I agree, that's one of the most interesting part, and how something that could be so easily digitally manipulated these days, had to be so carefully and cleverly planned and patiently experimented!
Here is another great example of that:
Dalí Atomicus by Philippe Halsman, 1948
Capturing the essence of those he photographed was Philippe Halsman’s life’s work. So when Halsman set out to shoot his friend and longtime collaborator the Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, he knew a simple seated portrait would not suffice. Inspired by Dalí’s painting Leda Atomica, Halsman created an elaborate scene to surround the artist that included the original work, a floating chair and an in-progress easel suspended by thin wires. Assistants, including Halsman’s wife and young daughter Irene, stood out of the frame and, on the photographer’s count, threw three cats and a bucket of water into the air while Dalí leaped up. It took the assembled cast 26 takes to capture a composition that satisfied Halsman. And no wonder. The final result, published in LIFE, evokes Dalí’s own work. The artist even painted an image directly onto the print before publication.
Before Halsman, portrait photography was often stilted and softly blurred, with a clear sense of detachment between the photographer and the subject. Halsman’s approach, to bring subjects such as Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe and Alfred Hitchcock into sharp focus as they moved before the camera, redefined portrait photography and inspired generations of photographers to collaborate with their subjects.
Visited this photographer's gallery this afternoon. The book mentioned below was familiar to us, but we hadn't thought of it for years. This spectacular book had us daydreaming big time today; what would it be like to spend 90 days in an area, walking & observing the natural world around you? And then limit yourself to taking one photo per day?! The photo below was my absolute favorite in the whole place; just breathtaking in person.
From NPR: Jim Brandenburg, a photographer who decided to shoot only one photograph a day for the 90 days between autumnal equinox and winter solstice. He published the results in a book called, Chased by the Light. As a professional photographer for National Geographic, Brandenburg is used to shooting hundreds of pictures a day and wanted to force himself to work under the discipline of only one photograph per day. The pictures are taken from the natural environment around his home in northern Minnesota. (Chased by the Light is published by Northwood Press.)
Swallowtail Butterfly on a Birch Tree (not bitch...LOL )
It is absolutely stunning NR - love it. The colours and patterns of the butterfly wings are so striking against the brilliance of the white bark - particularly smooth and new - with the older rougher bark peeling away.
The Swallowtail wings look like a creature in themselves, such is their symmetry and the effect of the blue spots, rather like eyes. It must have been wonderful to see it for real.
I like it too, very much. A brave and unusual composition, giving more space and focus for the tree trunk and almost just teasing the butterfly.
Beautiful colours.
What an interesting challenge, whittling down your need to photograph everything that intrigues you to just one photograph a day... and make that a stunner. Well, he's certainly managed it with this one! Thanks for sharing, NR!
The more I think about this project, the more in awe I am at the ambition and level of challenge. It's hard enough to edit and delete photos when you've taken loads,to choose the "best ones" from a crop. Just imagine to take only one single shot a day to sum up a mood, the essence of a place. These pictures are so beautifully composed.
The more I think about this project, the more in awe I am at the ambition and level of challenge. It's hard enough to edit and delete photos when you've taken loads,to choose the "best ones" from a crop. Just imagine to take only one single shot a day to sum up a mood, the essence of a place. These pictures are so beautifully composed.
I think that's what drew me to this artist! This project was done back in the days before digital, too. He didn't even know if he got the shot he wanted. A unique approach for sure. Hard to imagine in a time when we can take hundreds of photos daily & edit them ourselves on the spot
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Wow.