Pointless Photography?
Feb 19th, 2008 by jeremy
On one of my recent photos (the one of the barrel) I received the comment of “what is the point of photographing this?” My answer was that I not every photo I take is of something necessarily interesting or fascinating. Sometimes I work on technique, or just take whatever strikes me.
Today is one of those cases. My car was in the shop and I was waiting on a ride. Rather than just stand around, I grabbed camera and started snapping photos of whatever struck my interest. This faucet was one of those mundane things that I thought looked interesting with it’s mineral buildup and oxidization against the brick.
My philosophy is that the more you take photos, the better you get. Of course you also have to be willing to toss the less than stellar photos, or be willing to buy a lot of storage. I figure the more practice the better. Practice makes perfect, right? I actually prefer the version I was taught by my high school basketball coach, “Perfect practice makes perfect.” In the end, I feel like when my eyes are open for photo opportunities I am more inclined to “see” those chances to capture something special.
So though some might find a photo of a faucet not really worth sharing – and they might be right – I prefer to share the process I am going through in always seeking to become a better photographer. It may not be fine art, but I do find it interesting and hope you do too.
Canon 40D, EF-S 17-55, 1/50 at f/2.8 and 100 ISO
also on flickr
Amen brother, you said it well.
I like it…and art is in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it?
One of the first things I tell my beginning digital photography students at the local recreation center workshops is “always take your camera with you, and take lots of pictures.” Especially with digital, taking lots of photos and then self-critiquing is really the only way to learn. Sure the plastic pieces of the faucet detract from the “old” look that the brick and oxidation give the scene, but a bit of retouching, including a conversion to sepia or black and white, would greatly reduce the new and unseasoned look of the plastic pieces.
Keep ‘em coming. I for one am enjoying them.
Jeremy, I find myself looking at your photos and noting the way the light falls, how the colors appear, what’s in focus (and what is not), then looking at the settings used and trying to make mental notes. I’ve been playing with snow shots lately, just shooting lots of pictures at different settings to see what works and what doesn’t. As you said, practice practice practice! Too bad my family doesn’t get my obsessive need to capture a single perfect snowflake against the navy blue of our car…..