Light and Beauty

Today, I want to show you  Joseph Kelly's artworks. Photography about nature is one of his main lines (but not the only one), nevertheless this artist is more interested in what a capture transmits or moves than in the forms themselves. 

Each photographer shows the world from his/her own eyes, so it is extremely interesting to know that external vision, from another perspective, that maybe we ourselves would not be able to see. In his works, Joseph shows us a world of color and light, perhaps as a representation of his interior through the external objects he captures. Beauty is the common denominator of his works, which, although at some point they have a touch of drama, this only highlights the beautiful. 

Click on the images below to enlarge the pictures and know more about him.

When elegance is present in all its forms

Hi friends! It's a pleasure for me to show you Scott Kemper's photographs today. On many occasions, when I write about an artist, it isn't difficult to choose some of the works to show them here, but this time it has been really difficult to choose. The first sensation I had when I looked at Scott's galleries  was that of wishing to be in the places he portrays.

The images he captures, all without exception, take us to the right place with elegance and simplicity of the shapes. The elegance is detached in each of his works creating a perfect balance for the eye. The balance of the composition is subjugating, and the simplicity I mention is that which avoids recharged elements and leaves, simply, those most important ones, which really mean something relevant and that, somehow, being the only ones existing inevitably lead us to place with which we identify those parameters.

This artist plays with one or more elements, all important for what he wants to express, as if he had placed them there on purpose. We all know the icons' (and landmarks) importance, those which our mind knows and identifies with a particular place or situation. In his photographs Scott recreates this icons in an exceptional way and with sublime elegance, there is no noise or confusion that disturbs or distracts the viewer, in his photographs there is only what must exist.

On the other hand, the choice of colors is exceptional (remember that they are photographs and not paintings, so you have to get those colors that exist in reality). We all know the importance of colors as well, as each of them tells us something special and takes us to a different feeling. Well, there is no mistake in the colors, there is not a single color that leads to errors and makes us feel something different from what the artist has intended. As if we could imagine something and turn it into reality, Scott Kemper that sensation transmits in his photos.

And so, it was very difficult for me to choose only 3 of his works to show here since all deserved it, but you can see that by yourself clicking on the images, enlarging them and visiting his gallery. You can also visit his site http://kemperimagery.com. Enjoy it!

Find your style in photography - 7 - Luck or creativity?

Today I want to talk about Alan Brown's photographs which could teach us a lot about how to create good images. He seems to find beauty everywhere, do you think that he's a lucky guy or that he is a talented one? You know, sometimes one is lucky enough as to live in a paradise and have the opportunity to take good photographs, but if you think this you're wrong. You don't need to live in a wonderful place to make good photos and nothing assures that you would make them so.

Of course, Alan's photographs show us wonderful places but that's not all, he captures a special moment with a special distribution of elements and a special perspective among other details that make the image different from all that could have been taken in the same place. As he tells us in his bio: "I learnt quickly from the harsh critique of contest judges that great images are not taken, they are created, and that each image has its own story . This mantra has been a constant throughout my many years as an avid photographer." 

In the same sense, he's driven to create exceptional images, he's self demanding what leads him to produce excellent works. So, we can learn two different lessons through his work, the first one is that it isn't the same taking a photograph than creating one and the second is that if you don't have the strength to exceed the average expectations about a photograph your work will be very similar to everyone.

I invite you to click on the images below to enlarge them and know more about Alan Brown and his fantastic works that takes us to unimagined places that whisper stories. 

Find your style in photography - 6 - Make the Viewer to be There

Following with photography styles, as we have already commented, it's very important to find your own syle as a photographer, it isn't just a painters issue, as a proffesional you have to leave your mark on each of your photographs so that whoever sees them knows that image was captured through your camera and your eyes. 

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of styles with small differences between them. But, what is it that makes a photograph not only have its author personal impression but reach the viewer? Well, one of the answers would be to make the viewer like being in that place, convert the photo from a piece of paper to a trip, make feel the sensations and emotions that we ourselves have when capturing an image. It's difficult, isn't it?

First of all, we can't transmit an emotion that we don't have. If we go around with our camera and just shoot what we think it's nice to choose a good one later we can get some good pictures. But, if we go for what we want or if we go around and find exactly what we need, if we enter into communication with the environment and with what we want to portray, for example: an animal, if we get really involved with what we are capturing, then we get great photographs. However, even though I believe that this way of working can be learned, personally I consider it requires an innate personal condition of the photographer. We can all learn about everything, much more if we strive, but we also have personal skills that lead us to be better in one area or another. 

We have Carter Spade's works as an example of this. You feel close to the image as if you were there and as if you could touch it. As he says: "I want the viewer to feel the connection to the animal or place that I felt at the time that sparked me to take that photo. I try to find an angle that makes the viewers feel like they are seeing it for themselves.", and he always gets it. He's an animal lover (even his work is not limited to that), and we can really feel that those eyes on the image are watching us, and we can feel that connection of which he speaks about as if we were there. Therefore, although the technical and specific issues of photography are very important, not least is to convey feelings to the viewer. Click on the images to enlarge them and know more about Carter Spade and his wonderful style and photographs, you can also visit his site www.spadephoto.com .

