The next few days are supposed to be lovely around here, which makes me want to go out and take some pictures! So, I'm issuing a challenge to us all this week: take pictures every day. That's the first part, anyway. The second part will take a bit more thought. We had a lesson on line. If you haven't done that yet, work on that, but also, as you're taking pictures, think about whether they qualify as representational, abstract, or non-representational. I'll post pictures of the three below, but in brief, here are some thoughts on what each type of photo should embody (and those who have taken Wendy's class or have thought about this more than me--please chime in!)
Representational--it is what it is. Photos of objects where it is obvious what the object is. Includes portraiture, still life, landscape, and wildlife photography, among others. Most pictures will probably fall into this category.
Abstract--a small portion or detail of a larger object; a picture of something that evokes another (non-related) object.
Non-representational--a detail or texture where the identity of the original object is obscure.
The dividing line between categories can be fuzzy, so I expect there will be some discussion of why someone thinks an image is abstract vs. non-representational. While a lot of us are already pretty good at representational, the other two tend to be more of a challenge. Getting better at the other types of photography/art will add depth to your photography--if you think about the truly stellar photo albums you've looked at, you'll notice that they mix all of the above types of art in to create not just images of the event, but also capture the emotions.
I'd like to see everyone post at least three images (preferably six), one or two in each category (representational, abstract, and non-representational) and I'd like to see them by Sunday, March 21. Take advantage of the next few days of good weather and take some pictures of the emerging spring, of your kids erupting from the buildings we've kept them imprisoned in for the last months, or of anything else that strikes your fancy. And have FUN!
