An Essay on Flickr and Photography

Photography, being a branch of art even when intended as documentary, inevitably gives rise to subjective judgements. Opinions, even on technical merit, can only be personal. As a photographer of only modest ability and operating within my own criteria, Flickr gives me hours of pleasure both as a repository for my own work and as a source of inspiration. Where does inspiration become plagiarism? It does not have to. I think the answer lies within the 6bn+ images on Flickr itself. What is apparent as much as anything from the work there is the WAY people interpret what they see. This is most evident in the views of the world's most photographed subjects. It is possible still to be original, to see something that has not been seen before or in way it has not been seen before. I saw this this morning in albums of Paris and Rome. Some of the pictures are remarkable. In these I do not include HDR images which have not yet persuaded me of their raison d'être nor are they likely to do so.

HDR is an example of several things I do not need to do to my pictures. I do not use Photoshop and keep any PP to a minimum. I like to work with what presents itself to the camera and use basic photographic skills to make the picture. These skills seem sadly lacking in many pictures today. The analogy I would use to illustrate the difference between those of us brought up with often limited film cameras and those exposed (as it were) only to the digital age is that of the introduction of the calculator. It was evident that when this now everyday item arrived, you needed to understand the underlying mathematical calculation to be sure that the indicated answer was correct. To use a digital camera effectively, even with extensive reliance on its automatics, a grasp of some of the principles is not only desirable but, I think essential. I can not really understand people who 'snap'. I understand it less when they are satisfied with the results.

Several things should go hand in hand. There has to be some sort of composition. Verticals are important unless a skew is an intentional part of the image. Objects can be used to frame a subject. Awareness whilst taking a shot is important. General awareness should go with an understanding of light. One should be aware of anything or anyone within or entering the frame which is not wanted. This is particularly important with compacts where depth of field options are limited. Our eyes process out a lot of unwanted information which a camera will capture unblinkingly. This includes clutter which detracts from the intended subject and shadows arising from particularly harsh light. Even with the range of equivalent ISO available in digital cameras, an understanding of light is perhaps the most important tool in ones box. Harsh light will create the unseemly shadows already mentioned and very dull light will suck the contrast from the picture. In my opinion photographs can not be forced. Without inspiration and volition the image will be poor or diminished.

Online storage or sharing is a mixed blessing. Personally, I do not 'dump' on Flickr although one of its functions is storage. My OCD comes to the fore when people do not caption, or tag with correct spelling or do not check the date stamp. The great thing about Flickr is that it provides an opportunity to encourage other people and I won't deny that receiving similar encouragement is a big thrill.