“When you go out to paint try to forget what object you have before you – a tree, a house, a field or whatever. Merely think, here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact colour and shape, until it emerges as your own naive impression of the scene before you.” – Claude Monet
I am spending a lot of time thinking about that Monet quote. When I photograph I often/usually/always forget what about the subject compelled me to pick up my camera. The resulting photos are merely high quality documents sprinkled with post processing and not an interpretation of the subject at hand.
The next time you pick up a camera stop.
Take a journal, an iPhone or a notepad and document your subject on paper not in your frame. Write down how your day has been, what your expectations are and what the subject is. Try writing observations (color, shape, unique attributes) about the subject. Don’t try too hard, instead focus more on just relaxing and forgetting about everything before and after that moment.
Be in the moment.
Finally, take Monet’s advice and “paint” your photograph until it emerges your own.
If you are compelled to do so let me know how this worked for you. Share excerpts from your journal, no matter how relevant to a photo and post the photo you made. Don’t worry about technical merit just relax and enjoy the experience. Rinse and repeat……………
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
The Monet quote reminds me of the drawing practice I used to do where you attempt to draw the subject upside down to take it out of your minds usual context. I have SO much to learn in terms of ‘seeing’ an image an looking for the shot before I shoot it.
The upside down image thing is interesting. Did it actually improve your drawing and if so , how?
Yea, I think ‘the upside down image thing’ helped to recreate what I was drawing because it took what may have been something I mind was used to seeing and turned into an abstract form of lines, blocks, and colors. When that transformation takes place, you’re mind is more easily able to recreate scale and perspective. I can’t really explain it, there are plenty of drawing books on the topic. This book in particular is the one I read many years ago: ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’ – http://www.amazon.com/New-Drawing-Right-Side-Brain/dp/0874774241
As I posted my original comment, I was wondering how this might apply to photography and how it could be experimented with. Any thoughts?
That is interesting. A view camera presents the image inverted on ground glass. I wonder if that would have the same effect of allowing the photographer to concentrate on spatial relationships in the photo rather than the subject matter itself.