Some weeks back, I began an experiment ( here
https://365project.org/janetb/musings/2021-01-16 ); and I'm glad I did. It proved to be quite enlightening! By answering a series of questions at the end of each of the two phases ( here
https://365project.org/janetb/musings/2021-01-24 and here
https://365project.org/janetb/musings/2021-02-01 ), I dug deep into the reasons I make photos. Ultimately, I found answers to questions that had nagged me for quite some time:
Did my questions even need to be asked or answered? Yes! I’ve learned much about myself and am now more confident and deliberate with my photography.
Do I feel titles and/or narratives are necessary for my images to honor God? To honor God personally, no. To honor God publicly, yes. I feel my images alone personally honor God by the sense of gratitude that permeates my desire to make photos and by the nature of my finding the subject holy enough to photograph, but I feel my images don’t publicly honor God without accompanying words.
Do I feel titles and/or narratives are necessary for my images to hold personal significance? Somewhat. While all of my images hold personal significance, I find them more meaningful when accompanied by both titles and narratives.
Do I feel the need to tell stories with my images? Yes. If so, do my images alone tell the stories or do I feel they need accompanied by titles and/or narratives to tell the stories? While my images alone do tell stories, I feel the stories are incomplete. Titles help tell more of the stories, but I feel titles and narratives are both needed to tell the stories accurately and completely.
Do I feel the need to influence viewers’ thoughts about my images with titles and/or narratives? Yes. I feel happiest when influencing the viewers’ thoughts about my images with titles and narratives that reveal more of my heart than the image alone reveals.
Conclusion:
Going forward, I will accompany my images with both titles and narratives to fulfill my desire to honor God, share my faith, increase the personal significance of my images, tell the images’ stories accurately and completely, and reveal more of my heart to viewers.
Secondly, your experiment was quite successful. I love viewing your captures, and for me, your narratives really complement your photos. I'm looking forward to reading them again ♥
Well done. You are a great witness. Your enlightened image is so appropriate.
I look forward to your photos, titles and stories! Thank you, Janet!!
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I LOVE your photography, the images are one of a kind and always beautiful to look at. They always have such depth to them and interesting points of view. I love being able to look at your world through your creative eye.
But the thing that I ADORE about your 365 project is how you marry these beautiful and thought provoking images with your heartfelt and joyous words - Capturing a supercharged moment in your day and bringing it to life, with love and grace.
In my eyes, your titles and the narratives give real soul and purpose to your photos. They lift them up and showcase them, while also connecting me (the viewer) with a deeper understanding.
I have to admit, I am delighted that you will continue to title and narrate your images moving forward, as even though I enjoyed your photos on their own, for me their true beauty comes with their deeper meaning and the connection that provides between you and me.
As you can probably tell from my past words and my recent experiment, I struggle a bit to feel confident about my photography. Over the years, I admired many styles but felt that I lacked one of my own. Recently, I've begun to see mine. Perhaps it was there all along and I was blind to it? Afraid to embrace it? I'm thinking that's the case.
Using your word ADORE, I'll say that I ADORE making pictures of the moments of my day that take my breath away with gratitude...stop me in my tracks...make me smile. My images may not feature the same color tones, edits, subjects, or other characteristics that I tend to view as defining a style, but they make my heart sing! My images, like musical notes, together create my life's melody!
Thank you again for your uplifting words! I'm so happy to know you! ♥