Express Why a Photograph Matters with Leah Bendavid-Val

It is important for a photographer to be able to express why a photograph matters; viewers can't always be expected to "get it." Knowing what you as the photographer sees, and conveying an understanding of your photographic aspirations, can make the viewer—both the professional viewer and the casual viewer—stop and take a second look. This can make all the difference.
Here is a snippet of a conversation I had with Sam Abell that gave me much to think about:

Me: Your “Woman on the Plaza” is a wonderful photograph, but you have a lot of wonderful photographs. What makes this one so special for you?

Sam: It's the background. The way the light strikes the bare walls. It looks like an Edward Hopper scene to me. Even without the woman I would care about this picture.

Me: That's surprising and interesting. In a way it can be said that the subject of this photograph is the background. Is that true? Why not write about it? People will be intrigued.

Sam: Good idea. I'll do it.

The resulting essay about “Woman on the Plaza” can be read in Sam Abell's book The Life of a Photograph.

Learn more from Leah in her workshop

Writing for Photographers
with Leah Bendavid-Val
October 1 - October 4, 2011



See details on the book Leah co-authored with Sam Abell, The Life of a Photograph

During the photographing of my second cookbook project, Nigella Bites, I discovered that showing the “journey” food goes through during the baking process was often more interesting than the final dish in all its “plated glory.” Seeing how the recipe should appear at the end is important, but the process itself can be visually intriguing as well as very informative.

As a food and garden photographer I’m not only interested in capturing the beauty inherent in the final presentation of a dish or a pretty flower; I’m also looking for the gestures and key moments that reveal the real “feeling” of cookery and gardening … the “nitty gritty.” Beauty can be found in unexpected places and the trick is to be open to possibility and recognize it when it’s there. The image shown here was made while I was photographing for the The Nick Nairne Cook School cookbook and shows a stage in the making of a pizza.

Learn more from Francesca in her workshop

From the Garden to the Plate
with Francesca Yorke
September 19 - September 23, 2011

See more of her work on her web site www.francescayorke.com

Ignore the Big Picture with Blue Fier

Since I started shooting time-lapses I’ve noticed how many times I have been concentrating on the Big Picture, only to have the Little Picture steal the show.

Last summer I was photographing two different time-lapses of the Valley Overlook in Yosemite National Park. I was interested in capturing the hundreds of people stopping to take in this famous view. Some people didn’t even get out of their car but roll down the window to take a picture, usually while still moving!

When I assembled the series of digital still images to create my time-lapse movies I noticed how the Rainbow Waterfall was being pushed around by the wind. The throngs of people from all over the world (Big Picture) are fascinating, as are their languages, but the waterfall moving (Little Picture) is what really catches your attention.

Learn more from Blue in his workshop

Time-Lapse Photography Intensive
with Blue Fier
September 2 - September 4, 2011

See his Yosemite time-lapse movies on his web site, www.bluefier.com