Hi,

 

Sort of an extended poll but also a discussion. Dark or light for you?

 

No, I am not talking about colors. Yes, I am talking about mood. Do you prefer dark, moody pictures or light, perhaps also moody but the mood is light? Or is it no mood for you?

 

I personally like both light and dark pictures but I found that moody pictures are more interesting to me and dark pictures are more memorable. I still prefer lighter stuff on my walls (unless it's my own picture).

 

What about you?

 

Anna

Anna,

Thank you for starting the discussion. Put me down for 'Dark' please.

Defining 'light' and 'dark' is not easy. I've lately been thinking of pictures as being 'Decorative', 'Documentary', or 'Expressive'. Of course many photo themes will span two, or even all three of those arbitrary categories.

When making pictures, I try for 'Expressive' when I can, or at least 'Decorative / Somewhat Expressive'.

When viewing other people's photographs, my preference is for 'Expressive', because I crave images that make me think or feel. They are often dark and moody. I think the best of them have a glimmer of light within, though, offering some wistful hope or positive thought that shines through the darkness.

At the bottom line, there are photographs that say something that resonates with the viewer, and those that don't. In that second group, some try to communicate, but miss the mark - while others are just pleasant to look at.

Steven

Same here

 

I guess, for me it's not necessarily so, at least not in real life galleries or 1X. Well, unless we consider picture quality a positive thought by itself :-) . But you probably did not mean that.

 

This is my perennial thought, actually: if one is trying to communicate, photography, poetry, any art but the other person does not see or hear it, whose "fault" is that? The answer I prefer, cannot say it's absolute truth, is that if at least some viewers see it and thoroughly enjoy it then communication has been successful. Must we strive that everybody would 'see' it?....

 

Anna

 

 

Anna,

I agree with you. An expressive photograph will never reach everyone. If even a few viewers understand the theme we've created, then the communication is successful.

I suppose if an image is made and never shown to anyone, it could still communicate its message to the one who made it.

A photograph that everyone can understand is likely a very simple one, and its message may be devalued for that simplicity. I believe viewers prefer a puzzle, and cherish the meanings that they've found through a slow process of repeated viewings and thoughtful 'connecting the dots'. And then they may not be able to explain what they feel in words - but they do feel something.

Ideally what the viewer finds in the image is related to what the photographer put there to be discovered. If not, then ♫ It's just the wave, it's not the water♫.

 

 

Steven

 

I find objects to stand out elegantly when put in front of a dark background. Take space for instance, complete darkness, with galaxies, planets, and stars shining so bright you can't help but relate beauty to it. Of course this doesn't mean I don't find bright (light) moods to be beautiful, but I do prefer that my photos' moods, both sad and happy, to have a dark taste to it.

 

Hi Anna and all of you :-)

 

I like all kinds of pictures, I guess it is the otherwise quality of the picture that is important and not whether it is light or dark for me.

 

 

I guess good art takes time and effort to be able to express out, it takes time and for most people a long process and way to walk to learn to express ourselves the way we want to visual. So there is two challenges, hard ones; no 1: to manage to express what you yourself wanted and intended to express in a photograph taken. and then as if that is not difficult enough : you have to manage to make the picture appealing to others as well... !! Certainly not an easy task this as I see it... very hard indeed !

 

And there is also the commercial thing for the professional photographers - they must maybe have a huge dilemma here; to make a living and sell pictures, they are dependent on that many people like their work and buy it, so they have to strive that people see what they are expressing since they need the income. This must be a problem for them if they have to compromise with their artistic integrity in making a living out of it.

 

Mette

This is a very interesting discussion. Personally, I prefer dark, atmospheric compositions. As for my own photos that it is a big difference between web-productions and exhibitions irl. On the web, it's up-tempo, light, romantic images that are most popular (sun-leaks, riverbeds, sunrise - you know them all). At exhibitions, it's dark, atmospheric, artistic images that sell absolutely the best. Images that by all means - didn't had a chance in no way on the web. :-) Very interesting.

 

Absolutely.

 

 

Apparently many people prefer art simple and understandable to everyone. I've heard it an number of times from practitioners of art as well. Something not quite understandable means not good enough for them. And that's perfectly fine. We should have both simple and complex, to each his own

 

I agree!

 

Hm-m-m, and here I was thinking that light stuff, art that it's meant to be on the walls everyday, is better to be on average light not dark :-) . I did have a few exhibitions, not much selling though, maybe I should try a dark exhibition next time!