Quote: “To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It’s a way of life.”
“Photographs do not tell stories – they show you what something looks like. To a camera. When I’m photographing, I see life. That’s what I deal with. I don’t have pictures in my head. I frame in terms of what I want to include, and naturally, when I want to snap the shutter. And I don’t worry about how the picture’s gonna look – I let that take care of itself. We know too much about how pictures look and should look, and how do you get around making those pictures again and again. It’s one modus operandi. To frame in terms of what you want to have in the picture, not about how – making a nice picture. That, anybody can do.” These are famous words from Garry Winogrand. Have a look at this video’s if you like to know more about this famous photographer!
A well known saying in photography is: less is more. What they mean by it is that you should try to “Focus” on what’s relevant. Zoom in on the essential part and leave everything else out. What they are suggesting is that your images improve by this. This is however a myth! Just like “If your pictures aren’t good enough you’re not close enough” is a myth.
In many cases this will work. Lots of sports-photographers apply this to their stunning close-ups made with a strong tele-lens. But these images tell us nothing about where they were made or when they were made. I believe that in many cases these things are important to know! I like to see images that tell me in what time-period they were made. For example by looking at architecture or the fashion people wear in the background. Its also nice to see where they were made by seeing more of the surroundings. Like a bridge, house, park, people or skyline in the background. Have a look at this website and you’ll see that its possible to stand back and show more.
So remember these stunning images of Hans van der Meer
Sometimes we hear Photographers tell us that photography is their way of meeting people. Doctors, teachers, salesmen etc. meet a lot of people. I don’t think they have chosen that profession to meet people. Maybe to help them in any way but that’s different. So what are these photographers really telling us? I can’t look in their heads but let me take a guess:
Well maybe you like to add a good reason? I’m curious. Reason three is probably the best reason to photograph people. And that would be a good line to tell anyone who asks you why you became a photographer. But unless you convince me, I don’t believe anyone who tells me that he or she became a photographer to meet people.
“If your pictures aren’t good enough you’re not close enough”. Robert Capa once made this famous quote. Now I think it’s funny that everybody is explaining this literally. Something like; if you want to take better pictures you should get nearer to your subject.
Capa was one of the founders of Magnum photo-agency. One of their objectives was understanding the subject and being involved. Getting close in this context means, in my humble opinion, that you have to get close to someone. Not literally but figurative speaking. To get better pictures you have to understand and know your subject. Knowing how these people feel and live brings you closer. Do you really think that standing closer to the subject is going to produce better images? How close do you have to get?
Maybe Capa should have said: If your pictures aren’t good enough you don’t understand the subject 
I believe that a photographer should be able to photograph anything, anywhere. He or she should be able to come back with a good picture. Do you have the eye? That’s what it’s about. You can walk around for hours searching for great photographs to take. You can travel the whole world if you like. But if you’re not able to take a good picture in you’re own backyard than you’re not going to take them anywhere! This quote is not mine. My teacher at the arts-school told me this. It made a big impression on me. Because it is absolutely true. The reason many photographers travel the world is that they are probably adventurers who happen to need an excuse to travel. There aren’t that many jobs in which you can travel, have an adventure, keep your independence and maybe become famous with it. And it’s easy to call yourself a photographer. You just say you are.
But what is a real photographer? They are the ones with the “eye”. They see things everywhere. They see the beauty around them, wherever they are. Andre Kertesz