Can you photograph emotion?

Yes... both for the viewer and for the subject
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My dad, late May 2006, after being in Brazil for almost a month while his wife (my mom) lay in a coma due to a ruptured brain aneurysm.

I think, even if you didn't know the story, you can get the feeling that the subject has "had enough"... frustration.... weariness... spent.

Cheers
Dave
 
From my point of view a photographer can photograph emotions, can photograph with the aim of evoking an emotion in the viewer but, what about his emotions ? may a photo show a photographer's feeling?

In my opinion Dave's dad photo makes me feel all aspects of the emotions involved in that photo: from my point of view he not only perfectly caught the emetion felt by his father but he also involved me in that mood (I mean in a compassionate way) but I also see (it's my point of view) his feelings of compassion and respect of the subject.
 
nico said:
In my opinion Dave's dad photo makes me feel all aspects of the emotions involved in that photo: from my point of view he not only perfectly caught the emetion felt by his father but he also involved me in that mood (I mean in a compassionate way) but I also see (it's my point of view) his feelings of compassion and respect of the subject.
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Except that without Dave's background information there's no way of telling what emotion his father is going through at the moment of clicking the shutter!

What if Dave had told us this was his uni math teacher pondering a problem posed by his student on a house visit? Would we feel there's the same emotion in the photo? No.
 
There are a billion ways to peel a potato.
Yet I guess I only know of three.
Emotions to some aren't emotions to others.
The rule of majority isn't always politically, economically or philosophically correct.

Just tell me that you've captured emotion with your photo and I'll gladly receive that. I'd be glad you've seen for yourself something which I may never see at all. Not that I do believe you've captured proving some mathematically formulated pattern but that you've seen something I was not capable of seeing if I were in your shoes. And vice versa.

Your discussion with your teacher is a very nice thought to ponder Avotius.
 
RML said:
Except that without Dave's background information there's no way of telling what emotion his father is going through at the moment of clicking the shutter!

What if Dave had told us this was his uni math teacher pondering a problem posed by his student on a house visit? Would we feel there's the same emotion in the photo? No.
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Hi Remi,
I see your point and not having Dave's story revealed would have make it more interesting (for the purpose) but all I see is a man in a pose of someone with some heavy weight over his shoulders, you're right I can't tell what's exactly happening to him but that is the impression I have: a man with a problem in the real world.

@ Dave, the photo is about a very personal and intimate moment and discussing about it in foreign language I poorly command may bring me to write something inappropriate, so I beg your pardon if it may happen.
 
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nico said:
Hi Remi,
I see your point and not having Dave's story revealed would have make it more interesting (for the purpose) but all I see is a man in a pose of someone with some heavy weight over his shoulders, you're right I can't tell what's exactly happening to him but that is the impression I have: a man with a problem in the real world.
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Nico, I understand. But what you're referring to is the emotion seen/perceived by the viewer, not the emotion felt by the subject in the photo. I understood Avotius' OP to relate to the emotion of the subject.




@ Dave, the photo is about a very personal and intimate moment and discussing about it in foreign language I poorly command may bring me to write something inappropriate, so I beg your pardon if it may happen.
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Yes, I agree with Nico. I too felt a bit uncomfortable using your photo as an example for my notions. If I gave cause for offence, please pardon me.
 
RML said:
Nico, I understand. But what you're referring to is the emotion seen/perceived by the viewer, not the emotion felt by the subject in the photo. I understood Avotius' OP to relate to the emotion of the subject.
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Another good point Remi that raise, at least for me, another question (hope better related to Avotius OP): does photographing an emotion need always the face or the eyes involved? May a gesture or a pose be enough (I think it's the case of Dave's photo) to catch a subject's emotion?
 
I think you can always convey an emotion through a photograph, which doesn't necessarily translate into having captured an emotion. The latter is what the subject was feeling the former what the viewer felt.
 
michaelbialecki said:
Interesting discussion....here is a photo.... feel free to comment, I will explain what it is later......
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michael
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I agree with Teus that the background has a lot to do with emotions. To me the girl pictured is conveying a feeling of hopelessness/sadness. Now if the background was of a scene that seemed happy or festive then the hopelessness/sadness would turn to shyness. As for Daves photo of his Father the best way I think to read emotions is from the subject eyes. So the only way I could understand the emotion of the photo is by Dave's explanation. Otherwise it could be a photo of anything. A tired man, a drunk man or a man just checking to see if his shoes are tied.

Michael
 
No harm, no foul Remy and Nico - thank you for the comments 🙂

I agree though, without my background info it could be any sort of "weight" that the subject is being burdened by.

🙂

Cheers
Dave
 
There was a long thread once about an HCB quote, about photographing a subjects "inner self" ....

For me the best photos are the ones in which the viewer sees the emotion that the photographer wants to show him (not necessarily what the subject feels - indeed it can be completely different, like in a good centerfold 🙂 ).

Roland.
 
craygc said:
To my comment above... emotionally it looks like hes suffering for a dodgy vindaloo (or fried chicken)

viewers emotional reaction versus subjects 😱
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vindaloo? I admit I had to look it up (spicy Indian food 😉 )

I am sure the shooters reaction has alot to do with being there...the sounds, smells, etc. vs. the viewers reaction. In this case if the viewer is not familiar with the style of this music (Jazz, Blues, Reggae, etc.) the emotion may not be felt.

Todd
 
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