by successfulbob | art books, photography - art quote, photography education
I often find myself thinking am I really any good as a photo artist? Some days the answer is a timid yes… Some days not so much. Am I a pretender? Sometimes I just don’t know the answer. Which brings us to today’s Photo/Art quote.
“If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), “Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?” chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Personal projects are a fabulous way to stretch when confidence wanes.
I want to share a TED TALK with Miru Kim who explored ruined urban spaces with a camera and an imagination to tell a story. You can see she is really brave with her art but nervous to talk about it. Called My Underground Art Watch and see if any ideas occur to you. Spread your wings. Open your mind – and see where you are taken….
Yours in Photography, Bob
PS – You don’t have to do your personal project naked…
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote
Unknown and Anonymous are some pretty prolific writers and many times have distilled thoughts down to a very small number of words that have a big impact. Today’s Photo/Art quote comes from Unknown…
“The earth without art is just ‘eh’. Unknown
Plays on words, or portions of words are fun and this one resonates with me. So let’s move this to the photography world where you and I hang out… “Are you taking ‘pitchers’ or are you creating Art?”
I like to think I am creating Art but sometimes (probably too often) I find I am just taking images rather than making or creating them. You ask, “What’s the difference?” It comes down to planning, thought, timing, execution, experience, having the right equipment in the right place at the right time with the right light.
I respectfully ask again, “Are you taking pictures? Or, are you creating ART?”
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Today’s Sunday photo/art quote comes from French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic from Poland, Guillaume Apollinaire. He had a much longer string of names and quite a history which you can peek at here. Definitely worth a perusal!
“Color is the fruit of life.” Guillaume Apollinaire
Six words.
So many ideas explode in my brain as I repeat those six words to myself. What jumps into your mind? I think this calls for a photo project exploring color. And fruit. And??? Let’s see what we can come up with. Show me your stuff! Explore color this week.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography - art quote, photography education
Business & marketing are as important as the art we create as photographic entrepreneurs.
I want to tell you of a very creative mind you can tap into via the Monday Morning Memo. His name is Roy Williams and he often talks about “Our kind of People” in his missives. If that doesn’t ring a bell right away hang with Roy for a few weeks and you’ll get the idea pretty quick. I believe really successful photographers tend to fall into his definition and I invite you to subscribe to MMM to pick up some inspiration, marketing and copy-writing ideas. Roy doesn’t suffer fools lightly but he does fool around quite a bit in getting his messages across.
I’ve picked one of Roy’s quotes for the photo/art quote today.
“Every door of opportunity begins as a window in the mind.” Roy H. Williams
I’ll leave you to mull that over on your own… share your thoughts.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | Lumix Lounge, photography, photography - art quote, photography education
I love this quote!
“Anything that excites me for any reason, I will photograph: not searching for unusual
subject matter, but making the commonplace unusual.” – Edward Weston
After learning that I live in Sedona, Arizona people often comment, “Oh! That’s such a pretty place to photograph!” Yes it is but it’s not the place that makes for great photographs it’s the mind and skills of the photographer. Believe me I’ve seen plenty of not so beautiful images made of the red rocks taken in less than stellar lighting conditions that impressed me not a bit. But have seen absolutely stunning photographs of the mundane such as Weston’s pepper image. Please don’t think you need to travel to exotic locations in order to create beautiful images. Start looking around closer to home to capture the unusual. Show ordinary subjects in extraordinary ways. It will push the creative envelope for you.
Edward Henry Weston a 20th-century photographer and has been called “one of the most innovative and influential American photographers…” and “one of the masters of 20th century photography.” Over his 40 year career Weston photographed an increasingly expansive set of subjects, including landscape, still life, nudes, portrait, genre scenes and even whimsical parodies. He truly worked by the thought shared in his quote. I’m finding the more I have my camera with me, made more convenient by using the smaller, lighter Micro 4/3rds format cameras from Lumix, the more I am finding interesting things in my world because I am able to capture an image immediately and explore it rather than think, “That might make an interesting photograph…” and never see the same lighting situation again.
What are you exploring in your world??
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Our quote today comes from the world of writing. Author and poet William Thackeray uses his wordsmithing to help define what we do…
Isn’t it amazing what we can do with a camera?
“The two most engaging things about photography are to make new things familiar and familiar things new.”
William Thackeray
The power of photography is immense. Making something we see everyday beautiful or interesting. Or causing someone to see something as if for the first time. How about the social causes being advanced?
Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell with preserving nature. Minor White & Henri Cartier Bresson exploring black and white visions.
Richard Avedon and Gregory Heisler pushing portrait techniques.
Photographers working for the U.S. government’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) and later the Office of War Information (OWI) between 1939 and 1944 made approximately 1,600 color photographs that depict life in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The pictures focus on rural areas and farm labor, as well as aspects of World War II mobilization, including factories, railroads, aviation training, and women working.
You, in lighting and posing your people in a flattering manner that allows a person to see themselves as others do in the best light.
Think of the images you can create whether it be of beauty, horror, social issues or… You think. Share here how you are using your camera and image making skills for the greater good and if you are not is that something you might think about??
Yours in Photography, Bob
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