Quality IN quantity
The principle of "quality over quantity" can be found in books from every discipline...
from psychology to sales, from economics to production, from art to physical labor. But perhaps one cannot exist without the other. Maybe one is the result of the other? After all, quantity also means time, books read, conversations and meetings attended, places visited... all the effort put into a work. So maybe quantity leads to quality.
For the purposes of photography, I have created a new thesis - quality in quantity. The paradox of this statement may be debatable, but in the case of photography, we have several examples where quantity leads to the creation of iconic photographs or even albums.
Robert Frank, in his famous album "The Americans," published only 83 photos out of 28,000 taken. Sebastiao Salgado, known for his long-term projects, publishes only a dozen out of several thousand photos, and Gary Winogrand, who is estimated to have taken hundreds of thousands of photos in his lifetime (in the era of analog photography), is primarily known for one iconic photo of Marilyn Monroe.
Photos: Sebastião Salgado, Gary Winogrand, Robert Frank
In my work, I select a maximum of 10% of my shots and publish maybe 1%.
It can be concluded that it is thanks to commitment, determination and passion that countless photos are created, which in their mass reveal the photographer's unique talent for observation. They reveal photographers ability to communicate deep emotions, thoughts, and concepts in a way that resonates with a wide range of audiences.
As a result, works are created that often break conventions/taboos, encourage reflection and change the way we perceive the world. These photographs are still canonical, inspiring and nothing can change that.
So maybe this few tips below, taken from the Greatest, will help you take THAT photo.
1. Observe, read, watch, ask, follow your passion and interests, have something to say, delve into the subject
2. Take photos as many as possible
3. Be bold, innovative, paradoxical, provocative
4. Be determined, persistent, do not give up
5. Publish!
recomendations:
Sebastian Salgado (document trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgd3ZDtx8lg
Robert Frank (document trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yZAzXzS47E
cover photo:
Photos: My Private Archive