[BarryE]

Yes well, who cares what some alphabet soup group that no one has ever heard of thinks?

---------- Post added 09-08-18 at 08:34 AM ----------

That would be the sharp concept part. Pretty much everything that has been fronted in this thread as required for a great image distills down to having a sharp concept.

ICM? Maybe it has not travelled across the pond. ICM = Intentional Camera Movement.

---------- Post added 09-09-18 at 05:46 PM ----------

You haven't heard of the International Confederation of Midwives? No, I haven't a clue either.

What a good guess :-)

---------- Post added 09-09-18 at 05:46 PM ----------

You haven't heard of the International Confederation of Midwives? No, I haven't a clue either.

What a good guess :-)

[Wheatfield]

ICM? Maybe it has not travelled across the pond. ICM = Intentional Camera Movement.

---------- Post added 09-09-18 at 05:46 PM ----------



What a good guess :-)

---------- Post added 09-09-18 at 05:46 PM ----------



What a good guess :-)

Exactly what any of this has to do with having a sharp concept going in is, of course, anyone’s guess.

[stevebrot]

Paradoxically, I think "story-telling" is important, but also I don't believe that a single image without any additional context can tell a story. A single image can imply a story, or more accurately, a multitude of stories; but that ambiguity is very much key to having a great standalone photo, or a photo that widely affects people emotionally, without any additional outside information.

You mean something like this one?

I know the context (a farmers street market) as well as the actual situation (left standing with the dog) and while I laugh a little every time I see it, I am not really sure if anyone else might get the joke.


Steve

[stevebrot]

If you really want to seriously start answering this question... start here....
Bridging the Gap: Classical Art Designed for Photographers - YouTube

I was hoping this would show up!

Amazing presentation.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Jim Richardson - National Geographic photographer
"If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff."

So very true. Pity our yards and pets are not more interesting


Steve

[stevebrot]

Or, as Minor White put it variously:

all photographs are self-portraits

That is seriously disturbing...

Steve

[stevebrot]

SO what you're saying it wasn't a good enough photograph to stand on it's own, but with sufficient explanation people could understand what it meant to you?

My problem with commentaries like this is, it's not about the photograph, it's about a triggered memory of your grand mother that you were in a sense able to infect them with. I'm not sure that's about the photograph.

...The power of both title and caption...


Steve

[baro-nite]

That is seriously disturbing...

Well, it does seem to have become literally true for a lot of people.

I was hoping this would show up!

Here's an excellent short video by Mr. Marelli covering many of those ideas but also some others. One I find particularly interesting is the idea that quality of light is really about quality of shadows.

You Tube

You Tube

[PDL]

SO what you're saying it wasn't a good enough photograph to stand on it's own, but with sufficient explanation people could understand what it meant to you?

My problem with commentaries like this is, it's not about the photograph, it's about a triggered memory of your grand mother that you were in a sense able to infect them with. I'm not sure that's about the photograph.

No, I am not saying it is a photograph not good enough to stand on its own, thank you very much. It is a nice picture of a old woman sitting on the couch. It is not a stop you dead in your tracks image but it does stand on its own. You don't appear to have a understanding of the concept of context at all.

The images that Capa took on D-Day would not "stand on their own" if I use your interpretation of "good enough". One thing really missing in todays photography world is the application of simple words to establish context. The false idea that photographers can not use words to establish context is just ridiculous. The use of words makes the photograph. The word "D-Day" gives context just as "the last picture of my Grandmother" does.

[swanlefitte]

Where does the photo end and begin? Does Duchamp's Nude Descending Staircase need the title? Some art is meant to be interacted with is not complete if not being interacted with. Every art movement has its own definitions. I love the romanticism movement because it's new rules freed them from realism and colors and emotion could be expressed clearer.
One English teacher questioned why one writes. The answer is to convey something to someone. Therefore it fails if it doesn't convey. What's more you wanted to convey so the onus is on you to be clear and not on the audience to figure it out. I think most artists forget this and take pride in the audience not getting it, they feel superior. So maybe outside context sometimes need to be part of the photo. Can a photo only be good if it's something the audience can get without further knowledge?
Now we get to information theory. Information needs redundancy to transmit. Putting that redundancy outside the frame frees up what you put in the frame. This is my aunt in writting is easy to put outside the frame. It would be difficult in the frame unless one put a place card in the photo which would be distracting.
I am open to different criteria for different definitions of what a photo is. Then again I like beer with cherry in it. A German friend got angry saying it's not beer then. So I said ok then I like... sorry can't say because it doesn't have an acceptable semantic component for you.

[leekil]

Norman Rockwell could definitely tell a story with a single picture. I suppose you could say half the story is in the collective unconscious of the audience but it's there.
Take Homecoming Marine.
Homecoming marine - Google Search
A young man goes to war and returns home victorious happy to be back to ordinary life while the rest take in the excitement that exists beyond.
The title, the flag, the uniform, the setting, their postures, where they look, and the hands. Also the youngest is most excited, the oldest most concerned.
I love this guys work.

In both those pictures there are elements of an implied scene, but no specifics. The Marine has a bit of a look on his face, and so does the guy in the middle leaning over him. Is he "victorious", or has he seen terrible things? Are their expressions due to agreement of opinion, or disagreement? There is a lot that is unsaid, and that is the ambiguity that allows people to interpret it their own way.

Similarly with the Runaway, is the policeman kind of humoring the kid and is the smile one of warm sympathy, or is he giving him a hard time?

[ffking]

ICM = Intentional Camera Movement.

Sometimes known as not locking off your tripod properly

[swanlefitte]

Is he "victorious", or has he seen terrible things? Are their expressions due to agreement of opinion, or disagreement? There is a lot that is unsaid, and that is the ambiguity that allows people to interpret it their own way.

Similarly with the Runaway, is the policeman kind of humoring the kid and is the smile one of warm sympathy, or is he giving him a hard time?

I think he puts in definitive clues that do tell you. The easiest is he was victorious. The victors get the vanquished flag.

[leekil]

I think he puts in definitive clues that do tell you. The easiest is he was victorious. The victors get the vanquished flag.

Nothing about any of the expressions have the connotation of "victory", however. And beyond that, you still don't know the details, and details are what make a story. Like I said, things are implied, but are still ambiguous as to the specifics.

[swanlefitte]

Nothing about any of the expressions have the connotation of "victory", however.

We know alot. Everyone is hand wringing so he's talking about danger. The youngest is leaning in shoulders back neck stretching towards him showing the admiration. The kid in the Robin costume is leaning away putting distance between them, distancing himself from the story. The guy with back turned leaning in straight backed, legs tense pulling him in. He is squirming. Lots of cues. I think Rockwell made sure to write every part of the story he needed as best he could without literally spelling it out. That was his greatness in my opionion.