"THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE" An essay by Vern Mossey It's competition night at the Oshawa Camera Club. The lights are dimmed and the clinic results begin. You're a bit apprehensive because some of your work will be shown, but secretly excited about the prospects for one particularly great image. The tension builds, your image gets closer and closer then .....? We've all shared the experience of both elation and disappointment. We either enthusiastically agree with the judges' comments or think they're "out to lunch". For those times when the darkness hides the disappointment, we somehow feel "there's got to be more". Too many times the feeling of rejection, or lack of acceptance by the judges, creates despair and at the very least the wonder "will I ever get it right". From personal experience I can guarantee that time does not only heal these dark moments but allows the "craftsmanship" of photography to mature and eventually blossom. Photographers are a funny lot. They seem to feel that a camera in their hands will automatically lead to recognition and applause. As we all know this may happen among your friends, but rarely when the audience is more objective and only then among the gifted. Somehow photographers feel they are exempt from the learning process. Just as artists and painters must study and gain experience over a period of many years, so must we. When new members join camera clubs they tend to be inexperienced in the craftsmanship of photography. They bring with them all the "expressive qualities" resulting from their education and life experiences, but lack the necessary skills to present them in a technically correct way. Their photographs frequently lack a sense of order and composition. Soon however, they are made aware of guidelines for improvement. Here are some of the favourites: - Simplify your photograph - Avoid distracting elements. - Place the subject in the 1/3 position. - Use leading lines. - Leave more room in front of subject For novice photographers, an awareness and use of such guidelines result in a remarkable improvement in the quality of their work. But somehow "there's got to be more". The process of making a photograph involves three main functions. SEEING, CRAFTMANSHIP AND EXPRESSION. SEEING is the ability to recognize photographic possibilities, which by its very nature varies immensely from one person to another. Each of us has developed interests which naturally evolve over time. These interests change as we gain new experiences, while some of the old are left behind. Seeing abilities vary greatly with our mood, location and lighting. While seeing is a recognition skill, location and lighting are execution skills. CRAFTSMANSHIP includes not only getting the exposure and focus right, but also the fundamentals of composition; eliminating distracting elements and arranging the main centre of interest in a pleasing way. Craftsmanship is technical and not artistic. EXPRESSION involves the communication of a message by the photographer. It is an abstract concept and should not be confused with the physical subject matter. Expression involves feelings, emotion or perhaps a statement about life. In nature photography, expression can be achieved by emphasizing the story telling features in an image. Viewers who place a strong emphasis on craftsmanship will evaluate a photograph quite differently than those trained in the arts. Each sees the same image but their assessments and critiques may be worlds apart. Given all these variables it's not surprising many photographers address their attention to a common denominator in an effort to better the odds of success with judges. This is one of the causes of "sameness" in camera club photography. But we all know, "there's got to be more". We have not been as successful in developing the seeing and expressive skills as we have in developing craftsmanship. In most camera clubs the abundance of attention and comment deals with technique and composition. That's not all bad. Craftsmanship is an important foundation, but in order to achieve truly outstanding images, seeing and expression must get more attention. Technique should be subordinate to expression. Fundamentally it is this imbalance that has led to our lack of photographic variety. If we all had well developed seeing and expressive skills, it's likely our photographs would be as diverse as our individual personalities. So how do we overcome this hurdle; to achieve this "more" I keep mentioning. Fortunately there are several ways to begin the process of developing the "seeing" and "expressive" skills. READING is a good start. "Photography and the Art of Seeing" by Freeman Patterson, and "Developing the Creative Edge in Photography" by Bert Eifer are two books that provide excellent and practical guidance. IMITATING the work of other photographers that contain the expression and emotion that you wish to capture is a good method to begin the process. But take care not to become overwhelmed by your results. Remember the objective is to make images that are original and express your own individual feelings and imagination, not to continue to borrow the themes of others. SLOW DOWN. The camera can record an image in 1/60 of a second, but you are going to need a lot longer if you expect to study your subject thoughtfully. Walk around and examine the subject from all angles both high and low. Choose the one that best illustrates what you are trying to say. UNDERSTAND what you are trying to say. Ask yourself "why am I taking this photograph?" Try and use all the technical skills available to make this message come alive in the viewfinder. The camera position, depth of field, filters and film choice, are all ways of strengthening and clarifying your ideas in a different way. LISTEN to what others say about your image. If expression is about effective communication, what better way to success than by listening to your viewers. And finally RE-DO the image until you get it right. Don't expect success overnight. We've all been discouraged at one time or another. Keep trying. Like anything else in life, practice and experience will improve abilities, mistakes are learning experiences, initial disappointment sets the course for future triumphs. We have a greater potential for personal expression than we realize. As subject matter, the people, activities, locations, and things you are familiar with provide the best starting point. These subjects will bring a depth of feeling that will most easily find its way into your photography. Yes there is "more" than craftsmanship to photography. The enjoyment of our hobby begins with the achievement of technical success and progresses with time and experience into an ability, through your photographs, to communicate a part of yourself.