As part of my research I read a chapter of ‘Selecting the Subject” by Bill Jay. I learned a lot about photography in general and what makes a good photograph. The first thing I learned was that there is no such thing as composition. This shocked me at first because at A level our photography had to be all about how you composed your photo and you would get marked for having good composition but this reading taught me that actually there is no such thing because the author is not interested in the rules in photography and that what makes a good photo is creativity but good design is essential. I think the author is very honest in their opinion because they tell us that what we’ve learned in photography and what we already know is wrong and almost non-existent. However, he states that bad photographs are ‘disorganised, sloppy and lack clarity, whereas a good image is sharp, correctly exposed and clear’ (Jay,1997). This shows the difference in the types of photos and it is important to recognise the difference between them so that the next time we take photos we are aware of how we take them.
He says that “A good photographer is always striving for the perfect image, knowing that it is rarely, if ever, likely to be achieved” (Jay 1997). This suggests that if you really want a certain picture you must have determination and perseverance to achieve your goal, just like anything else, and if you try hard enough you will achieve that goal. I believe that is a very good quote to follow because it’s telling us to never give up and if we really want a good photo we will make it happen.
As an result, this has helped me choose my project idea by it allowing me to think more carefully about a subjectivity.
References:
Jay, B. Hurn, D. (1997). On being a Photographer: Selecting A Subject. Oregon: Lenswork publishing.
