I read an article today, in the British magazine B+W Photography. It was about the photographer Niall Benvie (none of the images from the article were on the web, but search on panorama to get an idea). The panoramas that he illustrated his article with was absolutely marvellous, and very thought through regarding what sense he wanted the resulting photographs to breath. The pictures, btw, were mostly taken with a panorama range finder, a Hasselblad Xpan, a camera I have been very keen to get for myself. The article and those pictures made me not less keen, if I say so…
Anyway, the depth he was able to work into those pictures was truly captive. I just sat there and dreamt away, on my little longer than usual lunch break. He wrote on the difference between expressive and narrative imaging, and how he works with the light and the camera to get a picture that was able to tell a story, without saying too much, just providing enough to start the imagination. He also argued for black and white photography, where he used an analogy to writing, “a dull story isn’t made any more interesting by using elaborate language”.
This made me thinking of colour photography, that I might be more able to express what I want to say by using a more sparse palette of colours, because sometimes, I just can’t get it right in black and white. It doesn’t make it any better in full colours. Something in between, perhaps…definitely something to think of for the future. Wonderful article, lovely lunch.
I have started to long for the fall, have you?
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Longing for the fall?? Hell, no!! Hope I’ll be swimming next weekend, maybe even on Thursday, when the weather recovers from today’s rain
Nice image though.
Yes, I’m not really longing yet, but I have started to think of it anyway. I believe you got a lot more rain than the most of us, so you’re excused if you want the summer to last a while more.
Andreas said it for me! I’m not ready for one of those freezes in October, thank you. You may be out there all alone on this one, Ove.
I enjoyed your post—quite thought provoking.
But October here in south Sweden is pretty nice, there are no freezes in sight for another month. And those trees and colours, and the fresh air that is like balm for your throat… I love the fall.
Ove, Not ready for the fall yet–maybe in a few more weeks. The summer here has been fairly pleasant this year.
Thanks for the information on Niall Benvie. I’ll enjoy doing some research, learning more about him and his work.
Like the image!
Earl, an immediate look-through on his web site didn’t reveal much interesting, actually, I believe his writing in books and articles are pretty much better.
Found your blog via Cedric’s aplop. I definitely do not long for fall, but what a great photo of the tree on the wall!
so long, luke
Thanks, Luke! Yeah, I may have exaggerated a bit on the longing part, I admit I could live with the summer a while more…
Ove – thanks for the pointer to Niall’s site. I plan to read and enjoy that this weekend. It’s an interesting analogy between a book (story) and a picture and the relation of plot to description “color commentary”. I guess the message of an image could be called the plot of the image … the form and structure and purpose. It’s so true that if the story isn’t strong, no amount of color is going to fix it. Peace, Glen
The opposite holds as well. Making a poor colour picture b&w doesn’t necessarily makes it any better. The purpose determines what visual language to use.
Hm, I could use a dose of that beautiful fall that you mention, no problem. But then comes winter. Mpf. Not that I mind a real winter, but the typical Göteborg’ish grey, rainy, windy something? Not really…
True, the winter is better in Skåne, but equally windy.
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