St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Married much? LAF

Without getting all anthropological men and women are polar opposites in some ways and the same in others. I bleed, you bleed, I cry (well I'm a man so I don't cry, but...) you cry, etc. When it comes to the way we think though, that's where it all seems to unravel.

If I may, and without being sexist, think back to the caveman times where the men were out hunting and the women were gathering. So here's this man standing behind a tree, trying to figure out, if I move is it kill or be killed. Basically, I stand alone and and look for movement to warn of danger and or to provide for the clan. Women on the other hand would typically be in a group, near camp, gathering berries and such while they commingled with one another. They were able to look at a berry and know if it was good or bad just by it's color, while at the same time taking care of their babies and learning about everyone's business.

Classically then, men are wired to see the differences in a scene to prove for others and a means of defence while women are wired to see everything and anything and typically have more time to do so at a leisurely pace.

Apply this to art and the question is answered. S-

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

So, with apologies to Linda for semi hi jacking, perhaps the reason I want to cram everything into the frame is hardwired? I have trouble with the whole concept of "center of interest" that is hammered home in every book, video and workshop (every one by male photographers BTW). The center of interest to me is often the scene itself - how all the parts work together. If I can't show the context of the "center of interest" within the environment, I don't feel like the image is complete. (I don't want just the barn, I want the broken fence, the curving road, the donkey grazing on the side.) I keep trying to change that, but it is like teaching myself to write left-handed, it is just unnatural for me. I can see we are going to have to develop this conversation further.

This has opened a whole new consideration for me that I had never entertained. Wow.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

I don't think you hijacked the thread as much as I think you steered in an unexpected direction and in the end to an interesting diversion.

My take on Center of Interest is two-fold and yet typically the same thing.

First -
-what stopped you and made you say, "Oh, I need to shoot that?" Center of Interest
and
Second -
- make an image as large as possible on your screen,
- walk away from it to three or more feet,
- turn around and look.
- What do you see? Center of Interest.

I have to jet, but will check in later! Cheers! S-

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Funny you should bring that up. I've long had an interest in prehistoric art and some time ago I discovered an old poem....ok...I wrote a Limerick years ago about an early woman artist:

While painting the wall of the cave Lascaux
Mused a Cro-Magnon maiden quite gaily, "oh...
In the future they'll wonder
As our middens they sunder...
Was my art Neolithic...
Or Paleo?

Food for thought?

I've tried to do one on Margarete Bourke-White...but it's a hard rhyme.

Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Thank you, Dave!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

No apology needed, Minnie. An interesting free flow of conversation!

And your comments reminded me that I have occasionally made cropping suggestions to some of your shots, so now I am comforted that there is someone who likes to cram even more than I do :)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Crikey, I can see I need to read up on a lot of stuff (art, history, art history) to follow you guys :)

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

Without getting to philosophical, I go out with camera in hand. I try to take everything in around me big and small. If my brain twitches (,not really) I take the shot.It could be color texture positioning of an item etc that catches my eye. I try to kiss it (keep it simple stupid) I am not always successful but that is how I look at thing. BTY I have way more failures than success.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Thanks so much for your input, NJ. Being able to "take in" everything around you sounds like an excellent skill. Regarding failures, apparently Ansel Adams said, "12 significant photographs in any one year is a good crop."

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

In looking for the Ansel Adams quote I mentioned to NJFrank, I found:

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept."

Love it!

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Amen to that! S-

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

That is beautiful, best quote I've heard is quite some time. Thanks Linda!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I thought so too, Erik - thanks! We can always count on Ansel :)

Singing Swan

I think I approach my photography much differently than some. I do a lot of reference shots that I can use later in artwork or design. I point my camera at a lot of nonsensical things, but when you want to know just how a flower looks or a skirt as it twirls around a person, then it's very helpful to have that at hand. I am also a big fan of being able to make 20, 50, 100 shots of something just to cover every angle or because I can't find the right setting until shot 35 and half have to be deleted, but it's cheap. And allowing myself that kind of practice over the years improves my confidence when I need to get the shot NOW!!!

I am also guilty of carrying my point and shoot everywhere I can because you never know when that perfect moment is going to happen to you. And I kicked myself so many times when I first started with digital photography for forgetting the camera and missing those wonderful moments.

One of the most important things I've learned is to stop kicking myself and to capture the memory. My brain was a camera long before I owned one, and I had to sort of retrain myself to just live in the moment and enjoy it for what it was. I have a few photos in my brain that I will be so happy to share once they get that sort of technology on the market. :) Matrix photography :) :)

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Truth! S-