I find it really interesting that the word 'design' is a synonym for the word 'intent'. So many people, especially people involved in the creative arts, seem to believe that happy accidents are a design tactic. They throw every color, pattern, shape, texture, and composition at one space and seem to expect it to look good. These people have never studied art, i'm guessing.
If you look at a Pollock and think, 'I could do that', you may need a few more art classes. If you look at a Dali and think 'this is just a bunch of stuff thrown together', you may want to pick up the museum brochure before you leave. If you watch Baryshnikov leap into the air and think, 'so what- he's just jumping', well, I might personally have to talk to you.
With artists, intent is key. You can have all the passion and drive in the world, but without intent, your work will display a tone of ennui whether you see it or not.
Let's take clothing for an example.
You can put together color combinations and patterns all willy-nilly if you like. 'Hey, this pattern has pink in it, that'll match the pink in THAT one!!!' But what is your intent? Is your intent to come across as a Raggedy Ann doll? Well then mission accomplished.
There are color rules for a reason. There are universal goods and bads. Complementary, secondary, tertiary. Why does the Fibonacci sequence occur so often in nature? And why does using it create a more pleasing composition? If you don't know what a Pantone color chart is, but you make and sell things that work with color, then you are an amateur. Do your homework. Learn the rules. If you don't KNOW the rules, you aren't breaking them, you're just making a mess.
This may sound harsh. But it should be. I'm getting so tired of seeing people who think they want to do something, only to flail about without INTENT.
What does this have to do with me?
Well, I said earlier, intent is key. I try on a daily basis to figure out what the intent is. With many of these dance couples I've been shooting lately, my intent is trifold. 1) To make an image influenced by the authentic period of dance that they represent. 2) To make them look good 3) To make the client happy, both with the process and the results. All the technical things have become secondary, and that's intentional. Refer to number 1. When you see old photos of swing dancers doing their thing in little roadhouses and dives, is your first thought, 'wow, great focus!'? Of course not. In fact, in many of the authentic documentations of this style in that era, there was much that was out of focus. Much that was grainy, improperly exposed, secondhand composition. That's because the photographer's intent was to document, to show the energy and life that these dancers were displaying. (not to mention the technical issues with cameras in dark and sweaty roadhouses)
My business is called 'Intuitive Images'. Even that was highly intentional. My goal, with every image I take, is to rely on my own intuition. When you see my photos, I want you to feel something. To see the emotional connection in a tangible way.
When you act with intention, you may not always hit your mark. You may not always get desired results or convey your intent as clearly as you'd like. But to have intent is to be an artist of a higher form. I'm getting there, I have more to learn, but with everything I present, just know, there is INTENT.
A photo of my daughter on her first day of school, displaying the Fibonacci or 'Golden Spiral':
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
