Asher, you were right again!

Ages ago Asher suggested I start sketching to improve my photography. Well, I've been working at it (I can't draw a straight line) and I am beginning to look at composition differently.

My latest effort (below) has me looking for specific relationships between elements that I can't yet verbalize.


You were right, Asher!

Oops. Brain blip occurred. I figured out what I did wrong.

Rachel Foster said:

Ages ago Asher suggested I start sketching to improve my photography. Well, I've been working at it (I can't draw a straight line) and I am beginning to look at composition differently.

My latest effort (below) has me looking for specific relationships between elements that I can't yet verbalize.

You were right, Asher!

Click to expand...

Rachel,

This step of yours is more than brilliant. Anyone can by a lens to put on the front of their camera. You are refining the one in the "Cathedral of your Mind"! This is where ideas have to be tested, filtered and refined. Drawing facilitates this.

The next step, photograph the scene you draw and then draw on the photocopies of the print to critique what you do!

Asher

Good idea. I'm going to work on the simple sketches a bit more and when I move on I'll keep that in mind. I'm trying to compose a still life ("Waiting for Shabbos"). I have a shabbos candle, a kiddush cup that's been in Steven's family for generations and....that's where I'm stuck. I'm still fiddling with the elements. I tried a kippah but the proportions are wrong and it's blah.

The box of matches!

Rachael, I'm looking forward to seeing your efforts.

Hi, Rachel,

Rachel Foster said:

Good idea. I'm going to work on the simple sketches a bit more and when I move on I'll keep that in mind. I'm trying to compose a still life ("Waiting for Shabbos"). I have a shabbos candle, a kiddush cup that's been in Steven's family for generations and....that's where I'm stuck. I'm still fiddling with the elements. I tried a kippah but the proportions are wrong and it's blah.

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Wish we could help. We have a lot a lot of hats but no kippot.

Best regards,

Doug

That didn't work, anyway. I stuck a wine glass in the scene and it was better.


Now, if only there were wine to put into the glass... where did I leave my car keys?

How about putting the cup infront Rachel? That way the eye is led up to the bottle from the cup and the cup in general is the subject (that is what the blessing is made on). Other elements are as you mention a candle but how about the 'bentcher' that the blessing is read out of?

If I could sketch I very much doubt I would photograph to be honest, it's an incredibly simplistic and pure method of expression that is actually very hard to do photographically.

Ben Rubinstein said:

How about putting the cup infront Rachel? That way the eye is led up to the bottle from the cup and the cup in general is the subject (that is what the blessing is made on). Other elements are as you mention a candle but how about the 'bentcher' that the blessing is read out of?

If I could sketch I very much doubt I would photograph to be honest, it's an incredibly simplistic and pure method of expression that is actually very hard to do photographically.

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Ben and Rachel,

As you know, if one is making kiddush, blessing over the wine and bread, then it's already the Sabbath and then, for orthodox families, at least, one can't be taking photographs! For Conservative and Reform, however, snapping pics on the Sabbath is no issue. The focus as Ben points out is on the wine and also possibly the hand that holds the wine or the children's faces that look up to the raised glass. There are endless compositions that can evolve from still life to portraits.

Asher

The title however was 'waiting for shabbos' which gives more of an impression that we're looking at the already set table rather than the act of the blessing which only happens once the day of rest has begun.

I thought I had responded to this. My apologies.

Ben was right in that I was most interested in the anticipation rather than the actual blessing.

Rachel Foster said:

I thought I had responded to this. My apologies.

Ben was right in that I was most interested in the anticipation rather than the actual blessing.

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Apologies aside, what's your update on the image. Set things up again!

Asher

It's a work in progress. At this point, still "nothing to write home about."

Rachel, I was thinking about this last night. Most of the time we are trying to envoke an emotional response to our work. There is a method of photography which is to see something and capture an emotional response to it. Street, PJ or Wedding photography would be examples of this. The other method is to create a vision which then evokes an emotional response on viewing which can be captured. All Studio photography and the way I shoot Landscape fit into this catagory.

What you are doing is the latter. Even before you take out your camera you are sketching a storyboard which will lead to a scene which you will capture to evoke a chosen emotional response from a viewer.

So far so good. Now let's work backwards (actually I believe that this is the correct way of working). What emotion do we want the viewer to experience when viewing our image. Once we have that we then use the tools at our disposal to create that emotional response.

What emotional response does 'Waiting for Shabbos' bring to mind? What are we trying to convey? As a religious Jew who experiences the joy of the Shabbos every week I believe I can define that without a problem. For me waiting for the Shabbos is the anticipation of peace. Peace of spirit, peace of mind and all the happiness and joy that it brings. I can't begin to describe what it is like when my wife lights those candles and all the hectic preperation, the work and toil of the week just melts away and I can look into the smiles of my children knowing nothing, not facebook, no phone calls, no work or even thoughts of work, nothing is going to distract me from being and enjoying time together with family, friends and guests, to rejoice and revel in the peace which G-d has given us to enjoy.

Now we have an emotion to work with it's easier to work from there into how to express that emotion photographically.

The how is up to you but the result will BE you.

That makes a lot of sense. I was working from the perspective of composition. The elements were chosen because they had a common theme (Shabbos) but not with a specific emotion in mind. So, while the shapes and proportions may or may be correct, it will remain sterile until thought is given to the emotional aspect. And that, of course, is the difference between art and computer generated images.

That also explains why this sketch, quickly done while waiting for my son's youth orchestra rehearsal began, is far more pleasing to me, personally. It evokes emotion.


Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful comments.

Rachel Foster said:

That makes a lot of sense. I was working from the perspective of composition. The elements were chosen because they had a common theme (Shabbos) but not with a specific emotion in mind. So, while the shapes and proportions may or may be correct, it will remain sterile until thought is given to the emotional aspect. And that, of course, is the difference between art and computer generated images.

That also explains why this sketch, quickly done while waiting for my son's youth orchestra rehearsal began, is far more pleasing to me, personally. It evokes emotion.

Rehearsal Hall​

Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful comments.

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Rachel,

the line quality is less tentative - and that is the major difference - on other images above you are studying - the line is halting...

fast and loose for drawing until you have your line - once that comes (which wont be long looking at the last sketch) then use all the qualities of line as needed..

on a side note you will learn light - photographers (the majority) have no clue about light even the best have nothing on a painter of comparable repute (in my opinion) - in drawing you have to see - the subtle variations become important - light then become available...

Asher was correct

Thank you. An artist friend liked that one best, as well. I keep thinking it's too messy.

It is true that I'm learning about both composition and lighting. I have done little with the camera for some time, but I feel this is a worthwhile learning experience.

I was wondering, does anyone here sketch as well as take photos?

Hah, I wish! If I could sketch I wouldn't bother taking photos, so much easier to create the picture in my head to paper than trying to create it photographically. Unfortunately an elephant has finer motor skills than me so...

I know the feeling.