Thursday, September 11, 2008

Why Photographers Obsess on Lighting Techniques...


...and other craft and technical stuff.

I received an email today from Amazon. In it, they were touting Joe McNally's book, The Moment It Clicks.

Amazon often sends these sorts of emails to their customers. They know most all of my purchases from them have been photography books. I guess they figure any new purchases I'm likely to make will, more than likely, also be photography related. And they're probably right. (I love being so predictable. I suppose Amazon loves this about me as well.)

As I often do, I clicked on the reviews and read, what Amazon refers to as, "The most helpful favorable review." What can I say? I try to be optimistic that way. Here's how that particular customer review began:

"Picture this. You meet one of the world's great photographers in a bar. He has a stack of pictures with him from his portfolio. As you go through the pictures, he talks about them, about the people in the photographs, and how he made each of them. About a third of the way through you realize that when he talks about the technical details he talks mostly about the lighting, and you are sorry you didn't pick up on that right from the beginning, but now you listen avidly to try to learn his lighting techniques."

Great opening paragraph! The review succeeded in sparking my interest. But it also got me thinking. (Thinking? Uh oh! Danger Will Robinson!)

Anyway, my thinking wasn't so much about McNally's book but about many books related to photography. Specifically, all those "how-to" books related to photography. And then I began thinking about all the other "how-to" stuff related to this thing we do: Stuff like blogs and websites and workshops and seminars designed to help photographers shoot better pictures. My brain then focused on the crazy popularity of such things amongst photo hobbyists and enthusiasts and pros and semi-pros.

Then, I started thinking about how all us consumers (of such "how-to" things) have come to believe that craft and technical skills, i.e., learning about lighting and exposure and Photoshop and gear and all those not-so-secret secrets of the pros, are the things that make a great photographer. And how, if we learn that stuff, we'll all be great photographers. And then, suddenly, I realized it's all bullshit.

Sure, learning the craft and technical stuff often is the foundation of great photography. But it isn't necessarily the stuff of great photographers. The sad truth (for us mere mortal shooters) is that great photographers didn't learn to be great photographers by simply learning technical skills. They became great photographers because they had that potential for greatness already within them. And that's something that can't be learned or taught or gleaned from a book. It can't be gotten from websites or at seminars and workshops. All that stuff might be part of the equation but it's not the solution to the equation.

When a great photographer shares the things they might believe made them great, it isn't going to make anyone else great. It might help make other photographers more competent but it isn't going to make anyone a truly great and successful photographer. Although the sharing (by wildly successful photographers) of craft and tech info might convince others it will include a road map to greatness, all of that sharing is designed, in reality, for one purpose: To make money for the celebrated photographer and to boost their rep for greatness. (Not to create more level playing field competition for the successful photographer-author.)

Don't get me wrong. It's all good. It's the way these things work. Carrot-dangling is a major component of marketing. I'm not in any way put off by any of this. There's a good chance I'll still buy McNally's book even though I realize that all this stuff I've just written about means his book, or any other book, isn't going to make me a great photographer. I'll still buy it because, against my new-found better judgment, I hold out hope that McNally's book, like the many other books I've already purchased, will somehow and against logic, contain a magic pill that will make me a great photographer. But I also realize there is no magic pill that McNally or anyone else can prescribe and dispense to me. If I ever turn out to be a truly great photographer, the stuff of greatness is already within me. All I have to do is figure out how to get in touch with it, assuming it's even there.

The behind-the-scenes shot at the top is the beautiful Nautica in my studio from a couple of years ago. Two assistants helping! One of them shooting smoke and the other fanning it away from the front-side of the model.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jimmy, for those interested, you can view Joe McNally's blog here: http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/

I am not so sure that greatness is a god given gift to the anointed few. Does that mean, anyone can be great? No.

Most great artists struggled and toiled until they were discovered. Some of the more business savvy artists made sure that their work gained the attention of those who could influence their careers.

How many great artists never became recognized and thus never became great? (Yes, I see the seemingly illogic of that last statement.)

Jimmy, if you were advising a new photographer who was determined to become the next Joe McNally or Annie Leibovitz, what advice would you give her? How would you instruct her? What path should she follow to enhance her career? How should she build a name (or in business-speak, a brand) for herself?

paurullan said...

That is so true it hurts. Most of us will never be great phographers. How do we keep getting better?

BlankPhotog said...

Inspiration, technical skill, and opportunity are all components to making a successful or "great" photograph. As for making a successful or "great" photographer... that's another, less linear story.

Unknown said...

I suspect the reason for this is because 'craft' is much easier to communicate than 'art'.

Techniques can be conveyed with as much or little detail as desired, while actually covering the artistic issues require not only more detail, but many aspects which may well be entirely subconscious.

Lin said...

Great post, although I do think that greatness isn't just a natural born ability (that happens rarely), it is largely earned through hard work. As Edison said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

Good marketing helps too.

Anonymous said...

As always you are right on the spot, that's why I recommend Lighting the dramatic portrait by Grecco, the book isn't a "how" book, it is a "stop being lazy bum and start to think!" book in the sense that he doesn't wants to teach you on how to light, he wants to teach us brain to start thinking and stop mindlessly doing 45degrees shot through umbrellas left and right shooting for all our projects :).

Chase Jarvis in a recent blog talked about something important too, a photographer can be tech saavy, great skills, great lighting but if he/she behaves like an ass nobody will want to work with that person...

There's more in this business and you have been spot on in this one, the books are part of the education but no guarantee of a breakthrough in the business.

As always a great reading :), please if you can update us on how your brother is doing would be awesome

The best for you Jimmy!

Eduardo

jimmyd said...

Hey Eduardo! Grecco's book is most excellent. I have it in my library and i recommend to anyone serious about portrait shooting.

My brother is doing very well! He's walking 4 miles a day (I should follow his example) and his attitude is terrific! Thanks for asking.

j

Anonymous said...

Jimmy it is awesome to know your brother is doing well, hahaha well we all should be following his example :P!!

Eduardo

Anonymous said...

Again, good post and really, we could all read it again and change the word book to equipment and it still applies...

So sure, we can bang around at it but I for one enjoy reading/watching about how other people get it done. At least your info is always brought to bare with a fine visual.

Do you need help talking yourself into doing a book or a DVD for that matter?

Ask Strobist how his are selling...