Page 33 - NyghtVision Magazine Volume 5 #2
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the whitest white and the blackest black.. ment, Response, Creation and Detachment.
all those questions we ask about the world These five steps establish our physical and
around us. emotional presence in the environment
where we are working. We repeat these
Seamus: Is the understanding of the first steps for each image created, as each pass-
two components basic to creating an emo- ing moment changes the environment.
tionally compelling image, or are these two
necessary to create a technologically correct Seeing the world again for the first time is
image? connecting again with the world as we did
when we were children - when everything
Falcon:: It is possible to create an emo- was new and each experience revealed the
tionally compelling image that isn't sound world to us in new and ever changing ways..
technically. However, the emotional impact
of an image is diminished if the image isn't Seamus: The House of NyghtFalcon, then,
technically sound. Images that look the way defines a quality still image, or any high qual-
the human eye would see them combine ity art form, by its ability to generate emo-
emotion and technical excellence. tion. Knowledge of composition, lighting,
physical environment, subject and personal
Humans are visual creatures; we react to emotion are among the elements needed
what we see emotionally, and what we see in producing art. Understanding human
triggers a very real biochemical reaction. psychology and human emotions are Just
Our goal is to create an emotional-biochem- as important as technical knowledge. Too
ical reaction with every still image we pro- many of us might consider this to be true
duce. Capturing, creating and conveying for painting or sculpture, but photography
emotion is critical to who we are and what is mechanical, right? Obviously, great imag-
es require technical expertise and personal
we do. engagement and understanding - photogra-
phy, at the higher levels, is an art like any
Image Seamus: Well other. Sorry, I am explaining it to myself.
then, creating an Falcon:: (Smiling) No problem. Any work
of art that is technically excellent but fails to
emotionally pow- create an emotional response is not, as far
as we are concerned, a quality work of art.
Quality erful still image is It may be an incredible technical achieve-
not only a matter ment; just not great art. I mentioned Ansel
of understanding Adams - his work is technically great, at the
same time, I find most of his work emotion-
Does it matter any longer? camera technol- ally empty.
ogy and light, but Seamus: I could take that comment to its
last logical conclusion but I think it best to
also understanding how the human brain let it go. Thank you so much for your willing-
ness to discuss topic. I found this conversa-
processes visual images and the resultant tion an extremely valuable learning experi-
ence and hope others will as well.
chemical changes the images produce. So,
depending upon how I see and react to an
image, which may be very different from
person to person, my emotional response is
created. What is the third component?
Falcon:: The third component is the pro-
cess of actually creating the still image, or
taking the photograph. Our process, our
ritual, has five steps: Observation, Engage-
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