WONDERLAND

Through the years, visiting galleries, exhibit openings and photography presentations, I have often heard people in conversations use words like “feelings,” “emotions,” “movement”, “passion,” “soul,” in their attempts to decipher what is abstract art.  Perhaps these words are hints of the actual relationship between the artist and the viewer or visa versa. Believing that expressionistic artists are dedicated to expressing emotions and states of mind rather than describing impressions of the material world makes me question whether or not abstract art always needs interpretation. 

What makes an abstract image resonate? Is it a riot of colour that first attracts? Is it the hidden elements, once recognized, that delight?  Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson’s compositions contain colour, movement, energy and shape that attract, delight, and excite. He removes the labels of the recognizable and the familiar and creates works capable of evoking inspiration, beauty, or peacefulness, thus allowing the viewer to simply experience the joy of seeing.  The question of “understanding” abstract art seems pointless to me. I believe the best response is an emotional, not an intellectual one.

Abstracting is the capacity to examine your subject and take away the labels that identify it. In abstract art you will not find a structure recognizable in daily life, or any identifiable imagery. Instead you will discover a multitude of colour, tones and shapes within an element of structure that is defined only by the artist’s imagination.

For example, nearly everyone observing a landscape would see a sky, grass and a winding road. The art of abstraction would have you look at that same landscape in an entirely different way:  now you see an enormous rectangular shape containing an oblique line through it (the grass and the winding road) under a smaller lighter rectangle (the sky). Seeing further than the external characteristic of the scene and developing your capability to interpret it distinctively and with emotion is essential to producing images that are unique, and, more importantly, that reaches the heart of viewer. 

Distinguishing the elements in a scene as non-representational forms and learning to arrange these forms and tonalities in a careful and pleasing arrangement is the key to improve your artistic path in photography and transform your images into something more than simply pretty pictures. 

When I set my photographs free in the world (through exhibitions or sales), I have to trust that they will find safe, appreciative homes. Recently I sold one of my abstract photographs to a collector in Toronto. Feeling compelled to describe the impact of the image she recently acquired; I received this wonderful e-mail from her.

 “I just wanted to send a note to let you know how much my patients and I are enjoying your photograph. I am a clinical psychologist promoting art therapy. Your photograph has become an unexpected attraction with people trying to see as many different things in it. I’ve been impressed with the playfulness and creativity from inside the perimeter of the frame and how these same characteristics are transferred towards the people viewing it. My associates and staff refer to viewing your photograph as going to “WONDERLAND”.  Thank you again for this delightful addition to my practice. It’s taken on more meaning than simply a photo on the wall.” 

This note confirms my belief about the silent beauty and impact of abstract art. The colour, the texture, and the shapes do not resemble anything the viewers may be familiar with, but instead prompt the audience to create meaning in their own imaginations. With the labels removed, the responses to a photograph will be as varied as the individuals who view them. In the world of abstracts, both the maker and the viewer can be transported to a “WONDERLAND” where anything is possible.  

In your journey into documenting discovery, I propose that at the time of creating your image, you strive to remove the labels of your subject. The colours and hidden textures will render many image possibilities within the four corners of your viewfinder and will guide you to a creative state of mind filled with wonder. However, you must be tremendously focused in order not to finish with chaos. The goal is to create balance within disorder. The shift from realism to abstraction challenges the expressive interpretation of my work. Capturing balance in chaotic situations invigorates me and provides serenity at the same time.

This openness to wonder, to seeing the invisible, is something artists, spiritual masters, and children all have in common. The magnificence of light encourages a childlike capacity to wonder, to dream in the daytime. Take a moment and observe children. Notice how they have a way of listening and reacting to thoughts and impulses, leaving their minds opened to the possibilities of wonder within their imaginations.  I believe that adults can learn from children because creativity depends upon imagination, upon emotion, upon play, upon being open to wonder. Similarly, I feel that if a photographer is someone who remains sensitive to his being, his surroundings and his inner self, he will see things others do not, and enter the “WONDERLAND” of abstract art.

"Art is what defines us, as a culture and as individuals. To suppress creative expression is to bind and silence our very souls."

