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52 Frames
Seeing the photograph...
A relative recently turned me onto a website for photographers called 52 Frames.
It's a web site that issues weekly challenges to photographers around the planet, to make images on a specific subject and post them on the site. Thereafter the images can be viewed and commented upon by all the other photographers. This site is open to everyone from the casual I-phone user all the way through to the seasoned Professionals. Having just joined the site I have found that it isn't so much about the technical aspect of photography it's more the creative side.
I have found it be similar to, Music.
There are two types of musician - those who play by sight and those who play by listening. For example musicians in an orchestra have a score or script to follow - sheets of music in front of them, that they follow note for note - what to play and when to play it. Then there are those musicians that have the ability to listen and improvise which can take a piece of music to a whole different level. The great trumpeter Miles Davis and Guitarist Prince come to mind. Prince's performance of George Harrison's "While my guitar gently weeps" at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame comes to mind. While Tom Petty, a proficient musician in his own right, and the rest of the band are playing, Prince's improvisation takes the performance to a whole different level.
I have been taking photographs for years and I tend to be like the Orchestral musician - I know the score to follow - the shutter speed, the ISO setting and the F-stop that are required to achieve a specific look for my images. I don't "see" the image like some other photographers can and do. They don't worry about the technicalities of making the photograph they just take the shot.
While I enjoy the process of making pictures, I look for what I want to photograph and make the images I like.
I'm hoping that by taking part in the weekly challenges, it will get me away from the "score" and just see the images.... be more creative!
I submitted the image below in the recent "Shallow depth of field" challenge. Shot in my home studio - I like the lighting, however I think I could have achieved a tighter area of focus at the Ace card and the whisky glass. Maybe I 'm over thinking the image. Like everything else in life it's just going to take more practice. Anyway check out the site and see what you think... www.52frames.com and just have some fun!
Thanks for your time, I hope this article helps you on your photographic journey
Fraser Bannister, March 2025
It's a web site that issues weekly challenges to photographers around the planet, to make images on a specific subject and post them on the site. Thereafter the images can be viewed and commented upon by all the other photographers. This site is open to everyone from the casual I-phone user all the way through to the seasoned Professionals. Having just joined the site I have found that it isn't so much about the technical aspect of photography it's more the creative side.
I have found it be similar to, Music.
There are two types of musician - those who play by sight and those who play by listening. For example musicians in an orchestra have a score or script to follow - sheets of music in front of them, that they follow note for note - what to play and when to play it. Then there are those musicians that have the ability to listen and improvise which can take a piece of music to a whole different level. The great trumpeter Miles Davis and Guitarist Prince come to mind. Prince's performance of George Harrison's "While my guitar gently weeps" at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame comes to mind. While Tom Petty, a proficient musician in his own right, and the rest of the band are playing, Prince's improvisation takes the performance to a whole different level.
I have been taking photographs for years and I tend to be like the Orchestral musician - I know the score to follow - the shutter speed, the ISO setting and the F-stop that are required to achieve a specific look for my images. I don't "see" the image like some other photographers can and do. They don't worry about the technicalities of making the photograph they just take the shot.
While I enjoy the process of making pictures, I look for what I want to photograph and make the images I like.
I'm hoping that by taking part in the weekly challenges, it will get me away from the "score" and just see the images.... be more creative!
I submitted the image below in the recent "Shallow depth of field" challenge. Shot in my home studio - I like the lighting, however I think I could have achieved a tighter area of focus at the Ace card and the whisky glass. Maybe I 'm over thinking the image. Like everything else in life it's just going to take more practice. Anyway check out the site and see what you think... www.52frames.com and just have some fun!
Thanks for your time, I hope this article helps you on your photographic journey
Fraser Bannister, March 2025
