PhotoPlay: When Details Don't Matter

My father once took me to a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition. I remember the implements, drawings, tools and inventions surrounding me in the great hall. Each piece required an inordinate amount of time to study. The drawings had to be examined; the inventions mulled over. It was all about the intricacy of his designs.

The Prado Museum in Spain contains grand paintings that loom above you, some twice the height of a human being. In order to fully appreciate the time and effort spent producing these famous works, your eyes have to start in one place and slowly move about, taking in the brush techniques, the colors and the use of materials. A simple glance isn’t enough.

Think, too, of an evening at the theatre where the details culminate in a dazzling display, or in literature where characters and plots produce complex and multi-layered story lines.  In all of these examples, the marvel is in the details.

Photography, however, is different. Details distract.

Two examples that capture the absence of detail very well are these images from High Calling Blogs members, Elizabeth and Elaine:

For next Friday’s PhotoPlay, find a subject and photograph it with as little visual clutter as possible. Be inspired by Elizabeth and Elaine and allow the subject to voice its self. Include a short description about the clutter you needed to remove and how this connects with your life.

Drop your link into my comment box by Wednesday, May 12th for possible feature and a definite link.

Photo and post by Claire Burge.

• Tags:  
• culture
• da vinci
• details
• photography
• photoplay
• simplicity

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