ERIC KIM

Full-Stack Photography

You Don’t Take Photos, You Make Photos

You are an image maker, not an image “taker”:

“You don’t take a photo, you make a photo.” – Ansel Adams

This is the tricky thing about photography; there are lots of parts involved:

  1. You see something you want to photograph
  2. You shoot it
  3. Later you select the photos you like
  4. You post-process the photos you like
  5. You publish the photos you like (printing on paper, digitally, etc).

Making a photo

Post processing for Google Photos on Google Pixel 3

Because photography involves so many steps and phases, the idea of “making” a photograph is more apt than “taking” a photograph.

I really like the Vista monochrome filter in Google Photos

For example, the art of post-processing your photos is very important. You determine the aesthetic of your photos.

If you shoot film, you dictate what type of film you shoot (35mm, medium format, large format), the type of film (Kodak, Fujifilm, JCH PAN, etc).

If you shoot digital, you can shoot JPEG or RAW. For JPEG, you choose which JPEG settings to use. For RAW, you have control what presets to use, or how to process your pictures.

Google Pixel 3, with Vista black and white filter. Processed in Google Photos

And no, filters aren’t “cheating”.

Taking a photo

I think for clarity sake, let us say that “taking” a photo is synonymous with “shooting” a photo.

When you’re taking/shooting photos, this is when your composition, framing, perspective, and timing is essential.

Making a photo

contact sheet Cindy portrait

I see “making” a photograph as post processing your photos. For monochrome, I get a lot of joy from processing my pictures, to make the whites and blacks look the way I want them to.

Cindy

Generally for color photography, processing colors digitally is a major pain for me. I prefer shooting JPEG color, or just shooting color film (Kodak Portra 400).

Couple sleeping Paris
Paris. Kodak Portra 400. Leica MP, Leica 35mm f2 Summicron / 35mm film

Or if you shoot on a phone, I really like the VSCO A6 preset for color.

You’re a visual artist

Macro

I honestly find the whole classification of “photography” tiring.

Let’s just call ourselves visual artists.

Better yet, just call yourself an artist.

No boundaries

As an artist, you have freedom to do whatever you want. The camera is only your art-creation tool.

And now that photography is becoming more digital, a huge part of your artistry is your laptop, phone, tablet, or whatever you use to edit (select) process your photos.

Photography is a full-stack process. Master it all!

ERIC

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