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographing people in the streets

I would describe Street Photography as creating a carbon copy from a fragment of everyday life. Street Photographer’s document reality and illustrate truthful instants that most don’t even notice in their day-to-day routine. Street Photography demands attention to detail and the photographer must inject himself into the scene to capture it’s temperament in a fraction of a second, seizing a moment that vanishes in an equal measure of time. For the Street Photographer there is no particular subject matter, there is only the topic of ‘life’. 

Street Photography is probably one of the most difficult genres of photography to master, because it is based on the unknown. You can select the composition, but you can’t necessarily select the characters in it or direct how they will behave to make your picture look good or convey a message because it is spontaneous, unscripted, unplanned and immediate. 

In order to produce expressive street photographs, key elements are needed; emotion, instinct, timing, anticipation and keen observation. You will not effectively document life until seeing and feeling becomes natural skills. A good street photographer will see a scene coming together in advance of the shot and in seconds, visualize the picture then take steps to prepare the correct framing. 

      Having a complete understanding of the technical aspects of your equipment is an absolute must. If you are fumbling with your equipment you will miss the “decisive moment”: it will disappear in a split second, and that moment will never reoccur. Coined by Henry Cartier Bresson, seizing the “decisive moment” is just as tricky as sports photography in terms of catching the instant of peak action. 

Whenever the opportunity to capture these random moments arises, you must be ready and cannot hesitate. Precise timing and reaction is what brings a street photograph from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Each individual’s facial expression is unique and distinctive. Contained in each expression is emotion that can be recognised and therefore documented. Examples of these emotions include joy, anxiety, astonishment, excitement or concern, and there are many more subtle nuances. If you attempt to craft these emotions by directing the person in front of your lens to act them out, the ultimate message of the photograph will not be conveyed as authentic and the photograph will be assured to have a staged look. Capturing pure and authentic emotion and being able to immortalize these short lived insights into the subject’s lives is the elusive target. 

Street Photography involves getting up close and personal to people or situations. To be effective with this type of shooting, you have to be in the moment and not a distant spectator. A telephoto lens will provide the comfort of viewing the action from afar but without emotional connection, while wide-angle and normal lenses will definitely make you a participant and allow you to tap into your instincts, bringing out the truth within the story. For a street photograph to be effective, something in the scene has to speak meaningfully to the photographer. 

Your photographs should make the viewer feel something. Capturing emotion is the one basic element that any great photograph should contain. If you are aware of the feeling before you release the shutter, your photographs will have much more impact and will definitely deserve the viewer’s attention.

An excellent photograph is not about aiming a skilfully adjusted costly camera at a person or scene; it’s about communicating an idea, a concept, a feeling or a thought. For a photograph to be effective and seize the viewer’s attention you should be clear about what you're communicating. Ansel Adams said "There is nothing worse than a sharp photograph of a fuzzy idea". Knowing what you're saying and saying it clearly is what makes an image people will remember. 

Because this style of photography frequently requires moving into most people's personal space, a relaxed, cheerful and honest attitude will help you intermingle with the locals. Unlike portraiture that requires a more structured approach; street photography involves inserting yourself in an unstructured horde of people going about their business in the framework of the environment. The more you interact with the general populace and assimilate the sights and sounds of the surroundings, the more you will be accepted for what you are: a photographer. But remember, not everyone will welcome you into their space. Therefore, approach this aspect of photography with caution and respect. 

It is necessary to practice in order to perfect your composition skills to the point that it becomes instinctual. Taking time to visualise or organize all the elements with, the rule of thirds, depth of field, exposure or assessing what lens to use is a non-existent luxury. You have to see the scene in its entirety in your mind’s eye and transfer the situation in an instant to your viewfinder without pausing to analyze. Therefore, it is necessary to not rely on your conscious mind, but to rely on your unconscious: you must react intuitively.

I never have a set strategy when I go out to photograph the streets or with my approach to my subjects. Everything happens out of emotion and intuition; there is nothing intellectual about it. Observing the elements that influence the creation of a photograph and absorbing the light, the location, the identity and expression of the person will lead you to see from the heart. 

If you aspire to recognise the inward state of a person and not only the outward appearance, you will experience the pleasure of being in the immediate moment with the person in front of your lens. The desire to communicate the essence and character of the person being photographed is what should guide you. 

