If you are interested in photography (and I presume you must be if you are reading this column) then you probably have bought a few photography books, and by now you should have a favorite photographer.
Everyone should have a photographer whose work stimulates you to greater heights. For me, I have many whose work I enjoy – Norman Parkinson, Helmut Newton and Jeff Dunas all rate high, but one photographer who inspires me not only with his images, but also with his words, was the late Larry Dale Gordon.
Now when I say that your favorite photographer’s work should inspire you, that does not mean that you should rush out and slavishly copy their work. I have seen it done so many times at camera club level with photographers who have been most upset when I mark them down for copying, rather than being creative.
When I say “inspire” I mean that you look at the work and say to yourself, “How did he/she do that?” You should look at the end result and work out how you can use that technique to produce your own shot. Half the fun in photography is working out “how to” with the other half being the enjoyment of looking at the final image.
So why does Larry Dale Gordon inspire me? There are many reasons. First off, he is a self trained photographer, who believes that the way to learn is to do it. Let me quote you from one of his books, “I learned photography through experience; by putting film through the camera, peering through the lenses, trial and error, and pondering every facet of light. It’s the only way. If you think there is another way, or a faster way, write a book telling how and you will make considerably more money than by being a photographer.” These are very wise words. Cut them out and stick them on your bathroom mirror and read them every day! In fact, my friend, the renowned Thai photographer, Tom Chuawiwat, used to tell me that professional photography was the only job where the client paid you to learn!
I’ve tried to see just what it is about Larry Dale Gordon’s pictures that appeal so much to me and I’ve come up with two basic concepts. Simplicity and Color.
Simplicity makes any photograph more readily understandable. Your photos should also have a strong, dominant color to attract the eye to the photo.
So look at the photo I have chosen here. A sunset, which can be deduced by the orange color, and a kangaroo on the beach which places the photo in Australia. This is a classic genre which can be duplicated by anyone with a camera. So saying, all you have to do is nip down to Pattaya Beach late afternoon with your pet ‘roo’, or if you want to make it Thailand, with your pet elephant!
Let’s not make slavish copies! But instead, let’s look at how we can accomplish the effect of a monochromatic picture and silhouette. To make it easier for you, pick your favorite beach or riverside at a time when the sun can be behind your subject – be that people or things. Now you need a tricky filter, called a “tobacco” filter. On that bright sunny day, with the light behind your subject(s) hold this brown/orange filter over the lens and pop the shutter. Stick it on Auto if you will, the camera will do the rest. Even experiment with different colors to get strangely wonderful or weirdly dreadful results.
The only point to really remember is to get the light behind the subject. You will be able to get this “pseudo sunset” look any time after three in the afternoon. Try it and amaze your friends with a classic silhouette!
Gene Butera, one of Larry’s favorite Creative Directors, says it all, “Larry discovered long ago that he has two consuming drives in life; travel and photography. He also realized that by combining the two, he could create an ideal career. Some thirty years and 70 countries later, Larry shot exotic subjects with equal enthusiasm and creativity.”
And Thailand has exotica galore!
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