Two strong remarks about photography (to me)

[atpaula]

 To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.
Elliott Erwitt

You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.
Joan Miró

[Airy]

I concur with both, esp. the first one. Well obliged too, as I'm doing the same trips over and over again...

[Bill Mellen]

To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.
Elliott Erwitt

You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.
Joan Miró

Both very good statements about photography.  Elliot Erwitt is one of my favorite photographers as well.

[armando_m]

Thanks for sharing these  quotes

[Ann]

Wise comments.

I have often wondered whether the "Art of Observation" is teachable; or whether some people are fortunate to have been born with that latent ability and others, very sadly, have not?

[CS]

Wise comments.

I have often wondered whether the "Art of Observation" is teachable; or whether some people are fortunate to have been born with that latent ability and others, very sadly, have not?

You're not alone in those thoughts, Ann.

[Airy]

My son has always had a striking ability to notice things that would not attract attention of other people, and that's not only my (proud father's) observation. He also happens to be a "natural photographer".

Now that does not mean that "art of observation" cannot be acquired by training and teaching.

I have a good book by Willy Ronis, about six or seven fundamental attitudes that lead to interesting shots, with assorted examples from his works. Not gear, not techniques, but attitudes or mindsets. There are other books dealing with that subject, but less systematically.

[golunvolo]

Thanks Aguinaldo, I also concur with both. Still missing the emotional part of all of it.


  Airy, do you mind to share the name of the book?

[Bern]

I have a good book by Willy Ronis, about six or seven fundamental attitudes that lead to interesting shots, with assorted examples from his works. Not gear, not techniques, but attitudes or mindsets. There are other books dealing with that subject, but less systematically.

Would you remember the title of the book?

[Akira]

Thank you for the reminder, Aguinaldo.  These can be true for most kinds of art.

I have often wondered whether the "Art of Observation" is teachable; or whether some people are fortunate to have been born with that latent ability and others, very sadly, have not?

I think it is not "teachable", but it could be "found out" by a person of similar talent and "brushed up" by being exposed to and/or inspired by fine art works.

[golunvolo]

"Found out" and "brushed up" are interesting concepts here. I do agree.

[Airy]

The book by Ronis:
https://www.amazon.fr/Derri%C3%A8re-lobjectif-Willy-Ronis-Photos/dp/2842303709/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
I did not find any EN version on amazon, but there seems to be an Italian one (title : Le regole del caso)

The French title ("behind the lens...") compounds with the author's name ("... of/by Willy Ronis"; does not work in EN, but in French, of (posessor) = by (author of book) = "de") because the author's mindset is in the focus, so to say.

There are at least three other books with the same title but the photographer's name, all being co-authored, I think, with a certain Boni. I happened to find Ronis' one, and since he was (not only) a "street shooter", it fits well with the subject of this thread.

[Akira]

"Found out" and "brushed up" are interesting concepts here. I do agree.

I guiess you are doing the same thing as dance teacher?

[Jacques Pochoy]

Wise comments.

I have often wondered whether the "Art of Observation" is teachable; or whether some people are fortunate to have been born with that latent ability and others, very sadly, have not?

I believe most child have it, unless they are cocooned in a strict environment. Most loose it in teenage years because of trying to be adults... As a teacher of Architecture, it's part of my job to get them back to that state (mostly by hand drawing but photography can help too, as reading ! ).
Many of my students (circa 24 years old) tell me that now they are themselves surprised of "seeing" so many details while walking their usual trip to our school.

"Seeing" is one thing, "framing" (or communicating the observation) is another. The two must be learnt at the same length of time !
I, usually, ask them to re-read "The little Prince" by Saint Exupéry, then to apply it to their trip and draw the results... It's not very different of a "story-board" in which the said details would appear as a "key" to the story 

[Hugh_3170]

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Prince

Edit The author Antoine Saint-Exupéry was a man of many many parts - aviator, author, writer, poet, war hero, and aristocrat.  He was reputedly quite mathematically gifted and was an architecure student.  Clearly a person who could see and not just look.