Many photography enthusiasts, when they first embark on their journey in photography and are faced with numerous outstanding works, aren't quite clear on how to appreciate them. Often, they overlook the other implicit content within these pieces. Learning how to appreciate is one of the essential basic skills for a photographer. Only by learning to appreciate can one learn more from others' works. Today, I would like to share my experience and opinions on this matter with all of you. For any inadequacies, I hope everyone will kindly offer guidance.
Photography is primarily about reproducing reality, be it objects or scenes. In this process, beyond just focusing on photographic equipment and techniques, it also demands an instant sense from the photographer. When we face various types of photographic works, what kind of perspective should we use to view and evaluate them? For the majority of today's works that express the beauty of nature, society, and art from different angles, such works not only bring us visual and spiritual enjoyment but also inspire our passion for life. Of course, there is also a part, such as candid shots and documentary-style works, which do not have strict requirements for composition, lighting, and angles. Facing different themes and styles of photographic works, what kind of attitude should we use to appreciate them?
Since photography is distinct from other forms of art, it has its own unique artistic characteristics, thus determining its inherent artistic laws. The elements of appreciating photographic art include: basic modeling factors, technical skills, artistic expression methods, and thematic ideas.
Firstly, photographic art uses color, tone, etc., to create images. Therefore, appreciating photographic art should start from directly perceptible foundational elements such as composition, lighting, and tone. These elements are not only the foundation of constructing a work but also the artistic premise for appreciators to feel and understand photographic works.
Secondly, photographic art is also a perfect combination of technology and technique. An excellent work cannot be separated from the application of technology and technique. The shooting techniques used in the Beijing Olympics swimming competition photographs make the subject stand out, blur the background, give the entire image a stronger sense of motion, and make the viewer feel as if they are there. If you have some knowledge of photography, you can easily discern the shooting methods used in the photograph and evaluate and deliberate accordingly, thereby feeling and recognizing more deeply. Conversely, if your understanding of relevant photographic knowledge is not deep enough, when you see the photo, you might only notice the dynamic effect between the real and virtual parts of the photo, ignoring the wonderful moments and expressions captured in the work, thus missing a valuable learning opportunity.
Thirdly, the method of artistic expression is also an important factor in appreciating photographs. It is the different expressive methods used by photographers under the guidance of their artistic views and themes, based on the needs of theme creation. In many contemporary commercial and artistic photographic works, we can see many different artistic expressions. Appreciating this type of work is closely related to the education we have received and our personal artistic cultivation. We can enhance our personal artistic cultivation through continuous learning, thereby gaining more knowledge from the works.
Fourthly, the theme idea is the concentrated manifestation of the content of photographic works. It runs throughout the process from conception to completion of the work, and it is the unity of content and form. The theme idea of news-related topics is usually more obvious, while landscape works sometimes may not highlight the theme, but there is a clear distinction in artistic expression methods.
In fact, whether it is photographic art or the appreciation of photographic works, both require long-term accumulation, learning, and summarization. Only through continuous practice can we improve our appreciation level and form our own independent creative style. Among the numerous photographic works we see, we don't need to demand that every photographic work be aesthetically pleasing. As long as we appreciate with our emotions, I believe each photographic work will bring us unique beauty and touch!
Recently, many people have been asking me on QQ and MSN how to learn photography, either technically or theoretically. These things are easy to explain because 1+1=2 can be calculated with fingers, can be empirically verified, and anyone doing it will get the same result. No matter who says it, the fact remains that "the smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field; the faster the shutter speed, the more frozen the image." However, when it comes to how to learn photography, it is crucial for beginners. This is somewhat a conceptual issue, and concepts won't be consistent among everyone. I hope to share my views and thoughts with beginners so that everyone doesn't lose direction or fall into errors when stepping into the world of photography.
How to start learning photography? Here’s the answer: First, of course, is developing an interest in photography. Interest is the most important driving force. The stronger your interest, the stronger your drive, and correspondingly, the greater your harvest in photography. Naturally, most readers come to the photography network because they are interested in photography. So regarding this point, I want to tell everyone: stick to your interest, and you will gain more.
Next, someone might ask: Do I need to buy a camera? What kind of camera should I buy? Regarding this question, I once said in the forum that you don’t necessarily have to buy a camera first. You can start by liking to "look," at beautiful pictures. I recommend detailed picture books, whether they feature landscapes or the colorful people and things on the road. Because you have an interest and feeling for these images, you want to capture them with a camera. Is that right?
The second step for beginner photographers is equipment.
So, recognize the fact that a camera is just a "tool" for a photography enthusiast. Of course, for many people, a camera is also a collection item, and many enthusiasts are more interested in the equipment itself than in photography. So! First, buy a camera with basic functions (this condition is met by the vast majority of cameras nowadays), then temporarily focus on the equipment. Of course, my meaning is that if you really want to gain something from photography, familiarizing yourself with your tool is absolutely necessary. Learn to operate it step by step. Spend some time going to the streets, gardens, fields to find inspiration. Often, the most ordinary things photographed turn out to be the most genuine. We often say, "Sweat more during peacetime, bleed less during wartime." (Don't ask what the camera can do for you, ask what you can do for the camera.) That is, after becoming familiar with your tool, when it comes time to use it, you won't panic, or even mess up important events that cannot be reproduced.
The quality of equipment is relative, not absolute. Choosing equipment is also very critical. For rookies, we just need to choose a DC model that we like and can afford. Everyone can go to the shopping guide channel to check out recent price drops and buying tips. I'm sure you can find your favorite DC!
The third step for beginner photographers is communication.
After familiarizing yourself with the basic operations, naturally, you should take more photos and discuss the results with fellow enthusiasts. Don't feel shy, especially at the beginning, you may not know where the problem lies in your photos. Is it due to incorrect focus or too slow shutter speed? Can the composition be improved? Would better lighting angles help? Next time you encounter a similar environment, can you do better than this time? Try different shooting subjects, try different shooting locations. Before you reach a certain level, I suggest trying various aspects. During the initial learning stage, joining a photography club with correct concepts can make your start easier and prevent you from blindly fumbling alone. Going out to take photos with friends, coming back to study together, exchanging opinions and experiences, all make photography more interesting.
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