Seeing, Time, Perceptiveness, and Creativity
Chapnick expresses the importance on four specific aspects of photography, so much that he names the chapter after them. He states that seeing, time, perceptiveness, and creativity allow the photojournalist to guide themselves before, during, and after a shoot, never rushing, and letting the energy of what is happening in front of the camera flourish to its fullest extent. It also provides a platform for photographers to dig into the confines of their imagination and view things from multiple perspectives, thereby being able to see something before it happens and be ready to capture it during that split second, having it documented as a visual moment in time.
Perhaps the most used word in the chapter is creativity, as it can apply to all his points made. Chapnick stresses the significance of waiting and patience, that the best pictures are taken after the photojournalist has developed a feel for the environment in which they are in. Waiting provides a chance for them to look at things in real time from different points of view, giving them the chance to assess what angles look better or worse, or what could stand out as an image, rather than be generic or boring. Taking one’s time can be one of the best things a photographer can do for themselves. Rushing through to get that one good image is too forceful, especially in a craft as artistic as this. He mentions perceptiveness as well, and how by taking the previous steps mentioned, one can build an instinctive mindset that will enhance creative and understanding.
The saying of patience being a virtue is profoundly true in photography, a lesson that I have learned throughout my time taking pictures. There are times where I go into a shoot with a shot list, and when one doesn’t look as good as I envisioned, patience can produce adaptation. I found this out during one of my recent shoots for the photo essay project. My subject was my brother, Bryce, and his aspect of mixed black individuality was a combination of basketball and his best friends, as both have always brought him closer to being Black. I knew only portraits would tell a very limiting story, so I sat back and let them shoot around and watched them. Being an observer gave me a chance to see what could look visually pleasing, and from what angles. When preparing for the shoot, it didn’t occur to me that moving photos could be something to look into (which seems obvious because it’s a sport, but I’m just glad I figured it out). After some more watching, I brought up the idea of performing some in-game situations, such as one of them shooting the ball while the other tries to block their shot. Another was one of them throwing an alley-oop to the other. It took numerous attempts, but the value of taking my time with them and being creative with what I knew about the sport paid off with getting some good photos that I had no plans of getting prior.
