~ Photo Cafe' ~ Photographers - Episode #45!
~ Chat Transcript ~
14th of October, 2023
"Photo Moods 1/2: Light Moods!"
H.12:00 PM SLT
[The following Episode #46 will be on:
28th of October 2023]
[12:12] Kika Yongho: Hello Photographers!
And welcome to a new exciting episode of your favorite Photo Cafe’! Today we are gonna have a few news for you, so I will just start: here we go!
[12:12] Kika Yongho: News #1: we have a brand new “In The Spot” photo available for you: Autumn Photo by A. (ava.darkheart) ! You can already see the picture displayed here on the easel, and on its website page:
[12:13] Kika Yongho: Ava says about it:
“It was difficult because I love autumn so much, I love nature so much… and in the middle of 150 snapshots, I couldn’t choose one photo that satisfied my vision of this beautiful season. Thanks to my beloved Matt who showed me a way to choose with my heart, but also to pay some attention to composition and have the eyes to find a story. He also guided me in the editing, to be able to “show” all the emotion and connection I feel, which was important to me.
It’s fall for Ava & Matt Somehow :)”
[12:13] Kika Yongho: Beautiful photo and words, we thank you so much Ava (and Matt ofc!) for this great photography and love feelings for our Autumn!
[12:14] Kika Yongho: But the news for today are not over.. Let’s go straight to..
[12:14] Kika Yongho: News #2: The Nature Collective Fall/Winter Hunt 2023 starts tomorrow! Exciting news!
But.. what are we exactly talking about? You want more info? Here you go, a new website page to explain everything you should know about it:
[12:15] Kika Yongho: In short: we are part of The Nature Collective Hunt and Photo Contest, so you’re all welcome to find our hidden incredible prize for you on the land and take your beautiful photos for the photo contest here too! If you need more info feel free to IM me but now I shall let the discussion start but not before..
[12:15] Kika Yongho: News #3: we have a new Host for our discussion: let me please introduce to you all our friend and now also Staff in charge: Josephine Delvalle!
Our staff Duraya and Kapaan can not continue this project we had started together back 2yrs ago, so our dear Josephine stepped in to help us having a smooth discussion ahead!
[12:16] Kika Yongho: I want here to say my heartfelt thank you to all the staff members (past, present and future!) for their unique contribution given until now! And to you all for following, supporting, being active here and also for behaving on Josephine’s debut as host.
[12:16] Kika Yongho: But now.. Let’s all start the new episode #45 titled: “Photo Moods 1/2: Light Moods”! My dear Josephine, would you please start the discussion? Thank you, for the intro duty I am roger and out!
[12:17] Josephine Delvalle: Dear photographers and artists, I am very happy that I can mess up (I apologize in advance for any chaos) your discussion as host.
[12:17] Josephine Delvalle: The second to last time the topic of ‘mood’ came up more by chance, dark mood vs. bright, light mood.
[12:17] Josephine Delvalle: This and next time we will try to take a closer look at what determines the mood that a picture conveys.
[12:18] Josephine Delvalle: Maybe we can identify some levers or design elements that determine the mood of an image. Let’s start with the bright side
[12:19] A. (ava.darkheart): c
[12:19] Josephine Delvalle: I brought 3 paintings with me that might serve as visual aids. Just to get started, I am sure, you will be able to add more examples
[12:20] Josephine Delvalle: The first is Running Along the Beach by Sorolla. How does the picture affect you?
https://www.wikiart.org/en/joaqu-n-sorolla/running-along-the-beach-1908
[12:21] Josephine Delvalle: Ava, please.
[12:22] A. (ava.darkheart): To identify some elements of what creates a bright mood in some pictures, it is the light of course and i have sunlight in mind, and as is shown in your first example, this supports my thinking. Also, somehow, b&w will create a deeper mood, maybe not exactly dark, but still deeper. Done
[12:23] Josephine Delvalle: Indeed Ava, the sun(!)light is a huge factor
[12:24] Kika Yongho: c
[12:24] Josephine Delvalle: Kika, please
[12:24] Ais Aeon: c
[12:24] Kika Yongho: I can tell also the movement can be a factor displaying a positive mood .. joyous .. Done 🙂
[12:25] Josephine Delvalle: Nods, movement is a very good point, Ais, please
[12:26] Serenitee Bliss: c
[12:26] Ais Aeon: Well, brightness and light is one thing. But I’d say even more important is the contrast and the “vividness” of colors. High contrast + vivid colors = a more lively, more “bright” and active mood. While muted colors + lower contrast will create a more melancholic, thoughtful composition usually. Done
[12:28] Josephine Delvalle: thank you Ais, Serenitee, please
[12:28] Serenitee Bliss: The facial expressions give it “sound”, I can hear the laughter, making it a light, fun moment for me. Done
[12:28] A. (ava.darkheart): c
[12:29] Josephine Delvalle: Indeed, Serenitee, the children are not only running, they are also laughing. Ava, please
[12:31] A. (ava.darkheart): I agree with Ais, contrast can make a huge difference and I also agree with Serenitee, facial expression, but also the chosen pose can add something to the mood. done
[12:32] DaneAlbion: c
[12:32] Josephine Delvalle: by pose I assume you mean running/standing/sitting etc.
