Blog
Photo is created in your mind (05.02.2016)
I just take my camera and start photographing. I see the results later – when I put the memory card into the reader. 10 years ago, that was my understanding of photography. You just take photos and see what comes out of it. Capturing a moment and creating a photo are two totally different things. During the years I “captured the moments”, I started developing my visual thinking. When I had looked through the camera eye long enough, there for was no need for a camera for me to see a possible photo. My imagination developed into a phase where I could create an image before taking the camera into my hands.
Usually I start with brainstorming where I render through a 3D model in my head starting from some action moment. Then, I stop the image for a second and look at it from every possible angle, through every possible lens. Then, I start thinking about the composition, contrast and light more precisely. As the last thing, I choose the best angles, moments and draw sketches. I take these sketches with me to the shoot – they have as many details written on them as I can think of before shooting.
In recent months I have been co-operating a lot with Estonian best swimmers. I photographed Kalev Open Estonian Championships where I got the whole picture of swimming. My imagination got enough material to visualize a swimmer in every possible position from every possible angle. This information let me create different photos in my head for following works (staged action sessions for Kalev swimming school and Estonian Swimming Federation) before I even got to the pool. (A photo of the sketches)
Summary
Instead of just taking a photo and see what comes out of it, it is worth to try and create pre-photos in your own head. Record with your eyes and develop your visualizing skills. Think dimensionally and work with the light. Then, finally take your camera and form your initial idea into a fine result – into a photo that has tension, strength, light, shadows and deepness.
About the author. Joosep Martinson started his sports photography career 12 years ago while working in Õhtuleht and later in Eesti Päevaleht. After his successful career in Estonia (sports photo of the year 2007, 2009, 2010) and a contract with a world’s largest editorial photo agency Getty Images, he decided to leave homeland and gain new experiences in Sydney, Australia. After gaining new experiences Down Under (Getty Images APAC News Photo of the Year 2014), he decided to come back to Estonia and try to be among the European best as a freelancer. At the moment he is doing work for Estonian sports federations (football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, golf, fencing, skiing etc) and also for Getty Images.
