Saul Leiter Photo Assignment
Challenges Photographer

I look at a lot of photos. None have inspired me as much as Saul Leiter's recent exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. I've always been attracted to reflections in my photos (Barn Window Reflection, for one) and I've been helping out in a gallery that is full of glass. On a recent cloudy day in Milwaukee, I shot these images from the Dark Star Galleria and Studio. Some are blurry and I like it that way so that you see the figure and can't necessarily identify the person.

OK, I know these aren't as good as his images, but I had fun trying to capture them. I like giving myself assignments. . .

What is a good photo?

Many times at the art shows where I’ve exhibited, I have had people come up to me and say, “You have a good eye”. What these people mean is I see and capture images in a way that pleases them. They may not understand composition, use of color and lighting or other artsy things, but they know what they like.

Can you develop a “good eye”? You can if you study these artsy things and look at what other photographers are doing. Here are some tips that might help:

A good photo makes you feel something when you look at it. Some photos tell a story, while others just bring out an emotion. Does it use unusual light? Does it make you laugh or remember a special place and time?

A good photo is subjective. What appeals to you, might not appeal to another. Even if your photo is well composed, your equipment functioning at its best and your technique flawless, what you are trying to communicate may be lost on your audience. So another thing to remember, shoot photos for you. Photography should be fun.

A good photo may just happen or it may involve returning to a place over and over to get different shots to try to express what you feel. Cana Island in Door County is like that for me. I’ve been there many times, but I always feel drawn back to it. You may have special places like this.

Don’t think, I’ve been there before, I won’t see anything new. Keep practicing and learning. Study photography by taking a class. Look at other photographers’ work online or through books and magazines. Attend art shows. Explore the seasons, the lighting, and your heart to learn how to see.