I truly enjoy looking at other people’s images, mine drive me nuts, other people’s work I enjoy. It doesn’t matter to me whether they are photographs, paintings, drawings or some other way of interpreting the world. I enjoy looking at it all. As I’ve mentioned here before, I do feel as though in some work I’m missing the joke and so I’m working hard to be able to see more, to understand more clearly what was the intent behind the creation of the image.
This of course cuts two ways – it allows me to enter more deeply into the world that creator of the work has established and it also gives me tools to help bring my vision and voice into the world. In thinking about how I look at images – what is the light, how do the lines work, what is the role of color etc. I was reminded of some of the phrases that I’ve heard thrown around when people are both making images and looking at them. Variations on light, lines, moment such as Jay Maisel’s Light, Gesture, Color.
Since I’m easily distracted, with this thread to pull at I disappeared into the internet only to find that Jay Maisel has a new book out ‘Light Gesture and Color‘. I’ve been fascinated with Jay’s ability to find photographs in the most mundane places. After watching some of the videos of him at work such as the one below and looking at the resulting images I always feel that I could try harder.
This is the fluency that I am striving for – to not only be able to take to see and appreciate the image once captured but to see and anticipate the possibilities all around me.
“The joy of seeing” was a wonderful way of putting it. Jay Maisel’s work is a nice reminder to let the world around us dictate what we capture. Do you feel that this happens with a lot of prior practice or an innate sense of knowing where the shot will be the most interesting?
I think he’s trained himself to be able to be very aware of his surroundings. To be always looking for pictures and not to be afraid to try things.
I had never heard of Jay Maisel. “The Joy of Seeing” is perfect and something I will incorporate in my own photography. I think that he captures his images as a product of that joy rather than practice or an innate sense of composition. I am certain being joyful changes the way the eye sees. Thanks for this post.
It does seem like that doesn’t it. It comes across as though this is just the way that he sees the world.
This was an inspiring video about a photographer of whom I had never heard. I lead a sheltered life! Thanks for posting it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
My pleasure!