Things I've Learned in a Life in Photography

Old Ford pickup in auto graveyard, U.S. 27, Troup County, Georgia. One: The Thing Is the ThingThe one essential thing without which no photograph can exist is the thing itself -- the subject. As the late, great Bill Jay wrote: This immediate emotional or intellectual response to the subject matter is at the core of photography. Its periphery is the photographer's manipulation of framing, focus, exposure, lighting, and all the other variables, in order that a bland record is invested with depth through the production of an intriguing image.The photographer is, first and foremost, a selector of subjects. The photographer makes a conscious choice from the myriad of possible subjects in the world and states: I find this interesting, significant, beautiful or of value. The photographer walks through life pointing at people and objects; the aimed camera shouts "look at that!" The photographer produces pictures in order that his or her interest in a subject can be communicated to others.…