Beauty Matters
Beauty impacts us emotionally – it lifts us out of ourselves. We travel all over the world to see the wonders we’ve seen in images and on TV. We’re often drawn to beautiful people and clothes. We spend money making our homes and gardens not just functional, but beautiful. We want our environment to lift us out of the drudgery that too easily becomes daily living.
Beauty matters to us. Why else would we carry a camera with us?
… poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
N.H. Kleinbaum, The Dead Poets Society
The Photographers Toolbox
Photographers have so many tools that there need never be an ugly photograph… of anything. Whatever we’re photographing, we should be able to use light, shadow, colour and composition to make it beautiful.
We look different in different lights, clothes, colours, hair and makeup, so why capture someone in hard light when they look their best in soft light? Unless it’s part of the story of course.
Should Photography Beautify?
Digital photography has been accused of manipulating people in Photoshop to make them conform to societal standards of beauty. However, every time we choose a hair style, put makeup on, select on outfit for an occasion, we’re creating a version of ourselves we see as attractive – it’s called self-expression.
Photography does the same. A good photographer plans the lighting, setup, hair, makeup and clothing before anyone steps in front of the camera.
Beauty’s Beholder
Beauty is for the viewer to decide on. The argument around beauty has seemed to focus on body shape, but it shouldn’t. Beauty is often culturally determined and changes over time. Some people are drawn to the seaside or woodlands, while others are lured by architecture. What you find beautiful is for you to decide, but you will have a preference.
Beauty and Decision Making
We’re affected by the beauty or ugliness of photographs on an unconscious and a conscious level. The unconscious plays a much bigger part in our decision making because we don’t know its happening. If you want to make an impression on someone, you need beautiful images that work on the subconscious as well as the conscious.
Conclusion
What we find beautiful will probably vary depending on our culture and influences – it’s up to us to decide what we find beautiful. Whatever we love, we should accentuate it in photographs rather than leaving it to chance.
I’m a fine art portrait photographer helping businesses and individuals to capture their beauty. Email nina@ninacarrington.com for a free consultation.
