Interpretation

I have been doing a lot of reading about photography recently.  It is a passion of mine that has been much neglected the last few years.  Our library has quite a few books and I check out a whole big pile at a time. 

In other words, you may see more thoughts about photography coming up on this blog. =)

The book I am currently reading is Andreas Feininger: Photographer (ISBN 0810909197) and I found this quote interesting:

This series seems to me to demonstrate particularly well certain qualities that a photograph must possess. They are: Stopping Power—some picture element must draw attention to the image. Purpose and Meaning—the picture must have “something to say.” Emotional Impact—the viewer must feel something when contemplating the picture. Graphic Interest—the picture must be well composed and present graphically pleasing design. In short, I believe that a good photograph must be more than simply an illustration, it must be an interpretation.

Mostly it is the last sentence that caught my attention.  Illustration is easy enough: just point and click.  It’s the interpretation of the subject, the scene, the lighting, all mixed together that makes a one photograph stand out from another. 

Here is one of Feininger’s more famous images:

My other favorites are this helicopter and Coney Island.