Daily Delicious - Photo of the Year
6.03.07 @ 4:28 pmI spend a lot of time trying to take photography that is interesting aesthetically - however, the most powerful photos rarely ever are what most would deem artistic. This rule is definitely the case with this year’s Photo of the Year which was taken in Lebanon during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This photo shows the unbelievable scene of a young, hip group driving through a demolished scene in their convertible. They do not quite enjoy what they see either. The dichotomy of the characters, the setting and the context are priceless - hence the fact that it is Photo of the Year for 2006.
This really begs the question of how much photography is about a perfectly composed scene with vibrant colors and an engaging perspective compared to a compelling scene that speaks for itself. With each passing day, I am greatly leaning towards the latter. Visually interesting photos can pique a person’s interest, but a compelling and powerful scene captured on film can define or encapsulate a generation. In recent months, I have seen myself less interested in the details of composition and much more interested in searching for a captivating scene and then doing my best to capture it in its fullest. I have yet to succeed in this endeavor, but I am trying.
What are your thoughts? Is it all about the composition of a scene, the scene itself or a little of both?
del.icio.us link2006, art, composition, Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon, npr, photo of the year, Photography scene
March 6th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
$86.00 in Comment Love for May
[…] Original post by somerandomdude […]
March 6th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
$1.00 in Comment Love for May
I think that when you are discussing composition v. content, there is no easy answer. I think that photos such as this one are compelling not only for the composition and content, but also because each person that views it can identify a bit with the photo in their own way. The photo is a scene representing a globalized reality fraught with violence and the clashing of smaller worlds due to race, creed, class, gender, etc. Yet, there is hope that these tensions will be resolved.
March 6th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
$5.00 in Comment Love for May
The photo of the year speaks for itself. It is absolutely powerful and compelling.
In general, a balance of composition and content make a truly successful photograph. But I don’t think an equal weight of both elements are always necessary. The importance of how much composition or content is relative to the KIND of photography being critiqued. Not all photographs are equal. There is editorial photography, fashion, fine art, etc. For a fashion photographer, content is not as important as a composition. A beautiful woman holding a handbag is immortalized through an artistic composition, filters, and immaculate lighting. On the other hand, a photograph accompanying a National Geographic article must have substantial content to convey the article’s message AND good composition to make the image compelling enough for people to observe. Leah also makes an excellent point about subject matters that are open for viewer interpretation. Those kinds of images definitely enhances the experience/impact created by the photograph.