Friday Photography

Photography essays and photo series is today's subject. While the basic unit of photography is the single photograph a lot more can be done with multiples. We don't try to write an essay on a post it note so why should we try to capture everything in one photograph.

This weeks assignment is Indoors.

Please post any photos, comment about anything or ask any questions about photography (If I don’t know the answer someone here probably will)- Please treat this as a photography (and anything else for that matter) open thread.

Multiple Photograph Projects

Introduction

The single photograph is the basic unit of photography. We see something we want to photograph, frame it to the best of our ability, make sure that the camera settings are OK (whether manual, automatic, or anything inbetween), and press the shutter. We then edit the photo and store it in a folder somewhere on a hard drive and/or the cloud.

This single image approach can be limiting. there is only so much that can be said with one image. While there are some iconic images that have become ingrained into the culture they are few and far between. It is very unlikely that anyone reading this will be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to capture such an image.

This brings us to todays subject which is multiple image projects. These projects can be anything from an hours work to a lifetime’s and can incorporate anything from a couple of images to thousands. Projects can be extremely serious or they can be lighthearted and quirky - or just about anything in between..

The two most popular type of projects are the photo essay and the photo series.

The Photo Series

A photo series is a type of project where the photographer chooses one thing that appeals and collects images of it. Unlike the photo essay it is often open ended in terms of time. Popular subjects for this type of project are architectural features such as doors or windows. Subjects can be more abstract such as specific colors or color combinations, or shapes such as triangles.

People can also make good subjects but there needs to be a common theme:
People with passions by Jack Daly. An off topic note - These photographs represent really good examples of environmental portraiture and use of an ultra wide angle lens. People use the series for different things. In the example linked Jack Daly has obviously spent a lot of time thinking about and crafting these images and it shows. The work is superb, especially considering that the photographer is in his teens!

Others use the series to experiment and to see things in a different way. The images that I’ve used to illustrate this post are an example. They are all obviously traffic cones but there the commonality ends. The photographs were taken with whatever camera or phone I had on me at the time. There is no end goal, no perfect photograph and no over-thinking.

The Photo Essay

If you want to tell a story this is the way to go. The photo essay is the staple of the photojournalism world. Here are a few examples:

Exploring the Mawlids of Egypt by Mosa'ab Elshamy

The Last Blast Furnace in England's Capital of Steel by Simon Butterworth

This is one of my favorite recently posted photo essays - if you like unusual concrete architecture with a brutalist edge this is one should appeal:
Cité Rateau by Scott Benedict

A photo essay has to have some kind of structure otherwise it would be a series. The most conventional format uses a number of images interspersed with some text. The strongest photograph goes at the beginning and the next best at the end. There should also be what is called a key image used at any point in the middle. This key image should be different enough from the rest of the images to make the viewer stop scrolling or turning pages. Of course this is only a guideline and any format that works is good. Also the use of text is optional. Some essays just have title, some just caption the images while others have a similar amount of text to a traditionally written essay. I feel that the images should be the most important element and that the text should play a supporting role.

Assignments

Last weeks assignment - Macro and close up

Photographs and comments

This weeks assignment - indoors

This can be anything at all - living, non living, everyday or exotic in any indoor space. Getting enough light on the subject is the major issue with indoor photography. An excellent light is provided by a window, the larger the better, where the sun isn't shining directly through it. North windows are always good while south one's tend to be the trickiest.

Where to post images

I'll put up a new thread tomorrow, around noon ET, specifically for the uploading of photos relating to the assignment. If you want to post them here and/or on tomorrow's thread that is fine.

Finally

Remember: It costs nothing to encourage an artist, and the potential benefits are staggering. A pat on the back to an artist now could one day result in your favorite film, or the cartoon you love to get stoned watching, or the song that saves your life. Discourage an artist, you get absolutely nothing in return, ever

-Kevin Smith

This is an open thread so have at it. Post photos, questions, thoughts etc. - anything whatsoever to do with photography or anything at all for that matter.