''It is an illusion that photographs are taken with the camera - they are made with the eye, heart and head'' - Henri Cartier-Bresson
Eye, heart and head.
All visual artists talk about 'having an eye'...the ability to compose, to see the relation between objects, objects and the space they inhabit.
The 'head' - the planning beforehand. The technical decisions made about shutter and speed in the moment and, once the photograph has been created, unravelling its meaning.
However, for me, the 'heart' is often the most interesting one. Photographers like Don McCullin in the midst of a conflict facing difficult moral decisions; asking: do I observe and record, or becomedirectly involved? Photographers like Sebastiao Salgado who know the power of an image to create a political agenda because their humanity wishes to uncover the injustices and inequalities in this world. The image becomes their way of expressing fundamental feelings about their view of the world. The relationship between photography and conscience is a fascinating one.
And, for me? Open the heart when taking portraits to absorb more than just the surface image of your sitter. Feel a beautiful dawn before taking the image so that it captures some of its emotional power. Open your heart and photographs have the opportunity not just to record the moment but to become visual poems.