Learning Center
Mystery

In the 1500’s Sr. Francis Bacon wrote: “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” Nowadays deepening the mystery should be a rallying cry for all professional photographers of this new digital age.

We face a time when our competitors are often our customers, some with digital equipment and computer savvy befitting professional status. So what do we, as practicing pros, have to offer to separate ourselves from the masses? I believe the answer lies in the age-old practice of Alchemy.

In the early years of photography – BC (before computers), photographers were akin to artistic gods – wielding camera and light with magical wonder. Only a true professional would be capable of creating marvels from the blank canvas of film. And then – the paradigm shift. With the advent of pixels came “lookin’ at the back of the camera” and much of the trepidation and intrigue was lost. Most of us now live in the time of AD (adobe dependent) and technological astonishments abound. With effortless clicks of the proverbial button, images arise from inner space, turning into “not-to-shabby pretty pictures” with only a hope and a prayer.

So what Excalibur must we pull from the stone if we are to continue to sit on the throne of exalted professional photographer? Well, if it cannot be physical or technical, then we have only our aesthetic virtue to extol. One of the purist and surest form of visual drama at our command is a command of the artistic. Immersing ourselves in the land of Oz (wonder) and prancing through the forest of Art (creation itself) will be our ticket to satisfying a new world order.

For sake of this article, we will explore the often put aside, often misunderstood land of Shadows. As photographers we have been taught and subsequently, reverently touted our domination of that greatest of visual creation tools – Light. We carved with it, flattered with it, even offered a degree of spirituality with it. And yes, where we place light is certainly our first foray into the design of our photograph. But like all good yin and yang, there is another side, a side most often misused and abused –Shadow. Much like her alter ego, Shadow is an essential building block to helping the viewer of the photograph understand spatial relationship, shape, roundness and depth. Without Shadow, we view a false sense of reality. Without Shadow, we never quite embrace the true value of Light.

Like any good usage of Light, how we utilize Shadow is key. The credo is simple – we not only place Light but we also place Shadow. Shadows can of course randomly fall – a falling out of our placement of Light. But in the hands of a master Alchemist, the crafty placement of the Shadows will take our work to new heights of enchantment.

The Oeuvre of the Impressionist artists was simple: the painting lie not in the factual detail of a scene but in the Atmosphere that lay between the subject and the artist. For us as photographers, this Atmosphere can be demonstrated through our use of Shadows. With transparent Shadows we display details through subtle nuance. But with opaque, bold Shadows, we offer Drama. It is the Drama that creates intrigue. It is the Drama of Francis Bacon – it is the Mystery. Yes it is most important to note – Bacon said Mystery – not Mastery! A photograph of technical Mastery is little more than a bad Sci-Fi movie – effects for sake of effects. But a photograph with Mystery will impart a sense of power, of deep intrinsic personal connection that can only be achieved through meticulously placed Shadows.

And here I must impart a warning: Joining the ranks of the Alchemists and becoming a ShadowThrower is not a charge to be taken lightly. Many a great image has been slain with poorly exercised use of the Shadow. Ghastly Shadows can cause pain to even the simplest photography, suffering to a remorseful photographer and subject alike. But in the hands of a true Artisan, the Shadow will conjure fame and fortune.

There is no secrecy when it comes to creating Shadow. It can be from powerful light sources to a mere hint – the flame of one candle can cause a shadow of compelling mood. The quality of the light source will dictate the message. A noontime sun will cause sharp, distinct Shadow lines, while the same light source on a cloudy day will display only a whisper of obscurity. The same visual dynamics can be recreated in the Studio with results resembling everything from the soft, peacefulness of an overcast window light via softboxes to the intrigue of deep, dark Film Noir days via a parabolic spotlight.

Well-placed Shadows can cause the eye of the beholder to be drawn to a specific spot in the image, such as the eyes, by nature of the leading lines offered up by the Shadows. Shadows can be utilized as corrective tools, hiding unwanted blemishes and the like. But the true value of the Shadows lies in the intrigue. Poet Anne Sexton is credited with the line: “Tell almost the whole story.” What is left is what conjecture is made of. What is left is lost in the Shadows.

Armed with any light source, a competent ShadowThrower has but one other tool of the trade to secure. A lens that will allow the artist to capture the ruse where others not dare to go. As a self-proclaimed ShadowThrower, I always turn to my Tamron 2.8 lenses. For years my lens of choice has been the Tamron 28mm to 105mm 2.8. It’s sharp, it’s fast – it’s a ShadowThrower’s delight. Now in this digital age, I have turned to Tamron’s latest, greatest – the SP AF 28-75 F/2.8 XR DI LD Aspherical IF Macro Lens. This fantastic new lens allows me to move in the Shadows myself, joining in the hunt for Atmosphere and Mystery. Mounted on my Fuji S3, it sees in the darkness, nailing the focus while I romp in the ambience. And the feel is very intuitive, allowing my subconscious to follow my quest for the darkened grail. Lost in the Shadows, we again reign as the gods of Art.