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Post your best photograph

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AnnyRoquentin
There is no thought behind anything, has anyone thought about why they're taking this photograph?

I think the overwhelming thought behind any casual photography is "I want to look at the thing I can see right now tomorrow, in a year and in 50 years time, and I do not trust my memory to recall it as well as silver compounds or binary, and I do not trust my grasp of any language to be able to convey it to others as accurately as a physical or digital medium.".
And there's nothing wrong with that, surely?
AnnyRoquentin
Believe me, I'm not saying anything has to be abstract or edgy. Maybe you've missed my point My main problem is perhaps more with peoples definitions of a 'good photograph'. Naturally, this is going to differ from person to person. But photography is an art form, and art shouldn't exist just to look pretty.

It just seems such a shame that there are so many intelligent, interesting and profound concepts behind photography which can be explored by anyone (new to photography or not), and yet they are completely ignored by most, in favour of an image which just looks aesthetically pretty.


True, but it completely depends on what sort of photograph you like as a photographer. Sure you can take candid shots in moody black & white which convey a story or atmosphere, but that only makes up a tiny part of photography. Then there are us mere mortals who prefer landscape or nature photography, the sole purpose of which is to be asthetically pleasing. I think you are being very unfair on people here who are obviously just trying to improve as best they can and hopefully be inspired by others.

I bet you listen to really pretentious indie music too.
Crosseyed And Painless
I think the overwhelming thought behind any casual photography is "I want to look at the thing I can see right now tomorrow, in a year and in 50 years time, and I do not trust my memory to recall it as well as silver compounds or binary, and I do not trust my grasp of any language to be able to convey it to others as accurately as a physical or digital medium.".
And there's nothing wrong with that, surely?


Obviously there is nothing wrong with that, but that's documenting, preserving, archiving. Personally I don't believe it's art, therefore shouldn't be defined as such in any way. The title of this thread is 'post your best photograph' - there is no way to define a best photograph if it's sole purpose is to preserve a moment for future reference, as it will only serve the photographer themselves and their experience of that moment.
Officer Dibble
True, but it completely depends on what sort of photograph you like as a photographer. Sure you can take candid shots in moody black & white which convey a story or atmosphere, but that only makes up a tiny part of photography. Then there are us mere mortals who prefer landscape or nature photography, the sole purpose of which is to be asthetically pleasing. I think you are being very unfair on people here who are obviously just trying to improve as best they can and hopefully be inspired by others.

I bet you listen to really pretentious indie music too.


For the record, I prefer folk or noise music.
AnnyRoquentin
Because there is nothing inspiring, intelligent or original to be found in anything here. I've posted something more constructive and precise in another thread 'photography habits' or something. Anyway. The content of these photographs is so so mundane, please god, I can't look at another sunset or flower. There is no thought behind anything, has anyone thought about why they're taking this photograph? Why are they showing it to people? What to they want people to gain from it, what influences this? What does it represent? Time? The death of time? Can a photograph ever represent time?
My god, there is such extensive theory behind photography, yet people do not pay attention, and carry on snapping away at that goddamn sunset.
Any idiot can be trained to perfect the technical use of a camera, digital or analogue, to get any result they desire. However where is the creativity, thought and intelligence?

I was thinking that but I can't take pictures so I didn't post xD


Not really into photography but I do like this picture, shame about the background:
No idea if the ones I put up worked or not. :smile:
Reply 48
I quite like my photographs of 3 Rodin sculptures in Paris.

This one is in Musee d'Orsay:


These two are in Musee Rodin:




And one that I took ages ago in Tenby - I quite liked the contrast between the falling sand sculpture and the rock face out to sea.
koshtoom
I quite like my photographs of 3 Rodin sculptures in Paris.
And one that I took ages ago in Tenby - I quite liked the contrast between the falling sand sculpture and the rock face out to sea.

Yeah, pitty the horizon isn't straight, it kind of detracts the contrasting directions of the rock and the sand
Reply 50
koshtoom
I quite like my photographs of 3 Rodin sculptures in Paris.

This one is in Musee d'Orsay:


These two are in Musee Rodin:




And one that I took ages ago in Tenby - I quite liked the contrast between the falling sand sculpture and the rock face out to sea.



that last picture that you posted is ace! looks really cool! Your right the contrast between the two is wicked!
Reply 51
You can put as much thought and creativity as you want into photography, and sometimes it pays off. But sometimes the best photos happen by chance. This is one of my favourite photos, which only happened because I was experimenting with my first digital camera just after I got it, and I wanted to see what happened if I selected the lightbulb on the white balance menu.

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This is my other favourite

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my dad took this, but i have stolen it:p:

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mine:

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This has always been a personal favourite of mine. Especially since it was taken on my Sony Ericsson K750i :o:

It would be nice to own a really fancy camera though :yep:
AnnyRoquentin
Obviously there is nothing wrong with that, but that's documenting, preserving, archiving. Personally I don't believe it's art, therefore shouldn't be defined as such in any way. The title of this thread is 'post your best photograph' - there is no way to define a best photograph if it's sole purpose is to preserve a moment for future reference, as it will only serve the photographer themselves and their experience of that moment.

If you've only taken 40 photographs in your life, and all because you wanted to preserve a moment, that doesn't mean a 'Post your best photograph' is out of bounds to you, does it? It means you pick your best photo and enjoy the ride. After all, we're in 'Photography and Digital Imaging' as opposed to 'The Gallery'. Perhaps that means we should really be focusing on the technical merit of photography here? I'm personally finding it very interesting to see what people who maybe take a photo a week on a camera phone consider their 'best photo' and what people who've decided to spend hundreds of pounds on equipment consider theirs. I would be curious to know whether, when deciding on a 'best photograph' whether people took into account compliments they'd recieved in the past on those photos, or just picked their favourite?
I love all of your pictures.

Honestly, more than anything, I'm sick of pretentious idiots who think that unless it's abstract, it isn't art and can't be enjoyed. I took photography as an AS, and unfortunately, my teacher was one of these types, and after a horrible year I no longer enjoy taking pictures. I was no good at it anyway, and it was the wrong course for me, but people like that are just an awful drain.

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DisgruntledMoth, I love both of yours, especially the hedgehog :smile: So cute!
People need to get this idea that what I'm getting at is that abstract is the way to go, out of their heads. Look at Jeff Wall's work, it's not really to my taste but I consider it far more creative and interesting than a lot of abstract photography, because of the thought and concepts that have gone behind it.
Reply 58


Holga 120GFN, taken on Ilford 400
Reply 59
AnnyRoquentin
People need to get this idea that what I'm getting at is that abstract is the way to go, out of their heads. Look at Jeff Wall's work, it's not really to my taste but I consider it far more creative and interesting than a lot of abstract photography, because of the thought and concepts that have gone behind it.

Why don't you stop criticising everyone else and post something yourself?

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