Photo Philosophy..whats yours

Pistnbroke

I spotted these when looking at public enemy No 1 ..Mr Rockwell in his pre Canon phase...

my little brain ins' t clogged with unnecessary thoughts like NEF algorithms or changing lenses, and my body is relaxed from not carrying all the junk others still do..

and

The Nikon 28-300 is an open and closed case for the end of the camera bag

Well we all know he is a JPEG fan but seems to have given up on his 6MP limit but I did not put him down as a one lens man.

Msmoto

If this is an exploration of how we approach a particular photo shoot…. I evaluate what I want to see as the final result. Then what will be required in equipment, venue, timing, preparation, and once at the final location, alter initial estimate to meet the specific limitations and requirements of the shoot. I try to have several backup plans, as many aspects of photography are so out of our control. And, finally, I have no problem accepting that I may have really screwed up something, but can regroup and move forward.

I think the "secret" in approaching a particular job is to understand all the variables and unpredictable aspects of the shoot and do all I can to have these covered in some way or another.

Example: The NRF get together in Maine… my goal was to have a great time with all who attended, and to catch a lighthouse shot. 100% success IMO

sevencrossing

For work

To exceed my clients expectation. This is why I shoot RAW use a D800 and the best glass I can afford; when I could probably get away with shooting jpegs with a D5300 and the AF-S DX 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3G ED VR

If I shooting for myself, petty the same pretty much applies. most of my stuff ends up on FB but after waiting a couple of years, for the weather and location to be right and I do get a 5 star photo. I want the IQ to be good enough , for it to go above the mantel piece

tcole1983

I mostly just take pictures I like. I haven't wver taken a picture because of what I thought someone else would like. I would get bored if I was forced to conform to what others do or want. I haven't ever had any formal training and probably don't play by the "rules" (rule of thirds...what's that?), but I enjoy my products most of the time. Have numerous pictures in my house, office and relatives homes. I think I learn in the process of just doing what I do. I do listen every once in a while and am constantly learning, but when it becomes a class I would hate it. I have and do too much book learning in college and my job. It would seem too much like work and not a hobby if I think about it too much.

WestEndBoy

To me it is about personal growth and enjoyment. I enjoy snapping pictures. Growth wise, I want to become as good as I can become. However, in the short term I am only able to devote 10 to 15 hours a week on photography but in the long term I have a good 45 years ahead of me. So I can be a little patient......

For me, this means a focus on quality in all aspects. It is why I use primes - they generally have better image quality than zooms and given the wider apertures, are capable of shots that I would not be able to make with zooms. The primes also force me to think more carefully about my shot which contributes to quality and learning.

So I have the equipment nailed from a quality perspective. I have a long road ahead on the other perspectives.......

donaldejose

I have three levels of my photo philosophy.

1. For people (my wife mostly) who ask me to take a picture because they want it on their cell phone or facebook. I shoot a D5100 in small JPG basic with a zoom lens. The quality is good enough. Better quality wouldn't be seen. In fact, this level of quality is good enough for PAD. Higher quality cannot be seen on PAD resolutions anyway.

2. For people who want a "professional portrait" complete with studio lighting and background. I shoot a D600 in large JPG fine with 50mm f1.4 or 85mm f1.8 or 105mm f2 DC primes. Recently, I have found that a zoom is adequate as long as I stop down to f8. Sadly, I find these people mostly want 5x7s and rarely want 8x10s. Thus, high quality is lost on them. I am sure I could do it in large JPG basic. In fact, I have some coming up in a few days and I set my D600 to large JPG basic for the shoot. I am tired of "throwing away" higher quality. I will be interesting to see if I find anything lacking. Ken Rockwell, I am sorry to say I am moving in your direction from experience!

3. For "Art" images I print to poster size I shoot either the D600 or the D800 with my sharpest lenses which could be primes or professional zooms. I find shooting RAW adds an unnecessary step for me. I can get pretty close to what I want by adjusting Picture Controls sub-settings and then do a final edit in Elements 11. RAW has not been that helpful to me to bother with the extra step most of the time.

But that is just how my photo philosophy has evolved at this time. Other people with other goals certainly should be doing things different than I happen to do now.

WestEndBoy

I shoot everything at the "Art" level in raw. Hard to change my mind later if I shoot an unanticipated gem with a JPG. It is just hard drive space, which is way cheaper than my camera gear..........

tcole1983

I shoot everything at the "Art" level in raw. Hard to change my mind later if I shoot an unanticipated gem with a JPG. It is just hard drive space, which is way cheaper than my camera gear..........

This...I have on rare occasion since i started shooting RAW shot in jpg, but that is for something like facebook or whatever where I want the picture in an already usable format that I know I am not going to edit it.

Rx4Photo

In today's world where everyone but everyone has a cell phone camera I try to create images that not everybody will be able to or think to create. That's why I pack filters in my bags, keep a tripod in the trunk of my car and also take a tripod on vacation. It's why I drop to my knees, contort myself, or lay on my belly to get that angle that the average Joe or Jane can't get by simply standing there like a statue holding a camera with extended arms. It's why I reluctantly yet still willingly wake up at 4:30 AM to catch a sunrise while the family still sleeps. Overall I strive to come home with files that I'm going to love to work with in post, thus producing images that cause me to sit and enjoy what I've accomplished for the effort that I've given.

