Sunday, December 9, 2007

Szarkowski

John Szarkowski says there are five essential elements of photography. Those elements are:

The thing itself:
“The first thing that the photographer learned was that photography dealt with the actual…”

The detail: The purpose of taking pictures is not to make a story clear but to make it real. By taking the time to do detailed photographs it makes the object in the photograph appear like it is right in front of you rather then just a picture.

The frame: The edges of a photographer’s photograph are what he found most important and the subject the photographer has shot is something else. By framing a photograph it can create relationships between the subjects in the photo.

The time: All photos are timed exposures and the outcome of these timed exposures are parcels of time.

Vantage point:
By using an unexpected vantage point, which gives a sense of scene while withholding the narrative meaning. Taking it from different vantage points people would not normally view the object in can change the perspective of the photograph.



When I take pictures I think the detail is the most important element. I want to make the viewer of my photograph believe that the object or person is right in front of them. Make the picture seem real rather then just another photograph. There is nothing more amazing then seeing a photograph that just jumps at you and makes you feel as if you are there and witnessing it for yourself.

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