They are incredibly basic objects: my hand, a spoon, and a book, with the entire process only consuming about ten minutes. Light transforms textures and can produce incredibly dynamic compositions from even the most common subjects.Īs a measure of solidarity, I made three photos using my cell phone here in the room where I’m currently writing. The next time you feel like there’s nothing to photograph, remember to look a little deeper at the things surrounding you at any given moment. In the case of Sally Mann, the majority of her work takes place on and around her property, with concentrations on simple subject matter. Instead, it’s how we inject our own creativity into the making of the photo that truly matters. It’s easy to forget that it’s not necessarily the location or the subject matter that makes for a great photo. Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we need to “go somewhere” to make photos. I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this mental photo block myself. Through the progression of photographic techniques, our cameras have become smaller, cheaper, and generally more qualitative than ever before.Īnd yet, we sometimes find ourselves at a loss for what to photograph. We are fortunate today as photographers in that we can make photographs at literally any time. Photographic opportunities are everywhere Now, let’s look at some lessons we can learn from Sally Mann. #sallymann #athousandcrossings #analog #photography #ambrotype #glass #plate #negative #ambrotypephotography #analogphotography #selfportrait #processĪ post shared by A Thousand Crossings on at 11:07am PDT “Untitled (Self-Portrait)”, (2006- 2012) Grid of nine ambrotypes. We’re going to find out what lessons we can learn and apply (or avoid) to grow as photographers. Mann’s photographs epitomize the harsh internal conflicts we all face in our work and our lives as we walk the fine line between tactful self-expression and creative freedom. We see why and how she has become such an oddly iconic herald of the merits of unconventional photographic content. In this edition of “Lessons from the Masters,” we take a close look at the photography of Sally Mann. This leads me to the work and life of a photographer who is surrounded by as much controversy as she is by her works enigmatic magnetism. We are surrounded by uncomfortable realities that are easier ignored than embraced or even acknowledged. For all its effectual nature, photography, which displays only the conventionally pristine faces of our world, is at best, a blissful half-truth and at worse, blatant hypocrisy. The world isn’t always the safe and secure menagerie of perfection we often see displayed in the photographs on social media and other corners of the internet. Whether it’s the calm aesthetics of a serene landscape or a hauntingly sublime portrait of an elegant model, when we think of photography, we immediately think about all the ways it can make the world seem more beautiful and more safe.īut the world isn’t always beautiful. Generally speaking, photography appeals to the lighter side of our senses. More often than not, photographs are geared towards improving the way we view the world and ourselves. Photography can be mischaracterized as a “safe” medium.
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