As a society we owe it to future generations to be honest. I personally believe that all photographs are lies. Maybe not fully, but every photograph crops a bit out of the frame, doesn’t tell the whole story of what was in the photographer’s mind, and doesn’t show what came before and after the image. Photographs don’t represent exactly what the eye saw. Despite these limitations I still believe photography can explain important truths about the world. Photographs aren’t the perfect platonic truth, but they do come closer to explaining what reality looks like than most other art forms.
Photography can be honest in a way that painting and illustration can’t. Painters may enjoy the lack of reality in their paintings, and I as a photographer enjoy the lack of reality in a photograph. But if we want to call ourselves artists we should be aware of how this lack of reality translates into the viewer’s mind. Are we trying to make them see something that they could potentially see themselves? Or are we trying to change reality and make something different? I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer to this, but we do need to be aware of it in order to make the best use of our medium.
Honest Photography requires hard work
It’s a struggle to make a good image because you need to work with what reality gives you. We can’t control the sun, we can’t move the buildings around us, and we can’t always have subjects that look like Greek sculptures. Honest photography is extremely difficult. Only hard work and a lot of time can make good results. This is also what makes each good image so rewarding. If it was easy it wouldn’t be fulfilling.
I went to school for photography and we were taught how to remove blemishes, whiten teeth, make eyes more colorful, and alter the shape of the person’s body. I don’t think these things are intrinsically bad, but they do show a different kind of truth, one a little bit closer to illustration than documentation. One of the great lessons to be learned from people who make images without photoshop is to learn that the world around us can be beautiful as it is. We don’t always need to remove whatever trash is around, or fix the cracked paint, or straighten someone’s teeth. If we can interpret these things as being a part of nature we may be able to value them more than the ideal form that we can imagine. This is why I love street photography. To remind myself and others that with enough effort we can enjoy the people and the world that we live in.
Remind yourself to be honest
I use my camera to remind myself that there are moments in everyday life that matter to me. To see and appreciate what life brings me is an important part of my happiness.
Here’s a thought: If you had the superpower to make an incredible work of art any time you wanted, would you choose to make it about reality?
That’s all I have for now. Have a great day.
-Jeremy