... what? I want to write about photography (fashion photography being my area of expertise, IMNSHO)
Other Steemians are already tackling the basis of photographic technique (I'm looking at you, @Catharcissism :) ) quite well and comprehensively, so I am not going to duplicate that.
So for this post, I will discuss something which is quite close to my photographic heart: vision (or "idea") vs. technique vs. tools.
Just to be clear, with vision I mean the idea behind a photo, or more specifically, the storytelling / emotional purpose of a photo: what does the photographer intend to portray?
Technique spans the settings used to take a photo (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc.), the compositional techniques (e.g. rule of thirds) and the post processing techniques (from in-camera processing if you shoot JPEG, to full Photoshop makeovers).
Tools are the camera / lenses and possibly lights / modifiers and any other equipment that has been used to take a photo.
Let me start by stating the obvious (to me at least): the vision trumps everything else. Perfect technique and super posh toys do help but alone they can only take technically great photos. Without a vision they will be just that. There will be no story and no emotion... or perhaps, if you're lucky, there will be some of that, but it would have been a stroke of luck, something that happened to the photographer, not vice versa.
The corollary to this position is that the photographer's brain and eyes are the most important tools that you have. So yes, when someone says to me "great photo you must have a pro camera" it does annoy me :)
Having said that... I would never belittle technique and equipment. They are means to an end, true, but they are part of the recipe for a successful photo nonetheless. They are the tools that the photographer uses to implement his / her vision. If you have a vision but your techniques and tools are not up to it, you will again need to rely on luck to capture the image that you want.
Therefore my position is: first learn the techniques, train your eyes to see what a photo can be rather than what it is in front of you. Then get the tools you need (and for many types of photography, such as fashion, expensive cameras are not needed! Even the lack of expensive lenses should not stop you from achieving what you want to... lightning may be a different matter and also other types of photography can be much more demanding in terms of equipment...) and learn how to use them well. And then you'll be ready to make photos following your vision.
Sometimes you have the luxury of sitting back and reflect on how you're going to take a photo, sometimes you don't. In the latter cases being comfortable with your tools and sure in your techniques will increase the chances of capturing great moments in the way that is coherent with the vision that is in your head.
Photography is a game of compromises. Choosing where and how much to compromise is the job of the photographer. There are usually many ways to skin a photographic cat, meaning many different combinations of compromises you can choose. You can be the one making those choices or fate can be. If you want to be the one making the choices, you need to understand how each choice will affect the resulting image.
Caveat: sometimes fate can be a wonderful photographer too :)
I think I will tackle post processing in another post :) It is usually a divisive and confrontational argument.
Maria and the mannequins - the black dudettes where not there (it's an elevator), we moved them to create the posse
Sorry for the re-post, but this shot of Brittany still one of my fav compositions of all my "career" :)
The geometric shapes behind Emilia have been added in post
