Zaadz: Composition

composition

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 14:35:01 -0000

In my continued thoughts about composition I can not help but wonder why (I/we) continually search out the knowledge of other: as opposed to developing confidence in our own ability’s. I have recently read to great books on photography: Understanding Digital Photography: Techniques for Getting Great Pictures & Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera

I recommend both books: they have a great simple focus on understanding the basics of seeing. Why read about seeing? Why can we not see, live, developed, study our own works? I have written in this blog before about putting down the camera and developing our own practice.

After 16+years of professional photography I still come back to basic. The haunting question is why do I need or search out someone else knowledge? Ok, ok, I believe in being the constant student – never getting to the mountain top – the journey is the destinations. When do I become the teacher? I have been sought out by some for my knowledge but I have not felt confident in preaching to choir.

Today my practice will be seeing through a child eyes: not having to worry about my past knowledge – a clean slate

Art, Morals & Truth

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 14:36:17 -0000

Why is the focus of this blog on art, morals and truth? Foremost it is my practice for seeing the world. A multidimensional viewing of a single subject within different perspectives, I try to expand upon the art, morals and truth. Perspectives within the composition: this is the process by which I try to see life as living art. Perfection in its process, eternity creating and re-creating itself for the better good of the whole system. After completion of a project I release all attachment to it: for I am only the vessel in which the subject flowed through. Subsequently, the work then belongs to the viewer to do what they will. A definition of an un-definable subject for me is integral art:

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the “I” of the beholder. The Good refers to moral and ethical actions that occur between you and me, or “WE” Truth usually refers to objective empirical facts, or “IT’S.” So the three basic dimensions of “I”, “WE”, and “IT’S” also refer to the beautiful, the good, and the true. Art, Morals, and Truth.” (Via Ken Wilber)

The above passage has become a defining focus for my work and the process in which it flows to completion. Writing, music, & photography are the entire creative path to the perfect realization of life. Hence this blog has become a working portfolio of my focus on art, morals, and truth of a life viewed through perspectives.

Can you feel the vibe?

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 14:41:09 -0000

Sounds are vibrations. Colors are vibrations. Visions are vibrations. Movements are vibrations. Thoughts are vibrations. Moods, feelings, emotions, words are vibrations.
Are you getting the vibe? Light is vibrations: Photography needs good vibes.

What makes great composition is catching the vibe. The true essence of compositions is capturing the energy of the moment. Vibration is energy: You as the photographer can practice this and focus yourself (focus the camera second) to the vibration. For this practice put the camera down and pick yourself up.

Re: composition

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 14:49:59 -0000

Photography for me has always been a little bit of an odd art form. Composition in music is rather akin to using a paint brush and painting from your head. You know what you want to make, and you actively craft it. The inspiration comes, but rarely does an entire work appear in my mind for me to then jot down. Photography, on the other hand, has always been something where I let the art come to me. My photography has been a craft of waiting. I let the art appear before me, and at the correct moment, I snap my shot.

Re: composition

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:33:15 -0000

I agree with you: Working a camera is skill no greater or less than learning a new software program. Photography is seeing it is the 5 senses at work/play. - peace-

Photography is collective and collaborative intelligence

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:12:29 -0000

Photography is collective and collaborative intelligence. This past weekend I completed a three day project; I wish I could share the photographs with you, but I can't because they are no longer mind. (See this posting; it was to the left and right of my subjects) Photography is the interior and exterior of the perfect moment. Documentation of the physical subject while capturing the inner emotion. Reflection is my only ownership of my past weekend assignment: all copyrights and CD negatives our property of my clients. Gratefulness & bows of thank you....

1-2-3 of Photography

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:13:09 -0000

Moving beyond my photography concepts while being rooted in my photography practice is transformational to my composition skills. Transformation is my only destiny as a working artist if I want to cultivate and expand my skills.

Today I am thinking about photography from a 1st - 2nd - 3rd person perspective and trying to map together how this would develop my compositional skills. My definition of 1st person would be the "I" (photographer), 2nd person would be the "subject" (you, you are) and 3rd person would be the "completed work" (photograph hanging on a wall) no longer belonging to me.

Developing the "I" (1st person) Photographer - could include recommended things such as technical knowledge, visualization and personal awareness? Developing the "2nd person" Subject - could include understanding the combined style, moral and culture of my subject? "3rd person" Completed Work - could include objectivity, organization, economics and overall collective view.

Introducing myself

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 16:21:10 -0000

Hi, I'm Em. Just Em. The Essential Em. I try to approach life with just my essence, get it down to the bareness of me, and that goes for my way of taking photographs. I started taking photographs when I was 11. I told my dad I wanted to start and he said,"I have a whole darkroom up in the attic!" and he brought it down and set it up and thus began my apprenticeship. From my first frame, I had a strong preference for portraiture. Very close-up. Cropped. Soul capturing. Black and White. My Dad did landscapes and sports. For ten years we shot rolls and rolls of photos, developed them, printed them and critiqued each other.

I went off to college, left the country, got married, did an MA in history, Dad and I got into computers and writing and a thing called the Internet. Then he died of cancer in 1994. I fell into depression and started quiltmaking in the creative void. I took photos of my baby, rolls and rolls, but of nothing else.

Fast forward to 2005. I bought a digital camera. I started a blog. I started posting my photos on my blog. I began to wake up, creatively. I began to enjoy taking photos again. My daughter, now 13, rides horses competitvely (dressage). I've been photographing the horses and riders, and have become the official photographer of the riding club...

And now I am back. And I want to improve myself. I want to bein to apply my inner eye, to start seeing these horses the way I see humans. I can look at a human through the lense and catch the moment the soul is at its best, really catch a lovely, unique moment-- I can catch the horse at its athletic moment, but not as an individual, not at rest. I must slow down, I must learn to look, to wait, to become the horse...

This is what I want to do. This is what I would like you to help me learn.

Re: Introducing myself

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:00:00 -0000

Great intro: Sound like photography has been art therapy for you. I have a starting new post you may enjoy.

Yoga & Composition

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:00:47 -0000

Can yoga progress your compositional skills? Was the question that I was asking myself driving home last night? Yes, in my personal experience. No matter what discipline you work in opening up your body flow and releasing tension can relax the body to let the mind expand. In a comparison example; it is like when you a wake from deep sleep with your best ideas. Yoga can become body training (daily practice) to let the mind expand. Art is the practice through repetition, yoga becomes effectual though repetition: consequently yoga can assist in developing your compositional skills.

Understanding Art and the Mystic of Photography

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 14:41:01 -0000

Dismantling the myths of contemporary photography: In a previous post I was asking what is photography? Painting with light, the act of composing with in a box, raw binary data, information stored on disk, a picture preserved on paper? Dogmatic approaches vs. meditative minds eye's development states of photography are the developmental tools towards growth. Technology can help us transcend technique but the aware or awakened photographer can bring new information to the audience of there works.

Art (exterior) is repetition, practice and technique. Mystic (interiors) is the pursuit of higher level of consciousness. Duality is a blessing as long we work towards a balance of the two. Dismantling the myths of contemporary photography is the quest for whole brain photography; behind the lens is equally as important as what is in front of the lens.