The Artist Behind the Viewfinder: Emotional Photography Insight

Photography. When you picture a photographer, it’s always the camera that you see first, unlike when you’re asked to picture an artist or a great chef.

photography inspiration

photo by Florian .

Unfortunately, this is part and parcel of the game of photography, where most people think that a great photographer is made up of great equipment and, to a much smaller degree, talent.

True photographic artists have the power to convey thoughts, ideas, feelings, and moods all based in one timeless and inspirational image. Captured in a millisecond by pushing down on that button. I have known photographers who are utterly obsessed with new equipment and all the wiz bang technology that comes out seemingly every day. What they fail to realize is that being technically adept is only one part of the puzzle. Bringing out the emotional side of your photographic art plays a large part in creating images that will wow your audience. The best images created are not always the most original, technically correct, or perfectly framed. Like any art form, the greatest images evoke some kind of emotional response in the viewer. The truly great evoke different emotions in different people at different times.

I have noticed in my own imagery the fact that my own underlying emotional state at the time of creation plays an enormous part in the emotional content that my final image conveys. With my paintings, I have had pieces that I just could not get back ‘into the groove of’ because it was just really hard to get back to the same emotional state that I was in when I began creating it—or ‘I wasn’t feeling it!’

With my photography, I found that I was able to take photos from places I had been to before and the whole vibe of the images was completely different to that of the previous ones.

emotion photography

Photo captured by Rhendi Rukmana; ISO 250, 1/200s.

It was akin to my own little aha moment in time. If in the passion for creating the imagery, the art was missing, then inevitably the result would be a very ho-hum, although technically correct, image.

One very quick way I’ve found to get out of this ho-hum state is to stop. Put the camera equipment down and just observe, enjoy, and be part of the moment. In next to no time you will find that you start firing on all cylinders and the creative juices kick in. That’s when you’ll be itching to pick up the camera again!

About the Author:
My crazy world has included successfully combining all the skills of a artist, photographer, designer, programmer, and marketer into one crazy life. I’m available for guest blogging, article writing and speaking events. Follow me in my crazy world via Facebook.

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