Intro to Fine-Art Black & White Photography: Notes & Musings Andy Ilachinski [email protected] 571-217-8198 http://www.sudden-stillness.com http://tao-of-digital-photography.blogspot.com Outline of Class Four Dimensions of Photography ••••• PPPPPrrrrraaaaaccccctttttiiiiicccccaaaaalllll DDDDDiiiiimmmmmeeeeennnnnsssssiiiiiooooonnnnn CCCCCaaaaammmmmeeeeerrrrraaaaasssss,,,,, llllleeeeennnnnssssseeeeesssss,,,,, fffffiiiiilllllttttteeeeerrrrrsssss,,,,, bbbbbaaaaagggggsssss,,,,,…………… •••• TTTTeeeecccchhhhnnnniiiiccccaaaallll DDDDiiiimmmmeeeennnnssssiiiioooonnnn With a bit of … MMMMeeeetttteeeerrrriiiinnnngggg,,,, ffff----ssssttttooooppppssss,,,, ffffooooccccuuuussss,,,, ………… Our ••• AAArrrtttiiissstttiiiccc DDDiiimmmeeennnsssiiiooonnn main focus in this AAAeeesssttthhheeetttiiicccsss,,, cccooommmpppooosssiiitttiiiooonnn,,, dddeeesssiiigggnnn,,, ……… workshop •• PPhhiilloossoopphhiiccaall DDiimmeennssiioonn With a WWhhaatt ddooeess yyoouurr pphhoottooggrraapphhyy mmeeaann?? bit of … ……ttoo yyoouu?? ……ttoo ootthheerrss?? Outline of Class Musings: Five Take-Away Points • Photography: The art of capturing what a “thing” is • Fine-art photography: The art of capturing what else a thing is • Color photography: Any type of photography in which color is the main focus of attention or in which color is the primary visual tool that is selectively used to focus the viewers attention • B/W photography: Any type of photography in which form, tone, texture, and pattern are the main focus of attention • Content / presentation: All forms of photography depend on the same basic set of compositional / aesthetic principles Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees FFoorreesstt PPooiinntt--aanndd--sshhoooott pphhoottooggrraapphhyy iiss aallll aabboouutt ggrraabbbbiinngg tthhee sshhoott ((ooff ssoommeetthhiinngg)) OOhh,, wwhhaatt aa lloovveellyy ttrreeee…… wwhheerree‟‟ss mmyy ccaammeerraa??......cclliicckk……..lleett‟‟ss ggoo Fine-art photography is all about doing everything possible (before / during / after a shot) to communicate feelings to someone else I‟m so happy here…what beautiful light…how calm everything is… it‟s as though nothing else exists…a gentle breeze…serenity… Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees FFFooorrreeesssttt PPPoooiiinnnttt---aaannnddd---ssshhhoooooottt ppphhhoootttooogggrrraaappphhhyyy iiisss aaallllll aaabbbooouuuttt gggrrraaabbbbbbiiinnnggg ttthhheee ssshhhooottt (((ooofff sssooommmeeettthhhiiinnnggg))) OOOhhh,,, wwwhhhaaattt aaa lllooovvveeelllyyy tttrrreeeeee……… wwwhhheeerrreee‟‟‟sss mmmyyy cccaaammmeeerrraaa???.........cccllliiiccckkk………...llleeettt‟‟‟sss gggooo FFiinnee--aarrtt pphhoottooggrraapphhyy iiss aallll aabboouutt ddooiinngg eevveerryytthhiinngg ppoossssiibbllee ((bbeeffoorree // dduurriinngg // aafftteerr aa sshhoott)) ttoo ccoommmmuunniiccaattee ffeeeelliinnggss ttoo ssoommeeoonnee eellssee II‟‟mm ssoo hhaappppyy hheerree……wwhhaatt bbeeaauuttiiffuull lliigghhtt……hhooww ccaallmm eevveerryytthhiinngg iiss…… iitt‟‟ss aass tthhoouugghh nnootthhiinngg eellssee eexxiissttss……aa ggeennttllee bbrreeeezzee……sseerreenniittyy…… Now, on to the… Trees This workshop is offered as a first step towards developing the skills – and frame of mind / eye / I – to become a fine-art photographer Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees A point-and-shoot photograph of Hawaii Galen Rowell’s light quote http://tour.airstreamlife.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/oahu-north-beach.jpg Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees A poAin fti-naen-da-rsth pohoot tpohgoratopghr aopf hH aowf Haiaiwaii Galen Rowell’s light quote http://tour.airstreamlife.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/oahu-north-beach.jpg “Seeing is not enough; you have to feel what you photograph. “ — ANDRE KERTESZ, Photographer (1894 - 1985) Outline of Class Topics • Who is this guy, and why should I listen to him? ― And why you ought not listen to him • Photography in six easy steps ;-) • Fine-art photography ― A closer look • Color  black & white :: Part 1 - examples ― Some images are best in color; some beg for B&W • Seeing images ― Basic elements of design (form, tone, texture, pattern + light) • Camera vs. eye :: similarities & differences ― What photographers need to keep in mind • Color  black & white :: Part 2 - doing it for yourself ― Conversion techniques / programs / plug-ins • Moving on to the next level • Concluding thoughts :: references • Extra :: portfolio samples / East vs. West in art / “complexity” Outline of Class Topics • Who is this guy, and why should I listen to him? ― And why you ought not listen to him • Photography in six easy steps ;-) • Fine-art photography ― A closer look • Color  black & white :: Part 1 - examples ― Some images are best in color; some beg for B&W • Seeing images ― Basic elements of design (form, tone, texture, pattern + light) • Camera vs. eye :: similarities & differences ― What photographers need to keep in mind • Color  black & white :: Part 2 - doing it for yourself ― Conversion techniques / programs / plug-ins • Moving on to the next level • Concluding thoughts :: references • Extra :: portfolio samples / East vs. West in art / “complexity” Who am I? …… aanndd wwhhyy yyoouu oouugghhtt aanndd oouugghhtt nnoott lliisstteenn ttoo mmee ;;--)) • Born 1960 / Long Island, NY  Whatever I may know • First camera: 1970 about light, tone,  texture, form, and Polaroid instamatic / Christmas gift  composition First picture: (abstract?) closeup of my right toe  I learned by • First “serious” camera: 1982  watching my dad. Canon AE-1  He was not a • Ph.D. Theoretical Physics, 1988 photographer,  Complex Adaptive Systems but was an artist par excellence  • First “serious” digital camera: 1998  Nikon Coolpix 950 • First DSLR: 2001 Olympus E-10 Everyone’s vision • First Solo Show: 2007 is their own … Coral Gables, Florida The trick is to find it ! • First Lenswork portfolio: 2007 DVD Edition #71 / July-August "If the path before you is clear, you're probably on someone else's.“ • First art co-op: 2008 —Joseph Campbell One of 14 founding members at Lorton Arts, VA