Persoonlike styl - Fotoskool
Posted by gabriel parsons on July 27, 2017 at 1:39pm
Goeiemore fotoskolers n paar gedagtes vir denke. Versoon die engels my afrikaanse spelling is beroerd!!! Groete Gabriel
Personal photographic style.
“Finding your personal photographic style is something of a holy grail to photographers, yet seldom an overnight occurrence. Nor would you want it to be, as developing a style that is uniquely yours is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of photography. For a lot of photographers, it is an ongoing, ever-evolving process, influenced by many factors. Some photographers find a single style that works for them, which they stick to and hone, while others might develop two or more dominant styles.”
This is how Karin Quist starts her article, an article that immediately grabbed my full attention. For years I have been pondering the very subject.
To compare painted art to photography is futile in many ways, yet there are similarities. The one vast difference is however that every painter had a very distinctive style which separated him from the other, not so in photography. Rembrandt, Vermeer, same time same country and vastly different styles. Constable, Turner, same time same country and vastly different styles and so one can go on and on.
How much influence would a tutor, have on the development a student’s style? To all accounts Da Vinci was a great teacher. While successful none of his pupils reached his heights purely because they tried to reproduce a Leonardo da Vinci. What am I saying? Follow your teacher’s advice but do not try to simulate his work I am of the opinion that a student in the forming stage would lean towards the tutor and his style. While this is not in itself wrong, it could take years for a blooming photographer to break away and create his own style. I have often found that personal opinions rather than solid photographic fundamentals are used in criticizing of a photo, this leading to the photographer being hesitant to further his own style and often the creative spirit is dampened.
The region of origin can play a huge part in a photographer shaping his own style. As an example bird photos in South Africa have a tendency toward simplicity, and this is strongly encouraged. While in Asia the same subject matter leans towards the more colourful if somewhat busier image. I have done most of my photographic training in Asia and have an affinity for strong bright colours in all my photos, often to be criticized, I shall however take this on the chin, but will not change my style, the strong Asian influence is there to stay. One must clearly differentiate between items in a photo which does not contribute to a photo and those that does. One can rightfully ask is it a bird in a landscape or is it a landscape with a bird in it? (Google Bird images of Asia)
The question that begs an answer is, are any one person right and the other wrong? Definitely not. Within the technical norms, and the wonderful freedom that photography offers as an art medium I appeal to the young and not so young, but serious photographers, to go out and explore your own creative artistic flair and to create a personal style. With the availability of internet the world out there is open to everyone, explore areas of your choice and do not get bogged down in one only creative train of thought.
Permalink Reply by Linda Erasmus on July 27, 2017 at 3:08pm
baie dankie vir die artikel Gabriel
Permalink Reply by Willie Schoombee on July 28, 2017 at 3:21pm
Gabriel dankie. Ek kan nie meer met jou saamstem as dit wat jy in jou artikel gesê het nie. Elkeen van ons is ñ individu met kwaliteite en gawes wat van mekaar verskil en dit maak dit juis interessant. Ek het ñ kleintjie dood aan " coppycats". Hoekom wil jy soos iemand anders wees, gebruik jou natuurlike instink en groei daarin soos jy op jou fotografie pad vorder. Moet ook nie bevrees wees vir kritiek nie, solank dit opbouend is gaan dit jou ook laat groei, andersins ignoreer dit net en gaan voort met jou eie styl. Laat daardie sluiters net nooit ophou werk nie. Mooi loop!! Willie
Permalink Reply by Dine Potgieter on July 29, 2017 at 6:00pm
Goeie artikel! Dit is egter 'n moeilike kwessie - daar is geweldig baie moontlikhede met die fotografeer van 'n spesifieke toneel, maar meestal 'n heelwat meer beperkte getal esteties en stimulerende moontlikhede. Gegewe die reusagtige toename in foto-beelde, geneem deur 'n reusagtig groeiende populasie, is bykans elke "pampoen al gedoen", veral wat bekende landmerke en geykte onderwerpe betref. 'n Sinikus het eendag gese daar is net twee groepe moderne fotograwe "copycats" wat bewustelik naboots, en "copycats" wat onbewustelik op vorige invloede reageer. Diegene wat met werklik treffende en terselfdertyd unieke fotos vorendag kom, is werklik beperk - selfs wanneer mens na salonwenners en "honors" panele gaan kyk. Selfs in die skrywerswereld is dit moeilik - wanneer is dit doelbewuste plagiaat vs onbewuste beinvloeding deur iets wat (dikwels) lank voorheen gelees is...Oorspronklikheid sonder estetiese waarde beteken ook nie veel nie - 'n sjimpansee kan oorspronklike fotos neem. Ek dink elke persoon moet eerstens eerlik teenoor hulleself wees - wat wil EK (nou of oor 40 jaar) uit hierdie foto he, en as ek die foto wil deel, hoe kan ek die kyker se aandag behou, sonder om die gevoel van die plek te vernietig (tensy daar doelbewus 'n ander realiteit geskep wil word).
Permalink Reply by gabriel parsons on July 29, 2017 at 7:06pm
Dankie julle drie. Dine soos gewoonlik n baie goeie debats punt van jou kant af. Vir n mark wat soos jy dit heeltemal reg stel geheel al gesatureer is, is die uitdaging miskien net n bietjie groter om te aanvaar, en elke foto met n oop gemoed te benader. Om jou skepping vrye teuls te gee ongeag die kritiek wat jy weet gaan kom is moeilik as die beoordeelaars rigied is in hul denke.
Jou eie styl is baie goed ontwikkel en kom redelik uniek oor. Ek erken jou fotos feitlik onmiddelik as ek die blad oopmaak ( Wel meeste van die tyd ) Al gaan ons dit nie almal regkry nie is dit n uitdaging wat ons moet ondersteun in die lede wat probeer.
Permalink Reply by Pieter Steyn on July 31, 2017 at 5:25am
Dankie Gabriel en ander - baie interessante leesstof en stof tot nadenke