I had and opportunity recently to attend a workshop led by Magnum Photographer Constantine Manos. It was a one-day workshop that included a portfolio review along with an opportunity to discuss photography and listen to one of the best photographers of this generation. I will tell you that if you have not undergone a portfolio review - an objective and critical look at your work - it is an eye-opening experience not to mention at times a somewhat painful and revealing experience.
In a few words Constantine said I am a “lazy photographer”, unwilling to work for the best image. “Stop taking photos which simply show what something looks like,” he told me. “Put the elements of an image together in the frame that show us something we have never seen before and will never see again. Add more layers and complexity. Be a better storyteller, see all the edges and corners and fill the frame.” He went on to suggest that each photograph has a life of its own and each photo is like a poem. And like a poem it is the small details that make it beautiful.
So often, I have the idea that it is just a matter of photographing what we see, rather than “constructing” an image by building the elements in the frame each playing off the other. In street photography, for instance, I tend to point and shoot, trying not to miss something, rather than allowing a scene to develop fully. And while he would tell us that is important up to a point, you have to be prepared and that the difference between a snapshot and a great photo is visualizing in advance, identifying the elements and filling the frame with information.
Here are two photos that he reviewed that he thought came closer to being good photographs - photographs that document and tell a story by containing multiple elements, leaving the viewer to interpret the scene.
A man sitting on the beach, seagulls flying and a boy playing in the surf nearby. The man could be feeding the birds, or simply enjoying the view. You’re asked by the photo to supply your own explanation, to write the story. In reality the man is a Cuban refugee, his gaze to the south and his homeland where he still has a family. He told me he enjoys the birds because they are so free.
In addition Manos stressed rules of composition and placement of elements in the scene. He suggested that I work on this as well. While being critical he was very complimentary at times, at least when deserved.
This photo captures what appears to be a mother, who by her expression, we might assume is seeking peace and quiet from the chaos around her. Not all that unusual for mothers everywhere, I suppose.
We are left to supply our own interpretation of what the photographs are telling us, to fill in the blanks. Constantine said, “The flow of people in a setting, their changing relationship to each other and their environment, and their constantly changing expressions and movements - all combine to create dynamic situations that provide the photographer with limitless choices of when to push the button. By choosing a precise intersection between subject and time, you transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and the real into the surreal.
The bottom line? I need to work harder to develop my skills as a storyteller. To create more complex images that challenge the viewer. To become a better story teller. .
To learn more about Constantine Manos or see his work go to:
https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/constantine-manos/