I just came across this cool gallery with superposition of photos of famous sights all over the world, created by artist Corinne Vionnet from thousands of tourist pictures taken from almost the same standpoint. If you drag a camera along just half as often as I do, you’ve probably been in that situation: do I take this picture now, or simply buy the postcard? (I sometimes do the latter, because most likely I won’t get the conditions (perspective, weather and/or lighting, no other tourists in the picture, etc.) the postcard photographer had.)*
Gerade bin ich auf diese tolle Galerie mit übereinandergelegten Fotos von berühmten Sehenswürdigkeiten gestoßen, erstellt von Künstlerin Corinne Vionnet aus Tausenden von Touristenfotos, die (fast) vom gleichen Standpunkt aus aufgenommen wurden. Wenn Ihr nur halb so oft eine Kamera mitschleppt wie ich, wart Ihr sicher schon mal in dieser Situation: mach ich jetzt das Bild, oder kauf ich gleich die Postkarte? (Manchmal mache ich letzteres, weil ich die Bedingungen des Postkartenfotografen (Perspektive, Wetter und/oder Belichtung, keine anderen Touristen im Bild etc.) vermutlich nicht hätte.)*
Photographer Thom Hogan writes more critically about collecting known shots instead of trying to find a composition that reflects your vision or experience, leading to the question of whether we are we looking (too much) for things we’ve already seen and liked. [As a side note, I think this also applies to science...] I do try to find my own perspective sometimes, though clearly not always (it was too tempting).
Fotograf Thom Hogan schreibt kritischer über das Sammeln von bekannten Motiven im Gegensatz zum Versuch, die eigene Vision oder Erfahrung abzubilden, was zu der Frage führt, ob wir (zu sehr) nach dem suchen, was wir schon gesehen und für gut befunden haben haben. [Nebenbei bemerkt, glaube ich, dass man das genauso auf die Forschung beziehen kann...] Ich versuche schon, meinen eigenen Blickpunkt zu entwickeln, auch wenn es offensichtlich nicht immer klappt (zu verlockend).
Here’s another attempt — I’m not perfectly happy with it, because it’s still immediately clear what the subject is, and I cut off a part of the text (known to happen). But still, I like it.
Hier ein weiterer Versuch — ich bin nicht 100%ig glücklich damit, weil immer noch sofort klar ist, was ich da fotografiert hab, und weil ich (mal wieder) einen Teil des Textes abgeschnitten hab. Aber es gefällt mir schon gut.
* And who doesn’t love nested parentheses? (h/t Cath)
* Mögt Ihr verschachtelte Klammern auch so sehr? (Danke an Cath)
Oh, those superimposed shots are great! Especially the ones with people in shot.
I really like your shot of the Golden Gate Bridge. All of my shots of it are very boring and generic!
I use my little yellow duck as a stand-in and really do collect these places and pictures that everyone recognizes. That’s the whole point of the yellow duck photos. As photographers, rather than tourists, we can only try to tell the story our way, but even so, sometimes our story isn’t all that special and that is still ok :)
Thanks Cath!
Paula, you mean like the garden gnome in the Amélie movie? Do you have them in a gallery somewhere? (I checked on Flickr but couldn’t find them)
Also, I think it’s difficult to find a personal perspective the first time you visit a place — many of my photos from Andalusia are of the generic snapshot type. It takes time to develop your own view, and sometimes the feeling of “what an amazing building/tree/rock/…” leads to the picture before you even think about whether this is unique or not.
I like your photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. As for your thoughts about taking photographs. I think that it takes time to work out out for yourself what sort of a ‘feeling’ one, as you say, before you know why you know whether a photo is unique or not. This feeling is hard to articulate. But I usually don’t think about something being a good photo or not…I just take the shot. I really don’t plan specific shots…really..I just see things that I like and I take photos of them. Now, I’ve just reread what I’ve written…I don’t think that I’ve expressed myself very well here…I’m sorry :-(
Anthea — not sure if I understand you ;) but here’s an attempt at an answer: I often take photos spontaneously, too, and only later when sorting them think about whether this is a “good picture”. But, if I have the time or when I go somewhere with the intention of taking good/unique/special photos, rather than (mainly) as a tourist, I try to find the particular angle, composition, colors … that would make a “me” picture.
Love the Golden Gate photo!!! And I wish I had had that gnome idea when we were traveling a lot… it certainly would have been fun! :)
I think I try to take photos spontaneously… yes, but sometimes it’s impossible not to fall for the already known “shot” of a place… There is one “me” type picture, and that’s me either jumping in front of a subject or opening my arms… but I didn’t do that for all “cool” places :)
what a thought-provoking post, Amelie, I love it! I think it is true that many have the impulse to take the same photos when they finally arrive at a destination. yet truly, to take really good photos require time and study, to know the mood and light of the place. I always love your photos. Are you in SF already?
Thanks Janis and SB! I agree that it takes time to take good, unique photos.
And no, I’m still in Barcelona, the Golden Gate photos are from our trip last year.