Find your style in photography - 4 - When Everything can be Beautiful

Hello friends! Let's continue with photography and talk about a different style.

Maybe you go around with your camera for hours looking for something worth to be captured, you get tired, you find think there's nothing and get stressed. Have you thought that, perhaps, you've not been paying real attention? Beauty is around us everywhere, the matter is that we have to see it with different eyes. Everyone knows that a flower, a puppy or a sunset is beautiful, but there are many other things that deserve our attention and that are beautiful for other reasons than simply visual.

Things tell us stories, everything you find in your way has something to say, an old building, an abandoned church, even old tools tell us about themselves. But, how do we make other people listen and find the beauty? Well, that's called "art". Art makes things talk by themselves and tell us their story, it gives real beauty even to a piece of wood, so sometimes it's not just about what we capture but how. 

There is something called perspective that we should take into account and which can bring a melancholic, sad, happy, romantic, etc. touch to our shots. Let's imagine an abandoned and ancient building, we have many ways to capture it and depending on that we'll get a result: time of the day, light, from where, close, far, perspective, clouded day, sunny day, among other possibilities. The matter is that we can find beauty wherever we go if we have a good eye, a good technique and artistic sense.

There some photographers who are special for that, they exactly know where, when and how. They don't need a beautiful thing itself to show beauty, they find and show it wherever they go and on whatever they capture. This is Lisa Wooten case, her shots capture beauty as she perfectly knows it is everywhere, and even when she is mostly a landscape photographer she gives us the fresh air of beauty, feelings and emotion on everything she captures. If you click on the images below you'll know what I'm about and you'll be able to know more about this fantastic artist. 

Find your style in photography - 3 - The Axis that Captures the Attention

Following the "Find your style in photography" issue, I want to talk about the importance of the axis (or point) that captures the viewer attention.

Some photographers have good works, but have a problem since they can't drive the viewer attention to a specific point in their composition. This is important both in fotography and in painting since if we don't get a certain balance the eye is lost in the set. I think I've talked a little bit about it before. No matter how beautiful a landscape may be, it can go unnoticed if we fail to create the imaginary lines that will take us to the spotlight. Sometimes it's an element (a boat, a tree, etc.), while sometimes it is simply where the horizon, buildings, a mountain or clouds intersect.

Generally, it is that balance and that point of attention which makes a good photo stand out over another. The eye needs to get out of the confusion, have a stimulus that takes it and direct it towards a point (not necessarily in the center) to appreciate the rest of the work. This phenomenon occurs in fractions of a second and it's not at the conscious level. Therefore, pay attention to balance / distraction, many times what could have been a fantastic capture becomes a common one for neglecting this.

As an example of this, I want to show you John Janicki's photographs, he's an incredible professional photographer and we can perfectly see what I'm talking about. He has a perfect sense of balance and  has the ability to take the viewer's eye exactly where he wants. Besides, he has a fantastic sense of composition that highlights the beauty of everything he captures. So, pay attention to his work to learn how to become a good photographer. I invite you to click on the images below to enlarge them and know more about this great artist.

Find your style in photography - 2 - Beyond Perfection

Some photographers show us reality in such an exquisite way that they make us wish things were like they show us. It is an elaborate hyperrealism that provides an added touch of beauty, which comes from their own eye and camera.

Let's see what are the most distinctive features of this type of work, regardless of the special talent of each artist:

1. The right moment: not any moment, just the perfect one.

2. The light that inspires exactly what we want it to: depending on the light we'll get different kind of emotions, sometimes we just find the proper moment for shooting while others we look for that.

3. Perfect element's combination: we have different elements or just one but, how and where do we place them? We'll get completely different results depending on the combination.

4. Perfect balance: balance is one of the most important things in photography, that makes the eye go in one direction or another,  gives relevance to the total composition or to certain elements and may change the general meaning.

5. Capture exactly what you want to capture: when we work outdoors it's possible that we capture what we can, but patient and an experienced eye take us where we and how we want. 

These simple tips usually make the difference between a simple landscape or a paradise one. Have you ever seen a photograph of an incredible place you've visited once but that appears to be more exciting and beautiful than what you've seen with your own eyes?, that's called "talent".

As an example of this, I want to show you Luigi Morbidelli's artworks. It's actually difficult to choose just one of his photograph as they are all beyond perfection. His work is error free and goes a step further by spicing the image with his own talent which adds beauty to everything he captures. Luigi is a landscape but also a food photographer and I can assure you that his photographs of food make what he shows more palatable than reality itself. If you click on the images you'll be able to enlarge them and see his complete gallery, which I strongly recommend. You can also know more about him at http://luigimorbidelli.wixsite.com/photography . Through his photos we can learn what  really a professional work is and how important are both talent and experience. Enjoy it!