Today’s Question: Do you think the process of creating a photograph is as important as the final image?
Tim’s Quick Answer: In many respects I think the process of creating a photograph is much more important than the final image. To me the final image is often mostly a tangible reminder of the experience of witnessing the original scene we photographed.
More Detail: The core of today’s question is something I’ve thought about a great deal over the years. Interestingly, I somewhat recently I learned that I have a condition that results in photographs being of particular value to me.
Within the last year or two I discovered that I have a condition called aphantasia, which means I’m not able to create mental images in the “mind’s eye”. In other words, I don’t have the ability to have a visual recall in my mind of a subject or scene I’ve observed. It is estimated that only about 1% to 4% of the population has aphantasia, so I may be somewhat biased in my perspective. But I suspect this condition may be part of the reason I value photography so much, as it provides a tangible way for me to experience memories.
Still, I do feel that the process of creating an image is in some ways more important than the final image. For this reason, I try to make sure I’m fully experiencing and appreciating the scene I’m photographing. That is in part to add to the experience, but also to contribute to being more deliberate about the photographic process. That, in turn, can lead to a better final photograph.
To be sure, I very much value the final photograph, at least for those images that I feel turned out particularly well. But if I had to choose between having the final photograph and having the original experience, I would choose the experience. But I still want the photos too!
