An Occasional Voice.

What do we mean when we refer to the quality of an Image?

If  I’d been asked this question when I worked as a commercial photographer. I probably would have said the ‘equipment’ and ‘materials’ used.

Working as I did, in Advertising/Design and Editorial it would have been a given, that I would have had only the best equipment and used only the best materials.

Of course, what I would have overlooked naively, would have been my own input, style and skillset, as this along with other considerations would have influenced the commissionaires decision to choose me for their brief.

Today, I work very differently and use very different ‘equipment’ to capture my images.

The question though remained, and I decided to pose it on an Art Forum and was very surprised by the majority of answers I received. However, in many respects it was also the most obvious answer but something I hadn’t considered.

The general consensus of answers referred to the ‘idea’ behind the work and if the artist was able to achieve this with their method or tools they used to create the ‘idea.’

It seems so obvious but somehow I hadn’t even considered it. Naturally the idea includes that of the artists style and their thought process. 

For me the important factor is, can I capture the ‘idea’ with whatever I have in my hand at the time? If I can, then the quality of the ‘equipment’ is perhaps irrelevant.

I liked a comment by the photographer Annie Leibovitz recently when she was asked ’What equipment she used?’ her response, ‘If you’re thinking like that, you’re not taking pictures!’ and that kind of sums it up for me.

I think too much emphasis is placed on the ‘equipment’ and its ‘quality.’ The only thing ‘good equipment’ gives the photographer is options, it doesn’t and won’t turn people into ‘good’ photographers!

The most important aspect is having a good ‘eye’ and ‘idea’ and any budding photographer would be better served perfecting their ‘eye’ and  ‘ideas’ before thinking about, what’s the best ‘equipment’ they should be using!

Do feel free to drop me a line from my contact page if you have any comments or thoughts, it’s always good to get feedback, good or bad.

Thanks for stopping by and reading.

Martin