The Holistic Photographer

Color or Black & White?

Talking about any specific rule in photography can be a double edged sword … because rules are not carved in stone. 

I will write this as my own reflection and how I handle this issue when I face it.

When color works for me?

When photo is about colors - Nature, landscapes …

When colors don’t distract you from what photo is all about - I usually do B&W portraits but this was an exception because of the nice color blend and the fact that it doesn’t distract you from his face

When I want to place an emphasis on something that has a very distinctive color when compared with surroundings - This must be my favorite use of colors, cause B&W really doesn’t work for things like this

When black & white works for me?

When I want to get a better defined shadow & light ratio - When doing B&W you can push contrast to get a better definition of shadows which automatically creates better separation from light.

When I want to present textures that are not color related - Nothing looks good as textures in B&W

When colors don’t bring anything to the table - This is the hard one, cause it’s a personal choice. I find it that people focus easier on faces and their emotions in absence of color because having no color is one less information to process

This is not my final answer! I am still learning and I might change my views on certain thing in the future, but for now … this is how I handle this!

Mihailo

Why did I start doing photography?

You want short anwser? I can’t draw to save my life!

I always wanted to draw things. Even tried to sign up into a specialized art high school but I didn’t work out.

On the exam we were doing for sign up, one of the professors came to me, took a look at what I was drawing and asked me: Son, do you see properly? I kinda new then that drawing will not be my calling in life :)

Photography was always present in my life and it seemed like a good way to present my views on life without too much trouble.

What seemed to be a easy thing to figure out became a journey that I am still on!

There is no long answer to this question in case you are wondering.

Mihailo

Holistic Guide To Photography - Idea

It’s really important to know what you want to shot. It is not necessary but walking out with some kind of idea in your head really helps a lot.

What it does is gives you a sens of accomplishment which is really important if you want to progress. You really don’t want to come home from shooting and feel like crap because you were all over the place, trying to photograph everything and nothing came out good.

#42: Don’t set unrealistic goals!

If you set you mind to a certain thing, you can work of that. Like for example, choose an item that is common in your place of living. 

When shooting something that is around you so much, you don’t have any excuses why you are not creating good photos. 

I am doing it with Bicycles. They are all around me. Interesting textures, colors, compositions and so on. Knowing that they are there, it allows me to dig deeper and to produce more complex photos, because I don’t feel any pressure. 

It is one of the best exercise you can do … why? Cause when you shot a bicycle once, you are going to want to shot the next one even better. And it is important to follow your progress and develop your VISION! 

Essentially, you want to open your mind and play with all the forms you can find on them or any other item you choose to be your thing.

You need to be realistic. Progress will not happen over night. Photography takes time. It needs time. Decades! But if you start in a good time, it could happen.

Let’s kill Delussions #2:

Q: I need to make a good photo every time I go out for shooting!

A: This is the first thing you need to get out of your way! It’s not going to happen. To many variables out there, and most of them you can’t control. And this really comes up with how high you set your standards. If you are realistic, it will be lot easier to achieve good photos in the beginning and it will get harder as you progress because your standards and expectations change.

Holistic Guide To Photography - Reason box

What is a Reason box?

When ever you want to share your photo or get someone to critique it, try to figure out how you feel about that particular photo. You need to form your own opinion about that photo, what you think are the strong points and what are the week ones. Reason box should obviously contain both.

Strong points: Moment, idea.

Weak points: Overexposed, composition.

Because photography is mostly subjective thing, some critiques will not make any sens, especially if you didn’t form your own opinion.

If you feel like that there are some weak points in the photo, you are recognizing it without a need for someone else to point them out and that is a step forward. And when someone critiques your photo mentioning some of the weak points you already figured out it is a conformation that your reasoning is right so next time you can figure out weak points on the spot and fix them.

Holistic Guide To Photography - Vision

The most important thing in photography is VISION!

Why is VISION that important?

Photo is just a consequence of you doing an automated process of pressing a shutter button. In order for a photo to make any sens you need to figure out in your head what do you want to take photo of, why do you want to take that particular photo and how are you going to present your VISION through that photo?

It might sound complicated but it’s a process that takes only couple of seconds and you are probably using it but you need to refine it and develop it even further.

#42: Geometry is the key!

How to develop your VISION?

First step is to become aware of your surroundings. Go on a walk without camera. That way you are not going to be busy trying to photograph everything and you can focus on things that are occurring around you all the time. Delicate balance of light & shadows, interesting play of colors & shapes, subjects that you thought were so ordinary will get new dimensions when viewed properly. 

So you need to get rid of the habit to do photography with no particular reason and get some vision behind the whole process. That is, if you want your photos to make any sens. 

Let’s kill Delusions #1:  

Q: Do I need an expensive camera and interesting place to make good photos?

A: I hear this a lot. I can’t take good photos cause I live in boring city and my camera is not so good. Well, if you read what I wrote above, it’s the visions that make photos, cameras just record them. So, it’s all you!