Photography as an art form

[Ramsden]

Hi from the North of  England

I've had my EOS 90 D for nearly two years and planning my next steps. I take quite a lot of photos on my regular walks around the Pennine footpaths, and I also like trains and railway architecture.

I should add that I have really enjoyed learning how to use this camera as well as I can. Still a way to go...

So last week, prompted by a warning that I was running out of storage space on my ipad - I started a clean up.

Cut a long story short, in 2 yrs I'm already seeing repeats of landscape, flowers and general wild life. It looking pretty repetitive and boring to be honest. I feed my photos through an amazon alexa screen, and I'm not on a mission to enter competitions.

So I'm looking for inspiration to start treating my photography as an art form. For instance playing with shapes and colours.

Can anyone recommend an interesting book that covers this topic - and/or tell me about your own experience for inspiration.

Appreciate your help

Thanks

Ramsden

[Tintype_18]

Welcome to the forum. Seems there would be many things that would fall under your description. Me? I would consider Hadrian's Wall with the various stone configurations and the overall composition of the land surrounding it.

[Ramsden]

Thanks John

[TomRamsey]

There are several ways to shake up what you are doing.  Look at your photos and pick out something you have shot already and think of how you could improve upon your results.  Go to the site and see how many ways you can shoot it, different positions, from high, from low, close, far, different times of day, etc.  if you haven’t, get up and out before the sunrise, see how much better everything looks.  If you have ever went on a photo walk with other people, you’ll usually see someone stop and take a picture, followed by 90% of the rest shooting the same subject from the same spot.  If you want your pictures to stand out, look at things differently.  
I’m guilty of shooting the same subjects many times, but I try to shoot at the best time of day when possible to get better light, I watch the weather to hopefully get good sky’s with color, and really try to make good compositions.  Sometimes getting good compositions are hard if you are shooting wildlife or action photos, but often they can even benefit from careful but quick composing.  

[Ramsden]

Thanks Tom

That's really good advice. I've got quite a critical eye/mind and this appeals to me. Plus, I love early mornings so that strategy will work, as long as I don't wake the rest of the family!

Thanks again

Ramsden

[Tintype_18]

I have seen people go to a junk yard and take photos of old cars, focusing on the emblems, rust spots, metal dents, etc. Same with architecture with photos of door knobs, window parts, etc. Good luck and have fun!

[Ramsden · Accepted solution]

Thanks John

That’s right up my street. And where I live in West Yorkshire, it is the home of the Industrial Revolution with old mills and railways, so lots to go at. You’ve opened my eyes even more!

This weekend is the Marsden Jazz  festival which is a biggish village alongside the Pennines. It’s marked by the old canal and railway linking Leeds with Manchester. It boasts an Old Bandstand and a Mechanics Hall, harking back to the 19th Century. So I’ll be trawling the detail for great photos - as well as some good jazz!

Ramsden

[TimBird]

As you review the images from the last 2 years on your iPad, noticing that you've started repeating subjects, do you find the newer photos to be "better" than before? That is, has your composition, exposure, tone and color balance advanced, or are they very similar to what you've done before? Perhaps you'd benefit form shooting more intentionally by finding new ways to approach the same subject(s.) Of course, looking for new "things" to shoot, new colors, shapes and textures is good too. This is fundamental to the pursuit of visual design. So I'd recommend exploring 1) the work of other photographers that inspire you, 2) other works of art... painting, sculpture, woodwork, architecture, etc., 3) anything else that takes you out of the repetition of your iPad library and look for things or themes that inspire you.

[Ramsden]

Hi Tim

Thanks for your post and great advice. I think you must have been reading my mind, or looking over my shoulder!

I recently bought a couple of books, one by Henri Cartier Bresson and the other about W. Eugene Smith. I'm ploughing through Smith - he was an amazing photographer, who put composition and story telling to the fore. He, apparently rearranged 'things' when doing war photographs.

But back to your advice - I can improve my photography 'eyes' a 100%. I think I fell into a M Raw thinker ( and learner) and forgot to think about the picture.

I really appreciate your feedback.

I'll keep you posted

Thanks

Ramsden

[TimBird]

Thanks Ramsden. There are also a ton of Photographers on Youtube these days, covering a WIDE variety of subject matter... not just areas of photographic interest or expertise, but some that explore the industry trends, thought leaders, and more. One of the first YouTube channels I became aware of years ago was The Art of Photography by Ted Forbes. Along with being an accomplished photographer, he has been an instructor and for a time, the curator of photographic works with the Dallas Museum of Art. His channel is filled with inspiration (and encouragement) in all things photo related. He's also a HUGE fan of Henri Cartier Bresson!! 😉

Cheers!