Most photographers concentrate on things like exposure, composition and then as
they develop their skills they'll realize the complexities and importance
of light. They'll start to use natural light in a more creative way, they'll
begin to appreciate the effectiveness of the magic hour and the more flattering
mood that it conveys. Later on as they develop further photographers will
likely start using soft boxes or umbrellas and then eventually they may
arrive at the more complex control of lighting through using paras, fresnels,
projection lighting and things like global illumination.
However, it's not until much later that photographers start to piece together
all of the elements of lighting, emotion, composition, juxtaposition and visual
storytelling in their work and at this point they may start to produce images
that invoke a feeling and more than just a good photograph. Now for many
photographers this takes years so how can you fast forward yourself as a
photographer to understand the mechanics beyond the concepts of light good
composition and a nice subject. How do you understand something more when it
appears you've already got to grips with everything photography related? Well to
do this you have to take a step back and first you have to understand what is a
picture. Now this might sound like a simplistic question but it's actually
much deeper because the answer to this question is what separates some of the
world's top photographers from those that just make good pictures. Let's begin
with 'What is a picture?' the first point we need to understand is that a picture
is visual communication between the actual photograph and the viewer. But
what if as a photographer you're creating images in the wrong language?
One that uses good light composition etc but the viewer still finds hard to
understand. So we have to step back even further,
first we must understand human visual perception. How
do people process an image, how do they perceive it and process that visual
information? Now if creating images is like writing a
book then the book must first be in a language that the viewer can understand
and the nuances of the narrative or the light and emotion must be able to be
processed by the viewer as efficiently as possible for the image to be as
effective as possible. Now many years ago I was researching these areas of human
biology and visual processing and it led me to the work of a highly respected
professional photographer called Tim Flach. Tim has been creating images that
are powerful emotive and captivating for decades. He's the author of at least five
books, he lectures and presents all over the world, he's a consultant for many
prestigious organizations and his fine art prints are highly sought after.
Several years ago Tim, and I started talking at great lengths about the
theory behind human visual processing and it soon became apparent that we both
had a great interest in how humans actually see, in fact Tim had long
realized that this was one of the most fundamental questions that photographers
were not asking themselves and yet it was probably the most important. How do
we see? ...and most photographers never give this question any thought, we make
assumptions and produce visual communication without ever considering
how it was going to be processed. It's as if we as photographers were writing
books without first understanding the language of our audience. Now Tim has
long been using this information and this understanding to produce some of
the most thought-provoking, emotive and recognizable images of our time which
has led him to enjoying a hugely successful career and also bringing
greater awareness to important issues. This mutual interest in these topics led
us to both explore articles, books and papers on neuroscience, visual
stimulation and why it appears that many of the old
masters understood elements of color science and effective imagery long
before photography was even invented. What we discovered was fascinating and
during our careers it has changed the way we work, it is advanced our approach
to photography to one that is focused on the viewers experience and what causes
that experience rather than one of assumption. By looking at the work of old
masters and the reasons that explain many optical illusions, why this square
looks Orange when in fact it's exactly the same color as this one. How using
this visual misinformation through imprinting or through color adaptation
can benefit photographers. How in this image the lowest circle looks more
yellow than the top one even though they are both the same or why through very
specific combinations of contrast and color we can invoke the perception of
motion even when none exists. These are just some of the visual processes at
work in the human mind but there are many, many more. One of the most effective
is identifying the direction into an image and how to push a viewer around an
image and keep them there and how guiding the eye through contrast, color
and often subduing many elements of an image will actually provide a more
processable image to your audience. Through this knowledge Tim and I put
many of these influencing factors in place at the lighting stage of our
photography. Others are deliberately introduced in the post-production stage
to make the image more powerful. At the end of March, Tim and I will be taking a
small group of like-minded photographers to my studio and we will be introducing
them to these powerful foundations and revealing how we see as humans and how
you can harness that information to create more effective images. During the
workshop Tim and I will demonstrate with practical examples how an advanced
understanding of human visual perception can transform your work. These detailed
explanations and presentations establish how this
knowledge applies to all visual communication from the commercial world
of photography through to beauty and portraiture and to fine art animal
portraiture. We'll be learning from Tim's expertise on how to carefully and
thoughtfully handle animals in cooperation with their owners and how to
consciously produce images that connect with the viewer on an emotional level.
I'll be providing detailed examples and demonstrations on lighting and form with
concepts concerning texture, flow, perspective and shadow that explore the
'Why' as well as the 'How'. Rather than just the 'How' and during our upcoming
workshop these are just some of the topics we discuss in detail so that
photographers can harness this knowledge and use it. This is an exclusive event,
from the minute you arrive at the hotel everything is taken care of. Breakfast,
transport to and from the studio every day, fabulous lunches, a group dinner with
Tim Flach myself and the team, and over 4 days we'll introduce you to the
techniques of lighting, emotion and post-production that, when combined with
this unique understanding of human visual perception, it will transform your
abilities as a visual communicator and photographer. Now, if like our past
participants you have a desire to experience a workshop that is like
nothing else, something that provides a depth of knowledge beyond just a studio
experience then Tim and I would love to welcome you to take part in this very
special event. It will offer you the opportunity to network with other
like-minded photographers as well as time with Tim and I during the event and
your own portfolio critique if you choose. Now this all takes place on the
beautiful island of Guernsey and of course you are welcome to extend your
stay and explore the island and its beautiful harbour town or sample its
shopping and many restaurants. Just a short journey from your hotel you will
be at my 4,000 square foot studio where you'll also
have the opportunity to learn about a variety of equipment and specialist
photography tools. So I hope that through this presentation I introduced you to
some of the important concepts behind visual communication, philosophies that
go well beyond that of just good photography. Now if you'd like more
information about the event then follow the link below and of course do not
hesitate to contact me or my team on contact@KarlTaylorEducation.Com if
you have any questions.
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