid 100 Land Camera. Bought one 3 days ago and got so excited about the projects I want to do with it. I started with film and miss the look and the feelings of what film gives us. Awesome you went back to film.
I'm a digital era child, so film is so new and exciting for me ;) I love that I can develop myself and I have so many ideas that I want to try on film ;)
I recently grabbed my moms cannon 35 mm and I just bought some black and white film... :)
the more the merrier!
please do get more people to come and talk to us.
and speaking of stumbling blocks, i myself have only one, i feel stuck in a place. i dont feel myself improving and i criticize myself to the point of giving up.
i did this when i was playing the drums! but that was a long time ago!
it would be great if you could shed some light on this dilemma i have here!
thanks.. love you videos as always :)
Love the analogy Ted. Hell yes to non photographers having an artistic discussion
Absolutely love the idea of having different types of creative people on the show.
as a photographer I'm always looking for new creative ideas. between family, full-time work & part-time food photography projects for clients, i try to find time to watch CZcams to try & find new creative ideas from people like yourself. so I'm happy to see what non-photographers can do to put a spin on the art of photography. I really need to get my butt in gear creatively.
Wonderful video as usual! A confession to share here. I was never in to photography. I am a musician and an engineer. Just to get break from music, I started watching some random photography stuff on CZcams and came across this channel. The composition series moved me a lot and for the first time I really felt someone was talking about art involved in photography and got hooked to this channel. Only after that I started borrowing my friend's DSLR and taking images. It's been a value addition in my life.
I really welcome this idea of having other people on show.
About limitations in photography, my first and most important challenge is that I don't have any direction to progress. I don't know what should I shoot next. So if there is an assignment or some challenge, it will give me direction to move.
Eagerly waiting for photo assignment.
Thank you, Ted!
In art comunication and interaction is very important.
We use the word DUALITY for the motion of idea and skill.
The duality between medium and individual help create new idea.
So YES I do believe inviting guess non related to photography would be a good idea.
I completely agree! Whenever I see photos, I always quiz myself about the technical aspects like "what camera body or lenses were used?" or "what were the settings?" It's a bad habit and it's killing my creativity because I get caught up on gear and technique rather than being a creative artist.
As you said in your video, I have stuck for time because of kids and job.
I have to say that there are a lot of youtube channels out there, but yours goes to a totally different level, and that's what I like about it. You make the case of not just clicking the shutter, but making an image with purpose. I'm new to photography, so I will admit that I am clicking the shutter right now, but I aspire to make more meaningful images and become more of an artist.
There are thousands of contests that reward clicking the shutter, and photoshop genius, and while I do partake in those, I would love to have a challenge like this that goes to the next level. I think bringing in artists from other genres is the perfect way to do that. I would definitely tune in, and I applaud your striving to be different than the rest.
Love how this assignment idea is progressing. Reading through the comments there are a lot of good ideas. Work has been really busy as of late, haven't much time to get creative.
Wonderful video Ted, I'm addicted. So glad I found you.
Hi Ted!
I think that getting people who aren't photographers on the show is a great idea. I often find that when I talk to other people who are creative in different ways to me it helps both of us to think in news ways and have fresh ideas. It also is beneficial to be able to brainstorm in news ways but also have your ideas questioned in a "okay, but what about this?" kind of way!
Some of the stumbling blocks I have come across you have mentioned- between burn out and a day job- and I have also tried to do some of those photo challenge assignments but like what you were saying, giving the subject of "trees" isn't really gonna help anyone progress. I have tried to come up with ideas myself but without these other creatives to bounce ideas off I find myself getting stuck in a rut really quickly and I always fail before I even start the project.
I'm really looking forward to starting these photography assignments with you!
Laura
As far as stumbling blocks go, I think mine are 1.) getting overwhelmed by the many ways to think about shooting a scene, 2.) the amount of techniques/skills that I have little knowledge or mastery over, 3.) and of course time.
I think some of those things will be solved by continued practice and experience and by watching those like you impart knowledge, but when it comes to time, I think the best solution is to always have my camera on hand. Not because I need to capture every moment, but because it will be available when I have a bit of time free, or inspiration strikes.
