Thoughts on my process
It’s 11:18 p.m., and I’m looking over some photos I took from an open mic I went to tonight. And between pizza munches, I started to think, “if someone asked me to describe how I take my photos, what would I say?”
Here are my late night answers to that question.
By getting close
I usually sit up front or as close to the front when I can when I go to events. Sitting close allows me to capture details that I might not see from several feet away–a subtle expression, clothing details, gestures. I feel like I can capture the performer’s energy when I’m sitting closer to them.
By sitting close and using a medium telephoto lens, I’m able to get close to my subject and really capture their performance.
By being patient
When taking photos, especially performer portraits, I sometimes sit there with my finger on a half-pressed shutter, waiting until that moment. They raise their hand in a certain way, close their eyes, grit their teeth, or tilt their head in a certain way. And my brain goes, Aha!
The subject does something, and I see and feel the emotion in their movements, and that’s when I take the photo. I just have to wait for the moment.
By using immersive photography
I just discovered this term, and I think it describes what I do pretty well. Seng Mah, the author of the Venture Horizons blog, mentions the terms immersion photography and impression photography, and covers the differences between the two:
“Impression photography is what we do when we see something that catches our eye. It may be pretty, unusual, interesting, unique… whatever it is, it’s formed an impression on us, prompted us to bring up the camera and to take a photo. To document or record it.
Immersion photography takes us beyond the impression. It shows an understanding of the subject or moment and a respect for it that encourages us to find a more emotionally laden way of depicting it. In immersion photography, we move beyond the salient and look for the story, the mood, the part of it that says speaks to the heart of the viewer.”
Essentially, with impression photography, we photograph because something looks nice, cool, interesting. With immersion photography, we photograph to tell a story. To draw our viewers into the scene. We use lighting, composition, and color grading to convey the emotion of the scene.
And I think that describes what I try to do. I want to draw viewers into the photo and make them feel as if they’re part of the scene. I want viewers to feel the emotion the subject is displaying. As if you could step through the frame and be there in the room with me.
The photo on the left makes me feel peaceful. The wind was my friend in that moment. And in the other, I can feel the power and anger in the poet’s performance.
Anyway, I think that being patient, getting close, and using immersion photography are essential to my work.
Maybe one day I can teach a course about my process. The Deanna Way. ✨
Okay, I’m going to bed now.
