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I think the author addresses narrative and "photographic context" in the section under "Emotion". > What makes a picture evoke emotions in – or feel “real” to
by EForEndeavour 6y ago
I think the author addresses narrative and "photographic context" in the section under "Emotion".
> What makes a picture evoke emotions in – or feel “real” to – us, is what we see in it – based on our education, knowledge and history.
> There may be pictures from your past and when you look at them you are reminded of those experiences and therefore they feel special to you, like this beach picture above: it was one of the first analogue pictures I took and I somewhat like it, but it is really that good? Probably not.
Same goes for pictures of your girlfriend, children or dog: they will all be special to you, but to someone else they may not be that interesting, especially if they are lacking in one way or the other (out of focus, tilted, noisy etc.)
> If on the other hand you want your pictures to appeal to a broader audience, you should make sure they cover an interesting topic that means something not only to you. And they should also be good in a technical way, which brings us to the following section.
- sradman 6y agoGreat point but what I meant, and should have made clearer, is the "aesthetic" aspect of each photograph. This context is independent of the emotional narrative. Each photograph has a technical explanation contributing to the aesthetic that is easily taught and applied. The OP covers the narrative, as your selected quotes nicely demonstrate.
- EForEndeavour 6y agoAh ok, I think I get you. Is it right to say that the technical factors used to take and process a photograph influence the emotional "look and feel" (aesthetics) of the end result, separate from the bigger-picture story and context behind what is being photographed, and by whom? The former can be taught, whereas the latter is mostly a product of circumstances. Though I guess you can improve your chances of encountering powerful stories by traveling, carrying a camera wherever you go, working as a photojournalist, etc.
- sradman 6y ago> Though I guess you can improve your chances of encountering powerful stories by traveling, carrying a camera wherever you go, working as a photojournalist, etc. Exactly, f/8 and be there. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ƒ/8_and_be_there https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ƒ/8_and_be_there