Thursday, February 4, 2010

The purpose of Photography

Photography is picture language, the newest version of the oldest form of graphic communication. Unlike the spoken or written word, it is a form of communication that can be internationally understood. This, it seems to me, gives a photograph added meaning-and a photographer added responsibility. Since photographs can be so widely understood we should be concerned with whether what we have to say is worth saying, and whether we can say it well.

The essential purpose of photography is communication. Few people take pictures solely to please themselves. Most of us take them because we want them seen by others. We wish or are compelled to inform, educate, entertain, reform, or share some experienced with others. Pictures are a photographer's means of expression as a writer's means are words. And as a writer must choose a major field of work -journalism, creative writing, biography, advertising, etc. So a photographer must choose a specific field, each field having a specific purpose. Some of these purpose are:

Information.
Documentary photographs as well as the majority of photographs found in picture magazines, newspaper, manuals, scientific publications, and pictures used for visual education belong to this category. Their purpose is either to educate people or to enable them to make correct decisions.

Slanted information.
This is the province of commercial and advertising photography and political propaganda. The purpose of such pictures is to make the subject glamorous and more desirable. The goal is the selling of a product, a service, or an idea.

Discovery.
Because the camera is in many respects superior to the eye, it can be used to make discoveries in the realm of vision. This is the field of research and scientific photography, close-up and telephotography, ultra-wide-angle and high speed photography, abstract photography and photograms. The purpose of such pictures is to open new fields of exploration, to widen man's visual and intellectual horizons, and to enrich his life.

Recording.
Photography provides the simplest and cheapest means for preserving facts in picture form. Catalogue pictures, reproductions of works of art, microfilming of document and books, identification pictures, and certain kinds of documentary photographs, fall into this category. Used for recording purposes, photography preserves knowledge and facts in easily accesible form suitable for widest dissemination and utilization.

Entertainment.
Photography provides an endless source of entertainment and pleasure: motion picture, amateur photographs, travel pictures, fine picture books and photographic annuals, pin-up photographs, photographic feature stories in picture magazines, etc.

Self-expression.
An increasing number of talented, creative people find in photography a relatively inexpensive means for self-expression. Almost any subject can be photographed in an almost unlimited number of different ways, and more and more photographers seek new and more expressive forms of photographic rendition through which to share with others their own visions of the world, their feelings, ideas, and thoughts.

These six category form the main body of modern photography. Although, of course, overlappings and duplications exist, for practical purpose they can be combined in the following groups.

One Light Project, a starting point.

This is a project that had long we all aspire, as a form of solidarity to the professional photographer or a photographer or anyone who made a living by selling photography services. The lack of formal education in the field of photography is one reason why professional photographers in small towns in general become less skilled, while in general photography workshop held only major cities only.


"One Light Project is a forum for sharing knowledge and skills in the field of photography, the project was formed to explore the potential and capabilities of the professional photographer who is not or has never been a formal photography education."


This project is designed especially for professional photographers, do not imagine Darwis Triadi or Anton Ismael.. :) Wedding Photographer of Nganjuk entered the professional category. Our experience during this when meeting with peers from small towns are technical issues that minimal operation of the camera. Coupled with the current digitalization of photography actually played a role in this, with digital photography we feel everything so easy. The result of a bad photo or mediocre, considered to be solved with the program "Photoshop".


Another agenda of this project is to restore the photographer to "nature" her, a photographer who has the ability to take pictures with good technique even with makeshift equipment. This also eliminates dependence photographer on the "photoshop" or similar software. How can a still photographer can produce good work and good quality photographs even with minimal equipment. In such cases, individual skills are very important and, most importantly how a photographer is able to find a way out of technical problems in the middle of a photocall.


Workshop is the most likely done in this project, because only with our workshop to interact with good and intense with professional photographers who desperately need this project. Workshop One Light Project was made possible by the help of donors and sponsors. In the course of this project will always try to involve professional photographers to share their expertise with peers. Oh yes, our workshop is not about the sophistication of equipment or computer or even on a magic programs, we will take you to the past where the photographer is someone who really controls the camera and make photography as a "way of life".