Conceptual Photography

Let me tell you, I had been having a bit of trouble with conceptual photography in the current class I am taking. I think I have finally got it.

I think BrightHub defines Conceptual Photography the best: "Conceptual photography is, first and foremost, about the concept of the photo. A conceptual photographer is trying to bring some message about to the viewer, be it a political advert or a social commentary or an emotional outcry. There is some level of abstraction, thus, in a conceptual photo: the image is not an explicit example of the concept, but a general expression of the idea." (BrightHub)

So the photographer has an idea, a concept, and they wish to share it with their viewer; the viewfinder is their canvas, and they "paint" with light.  You and I are the artist, attempting to convey a message to our audience. Something I couldn't quite accept about Conceptual Photography, is that the audience, the viewer, can really decipher just about anything from your work.  It really is about them.  There are a million things that could contribute to how the audience "sees" your work. It's about what's in their head, their reality.

I try to keep my message, my concept, in mind as I shoot. I think of my audience, but only slightly. My current audience is my classmates (mostly) so they know the message I am conveying, or at least attempting to. HA!  Sometimes I don't quite get the message across, and I think heavens that we are in school and learning

So for now I will leave you with this: the images here are of course, mine.  If you, my audience, were to think of one word as the one-word concept I am conveying, what would it be?  I will post the answer next week, as well as carry this post further. :)

 

{the source for the quote in the beginning of the post}

http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/39542.aspx

A link to some outstanding examples of conceptual photography:

http://www.thephotoargus.com/inspiration/40-outstanding-examples-of-conceptual-photography/

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Trouble with a capital “T”

Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble…..

Our high school is performing “The Music Man” and I have this song running through my head in the annoying, it will never go away sort of way.  But it does allude to something I want to talk about today.  In each and EVERY one of our classrooms, under EVERY week, just below the assignments, is a place few people go…..

But we all should!

I will be the first to raise my hand as “guilty” of not using this section as well as I could (or at all to be honest).  I did not really understand the purpose of it until recently and sadly I have been at this over two years and am nearly finished.  I want my loss to be your gain.

This is what I am talking about:

Problems and Solutions Discussion.  

For some reason I thought I had to have some big “issue” to post there.  I could not have been more wrong. 

Click under this section and this is what it says,

”This Problems and Solutions Discussion forum is where you can post information about any technical or assignment problems you're experiencing, and post any solutions, tips, tricks or other comments that would be of value to fellow students.”

My current Instructor adds this note,

“If you have any questions about this week's assignments that you think your classmates might also have, please post them here.  If you think you have an answer to a classmate's question, you are welcome to chime in - this is a community, let's welcome one another and support each other as we learn more about portraiture!”

This, ladies and gentlemen is a FABULOUS tool, a GREAT resource, a WONDERFUL arena for us to connect and help one another.  Remember that no question it too small or stupid.  I struggled all the way through Lighting PH136 not knowing if I should leave the modeling light on all the time when using strobes or shut it off.  It was not until I was taking Studio Photography PH212 and was having a phone conversation with the Instructor that it occurred to me to ask her and not feel ridiculous about it.  If I had posted a little note in the Problems and Solutions Discussion during week one of Lighting, then I would have known.  And it is entirely possible other students in the class had the same question.

This is a learning environment!  We are all here to LEARN.  To better foster that we need to simply ask questions when we have them. It may very well be that a classmate knows the answer.  We are all at different places in this journey. One of the beauties of the AiO set up is that because we are all at different points in our journey, we can and SHOULD help one another.  AiO has given us a platform in the Problems and Solutions Discussion where we can do just that.

Do you have a question that you have been too nervous, afraid, or did not think to just ask?  Well now is your chance!

You can always ask us questions here on the blog as well.  That is one part of what we are here for as Student Ambassadors.  We are all a bit further along in our journeys and have found ways to be successful and yet are still learning.  Let us all learn together.

It’s just another Manic Monday …

Monday Ambassador