This is one of my favorite photographs. Lara is a wonderful yoga teacher, and she currently uses this as her Facebook profile photo.
That thing that you do. What is it again?
I’ve sought and received a lot of advice lately about defining my photography offerings. I’ve banged on a lot of descriptions, and they have a hollow sound. That is, until very recently.
I was reading a professional photography magazine and came across a statement by Irish photographer Pedraic Deasy. He described his studio by saying, “Our philosophy is to create iconic pieces of framed wall art to hand down to future generations.”
That resonates for me. It describes what I love both in people and in photography, and sends chills down my spine. It is the Big Challenge I’ve been looking for as I sift through the clichés and the standard advice that abounds everywhere.
It scares me to know what it is I’m committing to because it eliminates my hiding places. It opens me to criticism because, as they say in the pool hall, I’ve called my shot. Slopping a ball in the side pocket isn’t the same as delivering on the shot I’ve called.
Another phrase that is enormously helpful to me is narrative photography. I first heard it in a tutorial by Chris Orwig on Lynda.com. Narrative photography tells a story, whether it is in a single photograph or a photo essay. Narrative photography is sensitive to context, and to the depth and complexity of the person being photographed. A narrative photo cannot be a copycat photo. It has to address the person in the photograph in a meaningful way.
Combining these phrases gives me a sense of balance. I have a beacon now to guide me. I am committed to making iconic images that will be printed large and displayed conspicuously. It’s a relief to get that out in the open.
If you have found your core phrase, or a short description that gets to the heart of what you love, please share it.
