"What makes a great photograph?"
WORLD VIEWS TWO
TINE ISACHSEN & SARA TANDERØ / NORWAY
There is no one right answer to what makes a photograph great, but for us there are different aspects that must be considered. A great photo is emotive, has to capture us and show us the unexpected. A great photograph does not have to follow certain rules or be technically perfect, but rather challenge conventional rules or even break them. A great photograph tells a story in a unique way or causes an emotional response. It can either be the subject matter of the photography, the lightning, or an interesting composition. The lightning is essential, especially how it influences the aesthetics. The direction of the light, its subtlety or a certain presence can evoke our emotions. It’s the content of the image and the relationship between the photograph and the viewer that is important to us. Photography is subjective with the photographer’s individual experience on one hand, and the viewer’s experience on the other hand to further contemplate on the story. We experiment with different artistic methods in photography, video and performance, and are not trying to achieve perfection in our photographs, rather a tactile expression or a feeling. When we work on our projects, we explore new techniques which allows a lot of experimenting, turning photography into a performance enacted before the camera. Location and lightning is essential to us: to be at the right place at the right time. In Norway the light is always changing during the seasons. We always look for the right location. We observe our surroundings to find locations that inspires us. We always strive to achieve a tactile expression in our photographs and videos.
CORINNE PUBLICAY / RIDGEWOOD, NEW YORK
What makes a photograph great? To answer this question, it pays to remember that we are dealing in the realm of the visual and the visceral; thus, any attempted explanation might as well be the sound of a deflating rubber balloon landing on soft grass. Because the making of photographs has increasingly shifted to digital over the past 20 years, it offers a sense of immediacy that traditional modes of art making do not. Personally, the contemporary practice of taking photographs can often feel like culling desirable cuts of meat for the purpose of offering a sacrifice to curry favor from our modern secular god, the algorithm. In the algorithmic church of Instagram, a great photograph is one that is bright and easily decipherable, one without shadows and much detail. The church’s most ardent devotees have even internalized the algorithm god’s exhortation: mind the look of your grid! So, how to answer the question? To be honest, I could have deleted the preceding paragraph’s verbose pontification because the only answer that rings most true happens to also be the most pithy, glib-sounding one. Putting aside the aspect of technical competence (which matters hugely), a photograph is ultimately made great by the pair of eyes operating behind the camera. A great photograph is poetry without words. It distills the essence of a moment, of a person, of a thing; you look at it and you understand why there was an urge to memorialize what was depicted.
TOM WARREN / WOODSIDE, NY
What is key is the photographer getting their entire life into the photograph, bringing all they've learned. Starting with knowledge of their tools and technique. Awareness of light and lighting. Love of the subject. History adds depth…Bernd and Hilla Becher, Atget and Weegee were influential.
I photographed 60 vents over a five year period. All received the same treatment, photographed at night with flash. I consider them portraits. I had refuge from life while documenting this series. Escape, freedom, involvement and release. Insomnia since 1980 has isolated me. Yet love has been my guide. Isolation a way of life. Imprisoned, photography was my escape.
IMAGE CREDITS:
Playhideandseek: Let’s Talk Some More My Bunny, 2013.
Corinne Publicay: July Fourth on Ice, 2017.
Tom Warren: Vent, NYC, 1991. Gelatin silver print, 24 x 20 inches, Edition of 2 + 1AP.
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