Outdoor Photo Gear » Creativity

Finding What Inspires Me…

Denise Ippolito — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:04:41 +0000

Cymbidium Orchid ~ The curved lower petal caught my eye. Image © 2010/Denise Ippolito Photography When I go to a place like Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania it is important to stay focused on which flowers I will be photographing. After I scope out the flowers that initially appeal to me I begin [...]

Taking Pictures vs. Creating Art

Bret Edge — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:12:17 +0000

I vaguely remember the old days, back before I had an SLR and lenses and filters and a tripod. When I’d see a pretty scene, I'd whip out my point & shoot and take a picture before continuing on my way. I wasn’t creating art. Nope, I was just memorializing on film (yes, film) a scene or a moment that intrigued me. Nothing more, nothing less. Things are different today. I lug around a big D-SLR with several lenses, a few filters, a tripod and a bunch of other stuff that I use not to record simple memories, but to create something approaching “art”.

Over the years I’ve heard photographers say they are “taking pictures, making images, capturing a moment, shooting photos” and a billion other phrases that essentially mean the same thing. Or do they?

I can’t help but think that “taking pictures” or “shooting photos” is entirely different from what I and most other serious photographers do when we head out with our cameras. I like to think that I am creating art.

By it’s very nature, art is subjective. What I think is a gorgeous piece of artwork you may think is a bunch of squiggly lines on canvas. So, the images I create, that I consider art, you may consider just another pretty photo. Or, maybe it’s just another ugly photo. Only you can decide that. The point is this – I’m not just documenting a scene before me. I’m trying to create something that is elevated from being a mere snapshot to something that others may consider to art.

The Struggle To Remain Focused

Theodore Stark — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:17:47 +0000

Go on any photowalk, attend any workshop, or just put several photographers in the same room, and inevitably, what happens? Fanatical debate and banter on subjects such as gear (camera bodies, lenses, tripods), workflow (Lightroom vs Aperture, CS3 v. CS4), or philosophical topics (Is photography art?, to HDR or to not HDR, convergence between video and stills) and so on.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for all of these topics. Nevertheless, sometimes we as photographers become so entrenched in our position and defense thereof, that we lose focus (pun intended) of more important matters.

Three Things You Should Know About Creativity

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Creativity is a big concept for a photo blog. We spend so much time fighting upgrade fatigue, learning new software, working out new techniques that we often have very little time for creativity. But just taking note that we need to think about creativity isn’t enough. How do we go about it?