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Posted by: Owen Phairis (66.215.36.195) on May 31, 2003 at 16:47:02

Location: Big Bear Lake, CA

In Reply to: How you tell the story... posted by Michael McGowan on May 31, 2003 at 14:35:30:

: Assembling a bunch of objects and slapping a label on a photo can make it tell a story. But does that make it better or worse than a photo that moves you because it challenges you to invent a story in your own mind?

: While your example is well put-together, it leaves no room whatsoever for the viewer to invest himself.

: To my mind, the greatest photos I've seen, in any genre, make me want to absorb what's in front of me and come to some conclusions on my own.

: People tell me my pictures tell stories, and I suspect they do. But often those stories are already in the hearts and minds of the viewers. I just allowed them to come out.

: Is my early-morning light photo of Felicia a story-telling photo? I don't know. It resonates with a number of models, so I suspect it does tell them something. Is it more than just a record of a shiny moment? I think so. My decisions on exposure, on location, on colors, on lots of other things, all put something of me into the photo. And Felicia found herself feeling right at home in the environment, so we achieved a certain mood.

: So, is it more important to tell a straightforward story with a photo than it is to elicit some sort of emotional or intellectual response?

: I personally think there's a place for both. But I'm not likely to be the one taking the former, at least not intentionally. Instead, I'll probably be trying for the latter.

First, before I get started, let me say that I like the picture that you posted (but, without a title it is hard to refer to it by name). It shows sensitivity, talent and pictorial qualities that I like to see in a picture.

I object to your statement about "assembling a bunch of objects" as my picture only had 1 prop (the cross) as did yours (the bed).

I also object to your statement "leaves no room whatsoever" for interepatation... I think there is lots of room.. but who am I.

I have no idea to what you are refering to when you say "the greatest photos you have ever seen" ie, examples?

Bottom line, the photographs that have stood the test of time are a lot more than shinny records (documentary excluded), they are photographs that tell a story. They are photographs that most consider pictorial.

• Pictorialism

Follow Ups:

• Too literal - Michael McGowan 18:04:40 05/31/03 (8)
  • Stop knocking snapshots! - Darren Stehr 19:23:37 05/31/03 (7)
    • Re: Stop knocking snapshots! - Owen Phairis 10:51:31 06/01/03 (3)
      • Re: Stop knocking snapshots! - Darren Stehr 13:54:20 06/01/03 (2)
        • Re: Stop knocking snapshots! - Owen Phairis 16:32:08 06/01/03 (1)
          • A subset of "disturbance" - Michael McGowan 17:35:39 06/01/03 (0)
    • Nice point... - Michael McGowan 19:42:18 05/31/03 (2)
      • Wonderful shot - Frank Forgione 21:26:40 05/31/03 (1)
        • Fun picture - Michael McGowan 23:13:35 05/31/03 (0)

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: : Assembling a bunch of objects and slapping a label on a photo can make it tell a story. But does that make it better or worse than a photo that moves you because it challenges you to invent a story in your own mind?

: : While your example is well put-together, it leaves no room whatsoever for the viewer to invest himself.

: : To my mind, the greatest photos I've seen, in any genre, make me want to absorb what's in front of me and come to some conclusions on my own.

: : People tell me my pictures tell stories, and I suspect they do. But often those stories are already in the hearts and minds of the viewers. I just allowed them to come out.

: : Is my early-morning light photo of Felicia a story-telling photo? I don't know. It resonates with a number of models, so I suspect it does tell them something. Is it more than just a record of a shiny moment? I think so. My decisions on exposure, on location, on colors, on lots of other things, all put something of me into the photo. And Felicia found herself feeling right at home in the environment, so we achieved a certain mood.

: : So, is it more important to tell a straightforward story with a photo than it is to elicit some sort of emotional or intellectual response?

: : I personally think there's a place for both. But I'm not likely to be the one taking the former, at least not intentionally. Instead, I'll probably be trying for the latter.

: First, before I get started, let me say that I like the picture that you posted (but, without a title it is hard to refer to it by name). It shows sensitivity, talent and pictorial qualities that I like to see in a picture.

: I object to your statement about "assembling a bunch of objects" as my picture only had 1 prop (the cross) as did yours (the bed).

: I also object to your statement "leaves no room whatsoever" for interepatation... I think there is lots of room.. but who am I.

: I have no idea to what you are refering to when you say "the greatest photos you have ever seen" ie, examples? 

: Bottom line, the photographs that have stood the test of time are a lot more than shinny records (documentary excluded), they are photographs that tell a story. They are photographs that most consider pictorial.


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