Tuesday 24 September 2024
On Tuesday evening we were treated to a lively and stimulating evening presented by Lyn Phillips. Whilst the evening was purposely directed at new members and beginner photographers, there was a great deal of interest for more established members.
Lyn talked about the evolution of a photographer from novice to pro with the emphasis that the camera doesn’t matter and that photographers improve most by ‘opening their minds’. Development can be stifled by ‘habitualization’, if we repeatedly do the same thing over and over again it stops being stimulating. Lyn stressed that we shouldn’t be afraid of trying something new, to not being afraid to be different and to ‘loosen up the creative juices’. We should move on from taking photographs to making photographs as encouraged by Ansel Adams.
We should avoid the ‘spray and pray’ type of photography that uses little or no creativity and think about how we can approach photography differently. How can we tell a story? We should remember that there are two people in every shot, you and the viewer. Identify what the image does for you and what is the story you want to tell.
Lyn ran through some of the technical skills that can help to create a great shot such as an understanding of the exposure triangle and the effects of depth of field. But, whilst technical skills can help, basic principles of composition are equally important.
The photographer’s most powerful compositional tool is usually his or her feet. You should seek out the best position or viewpoint to create the best image. Basic principles such as the rule of thirds and leading lines can help draw the viewer to what you want them to see. The rule of thirds might help to position important elements in the image within the frame and leading lines can help to draw the viewer’s eye through the image and describe a journey. Rules, are however, made to be broken! Other factors such as the use of negative space can be very powerful, but not always.
In conclusion, Lyn stressed the importance of printing images, they can look very different than they appear on a phone or computer monitor. In addition, entering competitions can provide a great learning opportunity to get feedback from others.
Lyn quoted American photographer Irving Penn (1917-2009) who said:
“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it; it is in one word, effective.”
Lyn Phillips is based in Sussex based photographer who, with her partner, Trevor, specialises in sports photography. More information about their work can be found on their website: lynandtrevsports.weebly.com
The Composition exercises can be found here.