Fire Island Lighthouse
A writer for Time magazine meets a photographer working for National Geographies in a bar. The writer says to the photographer “I saw your spread in last month’s issue. The photographs were great. What camera did you use?” To this the photographer replies “Well I read your article last month and it was wonderful. What brand of typewriter did you use?”
Too often photographers want to tell you what equipment they used to take a particular shot when it’s the image that’s important and not the method of getting there.
This image of a remarkable lighthouse uses the technique of including an interesting foreground to keep the photograph from becoming a record shot of the subject. Too often interesting subjects are recorded without any attempt at interpretation. This photographer was thinking “how can I make this photo different from all the rest I have seen.” This is what I call making a photograph your own.
I like the way the subject of off center but perhaps there could be a little more room at the top. The top of the column appears about to piers the edge of the frame. I would also like to see this image with good morning or late afternoon light rather than the flat overcast light in this composition.
Speaking of equipment, I have seen a number of photos from this photo-artist and they all appear to have a soft quality. I think there may be something wrong with the camera or lens. Try taking the same shot with two different cameras and see if there is a difference in the sharpness of the results.
Click on Image 
July 1st, 2008 at 3:54 am
Jim, Thanks for your advise, I will have my equipment checked. The photo submitted was slightly cropped before sending, however, the bottom was what I cut out, nothing from the top sad to say.