Vision and Style

As photographers, we talk a lot about vision and style. But do we really know what those words mean? These terms conjure up different concepts for different people and they are often confused with one another. But I’ll take a stab at defining and differentiating them, if for no reason other than to get you thinking about what they mean to you.

Vision is about seeing. Style is about conveying. Vision has to do with perceptions: how and what we see. Style is about the way in which we share what we see—more specifically, a consistent and often unique way in which we convey our vision.

I can stand at the edge of a beautiful garden with ten other photographers. We are looking at the same scene, but what each of us sees is very different. Vision is selective. It is based on our personal experiences, passions, and ways of seeing the world around us. What might you see standing at the edge of a garden? The broad scene or tight details? A habitat or the designer’s intentions? The growth habit of individual plants or the gentle sweep of a path? Would you be more interested in the physical aspects of what you see, or rather the way they made you feel? How you answer this question has a lot to say about your vision.

Now then, how might you convey that vision to others through your photographs? Would you work in black and white, color or some alternative process? Would you seek to capture your vision realistically, or would you tend toward a more impressionistic or even abstract approach? What camera format and lens would you choose? Which might you be more inclined to emphasize: line, space, color, texture or some other design element? Would your interpretation be subtle or dramatic? Would your framing be tight or generous? Would the composition be clean and simple, or might it be more complex with unexpected juxtapositions of elements? In what type of light might you most prefer to photograph the scene? These are just some of the approaches that, when they become common ways of conveying your vision, begin to signify your style.

It takes time to develop a distinct and recognizable style. Also, styles tend to evolve throughout our lifetime as we continue to be influenced by the visual styles of others and our way of seeing the world changes. Somewhere along the line, we must also strive for balance—exploring and even exploiting our own style without getting stuck in a rut. That means continually experimenting, and always asking our selves what we really see, how it makes us feel, and why we are compelled to photograph a particular subject.

Photos ©2009 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved.

Fall Photography Invitational

My work, along with the work of eight other photographers, will be featured in the Fall Photography Invitational Show at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville, Georgia. The show runs August 13 - October 10, 2009, and an opening reception will be held Thursday, August 13, from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.

Other photographers include O.C. Carlisle, Stefen Eberhard, Debra Frieden, Hewett Beasley, Jack Lawing, Stan Susky, Jennifer Julian and Fox Gradin.

Bamboo Shoot

One of the little-known features on Brenau University's campus is its Bamboo Forest. Rediscovered a few years ago by biology teacher Louise Bauck, the overgrown forest was likely part of Dr. H.J. Pearce's Japanese garden. It is believed to have been planted in the 1920s when landscape architect Shogo Joseph Myaida designed several Japanese features on the Gainesville, Georgia, campus. The Bamboo Forest, which features timber bamboo exceeding a half foot in diameter and growing 50 feet tall, is located adjacent to what was once Lake Takeda--the focal point of Camp Takeda, a summer camp for girls.

I spent a bit of time exploring the forest this morning before rain set in. Thought I'd share a few of my shots.

All Photos ©2009 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved.

Maine Media Workshops Experience

Over the years, I have both taken and taught week-long workshops at The Maine Media Workshops (formerly the Maine Photographic Workshops). It is an amazing experience to be immersed in photography (or filmmaking) for a full week, learning from some of the best in their fields, hanging out with a diverse group of people who share your passion, without the usual day-to-day distractions. Although the setting is relaxed, the pace is intense--simply because everyone there manages to get in their "creative zone" and stay there for an extended period of time. It is a transformational experience, and it's amazing just how much can be accomplished in a single week.

Want to know more about the workshop experience? Click on The Workshop Experience Video on the Maine Media Workshops home page for a great video that shows the Maine setting, the campus and classes as well as interviews with staff, instructors and students.

I will be teaching a garden photography workshop from July 19-25, and would love for you to join our group. If garden photography is not your interest, check out the other workshops. There are more than 200 workshops in still photography, filmmaking and bookmaking to choose from. Hope to see you in Maine this summer!

Photo ©2000 Lee Anne White. All rights reserved. View from "inside" a mature thread-leaf Japance maple.

The Hand of the Gardener

I often speak of showing "the hand of the gardener" in photographs. What I usually mean by this is conveying a sense of the gardener in the photograph, whether by including a garden element that helps reveal the gardener's personality or perhaps something "left behind" like a trowel, basket or coffee cup. In this case, the meaning is more literal, as I actually show the hands of the gardener. Dr. David Bradshaw, a horticulture professor at Clemson University, shows us some dried velvet beans (not edible) along with the foliage of a growing velvet bean plant in the University's heirloom vegetable garden.

Velvet beans, which were introduced in the late 1800s and once covered nearly a million acres of the South, were useful as a source of nitrogen, as feed for cattle and for erosion control. More recently, they have been recognized as valuable for nematode control.

 Photo ©2007 Lee Anne White. Photographed at Clemson University.