[Arjay Bee]

@ ChipB

Or something as seemingly aimless as ants crawling around

Frequently:


Not aimless to them...

I guess as a teacher I see something informative or didactic about nature photography - if only for my self.

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Last edited by Arjay Bee; 03-13-2011 at 03:49 AM.

[borno]

Some find beauty in creation, and see the nature as comprised of individuals, and as we would treat people, worthy of respect and even admiration. Others may just see wildlife as a teeming mass of inconvenience as it bounces off the bumper of their volvo. I do enjoy a nice Beaver shot.



Crazy looking ants Arjay!

[rkj66]

I guess as a teacher I see something informative or didactic about nature photography - if only for my self.

Since you upload that ant photograph here - you want others to appreciate it. Can you explain .. what is the story You want to tell with it ?? Just out of curiosity!

[rkj66]

Some find beauty in creation, and see the nature as comprised of individuals, and as we would treat people, worthy of respect and even admiration. Others may just see wildlife as a teeming mass of inconvenience as it bounces off the bumper of their volvo. I do enjoy a nice Beaver shot.

Incredible ... i have the deepest respect for nature, i like being in it and enjoy LOOKING at it the real thing. In fact i grew up in the countryside so i have been right in the middle of it for a good part of my life.
But i rarely photograph it because it is something that should be seen live. The next best thing for me is a documentary DVD/BluRay, like "Planet Earth" by BBC shot i HD. A bit on the fairytale side, but astonishingly beautiful. Just because one does not photograph nature it does not mean that one hates it. And if you really are on a crusade for nature, donate some money for its preservation or photograph what humans are doing that destroys nature. Now that would be interesting.

[rkj66]

Crazy looking ants Arjay!

Crazy? I do not follow. Why do they look crazy. What i see is a bunch of ants that have catched a caterpillar and presumably are going to eat it. What is crazy about that? It happens all the time. Everybody knows that. Nothing new at all.

[dude163]

Since you upload that ant photograph here - you want others to appreciate it. Can you explain .. what is the story You want to tell with it ?? Just out of curiosity!

Does every shot have to tell a story?

Can it not be aesthetically pleasing? or a reminder of years gone by? or a different perspective?

[rkj66]

Does every shot have to tell a story?

Can it not be aesthetically pleasing? or a reminder of years gone by? or a different perspective?

Yes i believe every shot should tell a story. At least to the persons that are in the context in which it was shot or at the lowest minimum to the photographer who shoots it, but preferably with an attitude to it. The ants or the beaver dont give a hoot, so it can only be appreciated by the watcher. In my world it is not enough to say "oh look - its a beaver", but instead for example, "oh look - the beavers damn have been destroyed by humans" or "oh look - the beaver habitat is polluted from industry". At least that would stir some feelings and make my mind go wondering. Another way could be the "disney"-angle, as i call it. When animals coincidentally look human in behaviour. I took a shot some weeks ago of bunch of birds (swans and ducks) swinmming along an edge of ice. This i would entitle "Rush hour". It is no great photograph at all, but it enhances its value if one can put some (human) meaning into it. Otherwise it is just a bunch of birds.

[reeftool]

I don't find nature photography boring in any way. I'm thrilled to be outside and always feel blessed to be witnessing what I see. With photography, I try to capture and save a little of the wonder I see. I'm not often successful at doing that but totally enjoy trying. I don't go into the woods specificly to take pictures. I just enjoy being there. If I get lucky and come out with a really good shot, then that's a plus for the day.

[normhead]

I've been staying out of this.. it keeps going on.

First there is absolutely no reason to be bored with photography. But, some people are lacking in imagination and want to be coddled so they use the "b" word. When my kids did that, I would sit them down and show them what they were missing. I don't expect to have to do that with adults. I've had students complain about how boring an assignment was, when other students were handing in professional quality work. "Bored" is more a comment on the bored, than it is about the context. Complaining something is boring is a cry for help. People in their passive aggressive way asking for people to help them appreciate.

The other part of claiming other people's work is "boring" is just an aggressive way of saying you don't find other people's work interesting, while implying that yours is better. Most of the time this is just gamesmanship. An "artiste" with little talent trying to elevate his own work as "creative" while knocking down everyone else as boring. Invariably, these "exciting creative " people don't post their work for criticism. Because then the same criticism could be thrown back at them, and people who throw around words like boring are definitely not going to give you the chance to throw anything back.

