The Daily Post blog which I mentioned a few times before has started yet another rather useful thingy – a series of posts on how to become a better photographer. Here is the first post, and it’s rather good. There are not too lengthy explanations, bullet point summaries, and, of course, excellent images.
There are several common misconceptions about photography: it’s about art, it’s about light, it’s about subject. All of those things are true, but even before all of that, it’s about people and psychology. (Even photographs that have no people in them!) The photographer makes an interpretation of the scene/subject; on the other end, the viewer makes another interpretation. The very best photographs and photographers convey their ideas cleanly to the end viewer, while still leaving room for imaginative interpretation. This means that to make a good image, you need to be able to recognize one.
Back when photography was one of my primary hobbies, I read a lot of articles, books, and forums. Writing like that is rare. Simple, yet concise language. It’s almost like someone is just talking to you.