Woudl I hang that on a wall?

Eric Rose · Jan 28, 2016

Everyone has different motivations for making images. Heck it can vary from day to day. One thing I usually ask myself before I take the time to capture a scene is to ask myself, would I hang this on a wall? Or frankly would anyone want to? If the answer is no then I generally pass on the subject and just enjoy it for what it is.

What type of inner discussions do you have with yourself before you commit an image to film?

Ko.Fe. · Jan 28, 2016

I'm not so talented. I could count three homes with my pictures on walls.
I judge it in prints. Do I want to print it?
No improvements, but less film

Hatchetman · Jan 28, 2016

I am similar. Would I ever print this? If not, I don't shoot. I'm not saying this is the correct approach, just mine.

markbarendt · Jan 28, 2016

Is it interesting?

If yes, shoot.

OptiKen · Jan 28, 2016

markbarendt said:
Is it interesting?

If yes, shoot.

+1

Sirius Glass · Jan 28, 2016

Hatchetman said:
I am similar. Would I ever print this? If not, I don't shoot. I'm not saying this is the correct approach, just mine.

That is the question I ask: Will I want to print this composition?

MattKing · Jan 28, 2016

I'm not so judgmental .

My test is whether it interests me and whether I would like to have a negative or slide of it to work with. Or sometimes, whether I want a record. And sometimes, whether I want to try something I haven't tried before.

I'm pretty good at visualizing how a two dimensional representation of a scene is going to come out, but I'm certainly not perfect. And one of the joys of photography is that the surprises are often wonderful.

markbarendt · Jan 28, 2016

MattKing said:
I'm not so judgmental .

My test is whether it interests me and whether I would like to have a negative or slide of it to work with. Or sometimes, whether I want a record. And sometimes, whether I want to try something I haven't tried before.

I'm pretty good at visualizing how a two dimensional representation of a scene is going to come out, but I'm certainly not perfect. And one of the joys of photography is that the surprises are often wonderful.

I agree. There are so many variables that one never knows.

gone · Jan 28, 2016

Usually, it's 'can I go to jail for this? And if so, do they have a case?' That covers the pertinent details I suppose.

Peter Rockstroh01 · Jan 28, 2016

I expose a lot of film; I print about 20% of my negatives and discard about 90% of my prints. About 2% - 3% make it to the dry mounting press. I take about 1,000 negatives for a show that displays 25 pieces.

markbarendt · Jan 28, 2016

momus said:
Usually, it's 'can I go to jail for this? And if so, do they have a case?' That covers the pertinent details I suppose.

Kinda like:

Will it be fun?
Will I get hurt?
Will I get caught?

Fr. Mark · Jan 28, 2016

Documentation type photos tends to be iPhone or DSLR. Stuff with art potential I shoot with film. I have a backlog of 35mm stuff to print and just found some negatives I took as a teen 30 years ago...

Sometimes it is a question of if it is worth printing. Shooting LF more and more and even wanting ULF sizes. It does make you pause before you pull out the gear. Even with 35 mm I am trying to be more deliberate. Sometimes the picture is taken to see if I can get close to what I want in the final image or to see what something looks like as a cyanotype from Ortho film etc.

but it sometimes I like my more spontaneous stuff better!

NedL · Jan 28, 2016

Usually, "am I going to want to print this?"

With 35mm film, a little more "anything goes", but not that much.

Recently I've been shootig some C41 35mm to send off to Dwaynes and let them process it. Much more "if it looks cool, shoot".

And with pinhole, "let's see what happens if...." great freedom in paper negatives because they are cheap, easy to process, and you can decide whether to contact print after you see them. All messed up? No big deal, try again next time.

Arklatexian · Jan 28, 2016

SWould I hang that on a wall?

Eric Rose said:
Everyone has different motivations for making images. Heck it can vary from day to day. One thing I usually ask myself before I take the time to capture a scene is to ask myself, would I hang this on a wall? Or frankly would anyone want to? If the answer is no then I generally pass on the subject and just enjoy it for what it is.

What type of inner discussions do you have with yourself before you commit an image to film?

A bit different from your discussions. When out looking for things to photograph, I rely on an inner voice that tells me, when looking at a possible subject, to "take my picture". If I don't hear that, I have learned to pass it by thereby saving time and money. If I do hear it and respond, the picture usually looks good on the wall or wherever. Because of this voice or the lack of it, I have taken my camera equipment on some extended but fruitless auto trips. I guess it all boils down to: it helps to hear voices when taking photographs with film.....Regards!

Gerald C Koch · Jan 29, 2016

I have had such moments. However most times when I revisit a negative I see something there. Follow your first instincts. Sometimes it can be months or years before you see something. Film is cheap in contrast to lost opportunities.