Hi Ted, I really like your channel. Your love for photography is inspiring and is helping me deal with my gear acquisition tendencies (mostly film recently :) I think it would be really interesting to listen to editors and other artists (without photographic know how) talk about photographs. I bet they won't be talking about focal lengths and the shape of catch lights :)
One of the biggest reasons I have really taken to photography is specifically because I wanted some new creative experiences to counterpoint ones I am already passionate about. Yes, please bring in other artists to collaborate with. I really dig your thoughtful approach.
Hey Ted . It's so nice to hear from you once again.
1>>It would be awesome to have creative personalities from outside the world of photography. As people say " You never know ".
2>> Talking about stumbling blocks which I had in recent times , being honest to the core , I have never won any awards or significant prizes in any competetions hosted by societies or mags or whatever. There are times when I think whether I am good enough or not. In these days of social media we see so many people getting their work recognised and becoming famous outright. It makes me feel self-doubt and stuff like that. But being honest again , when I grab my camera and go out on my own hunting for pictures I hardly feel those negative energies. I feel myself immersed in the process of picture taking and it feels so so good. It's like meditation. Then I realised that apart from the temporary high and recognition these awards have hardly any value. What matters to me is whether I am feeling good in the process or not. I know I am not going to make it big because I have a day job to do and my family to take care. I have hardly 2 hrs or so every week to go snapping but inside me there is a huge hunger to make moments freeze as they are for viewing in future and that hunger needs to be fed. Nothing else matters . Nothing else.
Great thoughts. I have always found artistic inspiration and guidance through my faith and the illustration you gave was spot on. Cheers!
Another fantastic video Ted!!
One of the stumbling blacks I have as a new photographer is finding inspiration in the small town that I live in. Air quality sucks and the sky always looks brown! The mountains and coast are both a couple hours drive, so I get out a couple of times a month....but I get frustrated during the week. I am working on it though!! haha
Excellent reflection Ted - speaks to me too.
1. I think it would be great to have an articulate non-photographer participating in discussions -- and helping to formulate what we're going to work on for a period of time.
2. I'm fundamentally lazy and sometimes I just can't get myself moving on an idea. The way I get myself out of "gee I ought to" is to involve other people: I have a wonderful group of friends whose creative ideas are much better than mine. I can throw out a basic thought and these friends will help me mature the idea, do things with it that I never thought of doing, and give me the energy to set a date when we can meet to work on the idea.
Thank you very much, Ted, and also the contributions of folks who add thoughtful and well-phrased comments!
love this video and chosen topic...yes yes yes..artists of all kinds inspire me..I study impressionistic painters occasionally, music, graphic artists, 3D..all of it..look forward to your choices..
as for the video it has refreshed my take on photography. thanks.
Great idea - a lot of motivation and inspiration to be drawn from non visual arts. Would be awesome to have more of this type of discussion.
It's fantastic to know the point of view of non-photographers, is a good way to refresh our vision...
Hi Ted, I've been watching your channel for awhile now since I picked up photography again 3 years ago. Great work! I definitely think having other artists from different vocations on your show would be beneficial for anyone's creativity. Though, I feel that it shouldn't be limited to those in a 'creative' field but also engineers and scientists. There is something about 'problem solving' that somehow unlocks people's creativity in many ways.
I think it would be a great idea to bring in outside sources. I find I get stale and bored when I stop looking outside my circles. My greatest inspiration comes from non-photographic sources. keep up the great work.
Everyday when I go to photograph I work with light - I work with composing light - I work with observing light - every frame is based on the depth of seeing - of a unique kind of visual intelligence
I love this idea of bringing non-photographers into it; we may practice in different disciplines and media, but the common ground is we're artists and are nourished off of the work and practices of others.
I really like this idea. Anything or anyone who can broaden our approach would be welcome. Great stuff Ted!
Ted, love your channel. I really appreciate that someone this knowledgable is sharing his "goods" with us. Btw, you look and sound really good- especially in the more recent videos:) Oh my, this is one big comedy...but you play it really well. Thanks! Petr
Yes great idea to draw in influences from outside photography. I gave up painting through lack of inspiration [technique not an issue, deciding what to paint more so]. Not yet at the creative stage with photography - I think for me just finding time to go out and take pictures every day is the most important step there.