A couple of years ago, I read Last of the Mohicans and subsequently Mark Twain’s critique of Cooper. He says of Cooper . . .


“If [he] had been an observer his inventive faculty would have worked better; not more interestingly, but more rationally, more plausibly. Cooper’s proudest creations in the way of ’situations’ suffer noticeably from the absence of the observer’s protecting gift.”


There is something in this observation on observation which could serve a photographer well. If we walk into an event such as a wedding with the goal of observation, of taking notice of the minute details, as well as the grandest views of the event, the result is a more rational, more plausible coverage.


There is something inventive in the faculty of the photographic observer. He has to make immediate decisions about perspective, composition, and technique. But this must be guided by observation. It is the ability to observe a situation as a spectator, not a major player, which leads a photographic observer to the point of fruitful anticipation. The observer knows to keep an eye on that flower girl when she turns around to view the crowd, to follow the bride and groom outside immediately after the ceremony, to watch Mom’s eye during the Father-daughter dance. The observer knows good light before it arrives. The observer knows how to take what is given and make something lovely. This is the observer’s “protecting gift”. Reality will never be out of fashion, always rational, always beautiful.


QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Among those whom I like, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.” – W.H. Auden

This post was from about three years ago. I was cleaning the blog out and thought I’d leave this one . . .


I just read a fantastic thread on the Digital Wedding Forum which I think shows a significant shift in the wedding photography industry. The discussion deals with how we define ourselves to our clients and peers. For the last few years wedding photographers have felt the need to define themselves as photojournalists whether they wanted to or not and whether or not the term accurately describes their work. Most often it did not. The trend and shift from traditional to photojournalism was so powerful about ten years ago that few could resist calling their work “pj”. I am now seeing a lot of my fellow industry leaders seeking to redefine what they do. Some of them are even trying not to be defined or “put in a box”. Some call it a “fusion” of styles (traditional, fashion, documentary, pj, editorial, or whatever). I believe this is a very positive trend for everyone. I even believe there will be a push for photographers to “not define” themselves or to label their work as a fusion of styles in the near future.


We go to great lengths to define ourselves as photojournalistic purists and take pains to describe what that means to our clients–simply because the term has become so watered down and misused. I shoot in a photojournalistic style for two reasons. First, it fits my abilities and personality. I tend to be more of a quiet observer than a newsmaker. Secondly, we have found a market segment that both appreciates and desires this approach. Our clients want their day to be focused on celebrating and interacting with their friends and family, not with a photographer they hardly know. And I believe that the distinct training and skills that a good photojournalist possesses will always be in high demand. The boon of photojournalists lies in the ability to anticipate, adjust, and adapt–quickly. Decisions like lens choices, apertures, shutter speeds, ISOs, positioning, and composition all have to be made in an instant–all while the light is changing and the scene is shifting. And one has to know where to find those significant moments, to anticipate them, and how to record them. These skills and abilities take years of watching and observing wedding events unfold.


So we will welcome the new shift of the throng of photographers away from a PJ definition. Not only will it allow other photographers to explore new styles and descriptions, it will allow us to more clearly differentiate ourselves and add value to our services.


QUOTE OF THE DAY
We have been working on table manners with the girls a lot over the last few weeks. Upon finishing her lunch the other day, Madelyn asked . . .
“May I be confused please?”