[12:33] S y m . S k y ™ (symmetryskyline): q
[12:34] Josephine Delvalle: Dane, your turn
[12:34] DaneAlbion: Its an interesting point about muted colour giving a more sombre mood, can you have a ‘happy’ picture in black & white? I suppose you must be able to, there were happy pictures before colour photography but i guess you have to work much harder at conveying the bright mood. That said i believe this painting would still feel joyous even if it was black and white. done
[12:35] Kika Yongho: c
[12:35] Josephine Delvalle: Good point, Dane, it is not only the light, let’s go on with Sym, please
[12:35] S y m . S k y ™ (symmetryskyline): This is a painting, but in a photo would blur indicate a sense of movement?
[12:35] A. (ava.darkheart): c
[12:36] Josephine Delvalle: Kika, please
[12:36] Kika Yongho: Sorry I don’t have a reply for Sym but .. About Dane’s comment .. I wanted to say that indeed there are darker B/W shades and lighter one.. Contrast can be another element even in BW photos to give a more dramatic effect. Done
[12:38] Josephine Delvalle: I will try to answer Sym, hopefully I understood the question. We have ‘movement’ as one element to transport a feeling and there are different ways to show movement, a photo of jumping children (clearly) or a blurred, running guy in a meadow.
[12:39] S y m . S k y ™ (symmetryskyline): Yes, movement typically being a more positive mood. Done.
[12:39] Josephine Delvalle: Very good Sym, indeed, Ava please
[12:39] A. (ava.darkheart): I don’t think the autumn picture is sad, and it’s b&w, this can seem deeper, at least not seeing the colors can make you focus more on the interpretation than the contemplative way.
[12:39] ᴍʌᴛᴛ (matthsuogan): c
[12:40] Josephine Delvalle: Yes, I guess we can state: light/brightness/color is ONE element, but not the only one, another is ‘movement’
[12:41] Josephine Delvalle: Matt please
[12:43] Ais Aeon: c
[12:44] ᴍʌᴛᴛ (matthsuogan): you can definitely have a “happy” picture in black and white, while color photography can enhance the visual impact of joyful and vibrant scenes, black and white photography has it own unique charm and can still convey a positive and joyful mood and i think blurring in a photograph can indeed indicate a sense of movement when a subject or elements within a photo appear blurred it us suggests that they were in motion during the exposure this can create a dynamic and energetic feel in the image conveying sense of actions or movement. Done
[12:44] Josephine Delvalle: exactly Matt and now Ais please.
[12:46] Ais Aeon: I would like to add to what Matt said about black&white and charm. ‘Period’ edits, including ones other than black and white are good tools in itself to create nostalgia. For example the “80s kodak instant camera” decolorization. Or better yet, sepia. I can offer an example:
12:46] Ais Aeon: This is original:
https://i.ibb.co/rmxN7vd/Screenshot-Diamond-River-Lumber-Co-37-78194-145-27215-15-58-09.jpg
[12:46] Ais Aeon: While this is a sepia edit:
https://i.ibb.co/7R5YKPS/s8.jpg
[12:47] Ais Aeon: I would say the sepia, while it loses details, draws the viewer in and connects them with other period elements in the image. Such as the old engines etc.
[12:47] Ais Aeon: So both color, but also photo subjects relating to a different era. That too changes the mood. (done)
[12:47] Josephine Delvalle: smiles, true, Ais
[12:48] Josephine Delvalle: and thank you, Ais, you mentioned the lost 3rd element, the subject the scene
[12:49] Moki Yuitza: c
[12:50] Josephine Delvalle: You have identified the light and the movement already as elements (and movement is not easy to identify as element) and now we come to the subject. Are there ‘positive subjects?
[12:50] Josephine Delvalle: ahh, Moki, please
[12:51] Moki Yuitza: thank you Josephine, i just wanted to add an element that i think has emerged before, the framing, the point of view of the subject.
[12:53] Josephine Delvalle: can you describe it by the example of our running children at the beach?
[12:54] Moki Yuitza: here are three children, in the foreground, but if the images was the same three children but viewed from far, or maybe from above, the mood or the feeling could change drastically.
[12:55] Josephine Delvalle: wow, yes, that is true, and the children are moving to us not away from us.
[12:56] Josephine Delvalle: May I point again at the element ‘subject’, are three basically positive subjects? What do you think?
[12:56] Moki Yuitza: exactly, or maybe you can see them like they are running across your visual, like a breeze, leaving behind just the sound of their laughs
[12:56] Moki Yuitza: on the contrary, if they are three small points on a beach, maybe with a lot of other people (other small points) around, the feeling could be very different. Done
[12:58] Josephine Delvalle: Ok, we have as subject/scene: children, beach, nature in a specific framing
[12:59] Josephine Delvalle: but I see we are out of time so finally, allow me to summarize:
1) Light: bright, light,
2) Subject: some subjects or scenes tend basically subjects to represent a positive situation, e.g. children, meadows, fields, flowering gardens, beach, pond, open space, families, friends
3) Movement: there are also some movements, that are basically more positive e.g. dancing, walking, playing or reading.
[13:02] Josephine Delvalle: Thank you for getting involved in this somewhat different topic.
[13:03] Josephine Delvalle: I think the next discussion will make the whole thing a little more interesting and perhaps show (how easily?) a similar subject can be turned into something dark. Or how to twist it.
We also will talk about the question: how do you start such a project. Dark and dramatic picture, when feeling the darkness and drama just in your own mind and heart by something that had touched you? Cheerful and light picture, on those days when you woke up with a smile?
[13:03] Josephine Delvalle: Thank you again for giving me such a nice and easy start here.
[13:04] Josephine Delvalle: Next episode will be in 2 weeks, 28th of October 12PM SLT
