Beyond the obvious

When you see a picture you generally either like it or it does nothing for you. Images evoke an instant emotional reaction in the viewer before we start analysing the content. When I look at many of the images uploaded on social image sharing websites and see that they have pages of comments and heaps of praise I often wonder what it is in the image people are responding too. Many of the shots are technically poor, the content is of little interest (to me) – so I wonder… Then there are other images that, if you really look and ‘read’ the image, have many wonderful elements, but they appear to be passed up by the mass audience. Highly manipulated arty photos, pictures of pretty girls and the usual visual clichés seem to do much better than photojournalistic images that show the human condition. It’s interesting that audiences are attracted to arty pictures with added textures, HDR and hyped colours. On the other hand, when it comes to wanting to see a news image, the same audien...

Natural woman - the real Kim. Most photography courses concentrate on technique and equipment. Few emphasise the most important ingredient for making a good portrait; the relationship you build with the people you photograph. Once that connection is made and you've collaborated artistically it can create a link for life. By chance we recently bumped into Kim. Many years ago we worked with her as a model and we did a number of shoots together including a high fashion look advert - glossy lipstick, hats, gloves - the works.  Photographers are always moving on, meeting new people, flitting from one job to another like busy bees buzzing from flower to flower, as my wife, professional photographer, Magda Indigo often says. After so many years it was great to see Kim  again and for old times sake I shot a few quick portraits in the street. Wonderful to re-establish contact. Thanks, Paul  wwww.indigo2photography.co.uk