Thoughts on Photography | #7 – Drama (2)
I recently decided that I would like to start another very short column in addition to the book reviews – and I’m calling it ‘Thoughts on Photography’. Here, I will share a few personal thoughts on photographic topics from time to time – with as little text as possible (max. 3 minutes reading time) and few example images – perhaps just one. There will be no logical or strictly sequential order to the topics. But perhaps some inspiring or even controversial thoughts over the time… we will see. Feel free to share your thoughts with me…
#7 – Drama (2)
This week, I was out and about with some members of my small photography micro-community – we try to do this once a month. I don’t really like taking photos in groups, but I use these occasions as social events and opportunities to chat. This time was special because we didn’t meet somewhere in the city, but went on a short hike to some ruins in the Siebengebirge mountains near where we live. The destination is a popular viewpoint – and, of course, a typical photo spot.
There they were again, my three ‘problems’. I don’t photograph in groups, I rarely take landscape photographs and I usually don’t take photos of typical tourist spots. Landscape photography isn’t my passion and I find the latter simply boring from a photographic point of view. I know I should be careful with statements like this so as not to hurt people’s feelings. Many people love landscape photography, and everyone has the right to photograph their millionth Eiffel Tower. It’s just not really my thing…
Wherever I am – whether in a city like Rome or a natural spectacle like Plitvice Lakes – photographically, I am mainly interested in people, life and situations. St. Peter’s Basilica is as fascinating as magnificent waterfalls. But photos of it are usually flat and boring as hell. There is no drama in it, no narrative, no humour, no irony, and often no real beauty either.
Yes, I often take them too – as a souvenir and mostly with my iPhone. That’s enough. But photography takes place elsewhere…
Do you have to do it this way and see it this way? Heavens, no! You don’t have to do anything… but you can. And I personally believe that it makes the world of photography more exciting and richer…
I never photograph sunsets and I never photograph moonrises. I’m not interested in what things look like.
Duane Michals
There is always light somewhere – go out and shoot!
Da stimme ich doch glatt mal zu. Das 3. Bild von links in der oberen Reihe…….alle fotografieren die Sehenswürdigkeiten, mach ich auch, aber dann dreh ich mich auch mal ganz schnell um und entdecke viel spannendere Motive. Es gab Zeiten da haben mich die ganzen Menschen/Touristen an solchen Plätzen gestört, mittlerweile sind sie fester Bestandteil und bieten meistens viel mehr, als die blanke Landschaft oder Sehenswürdigkeit.
VG Jens
Moin Jens,
haha, so geht es mir wirklich immer mehr… ich meide solche Plätze ein bisschen, aber wenn ich dann da bin, dann finde ich das Treiben der Menschen einfach spannend und manchmal absolut totwitzig… nur so kann ich solche Orte nicht nur ertragen, sondern dann sogar manchmal richtig genießen…
VG Peter
Hi Peter,
I don’t want to be over critical but it seems to me that the series you just posted to me fall in the same class as picturing sunsets or tourist spots, unless they add something ‘extra’ like the girl in the red dress.
I feel your struggle. Best wishes for Sunday!
Jan
Hi Jan,
You have every right to be critical – even overly critical. However, I either didn’t quite understand your criticism – or – if I did understand it correctly, I don’t share it. That’s logical, because I might see things differently. But just to be clear: did you mean that the other pictures in the series (apart from the one with the girl) are similar to photos of sunsets or sights? Or perhaps you just find them similarly boring?
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. I goes without saying that I respect your choices…every man to his own I say. What triggered my reaction, was something that I recognize -and often am guilty of myself- namely that you have a camera in your hand and see the obvious and think by yourself…there you have the herd…all doing the obvious. “But I am a Photographer, let me choose a different perspective” and you end up taking the same, if you like boring, shot. Now for me, taking a different perspective doesn’t mean the you’re in some way superior to the crowd, but for the photo to be interesting it has to add something, that sets it apart and makes the viewer ask himself…now why didn’t I see that? In that sense, yes, your attached pictures are …boring.
My comment was in no way intented to downplay your journey as a photograper or your great blog.
Best wishes,
Jan
PS secretly think about an M10/M11 for a 35mm perspective
Hi Jan,
haha, thank you for your clear and explanatory comment. I really appreciate it and love things like that – because it makes me think. I don’t have a different opinion now about the examples shown and the question of whether and what is rather boring. But it’s super interesting to see that others can feel very differently about it – and I like to think about that. About the what and why, for example, makes an interesting picture. And why it’s interesting for one person and boring for another.
Peter
P.S. What exactly does your PS mean? That you are thinking about it or that I should think about it?
Hi Peter,
Yes, discussing your blog certainly livens things up..Good! I borrowed an M10 black with a Summicron 35 mm and I really liked the 35mm perspective and the extra time and patience needed to compose and focus. And a M11 black with a pancake can really make a small combo for street/travel. Haven’t pulled the trigger beacause it’s a lot of money and i really like my Q2. Not thinking about monochrome versions though.
Best, Jan
Hi Jan,
aiaiai… dangerous, borrowing like that… 🙂
But first, have fun with it. I’m curious to see how it turns out for you. Despite the temptation of the M, I’m still not convinced and continue to enjoy my Q3…
Peter