Years ago, I posted a photo of the Milky Way on the internet, and someone replied to my post, “It’s not possible to take a picture of the Milky Way… You can’t take a photo of the entire galaxy, [because to do so] it would have to be done from all parts of the planet.”
Great discussion. I have been teaching new photographers for years that the image you get from the camera is not real. Our magnificent camera has many deficiencies, more even than the naked eye. What we take away from a shot in our brain is equally as important as what the camera captures. Were we hot or cold, why did we take the shot, what really moved us. Reality belongs to each individual in their head. I ask them to try and duplicate that when they sit down at the computer.
Photography is by definition editorial. You are limited by the camera frame and the technical limitations of the device.
The history of the Milky Way as a concept means you definitely can photograph it. It was named that by ancient peoples observing the night sky. It wasn’t till Galileo made his telescope in 1610 that we knew it was made of individual stars, and even later that the concept of a galaxy came about.
So inasmuch that you can photograph the phenomenon that ancient peoples named the Milky Way, you can definitely photograph it. Everything else you said is true too of course.
Gorgeous photos and wonderful thoughts. I worked as a photojournalist for years in Buenos Aires and I prided myself on shooting and showing the truth, but it is also very much decided in what and how much we show.
I've been struggling and pondering this very question lately, since, as you know, I sometimes push processing to communicate what I'm feeling and sometimes the processing is far from "reality." Thanks for this. Love the newsletter.
Great discussion. I have been teaching new photographers for years that the image you get from the camera is not real. Our magnificent camera has many deficiencies, more even than the naked eye. What we take away from a shot in our brain is equally as important as what the camera captures. Were we hot or cold, why did we take the shot, what really moved us. Reality belongs to each individual in their head. I ask them to try and duplicate that when they sit down at the computer.
Photography is by definition editorial. You are limited by the camera frame and the technical limitations of the device.
The history of the Milky Way as a concept means you definitely can photograph it. It was named that by ancient peoples observing the night sky. It wasn’t till Galileo made his telescope in 1610 that we knew it was made of individual stars, and even later that the concept of a galaxy came about.
So inasmuch that you can photograph the phenomenon that ancient peoples named the Milky Way, you can definitely photograph it. Everything else you said is true too of course.
Gorgeous photos and wonderful thoughts. I worked as a photojournalist for years in Buenos Aires and I prided myself on shooting and showing the truth, but it is also very much decided in what and how much we show.
I've been struggling and pondering this very question lately, since, as you know, I sometimes push processing to communicate what I'm feeling and sometimes the processing is far from "reality." Thanks for this. Love the newsletter.