Imagine Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin sitting together in a café in Arles, discussing their latest paintings.
“So, Paul, what brushes are you using at the moment?”
It’s a ridiculous image, isn’t it? Two of the most celebrated painters in history, discussing their equipment rather than their art.
And yet, photographers do this all the time.
We’re fascinated by cameras, lenses, settings and techniques. We spend hours discussing how photographs are made, sometimes without giving much thought to why they were made in the first place.
If the most interesting thing about a photograph is the camera it was taken with, you’re probably missing the point.
When the How Overshadows the Why
Photographers are naturally fascinated by how photographs are made. We understand the challenges involved and appreciate the skill required to overcome them.
But technical accomplishment and artistic achievement aren’t necessarily the same thing.
We’ve all seen photographs that demonstrate extraordinary technical skill yet somehow leave us cold. We admire the craftsmanship, but struggle to connect with the image.
And perhaps that’s because meaning comes from connection, not technical accomplishment.
When the most interesting thing about a photograph is how it was made, there may be little left for the viewer to discover, interpret or feel.
We appreciate the photographer’s skill, but miss the point of the photograph.
Lead With The Story
The best way to elevate our photographs is to put the why before the how.
Van Gogh isn’t considered a genius simply for his ability to apply paint to canvas, but for how he used that ability to convey feelings and emotions.
Narrative is an essential element of photography. It creates a reason for the viewer to connect with an image. It provides an answer to the question, why should I care?
The secret is to focus on what compelled you to point your camera at the subject in the first place. Whatever it is, start there. Then use your technical skills to bring that idea to life.
The purpose of technique isn’t to impress the viewer, but to help express your ideas.
The Meaning in the Making
Learning a new technique can be satisfying, but beyond a sense of achievement, what is the point?
Technique is a means to an end. It is the vehicle, never the destination.
But when we deploy a technique to better express an idea, that’s where the magic happens.
The joy of photography comes not from impressing our peers with our technical ability, but from the connection we create with the things we choose to photograph.
The greatest reward isn’t becoming a more proficient photographer, but discovering more about ourselves along the way.
Technical proficiency gives us the ability to make photographs, but it doesn’t necessarily give us a reason to make them.
That comes from our curiosity, our interests and our desire to express something about the world around us.
When we put those things first, technique becomes a tool for communicating what matters, rather than an achievement in its own right.
Technique alone doesn’t make us better photographers. It’s how we use it to create a connection, both with our subject and with the viewer, that matters.
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