You don't have to be polite and like everything, but you do owe your readers the right to their personal taste. With all due respect, claiming you don't like Ansel Adams, or even Joe Schmoe's work is boring is just a pointless insult to everyone who likes those photographers. If I like Joe Schmoe's pictures and you don't really, what is that to you? What gives you the right to go parading around saying you find Joe Schmoe's pictures boring. And really, since Joe Schmoe has actually shown me something I resonate with and you've shown me nothing, what makes you think I'm going to care what you think. You've just tossed yourself into the barrel of egomaniacs I probably want to avoid.

So really, if you want to say you don't like Ansel Admas, fine, post one of your shots that you think is better. I'll decide which one I find boring. That's way beyond the scope of your influence in my life to be able to tell me what's boring. Other people don't have the right to tell me, or anyone , what's boring. It's personal, keep it that way.

[rkj66]

Just a little reminder, i did not start this thread. I wanted to support the original poster, since i think he is right in everything he says. I am just trying to open the nature photographers eyes, to, that there are other interesting areas of "Nature" than just "Animal-nature" .. afor instance "Human nature" Why are the overwhelming majority of celebrated photographers somebody who shoot pictures with people in them? Because they are artsy, fartsy better than thou snobs? NO .. because those photographs moves people, since they portray some human aspects, maybe even just human creations, like buildings and such. Those are thing we can relate to ... not macro shots of ants eyes in A2 size. Get it???

Actually i think that the average nature photographer is affraid of shooting people on the street that they dont know . They feel intimidated or are affraid that subjects might get annoid or something like that. So they venture far out in the bush to the ants and the beavers.

Well just my two cents .. i hope i may have touched somebody here with my words, though i guess noone will openly admit it, fearing flaming from the established nature photography consensus.

[tessfully]

Starting an "us and them" camp is ridiculous waste of time. I did appreciate the first post in that it made me think, although I do not agree with the basic premise I do see how hard it is to step outside the box in all categories of photography. Categories by their very nature confine.

I love that beaver shot above. It speaks to me. I also love street photography. Both nature and street photography can make me cry and laugh.

I agree that none of us are elevated to be judge and jury of what is good, bad and boring. That really is an issue of intolerance and subversive dominance. It creates really thick walls around what we are able to freely like and talk about...and it squishes creative thought and journey's toward newness are closed off.

Every new note, word, photo, paint stroke began with one already taken.

I personally am trying to find my way inside the intersection of nature and culture. I have three images I took that point me in the direction I wish to go. I have such a hard time matching my ideals with what I "see" and hope my mind and vision can expand at a quicker rate!

In December 2010 issue of Outdoor Photographer there is a feature Article"The Future of Nature Photography." It highlights three artists as the Next Generation: Fergus Gill, Christian Ziegler, Jason Bradley and Jimmy Chin.

Find some of their work if you can. It really is wonderfully creative and unique.

[rkj66]

First there is absolutely no reason to be bored with photography.

I beg to differ ... i see lots of reasons to be bored. Most photographers do not seem to have a clue about what can be interesting to others. If a photograph do not tell "some little story" it is boring. At least that is my definition of a boring photograph.

But, some people are lacking in imagination and want to be coddled so they use the "b" word. When my kids did that, I would sit them down and show them what they were missing. I don't expect to have to do that with adults. I've had students complain about how boring an assignment was, when other students were handing in professional quality work. "Bored" is more a comment on the bored, than it is about the context. Complaining something is boring is a cry for help. People in their passive aggressive way asking for people to help them appreciate.

The "b" word. Jesus .. is the word "boring" suddenly taboo? If those kids are bored, it is because some adults (parents) failed to induce some enthusiasm in them. Or maybe they were fed up with nature photographs

So really, if you want to say you don't like Ansel Admas, fine, post one of your shots that you think is better. I'll decide which one I find boring. That's way beyond the scope of your influence in my life to be able to tell me what's boring. Other people don't have the right to tell me, or anyone , what's boring. It's personal, keep it that way.

Sad if you are not able to listen to critique. You should be more open to opinions. maybe that one-dimensional attitude made your kids bored.

