I Like Real Life
Posted by Dr. Cason on Wednesday, November 26th, 2008
I like real life.
I like the nitty gritty imperfect world. I want to hear how great your life is but I’d be just as interested in how much of a struggle this past week was. Just tell me.
This is my photographic style as well. I don’t like posed photos. I don’t try to set up a shot. Sure I’ll move that extra sock that doesn’t need to be in the photo and I’ll look around to see what else doesn’t belong, but the beauty in shooting real life as it unfolds is that it isn’t contrived. If the light is too low, I won’t take the picture. But if it has some nicely placed shadows, I shoot away. It’s seems to look better to me.
When I shoot real life photos, they truly become an accurate portrayal of my life. As I linger over the photos, I remember the moment so well. It’s almost better reliving it a second time than it was living it the first time.
Here are some surfboards I saw in Hawaii. It was cool then but if I didn’t have the pic I couldn’t now say, “Oh yeah! Those were cool!”
Do you like real life photos or do you like the crazy spruced up ones? Or a bit of both? Do you love going through the old photos and reliving the past?
Filed in My Life,The Joy of Photography | 16 responses so far
Carinon 26 Nov 2008 at 9:11 pm 1I like both kinds of photo’s and no I don’t love going through old photos to relive the past. That always makes me feel sad and melancholic. So I try to keep an eye on day to day life and prefer to look ahead.
Carins last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – Orange berries
Kylaon 26 Nov 2008 at 11:03 pm 2I like both in different ways.
I love to look through old photos! The kids do, too. It is something we like to do together most of the time.
Kylas last blog post..Stages of Studying
Awesome Momon 27 Nov 2008 at 12:16 am 3I like a bit of both. Seeing my messy floor always distracts me when I am looking at a cute picture of the kids. I enjoy going through old pictures and remembering.
Nikkion 27 Nov 2008 at 2:33 am 4I’m a fan of the nitty gritty as well. I think that’s why I love our photographer so much even though the pictures are posed they don’t look so geeky in the end!
Dr. Casonon 27 Nov 2008 at 7:09 am 5Carin- I get a little sad too. But it’s a good sad. It makes me want to enjoy today.
Kyla- My kids adore their old photos!
Awesome- I always notice the old blanket or toy we’d forgotten about. It’s cool.
Nikki- I have a great photographer here as well. A little posed but also spontaneous!
tiffon 27 Nov 2008 at 8:30 am 6Yes.
Yes. and Yes.
I like natural and I like some thought out photos too and yes, I love going through my old photos.
It is amazing to see how much everyone has changed.
tiffs last blog post..Imagination.
Carrieon 27 Nov 2008 at 9:28 am 7I’m always surprised at how beautiful the unposed, unplanned, surprise! photos turn out compared to the ones that I think will be perfect.
It’s kinda like that with my writing too.
Carries last blog post..Are You There Chocolate? It’s Me, Carrie
Dr. Casonon 27 Nov 2008 at 11:40 am 8Tiff- I’m always amazed at how teeny everyone was too!
Carrie- I can relate! When I go back through the photos, I’m always shocked at the ones that turn out the best. Inevitably it’s the one where I just took one!
Kathleenon 27 Nov 2008 at 12:42 pm 9I have to say I like real life photography myself. I have so many old family pictures from growing up which give me so much pleasure going through either by myself or with my children and their families. My daughters-in-law seem to really enjoy picking out older photos of their husbands to torment them with or compare to their children.
Of course there are always funny stories along with those pictures, and I get to watch my two sons turn a bright shade of red. What would life be without old photos and memories . . .
Kathleens last blog post..Ruby Two Shoes . . . You’re Forever Home!
White Hot Magikon 27 Nov 2008 at 2:29 pm 10I like the unposed for the most part, or at least that appear that way. I will move a few things as well but don’t like to fuss too much. Looking at the entry before I want to just wrap you two in hugs. Hope you can get some relief soon.
White Hot Magiks last blog post..Facbook Academy Class of 2009
monstergirleeon 27 Nov 2008 at 4:29 pm 11I like both for different reasons, but really do prefer real life. If you’re “doing a photo shoot” then the staged ones would take precedence, but when I’m loooking at a number of photos, the ones that really draw my eye – and that I find the most aesthectically pleasing, are natural. And IMO the less Photoshopping the better.
