Photo by STAK Photographer Duo
http://www.getstak.com

When I first saw this picture, I didn’t actually take note of it. After a browse through the ever airy, but somewhat repetitive Style Me Pretty, this almost felt too classic and too perfect. Not to mention that STAK produces any number of wonderful documentary shots – they are great at digging right into a moment and getting you there. But then I realized that this image – something that would be right at home with that aqua band of color you’d find anchoring a Tiffany ad – was from a real proposal. And I thought about that. I think that’s something noteworthy. Everything in the industry is moving towards decorative, light, and cute, … Read more...

Photo by Peter Doyle
http://www.peterdoylephoto.com

I see so many sites on so many blogs that show people staring off into nowhere used for no reason I can fathom. I mean, I get it if there’s something requiring some introspection or if it’s used in a functional way. But just shots of people staring, where you can’t figure out what they’re staring at or why we should care. That’s not telling a story. That’s showing people staring into nowhere. The difference here is that Peter includes all the necessary information. This is how it feels when the picture works. A story is basically a connection with a picture strong enough to provoke you to imagine a scenario. Here, there’s a story. … Read more...

I started reading The Big Payback by Dan Charnas recently, which chronicles the history and development of hip hop. It’s a great read for anyone interested. One of the things that really stuck with me was how organically rap developed. It wasn’t so much that someone said “OK, I’m going to create this totally radical, all new thing,” as it was that one small idea followed the next and the next from this person and that person. Eventually, as this random mix of ideas coagulated, it became a music wholly different from any precursor. I couldn’t help but think the same applies to photography.

I was just reading a thread on Digital Wedding Forum about whether it’s better to tone … Read more...

Photo by Anna Rose
http://www.annaroseblog.com

If there were one point, and only one point that I wanted to get across, it’s that pictures are all about the small stuff. I really don’t care much whether something is classic, modern, vintage, or editorial. What I think really matters is that the picture works. And it’s never the look and the feel that’s enough to carry that. Because what you really want to do is make the viewer to connect – to understand why you took it and what it says, even though they weren’t there and don’t know what was going on. And to do that, you need to get the small stuff right.

That’s exactly what Anna did here. It’s … Read more...

Photo by Aaron Hawes
http://hawesphotographyblog.com

I keep looking at this one. It’s a real Polaroid. Not the iPhone manufactured stuff. Not that there’s anything wrong with that (or is there? I’m starting to feel a little over-Hipstamatic-ed). The picture is creepy. And maybe there’s just a hair too much space to the right. I’m not really sure if I think there is. I go back and forth. The clock seems a little squished. Maybe the framing just keeps it loose. Or maybe it’s supposed to make me uncomfortable.

But I don’t really care. I think that’s is what art does. It makes you think. It challenges you. It asks you to consider it, and you’re rewarded for having taken the … Read more...