Well .. i have have put up a shot in a "album". It is from some friends wedding and i entitle it "Till death do you part" ... the little story is all about the look on the grooms face in contrast to the glow of the bride. It is just a splisecond when the groom had that look - the rest of the time he lookede like the happiest man in the world. This photograph will tell anyone who looks at it something if they care to look with "interested" eyes. And mind You .. this shot is the only one of 500+ shots that day that i would qualify for "publication". The rest is best kept in the couples wedding album, because only them and their guests would feel anything for them. Everyone else would most likely be bored.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/members/rkj66-albums-till-death-do-you-pa...ture20406.html

[rkj66]

I don't find nature photography boring in any way. I'm thrilled to be outside and always feel blessed to be witnessing what I see. With photography, I try to capture and save a little of the wonder I see. I'm not often successful at doing that but totally enjoy trying. I don't go into the woods specificly to take pictures. I just enjoy being there. If I get lucky and come out with a really good shot, then that's a plus for the day.

You seem to have an open minded approach to it. Thats the way to do it. Get out there and see what happens.

[theunartist]

I just stumbled onto to this thread on a slow Sunday... so here goes.

I will not use the B word to describe "Nature Photography" but will instead describe it on a personal level as TRITE and MUNDANE.

I probably go to a dozen or more major art events annually in the Mid-Atlantic region, see and meet over 100's artists and I have never (or possibly over looked) seen a straight "Nature Photography" booth. And if we're all going to be honest about it, the reason for this; the public is no longer interested in this type of subject matter. Yes, there will be exceptions, you will see these types of images in certain geographical areas of the US but rarely at major art shows within shouting distance of most urban areas, they just don't pay off for the exhibitor or event organizer. However, I do see dozens of Photography booths, they are more cutting edge and contemporary in nature and would never be described as "Nature Photography" even though nature/landscape can be found in their images.

I don't think Nature Photography is bad just not interesting for me no matter how perfect the image and what makes it even worse, it seems to be presented in exactly the same way from one shot to another, from one photographer to the next.

We always talk about this, all ART has been done, there is no arguing this point but it is all up to us to do our share and though it may have been done before, we need to put our PERSONAL touch into it and if we can succeed even once out of hundred attempts, then nothing would be found TRITE or MUNDANE (aka Boring which isn't a bad word)...

[magkelly]

That ant photo is actually very interesting to me and I think the one of the beaver is just awesome. Why? Because the first shots helps me to understand how an ant's daily work goes on and the second shows me an animal I seldom see in my daily life from a very interesting perspective. Neither one I think was a particularly easy shot to make.

I never take nature or it's creatures for granted. There are wonders all around that some people completely miss in terms of nature every day. I'm a major portrait person, but I don't just do portraits of people. Creatures can move me every bit as easily emotionally as people do, and no, I don't think every photograph I see necessarily should have a story, but for the record I think both of those pictures above DO have something of a story to them and I like them all the more for going there.

How often do you get down to the eye level of a working ant? Or get to see a beaver in the water from that perspective? Those ants are working their arses off to take those caterpillars apart so they can feed their young with the parts there of. That beaver is totally and joyfully present in his element in that place, in that moment in time. Both shots bring me right into their respective worlds and show me things I'd probably never see otherwise.

That's just not boring to me.

There are several people on this board that seem to specialize in taking picture of certain things in nature. I'm sure some people would think that what they do is boring, but I never do. The same could be said for pictures of people that are also very common, the kid shots for instance. But again, I'm never bored by any of that.

Seeing through the eyes of another person for a minute or two is never boring to me and a photograph doesn't always have to be perfect to make me smile or to bring me to tears. I like high end fashion photography AND squirrel shots. I like shots of people's pets AND hard nosed journalistic shots.

The one major thing that having a good camera has taught me is that almost NOTHING in this word is boring unless I don't even make an effort to see to really see them. Even the most simple ordinary things can be totally fascinating when seen through a camera lens.

A pile of colored pencils thrown on a glass table, a rusty bolt on a barn fence lit just so, a leaf and a piece of fern on a concrete sidewalk arranged by nature into something very like the figures in a zen brush painting, a tabby house cat paused at the top of a fence with an intense feral look on it's face that could have easily graced the face of a hunting leopard, these are all ordinary images that I've seen in the past year, taken by people here that have stayed with me long after first viewing.

Photography, like life itself, is only as boring as we expect it to be. In the end it's all just a matter of opening up your eyes and not taking everything around you for granted. If you can do that, simply stop having those expectations of what's boring and what's not? You may find that the smallest, most insignificant things, can surprise you into seeing them in ways you never would have thought of before.

I don't take anything for granted, or at least I try not to. When you think about it we only have so many days on this earth. I just think it's a pity to miss all of the things I could be seeing because I am too busy or too blind, or too convinced that they are not worth even looking for to see them. In the end it's all about perception I guess. One person's easily dismissed event is often a small miracle to another.