What is in the mind of great photographers

Well either it’s ‘light’ and it’s therefore a photograph, or it’s not light and therefore it isn’t.
The term for the production of images or videos using a thermal imager is 'Thermography', so it would be a thermograph. :)
 
If all you had was a white wall, a light source and a camera, the photos would be a bit boring after a while.

Is there a chance that photography, like so many things in life, is the bringing together of a number of elements, light, subject, camera, etc.?
 
"What is in the mind of great photographers?"

Forget the nitpicking about light or subjects. I reckon the answer is 'ideas'. Without ideas you get pictures, but they're unlikely to be great.
 
Roll your eyes all you like, isn't going to make you right. Maybe once you realise that it is just that, someone liking a quote that makes some sense you might just drop the nonsense

It can very easily be argued that it IS all about the light, you're not getting this. It's like you argue for the sake of it. Show me some images you've taken with any gear without any light involved .... end of debate as far as I'm concerned.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 

High-larious

Yes we get it lads, you need a subject, and you think you can shoot it in pitch black.

This has been really interesting. :rolleyes:

























PS ... it IS all about the LIGHT :exit:
 
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PS ... it IS all about the LIGHT :exit:

If you want to be strictly accurate, it is about the quality of the light. Unless your name is Gursky. In which case you prefer it flatter than a pancake.

Personally I think two of the most important factors in a truly great photograph are access and vision.
 
If you want to be strictly accurate, it is about the quality of the light. Unless your name is Gursky. In which case you prefer it flatter than a pancake.

Personally I think two of the most important factors in a truly great photograph are access and vision.


Hard to argue against that, but one could also add 'am I bovvered' into the mix too - as in, the motivation to 'capture' an image in the first place. But ... you'll still need light ;)
 
Yes we get it lads, you need a subject, and you think you can shoot it in pitch black.

I can when required; as I have the equipment necessary to see, compose, frame and capture the image in such conditions. :sneaky:

I know, there's always one isn't there! :giggle:
 
I can when required; as I have the equipment necessary to see, compose, frame and capture the image in such conditions. :sneaky:

I know, there's always one isn't there! :giggle:
You might be able to 'capture an image' without light - but the pedant in me wishes to point out... it's clearly not a photograph.
 
The truth is, for some types of photography it doesn't matter what the light is like as long as there's enough of it to capture the image and tell the story.

Take the famous and totally harrowing Saigon Execution photograph taken by Eddie Adams in Vietnam in 1968 (if you are not familiar with this photo then it's perhaps best if you don't view it if you are likely to be upset or adversely affected by graphic scenes of death) for instance; would it have made much difference to that image if the sun had been shining more, or it was dull and overcast with a featureless sky, or snowing, misty, etc.?

The answer is almost certainly no, because the subject matter is so strong you don't even notice the light. It's always the subject that matters, but with some photographs the subject happens to be how the light is falling on it.
 
Somebody once said somehting to the effect that a photographer controls 2 things, where to stand and when to press the button.
 
Somebody once said somehting to the effect that a photographer controls 2 things, where to stand and when to press the button.
Indeed - just in the last page.
An essential read IMO. (y)

One of my favourite quotes from it being: "...a photographer only really has two controls – where they stand and when they release the shutter..."

BTW this is closer to my actual philosophy of what makes a great photograph. But somehow I appear to have become intrinsically linked to the quote about light and gear.

I'll have to add though - where we stand has a lot to do with the light ;)
 
But somehow I appear to have become intrinsically linked to the quote about light and gear.

I'll have to add though - where we stand has a lot to do with the light ;)

Was it you posted it a while back? Might have been where I first seen it ... either way, i really like it. You should take the credit, I couldn't find the origin of it :D
 
Was it you posted it a while back? Might have been where I first seen it ... either way, i really like it. You should take the credit, I couldn't find the origin of it :D
I've no idea what the origin is (it's not mine) but I do kinda agree with it, The other one that's not stuck is...

Photography is both the scientific and artistic process of creating images with light

To me that should help people who don't understand why issues like dappled light and horror lighting create an image that looks nothing like the subject their mind 'sees'.
 
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