Experience the Photo by Pep Bonet Created by Kodak Contributor on Jun 6, 2011 Place in this PowerPoint Presentation by Reed Miller November 15, 2012 Strong photos come from living the experience and being able to capture the emotions.

Experience the Photo First Behind every picture there is a story. What makes the story good is a great photo. A great photo comes from experiencing the moment. To truly experience the moment, take a photo with fresh eyes. As a photographer you should look for a new approach, a new way to capture the image. If you read too much about an event or location when you photograph you may subconsciously be photographing someone else’s story. The best pictures will come from your experience with the situation.

When I buy a plane ticket, maybe check the weather When I buy a plane ticket, maybe check the weather. I don’t like to research or know too much about what is going on. I want the photos to represent what I am feeling when I am there. Not a preconceived notion of what I read before going.

Hard Work Just about every person has a camera these days. Many people can take snapshots but it takes hard work to capture great photos. Take lots of photos, digital cameras make it easy to Impactful photos are created through knowing the technical aspects of your camera as well as be involved with what is happening in the photo. You have to be dedicated and motivated by what you are photographing to create the great photo. Have a passion for the subject matter.

Be committed, motivated, self-disciplined and have a clear objective Be committed, motivated, self-disciplined and have a clear objective. Focus on what you want to do and a have a vision of what you want.

Feelings & Emotions The best photographers have personal views on the subject manner. You feel for your subject a lot, the subject matters. Be passionate about what you are photographing. The story will come through when you know the subject.

The less I know about what is going to be photographed the better The less I know about what is going to be photographed the better. I need to feel every little emotion, experience it first hand, live it in the first person - - and only then can it be captured in a photograph.

Power of Suggestion A photo should intrigue a viewer; leave something out for the viewer to interrupt. A viewer should be able to write their own story about the photo.

A Signature of Your Own By capturing photos different from everyone else you will start to build your style of photography. This will become your signature.

Taking Risks Photography is about taking risks. Risks add to the uniqueness of the image, it helps keep it from being boring. Look for unique less traveled places and you will come away with amazing photographs

A recent risk I took involves the band Motorhead A recent risk I took involves the band Motorhead. I have always wanted to photograph them. After a little persuasion and photographing for free I was able to tour with them for two months across Europe. The next time they toured I was able to go with them – and be paid my expenses, hotels, flights, food etc…..! Believe in your dreams; take the risks to live them.

It’s all in a Word When going on a photography journey it is helpful to have a theme in mind. A theme can be as simple as a single word– Faith. When I began my journey to create a series for the World Press Photo Master Class I went to Sierra Leone with a word “Faith” in the back of his mind. That is what I knew I wanted to photograph. The result was a series of photographs of the amputees’ football league.

Make Mistakes When you make mistakes, learn from them. Learn how to correct the mistakes. One way to do this is to ask for feedback on your photos. Do not be afraid to show off your photos.

  Many of my photographs represent the unbalanced world in which we live. I could be photographing advertising, but that is not my passion. I want to give voices to those who do not have it. This helps me understand the unbalanced world. While my photos many not change this world it provides me with a peace of mind that I have been able to see the world this way. My advice for those interested in pursuing photography: Let people know what you are doing Have a passion for what you are photographing It’s not who you are, it’s not who you know – It is who knows you. About Pep: Pep Bonet is an award-winning photographer who has traveled the world capturing profound moments for assignments, clients and NGOs. Pep is an avid user of Kodak Professional Films, just another reason why we love him around here. Visit Pep Bonet’s web site to view more of his photography: http://www.pepbonet.com/

Your Assignment Demonstrate your understanding of this PowerPoint by creating at least 10 photographs. You should take more than that to practice. Photographers never stop with the first photo they take. Make sure your photographs use the rules of composition that you have already learned. You will create a contact sheet with your best 10 photographs and label your favorite 3. Save this file as your name along with the name of this PowerPoint (rmillerexperience) and email it to your instructor to be graded.