Photographing people effectively is, at some level, about caring. An emotion such as sorrow can be viewed as an expression of beauty once captured and frozen. Each photograph should illustrate the photographer's view or message according to how he desires the viewer to perceive it. 

We’ve all heard the saying, “a photograph is worth a thousand words” and it’s because a good photograph always tells a story and if it’s a photograph of a person, it will show “who” the person is. School photographs record what a student “looks like,” but seldom convey who the child is. Just as you take time to identify the feeling you want to evoke, recognize the story you want to tell.

Fine street photography is a form of visual and mindful meditation and if you do not force it, the rhythm of the street will reveal itself and present snippets of life happening directly in front of you. You must be quick, as all this takes place in an instant. 

The human face is exceptional, full of wonders and mysteries and each person is unique. The photographer’s mission is to capture the soul of the person in the final image. If you can accomplish this, you will have joined a very select group of great photographic artists.  

In short, to create emotion in your people photography is to capture the authenticity and atmosphere of not only the subject but also the moment. 

Black & White Landscape Photography: Inspired by Alaska

When I reflect on Alaska, adjectives that immediately come to light are spectacular, colossal, magnificent and breathtaking. Such words when describing the amazing Alaskan landscapes and vistas are no overstatements, and when you personally witness the majesty of Alaska you discover that these words truly are an understatement. 

The massive mountains struck by transitory light interweaving between both the gigantic ice formations and glacial water ways confirm Alaska’s visual feast and are demanding assignments for all levels of photographers. 

From the very beginning of a photo workshop I was leading in Alaska, I suddenly felt the need to document the breathtaking views in Black and White. I still cannot explain the urge that seized me, but observing the awesome magnificence of the landscape, I instinctively felt that with the elimination of color, the soul of the environment would reveal itself and seduce my eye and capture my heart. 

Since experiencing Alaska, photographing landscapes in Black & White is now my favored style. For me, there is something eternal yet haunting about a Black and White photograph. Where a color photograph is more animated and commands instant attention. Black & White hinges on the emotion created by the photographer and his usage of light, shadow, tone and contrast to express a mood to the viewer. 

When facing a landscape, we see it in colour. By excluding colour and seeing in Black and White, the subject becomes stripped of labels, transforming the distinctive marks of the scene such as rocks, trees and mountains, into texture, lines and form. As a result, the photo turns into an interpretation instead of a factual depiction. I believe that when we view a well executed Black and White landscape photograph, we are seeing the emotional reaction and vision of the place itself, felt by the photographer. 

I recently read an article from a photographer who wrote that we must move on from photographing in Black and White. He stated that we don’t see the world in Black and White and it was something done ages ago due to the limitations at the time. Contrary to his opinion, I believe there are a number of reasons why it is essential to every so often make photographs in Black and White, and how it can help develop your photographic eye.

That photographers opinion persuaded me to write in contrast to his visionless observations. When I began to compose this statement, I questioned myself on how to deliver to the reader my enthusiasm toward Black and White photography. 

There are many magnificent colour photographs and still, much of my work is in colour, but when I study a Black and White photograph in contrast to colour, the Black and White divulges the purity of the light, the shadows, the composition and the many distinctive gradations of tones within the scene. Black and White photography reveals the fine art individualities of the image, the small touches that make a Black and White image notably eternal.
For me, shooting in Black and White solidified me as a straight forward shooter and I really like that. It empowers me to work with the equipment I have and transmit that into what I see and feel. I do not consider modifying a scene or a print to fit my version of how I think it ought be or to make it more interesting. 

Black and White photographs have always had an mesmerizing influence on me, therefore, I photograph what I see and what my camera sees and that becomes the final print. I cannot hide behind technology to get the results I seek in my images and I am reliant on visual connection, patience and lots of optimism to craft an image. 

What I strive for is to create a meaningful photograph that people recognize as a genuine moment. If this is not captured, the end result will be short of emotion and the outcome will lack authenticity. 

The beauty and tranquillity of Landscapes and Nature can be very stimulating. Therefore in keeping up with the motivation of this article, I am sharing examples of Black and White landscapes from Alaska. Without color, photographers must put more prominence on lighting, composition, and context. Combined with this and the fact that there are no manufactured or man-made objects, the creation process for me became a superb source of stimulation and asisted me to see the beauty around us that we sometimes take for granted.