Comments on: Characteristics of Great Photographers – Curiosity

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 01:52:10 +0000

You missed the most important quality of all. Great photographers *understand light*! Many of examples I see of “great” modern photographers appear to be ham handed Photoshop essays. I’m probably a minority in my belief that if you didn’t capture it with the lens, it’s not a photo (angel wings and blood splattered crows added to HDR images are boring to me).

The true greats understand their subjects and the way light plays. I don’t see much difference between Photoshop and Autotune, they seem similar to me. Get the take up front and fix it in the back end. Is that disingenuous? I don’t know. To me, it means more if I can trust that the light was really like what the photo depicts. It has more meaning.

The corollary is great photographers *feel* their subject. If you don’t have a deep care for your subject on some level, what differentiates your images from snapshots?

By: Ruel Camaquin

Ruel Camaquin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:49:33 +0000

Great post! love it! the learning curve in photography does not stop on what you do, and DPS (especially Darren) has given us a very good point on curiosity when it comes to taking pictures….

By: Carol Lundeen

Carol Lundeen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:23:21 +0000

Love your first comment especially, Darren, the one about the amazing shots of ordinary subjects. We’re surrounded by the ordinary daily. How wonderful to let our curiosity lead us to see the familiar in such unfamiliar ways.

By: Pedro Cedeño

Pedro Cedeño — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:12:10 +0000

And you can learn many thing on Flickr. The Curiosity is a big key for the photographer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedroxwalkman/4067652306/

By: Ed Hamlin

Ed Hamlin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:28:59 +0000

I also have to agree with Squirrelydude, through our curiosity we find who we are and what vision we have been given, what do you see in the images that you capture?

By: Squirrelydude

Squirrelydude — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:57:48 +0000

“at some point photography becomes autobiographical. In order to create better photos, sometimes we need to put down the photography books and magazines. Then we need to go out and to develop who we are”

by Jay Maisel

By: Pigon

Pigon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:29:45 +0000

I agree that curiosity helps photographers learn to see “normal, usual” things in a bit different more creative way. It helps you look for interesting shots and create, visualize them even before you actually take the picture . I often hear: “Don’t just take pictures! Make pictures!”

That’s all true! Framing is essential. Curiosity helps a lot here. Please take a look at his horse portrait of mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/piotr_golebiowski/3635884540/

By: B P Maiti

B P Maiti — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:40:39 +0000

Abomb shell.It bomberds you reflection and concentration.Pl .arrange for more curiouly informed articles.Thanks.

By: Enzo

Enzo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:30:45 +0000

THAT IS THE BEST ARTICLE ….. THANKS SO MUCH

By: Gary Neugebauer

Gary Neugebauer — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:00:08 +0000

I don’t know about knowing Your camera and going out of the auto mode , But most of the photos are true proffesonal photos but alot are total photoshop do overs . prefect contrast , dreamy cloudy landscapes , color and flawless complectionsare all give-aways