Yes, it's a hobby for me (with a few paid gigs here and there) but if I didn't produce results from my hobby efforts, the paid gigs probably wouldn't be requested.

Fritz

I have so little recreational time these days that I constantly find myself mentally flagging shots I'd like to take and planning trips with routes where I can combine several shots together. It is a great day for me when I've got both time and light. I do paid automobile shoots and a few outdoor events shoots during summer time and I make enough to support my photo addiction, but I've got to say that it is beginning to feel decidedly like work and not recreation. I don't want to kill my love of photography so perhaps it is time to back off. I've got perhaps a couple of dozen favorite subjects that I shoot over and over and every time I do I see something new that I've not noticed before. It's as if photography teaches me to more closely see the world around me and the process is fascinating to me. I find the interplay of composition and technique endlessly enjoyable. I have an acquaintance who makes loverly decorative images that sell and she has no idea why I waste my time shooting things like an ancient truck slowly rusting to oblivion in a farmer's field. She just doesn't see the beauty in the texture of metal and paint the way I do. So, perhaps the best way for me to say this is, my photography only matters to me, it only needs to be fulfilling to me and I think it will stay personal only to me.

Symphotic

My photographic philosophy is:

If I don't record it, it will cease to exist.
If I do record it, I can share it with others.

The purpose of equipment and technique is to record accurately enough to preserve and attractively enough to share

WestEndBoy

There is a lot of great stuff here that I find quite thought provoking.

spraynpray

There is a lot of great stuff here that I find quite thought provoking.

I agree:

My photographic philosophy is:

If I don't record it, it will cease to exist.
If I do record it, I can share it with others.

The purpose of equipment and technique is to record accurately enough to preserve and attractively enough to share

henrik1963

I take pictures because I like taking pictures.

I like to step out of my comfort zone - that leaves me with a lot of junk pictures but most of the time i learn something.

I am struggling with post processing. But I am slowly getting better.

Edit to add: Sometimes I stay inside my comfort zone and get good pictures :-)

framer

Boring is an interesting choice of a word. My wife and dad have both commented in the past that they enjoy watching grass grow more then waiting for me to photograph some item of my interest. My focus becomes what I'm working toward to the exclusion of what others need or want around me. "I'll catch up late,r you go ahead"... Too much of my life has become canned or a habit, creating or doing things in new ways is becoming important to keep things interesting.

framer

Ironheart

Shoot first, ask questions later, or never.

framer

Shoot first, ask questions later, or never.

Is that like, "Never ask permission, shoot, beg for forgiveness"?

framer

Fritz

I was shooting an event last month for a museum and happened to get a great pic of a happy couple obviously enjoying themselves. Although married, they didn't happen to be married to each other and boy were they mad! Better to ask first.

WestEndBoy

I was shooting an event last month for a museum and happened to get a great pic of a happy couple obviously enjoying themselves. Although married, they didn't happen to be married to each other and boy were they mad! Better to ask first.

I have little sympathy for those two. They were at an event and you were the official photographer. They should put a sign above their heads, "Please don't photograph us. We don't want our spouses to have any evidence."

henrik1963

@Fritz: I don't think getting mad is the right way to handle the situation - Ask nicely and maybe I will delete the image. Please with sugar on top might work :-)

Fritz

Two of the organizations I work for require a written permission release for any photos they would like for publicity so there was obviously no release granted in this case and I deleted in the camera. Any how, I get paid to be polite .

henrik1963

@Fritz: I was not talking about you - you are of course a nice person like the rest of us in here :-) I was just reflecting on the behavior of "unwilling subjects" on your photo and how I would handle the situation.

As a photographer you have no use for such a photo - unless you are in to black mail :-)

Msmoto

Sometimes we just need to do the next best right thing. And, unless the image is something quite spectacular, maybe our job as paparazzi is to work on setting a good example.

It is usually good to know who we are photographing, if possible, or shoot from a distance great enough so as to not draw attention to ourselves.

Symphotic

...It is usually good to know who we are photographing, if possible, or shoot from a distance great enough so as to not draw attention to ourselves.

I spent some time talking to these young men before taking their picture. I was wearing a jacket and tie so I was indeed drawing attention to myself, and I was definitely in a neighborhood where most people who look like me don't spend much time trying to develop an affinity with kids who look like this. But these were young men in the prime of their youth and made an irresistible subject.

Photobug

Boring is an interesting choice of a word. My wife and dad have both commented in the past that they enjoy watching grass grow more then waiting for me to photograph some item of my interest. My focus becomes what I'm working toward to the exclusion of what others need or want around me. "I'll catch up late,r you go ahead"... Too much of my life has become canned or a habit, creating or doing things in new ways is becoming important to keep things interesting.framer

You hit the nail on the head. When we were on family vacations that was always my reply,"you go ahead and I will catch up". My teenage kids were always complaining.

Now that I am retried, I am shooting more, getting better, and there is no rush. For example I spent 2 hours in a field of sunflowers with 25 other photographers and I was the last one to leave. I shoot on my terms, when I want, and take as much time as I want. As someone already said, "Never ask permission, shoot, beg for forgiveness if necessary".

+1@Pitchblack - don't be boring.
That is sometime hard to achieve and a great objective.