IMO (again) I think that brings out the Art in photography, what you can do with available materials and what you have to make it amazing.
And I love love love looking at old photos. Albums and digital ones. Talk about warm fuzzies.
monstergirlees last blog post..Out of Town Day 3 (Live from Minneapolis!)
Cabeon 27 Nov 2008 at 5:46 pm 12to answer your question… no I’m not getting a lot of sleep. But I’m getting more than my wife! And that makes me feel guilty for some reason… especially if I complain about it the next day. Our little man is doing so well. We love him so much. He’s eating every 3 hours and sleeps about 3 hours. I would love to pick your brain if we run into anything we have questions on, if that’s cool… or will you send me a bill?
From a mom of 3, what advice would you give me?
In my opinion, REAL photography is done in the darkroom with negatives and learning to do the entire process. From developing the negatives in pitch black, to getting the shades just right in the red lighted dark rooms. This style is not feasible for most people (although it would be my dream to have a darkroom in my home) I’ve been called a purist and I strongly feel that photographs lose their value or magic when they are completely set up. Now this doesn’t mean I don’t do everything in my control to take the best photograph possible. I will move that “sock on the floor” or tell the people I’m shooting to step into better light. I’ll do touch ups in Photoshop. I’ll set up the shot as much as I can without disturbing what I’m taking a picture of. I don’t know if that makes sense but if you see my photo album you’ll notice I have 60 pictures of the same thing, each a bit different and I’m waiting for that perfect split second where everything aligns. There is a website of a photographer whose work is absolutely beautiful but it’s SO digitized that it goes beyond what I consider photography and enters a realm of hyper realism. Still art and still beautiful, just not my style.
Cabes last blog post..In Transit
Lisaon 28 Nov 2008 at 8:24 am 13I love photos. The first things I do when I go to someone’s house is look at the photos they put up. But I don’t just like posed ones. Because I am aware that I usually don’t like to see myself posed. I like candid shots. But I am still working on photographing people.
I also love landscape photos. Happy Turkey Day!!!!
Lisas last blog post..Happy Turkey Day!
Dr. Casonon 28 Nov 2008 at 1:33 pm 14Kathleen- What would it be indeed.
White hot- Thank you for the hug. He’s doing well now and I still pray for the best.
Monstergirllee- I had to ask my husband what IMO meant and of course he knew. Soooo IMO you’re right! The photoshopping the better. Now a days though, it’s because I don’t have enough time to play with it and artificially create a scene. I’m always amazed at the scenes people can come up with- true imagination at work.
Cabe- ROFL! That’s what my husband would say! ” ‘WE’ didn’t get a lot of sleep last night” and I would look alarmingly at him and say, We do you mean we??? You mean me!” and we’d all laugh. My advice- Oh I have a good one. It’ll be a post next week i promise!
ask away any questions- no charge. If I really think your pediatrician should know I’ll tell you. I also feature Medicine Mondays on my other site and if it’s a good general question, I’ll post it there as well!
Also I would love to do “real” photography as well. Maybe some day. Yes I think I know which site you are talking about and I always get an impression that it is too digitized. But it can be cool, but also not my style. But I respect the work that goes into it as well.
Lisa- I agree! I was at a function yesterday and trying to take a picture of my girl and another guest kept poking her and saying, “Smile, your mommy is taking a picture! And I kept thinking, ” Stop that Dude! You messing with the moment!”
Jeanneon 02 Dec 2008 at 5:03 pm 15Hi there! I’m a new reader of your blog and thought I’d stop by and say hello. I really enjoy going back and reliving those moments through old photographs. Love the photo of the surfboards!
Jeannes last blog post..Can You Believe It’s December Already???
Guinevere Meadowon 07 Dec 2008 at 3:41 pm 16Going back and looking at photos is one of my very favorite things to do! There are so many things that I can think about and remember BECAUSE I have a photo of it.
Guinevere Meadows last blog post..Home Sweet Home