Arranged or Spontaneous

cliveh · May 13, 2014

How do you feel about arranged images, as I always think they look contrived? Even when doing a still life shot, I like to throw the subject in front of the camera. Arrangement seems to destroy spontaneity and the moment.

David Brown · May 13, 2014

Carefully arranged ...

Sirius Glass · May 13, 2014

I prefer spontaneity in the moment. I almost never throw or place a subject in a scene. In fact when I shoot landscapes, I wait until no one is in the photograph.

cliveh · May 13, 2014

Sirius Glass said:
I prefer spontaneity in the moment. I almost never throw or place a subject in a scene. In fact when I shoot landscapes, I wait until no one is in the photograph.

Is that not a form of arrangement?

bvy · May 13, 2014

My street macros and landscapes are never arranged. In fact, if I feel that I've tampered with the scene in any way (usually by accident), then I'll just skip it entirely. Plenty of examples of in my gallery of images.

snapguy · May 13, 2014

works

Whatever works.

Mainecoonmaniac · May 13, 2014

I have controlled chaos with my still life. I sketch out something rough then if something serendipitous happens, a fortunate mistake, I go for the shot. It's a balance for me.

Sirius Glass · May 13, 2014

cliveh said:
Sirius Glass said:

I prefer spontaneity in the moment. I almost never throw or place a subject in a scene. In fact when I shoot landscapes, I wait until no one is in the photograph.

Click to expand...

Is that not a form of arrangement?

No, I do not move or arrange anything. I just take the landscapes as I see them.

eddie · May 13, 2014

cliveh said:
Is that not a form of arrangement?

Technically, isn't framing a scene a form of arrangement?

cliveh · May 13, 2014

bvy said:
My street macros and landscapes are never arranged. In fact, if I feel that I've tampered with the scene in any way (usually by accident), then I'll just skip it entirely. Plenty of examples of in my gallery of images.

I enjoyed your gallery and great shots which are obviously not arranged. Thanks.

cliveh · May 13, 2014

eddie said:
Technically, isn't framing a scene a form of arrangement?

No.

Sirius Glass · May 13, 2014

eddie said:
Technically, isn't framing a scene a form of arrangement?

No

cliveh · May 13, 2014

Iluvmycam said:
OP...Just depends.

A still life studio shot is not a candid street shot.

So is it arranged?

eddie · May 13, 2014

Sure it is. You're arranging what elements of the scene you're including. Now, if you mean manipulating elements of the scene (removing trash, moving branches, etc.) that would be different.

Ken Nadvornick · May 13, 2014

As long as you are successful in communicating your message, it doesn't matter.

Ken

gandolfi · May 13, 2014

I love arranged images (or maybe I prefer the word staged - but as non native speaking English, I could be wrong...) - i fI didn't I'd probably not make the images I do...

"Contrived" is ment as a negative thing; right? (my dictonary is confused I think... it both explains it as "unnatural" and "constructed"...)

cliveh · May 13, 2014

gandolfi said:
"Contrived" is ment as a negative thing; right? (my dictonary is confused I think... it both explains it as "unnatural" and "constructed"...)

Correct.

eddie · May 13, 2014

Contrived has dual meanings. Negative, as in unnatural. But, it can also mean constructed, without the negative connotation.

cliveh · May 13, 2014

eddie said:
Contrived has dual meanings. Negative, as in unnatural. But, it can also mean constructed, without the negative connotation.

This is true, but even a constructed image can be contrived, as in specific construction.

Prof_Pixel · May 13, 2014

Arranged or Spontaneous?

I guess it depends : do you believe serendipity is better than planning?

removed account4 · May 13, 2014

eddie said:
Sure it is. You're arranging what elements of the scene you're including. Now, if you mean manipulating elements of the scene (removing trash, moving branches, etc.) that would be different.

i couldn't agree more with you ...
i had this conversation with someone a few years ago
regarding manipulation as well because no matter what you do
as soon as you put the camera to the eye, "frame" / compose it in the viewfinder
or ground glass it is manipulated, and arranged, just as when you use fast or slow shutter speeds
or different depth of fields its all manipulated + constructed ...
basically people with cameras construct their own reality by choosing how it will be viewed.
some people do this masterfully and are paid handsomely as "stylists" others rely on
the natural disorder of things to arrange the scene for them ..

edcculus · May 13, 2014

I guess it's all in the style you prefer. Don't all of the past (and present) great portrait photographers using arranged images down to exact placement and lighting?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Prof_Pixel · May 13, 2014

Some people also believe: "I'd rather be lucky than good"

Ken Nadvornick · May 13, 2014

And they usually end up being neither.

Ken

Nuff · May 13, 2014

Prof_Pixel said:
Some people also believe: "I'd rather be lucky than good"

And looking at all the great masters, most of their photos are "contrived". Even in the final print they are manipulated.
From the moment you choose a film and put the viewfinder to your eye, to the final output, the whole process is arranged and manipulated.

Arranged or Spontaneous

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