wwp@yahoogroups.com:
Re: Why have themes?
Pat Swovelin 2011-Jul-06 05:51:00
On 7-4-2011 12:15 PM, kahana31876 wrote:
The last several WWP events that I have participated in has resulted in
my making panoramas that more or less worked with the current theme. But
not panoramas that I was happy with, but I wanted to keep the string
going of participating in every event.
I finally gave up with Family.
I remember in the beginning of WWP the first one was to do anything,
just on a particular day. Then themes began for 3 or the 4 events with a
longer shoot period.
I for one would like to see no themes each solstice but only a time
limit in which to make the panorama.
The WWP is a theme-based fully-described quarterly event, it isn't just
a bunch of pretty pictures. That's the whole point of the exercise to
allow people to flex their muscles both photographically and
artistically in interpreting the theme from wherever they are on the
planet and doing it within the time constraints of a deadline. And
sometimes the plans people have made for their panorama are suddenly
blown out of the water by a change in the weather or the site/subject
becomes unavailable or their circumstances (e.g., I wound up suddenly
being on the road for 3 or 4 events in a row) and they have to scramble
to meet the theme and their own photographic/artistic vision.
Anyone can shoot pretty pictures but it takes creativity and skill to
shoot a theme. Don't let the theme limit you, find a way to interpret
it creatively. There are a bazillion ways that "family" can be
interpreted as evidenced by the submissions in this event. A theme
isn't a limit, it's a way to focus your creativity. Here's an example
of that, in one of my art classes in college the instructor would give
us an assignment deadline, a style, black and white, a specific gray
scale number (i.e., black and white and 9 values between them), a
limited or full color pallet and 3 subjects. We now had a deadline, a
color scheme and could easily pick something that interested us. She
said that by limiting it to 3 subjects it focused us because if we had
the freedom to do anything we wanted we'd wander all over the map trying
to make up our minds about what to pick for a subject and simply run out
of time. It worked beautifully.
Themes are one of the hallmarks of the WWP.
Pat Swovelin
Cool Guy @ Large
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