Another great book about the creative process and how ideas come to find a place in the world. Another great chance to learn from one of the best photographers of our generation. Annie Leibovitz has lived an interesting life; she has been the photographer of celebrities and Queens, of war and Rock and Roll. But the insights that I enjoyed the most in the book were the ones when she spoke about her process, what made her chose a subject, the concept, portraits vs groups, etc.
The most compelling story for me was the one about Yoko Ono and John Lennon. Perhaps because she took a famous picture of them just a few hours before he was shot. But I was moved by the actual picture and the comment made by John (that the picture "capture" their relationship).
we all start from zero.
One concept that keeps appearing in these books is the "you learn as you work" idea. Like all these exceptional people didn't know what they were doing at the beginning. And I think that this is a very empowering idea to keep in mind and communicate to our kids. You are not born knowing. You can ask questions. You are only limited by your imagination.
In sports photography, if you see the picture through the viewfinder, you are too late. You need to rely on intuition and timing.
How interesting to think that when you are trying the hardest to capture something, it is because of that that you might miss it. Its ironic and full of important lessons. Sometimes things happen too fast. Sometimes you need to trust your instincts, and sometimes you need to focus on not missing the action as opposed to catch the action.
A photograph is just a tiny slice of a subject. A piece of them at that moment.
I think that most of the time I thought of photographs as a slice of a moment that would remind me of the entire experience later on. I had never thought of the object itself and whether or not the picture would capture the person's whole identity.
"smile for the camera"
I've never asked someone to smile. She feels like people don't like to be forced to smile for the camera, and she dislikes it too. It feels forced and and to ask for a smile is to ask people to do something false. So many time sin my life I've been asked to smile in pictures. And I have always felt weird about it. Not because I don;t like smiling, which I like, but because I feel like people are not satisfied with having memories of people not smiling.
If you are not smiling, you are not happy, seems to be the assumption. But I agree with Leibovitz here. "Smile for the camera" is from now on erased from my photography lingo.
There is no mystery involve.
things happen all the time that are unexpected, uncontrolled, unexplainable, even magical.The work prepares you for that moment.
Her advice.
Discover what is like to be intimate with a subject.
Take pictures of something that has meaning for you.
Ideas start with doing your homework.
Something is going to happen or its not going to happen. Its not going to sudenly turn into something else.
Photography is just an illustration of whats going on.
once the picture happens, it often a surprise.
This is another book that has landed on my hands at the right moment. Now that I am researching and learning about the creative process and idea innovation, and that I am trying to make photography a more serious hobby.
I enjoyed the lessons shared by Annie Leibovitz with greater appreciation for her thoughts and insights, making the experience even more rewarding.
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