“Originality Is Nothing But…

 “Originality is nothing but judicious imitation” 

Voltaire

The 4 S’s Creativity Funnel

We can think of the generation and filtering of ideas as like using a garden sieve and funnel. A sieve has a mesh size that only passes an acceptable or wanted size of gravel. The larger unwanted rocks do not pass through the sieve. A series of sieves with progressively finer mesh catch the unwanted larger sized gravel as it sieved. Use the sieve idea to select the photographers you want to study in depth in the exercise below.

Embedding skill exercise                   

1. Sieve and Select: Choose 3 photographers whose work you love and wish to emulate.
2. Study: the work of your 3 selected photographers until you understand their vision, intent, seeing and emotional cues.
3. Steal: choose a favourite picture from each of your chosen photographers and emulate it as best you can.
4. Synergise the vision, intent, style, seeing and emotional cues of all three photographers in your work. The idea is not to copy others but to combine:
   • Their ideas
   • Their style
   • Their unique way of seeing
   • The emotional cues they have identified and,
   • The relationships that they observe between the subject of their images and the world outside.
5. In your own work use the ideas and insight gained from this extended study to change the emphasis of what you intend and capture. Get ideas about what you should omit, include and transform in your image taking and then remix them.   David Bowie, one of the most original and influential musicians who died in 2016 used to take newspapers and chop them into bits, remixing them as he searched for new ideas.  Try that with your images mentally cutting, pasting and reworking the ideas behind them.

How to see photographically workshop in Spain 

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A review of the Snowdonia Mono Masterclass

by Michael l’Anson LRPS

“This is the second time I have been on one of Andy’s workshops, this latest one being the 5-day masterclass in Snowdonia. The accommodation, location and weather allowed us the opportunity to be taken to some remarkable viewing points alongside waterfalls, gorges, forests, steam railways, lakes. mountain paths and quarries. 

I would recommend one reads Andy’s book, “The ABC of Camera-Work Manual”, several times, and go through the “LGE Programme Intro” on his website before you go as, together with his knowledge and expertise of camera craft, you will get the absolute most out of this trip. Andy is very relaxed, nothing is too much trouble and he’s willing to answer any question.

Once back at the local Inn where we stayed it did not stop there. After our evening meal, followed by a glass of wine, we settled down beside the log fire and Andy’s laptop would appear. 

This enabled the day’s shots to be assessed and reviewed with helpful critiquing (notepad and pen essential) with one or two subsequently being edited in Lightroom. I am self-taught in Lightroom so listening and watching Andy explain and demonstrate his post-editing routine (and you get to do it yourself) enabled me to pick up some real ‘gems’ of how, when and what to do.

I would also suggest that you have a good understanding of how your camera works before you embark on this type of workshop. It will allow you to get the most out of this experience, as it did for me, and gives Andy the opportunity to help and guide you on how to see photographically.

What you need to do next is… workshop 

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Here is the original colour shot of the feature picture above. Without photographic vision and post-processing, it’s a very dull and uninteresting picture. Contrast and Split-toning added in Lightroom.

“There are pictures everywhere for those with eyes to see”

Andy Beel FRPS

Club Talks and Lecture Tours for next Season