Truzi · Jan 29, 2016

Most of my photos are "documentation," and all will end up in photo albums. For me, it has become more about making the photo interesting rather than merely an "I was there" snapshot. It doesn't prevent me from taking a picture, but is making me try to compose better (or rather, to actually compose for a change). I'd be happy to get something worthy of a cheap little frame, but it's not really a motivation for me.

BradleyK · Jan 29, 2016

MattKing said:
I'm not so judgmental .

My test is whether it interests me and whether I would like to have a negative or slide of it to work with. Or sometimes, whether I want a record. And sometimes, whether I want to try something I haven't tried before.

I'm pretty good at visualizing how a two dimensional representation of a scene is going to come out, but I'm certainly not perfect. And one of the joys of photography is that the surprises are often wonderful.

+1. I've photographed subjects that I was certain would be worthy of a print and been disappointed; conversely, I've taken chances photographing subjects that I thought might possibly be interesting, been pleasantly surprised at the results, and come away wondering why I didn't work the subject more.

jaymus · Jan 29, 2016

Is it part of a narrative that's interesting? Whether I'm successful or not is another question, but that's what I think about.

removed account4 · Jan 29, 2016

eric

i agree being selective is a good thing, but one can't account for other people's taste ...
i have seen some of the cheeziest photographs - from macro erotic nudes to saccharine sunsets
and people buy them and put them on their walls. even 6'x6' potatoes.
people aer funny like that they like what they like, and if you have it, they might buy it, and if it
is available they might buy it in a massive dimension because the space above their couch empty is hot pink

eddie · Jan 29, 2016

Gerald C Koch said:
I have had such moments. However most times when I revisit a negative I see something there. Follow your first instincts. Sometimes it can be months or years before you see something. Film is cheap in contrast to lost opportunities.

I like to revisit negatives every year or two. I'll spend some time with my older contact sheets/negative files, looking for something I missed. I usually find negatives worth reprinting. Often it's not because I missed it the first time, but because I've improved my printing skills/techniques.

TheFlyingCamera · Jan 29, 2016

When I travel, I'm very much of the mindset "if I see it, shoot it". Not that I'm practicing spray-n-pray (not very practical with a Rolleiflex in the first place), but more an acknowledgement that I'm not going to get the chance to try and repeat the shot any time soon if I miss it. Also, if time and film supply allow, I'll try taking multiple shots of the same thing from different angles, different f/stops, etc so I have options when I get home and edit through the work.

skorpiius · Jan 29, 2016

Fr. Mark said:
Documentation type photos tends to be iPhone or DSLR. Stuff with art potential I shoot with film. I have a backlog of 35mm stuff to print and just found some negatives I took as a teen 30 years ago...

Sometimes it is a question of if it is worth printing. Shooting LF more and more and even wanting ULF sizes. It does make you pause before you pull out the gear. Even with 35 mm I am trying to be more deliberate. Sometimes the picture is taken to see if I can get close to what I want in the final image or to see what something looks like as a cyanotype from Ortho film etc.

but it sometimes I like my more spontaneous stuff better!

This is pretty much me exactly.

If I'm shooting 500 action shots at a roller derby bout hoping to post 100, or 100 people coming through a photo 'booth', I use digital.
But anything creative I now much more use film as the necessary contemplative nature of film syncs perfectly with creativity. So in a sense when I'm shooting film, I'm already in the mindset of looking for displayable shots, whether that's on my wall for my own enjoyment, or printed for possible sale or in an album.

OptiKen · Jan 29, 2016

I kissed a thousand girls before I found one I wanted to stay with.
I take a thousand photos in hopes of one I want to print.

Patrick Robert James · Jan 29, 2016

I have made a lot of photographs in my life that I didn't think would be that good but ended up being a lot better when I saw them later. If you don't make images that are different from what your preconceived notion of what an image is you will never grow. Most people take the same photographs over and over again. You know who they are.

My only rule, if you could even call it that, is to not take images that have already been done. You will never catch me in the tripod lineup overlooking Yosemite Valley for instance. Ain'ta gonna happen. (sic)

SanMiguel · Jan 29, 2016

It depends on what format I am using. For 35mm i just snap it anyway, it's almost free. 6x6 I'm a little more thoughtful. 4x5 is only for places I've been to before and think there might be something there if the light is right. But half the fun of using film, to me anyhow, is not having instant feedback and being (hopefully pleasantly) surprised by what pops out of the dev tank. Those I will print. And some I will mount and stick on a wall.

Woudl I hang that on a wall?

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Ko.Fe.

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jaymus

removed account4

eddie

TheFlyingCamera

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