"A Lesser Photographer Manifesto" Changed My Outlook On Photography

Here's a link to what I consider the most important article I ever read on photography.

A Lesser Photographer Manifesto

In short, he's telling photographers to create limitations with a cheaper camera and it will improve their art. I only agree with that to a certain point. We live in an ever changing world where you can do incredible things with technology. If it doesn't break your budget and you want to try whatever technical gadget, I say go for it. The thing is, you have to realize that it probably isn't going to improve your game that much or help you enjoy photography more.

Sports and wildlife photography are the exceptions to this rule and they're some of the most appreciated photos. If you're trying to get great photos in poor light, you're going to have to spend some money. It's that simple.

Then, there's the matter of glass. Great lenses make a difference. That's just that simple too. You can still get a great photo without them, but not consistently.

The manifesto's biggest lesson though is that you can use constraints instead of complaining about them. Exhausting the possibilities with the gear you have can be a great teacher too.

Every photographer should at least read  A Lesser Photographer Manifesto and consider some of the points, especially beginners or those who aren't happy with the results from the gear they have.

The Right Light For Photography

The most common complaint for photographers is that the light is just never "right". Photography is nothing more than capturing light, so "the right light" is really important. Many times the complaint is valid. If you would like to increase your chances for great photographs, don't wait for "the right light", shoot whatever subject is right for the light that you have.

As amateurs, we're not bound to a customer who wants a specific shot. It's ok to spend time looking for other subjects when our goal photo is just not attainable. Here are some general guidelines for what to shoot in what light. As amateurs, there's no real benefit to staying with one style of photography, so adding more to what you shoot to suit change light removes those limits.

The Golden Hours

Added note - sunsets are better with something of interest in them. 

The "golden hours" are the hour before and after a sunrise or sunset. the angle of light at these hours is always the most warm and dramatic. If you want more interesting photos, don't shoot sunrises and sunsets, shoot the landscapes that are illuminated by them. 

For great landscape photography, the golden hours are a must because this is when the best photos are taken. If you're going to take great landscapes, you need to work in these hours. That means rising early and missing supper in most cases. It's kind of been a turn-off for landscape photography for me during times when I'm just plain lazy. 

For me, limiting my photography to only the 4 golden hours everyday, just isn't practicle.

Cloudy Days

Cloudy days make bring out colors and detail due to lack of shadows.

I live in Ohio and there are so many cloudy that waiting on "the right light" is common for landscape photography. One solution is to take the photo anyhow, dramatize the clouds if possible, and convert to black and white. It can have a nice look, but it's obvious that you're making up for the lack of "the right light". 

A better solution is to switch to macro photography or to photography that will not include the sky. Clouds diffuse light and that allows for richer colors and reduced contrast. Flowers and anything with color have an entirely different look than they would on a sunny day. 

But what if it's windy and the low light makes fast shutter speeds impossible. Flowers and other small objects will blur due to the movement of the wind. Portraits are a good option. So are other still life images that benefit from color saturation and low contrast. Outdoor markets and festivals come to mind for a good source of images on a cloudy day. 

Don't forget to switch your white balance to the cloudy day setting. It will give a warming effect to your photos.

Direct Light

Direct sunlight adds to interesting architecture like this office shaped like basket.

Direct sun is great for anything that requires fast shutter speeds. Sporting events are the first things that come to mind. Street photography is another option. 

Direct light brings out the texture of objects. If the direct light is low, it elongates shadows giving an interesting effect to any architecture or object. 

Direct light gives a dramatic look to photos with the harsh glow it produces. People's eyes tend to squint giving their photos a sense of intensity.

Night Photography

Night photography is tricky, but worth the effort. Everything changes at night.

Night photography is a light situation that forces a photographer into bend to the light's will. There is less off it, so subjects are more limited or you need to illuminate it with your own lighting. 

It's easy to get carried away with gear acquisition with night photography. As much as I dislike carrying tripods, they are the most important piece of gear for the night. Inexpensive cameras with slow lenses can do very well if the camera is stable. If you lack a tripod, just look for highly illuminated subjects like signs and lit streets. 

Always Be Shooting

I think I've covered most lighting situations that can be encountered and they encompass all 24 hours of the day. The light may not be right for what you initially intend to photograph, but it's always right for something else. It's just a matter of knowing what to look for. 

The Forbidden Colored Camera

Incredibly, the professional photography world mocks and belittles the colored camera. I find it so odd that a profession that is in the art realm would take offense to a colorful camera. The claim is that the color will not change the quality of the image that it produces. Ok, they got me there. The colored camera can open doors, make a child more likely to small, and cause those being photographed to smile just a little more and not take the situation so seriously.

Photographer with the taboo red Nikon superzoom camera. 

The photo above is a young lady with a red Nikon superzoom. Would a pilot be more open to her with her little amateur camera or a big Canon 5D with a mega-lens on it? My money would be on the shiny red camera. It looks more fun and less intimidating than that of the typical professional. Not to mention, in skilled hands, it's capable of very good photos.

It's true, a black one will take technically the same photos, but the red one will change the mood of the shoot. In photography where no human subject is involved, any color will do, but if you're working with people, some color can actually do a little bit to change the attitudes of people.

Colored cameras are a marketing ploy, but that same emotion they're pulling from the buyer works on those photographed with it too. If you have or want a colored camera, get one! Don't let a pro tell you differently. If you're drawn to them, appearance is one more thing to aid in figuring out what type of camera to buy.

If you like the look of this camera, it's a really good 30x zoom from Nikon at an affordable price.

Juxtaposition. A Big Word For A Simple Concept

Juxtaposition is just another term that means that a photography has things in position that make sense. As a photographer, we're trying to put together an image that draws interest and juxtaposition is one way of doing that. To find a good juxtaposition, you have to work at it and look for it.

Finding things that just fit together is how we find a good juxtaposition. It's rare and fun when we find words that make an obvious juxtaposition for us.

Sun rays and the Sunoco sign just go together. 

NASA airplane parked next to a Travelodge Motel. Extreme traveling.

Juxtaposition doesn't always have to be something witty and humorous. Those rare finds just emphasize the point that adding meaningful things together add value to the photo by making it more interesting. In this photo, I used the leading line of a fence rail to a woman whose watching the waterfall. This addition wasn't so much that it made the photo to busy and it told the story that people come to this enjoy this waterfall often.

A lady enjoys the calming power of a waterfall at Chagrin Falls, Ohio. 

Noticing a good juxtaposition comes from being out there taking photos. They just happen and you train your eye to look for them. They can be forced for posed photos, but it's usually so obvious to the viewer that they it may actually distract them. It can also be found by working a subject until you find one or waiting for one to occur, such as a person or animal walking into the scene.

Great photos tell stories and juxtaposition is major tool for telling the story or creating a scene for the viewer to make their own. Enjoy finding them as you would enjoy treasure in a treasure hunt.