One of the things I love about photography is it appeals to both the geek and the artist in all of us. On the geek side you have the technical considerations of making an image; the f-stops, shutter speeds, depth of field, histograms, dynamic range, all the stuff we must all master in order to successfully communicate our vision. Of course we can’t forget about all that ‘geeky’ gear, super telephotos, focusing rails, tele-converters, extension tubes, fill flash, and such. On the artistry side, things are a little tougher to define with such things as, shape, color, composition, mood, balance, and that fickle mistress light.
To make a great photograph we have to find the balance between the geek and the artist. If we lean too much toward the geek our pictures, while technically perfect, can lack emotion. They may not reach out and touch the viewer. They can be missing a mood or feeling. Conversely, too much focus on the artistry at the expense of the technical may often leave the work riddled with technical flaws which can distract the viewer from the message. Most photographers tend to lean in one direction or the other, some are master technicians crossing every T and dotting every I in their images. While others have a flair for the artistic not having the time or desire to bother with all of that technical stuff. A truly great photographer finds the balance and has a mastery of both of these two seemingly opposing disciplines.
The goal of my photography is to communicate something to the viewer, to educate them in some way. I want my images to have a message. The message can be anything, like an idea, a concept, a mood, or a feeling, even something as simple as, “Look how pretty this is”. But my goal is always to communicate my message, to reach out and touch the audience in some way.
Photography is an extremely powerful art form. At its very best it has the ability to inspire and even become a call to action for the viewer. As photographers we must use our tools to effectively communicate our vision. The best way to communicate with the viewer is without technical flaws that could distract from our message. The most powerful way to reach someone is by touching their soul with our artistry.
Good Luck and Good Light
Steve
Steve Gettle’s images communicate his love for the wildlife and wild places of our world. For nearly thirty years, he has spent countless hours creating hundreds of thousands of photographs of the beauty around us. His images have been exhibited in galleries and museums all over the world. Steve has been honored with a one man show at The National Center for Nature Photography in Ohio.
Represented by Minden Pictures his work has been featured in many books, magazines, and calendars by The National Geographic Society, Canadian Geographic, Audubon, Sierra Club, The BBC, The World Wildlife Fund, The National Wildlife Federation, Birder’s World, Nature’s Best, Natural History, and many others.
Steve especially enjoys sharing his knowledge through the art of teaching. He teaches through his one day seminar “The Art of Nature Photography” and by leading workshops and photo tours all over the world. Although he travels extensively, he finds much of his inspiration in the natural areas surrounding his home, in Brighton, Michigan.